It is very nice. You have texture with the stools but it needs some color! Maybe a pretty Roman shade and a smeg toaster in a favorite color.

First thing I see is that farm fresh sign. I don’t think it’s necessary.
If you really want it than center it over the windows.
I’d declutter the counter. Can the toaster go in a cabinet? Plants, unless they’re herbs don’t need to be there.
Then I’d reclutter it with pretty accents lol.
Maybe a cool colored mixer. Or as stated above, a smeg.
I’d get a pretty paper towel holder.
Some decorative jars. Canisters. Flowers. Cutting boards. Tea kettles. Maybe a cool utensil holder. Otherwise just keep them in the drawer. Your kitchen is lovely. Clean, fresh, farmy, cozy. Nicely done.
The last thing is the stools. They’re totally totally fine. If you were bored or wanted a change I’d do something lighter. Maybe a lucite stool.

Put in a proper vent hood, and move the microwave elsewhere. ”Upscale” will never have a microwave over the range.

A counter depth fridge will give you the look you’re going for...not what you have now, which sticks out beyond the cabs, and intrudes on the molding surrounding the entrance to the room next to it.

There are too many lights in the soffit, too close together. The one over the microwave, accentuates the fact that you don’t have a vent hood, And, all the light over the fridge is doing is illuminating the top of the fridge, calling attention to the protrusion beyond the cabinet.

And, yes...get rid of the Farm Fresh sign, and the plants on the counter. I’m guessing they were put there for the photo, but they don’t belong on a kitchen counter.

Edited to add: If at all feasible, I’d have removed the soffit, and taken the cabinets up to the ceiling, with some molding on top.

Get rid of the soffit, and the angled peninsula. Then improve the layout with a more functional island, real ventilation, actual professional grade appliances, and some wood, color, and life. No mass market home goods anything.

I like your kitchen! And there really isn’t much to declutter! What about a wow rug? Or pendant lights over the peninsula or over the sink?

Maybe more “upscale” stools? Paint the outer side of the peninsula cabinets a wow color?

Pretty kitchen. think some nice hanging light fixtures would add a lot.

Another vote for some pendant lights.

Are you looking for minimal work or possibly remodeling? Building on others ideas and putting it into chunks:

Inexpensive: add pendant lights, they make ones that convert from the can lights. Bold color small valance over the window and use that same color in the barstool chair pads.

More money:

counter depth fridge

all new upper cabinets with soffits removed and a hood over the range with taking the backsplash all the way up behind the hood

paint the lower cabinets a different color

can/ledlights in the rest of the kitchen ceiling (due to loss of the ones in the soffit)

even more money: all the above except all new cabinets,

take out the peninsula, add an island, move the fridge to the sink wall on the far left.

Pendant lights

I like my little kitchen... I took this to mean she won't be remodeling--just wants something to kick up the current vibe. It's a very nice kitchen, with a good layout. (Except for the appliance garage in the primary prep space between the sink and range--OP, when/if you remodel, please remove that.)

You have a nice cozy functional kitchen, to me, you're not missing much.

Agree that interesting pendants can be a "wow" you're looking for-unless you have a lighting fixture that would visually align with them, and that you don't want to contradict..hard to say without seeing the plan. But yes, lights might be just that.

Different chairs might signal "upscale" more, as might a hood, or hardware, or taking off a farm sign-but are you sure you want to trade the feel you already have, for another one? What vibe are you looking for? I also understood you're not looking to redo anything-rater to add a special touch/substract something..correct me i I'm wrong.

Obviously we all might mean something a bit different when we think "upscale". "Upscale" also varies depending on one's style.

Something Smeg always works, that's for sure:) Or other nice colored small appliance.

Also, varied metal finishes might add interest. In small touches. Different woods. Emamels and ceramics. As in: knives, tea kettle, cutting board, towel holder, all acccessories one uses everyday, mentioned already upthead-they're both useful and can be very pretty..you can take them in different directions too, depending on what style you prefer-from sleek and contemporary to quirky and whimsical. They can be your "wow", easily.

My kitchen has the best natural light in the whole house, so I also have some plants in the kitchen. They don't bother me, rather make me happy.

Live flowers in a great vessel, and fruits in a bowl that adds either color or texture, are not used by photographers and stylists everywere just because. I never had such a pretty dining as when my photograper friend brought and styled flowers just so. I always have flowers anyway--she just did some messy magic:) They also can be enjoyed and eaten:) Obviously.

You don't have to always have these,and if you do- not neccessarily in the kitchen either. But for you personally-it can be your "wow" factor.

What more could one want?

Wow, thanks so much guys! I hadn't even thought about some of these options. A new fridge is the next purchase and it will be flush with the counters.

I'm going to install pendant lights this weekend and add a roman shade with a bit of color. I'd love to remove the soffit eventually. Do you think I should paint the soffit white for now? Right now it's a light sage color.

I don't like the microwave above the range and would love to have a vent hood. Could a vent still work with the soffit over the range or would that be tacky?

Yes, I would paint the soffit white for a better flow.