I'm with cat_ky. Don't change the cabinets. Instead change the backsplash to the palest background color of the granite--very plain tile. Choose a paint color that harmonizes well with your golden cabinets and flooring--something like this.

Southwest Style Kitchen · More Info

Whatever wall color you pick, since you have so much kitchen dining flooring, make sure your wall paint harmonizes. Here's an article about paint that goes with wood/golden tones:

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/11-terrific-paint-color-matches-for-wood-details-stsetivw-vs~9025200

アジアン キッチン · More Info

I agree. Keep the cabinets and just change the backsplash to a simple light colored tile. That is an inexpensive fix for now, and works with your other finishes. Later on, when you're ready for a full remodel (new floors and cabinets), you can remove your pennisula and extend your cabinets down the wall under the window for a much larger kitchen.

Thank you for the advise everyone. I truly appreciate it. :)

Kitchen looks good! I agree with changing the BS and putting down rug/runner. Im in middle of a remodel Im staining my Island keeping it wood tone.

Thanks again everyone. So let's say this is your kitchen, what specific backsplash would you use?

This is where things get tricky. Your counter is diffucult to match up with which is why the previous owner chose the moasic. This happens a lot. Thinking if imput all the colors that are in the counter, it will somehow wirk. It doesn’t.

When looking at the mosaic colors, what is the lightest tile? i would match that color.

Or, a very light mocha could work as well.

I would not do glass. Ceramic tile.

Pick a lighter color from the countertop and do all one color. The backsplash now, is so very busy looking. Keep it simple, and let the countertops be the star, rather than competing with each other.

I would spend nothing on the kitchen until I lived there for at least six months and then decide the extent of the changes I want to make, how much they will cost and the timeline to have those funds. Better to wait a few years to tackle a good plan, than doing the patchwork approach that will not give you the same end results.

In my last house I knew the dark backsplash and counters had to go. I didn't rush into anything, which gave me time to realize that the cabinets weren't of great quality and not worth putting new quartzite counters on. Also realized the 48" fridge was in an awful spot too close to a corner. We did other major stuff to the house (addition, remodeling bathrooms,etc) before getting to the kitchen 7 years later and doing a total gut. I am really glad I didn't run in and change the counters and backsplash right after we moved in, because then I would have felt stuck with it.

Look for a solid, warm white to cream colored porcelain tile. You'll have to try a few samples in your space against the cabinets and countertop.

I would also change the light bulbs to a cooler tone.

honestly, it's liveable. But for this minute, switch out all of those yellow bulbs for something cooler. even the undercabinet lighting. look for a 3500-4000K light. the last thing you need is more yellow in that kitchen.

The first thing I'd tackle is that lighting. if you're going to spend money, do that first. (and do the bulbs!)

get something like this in the ceiling. a few recessed cans

here is the same color cabs like you have w/a golden/white granite and white splash. notice the under cabinet lighting too.

If you start piecing it one thing at a time, it's going to be a mess. for instance, spending money on changing out the backsplash tile. lets say you get that done, and a year from now you want to change out to quartz. maybe the new countertop will slide right under the new tile, mabye it won't. maybe the quartz you want will match the new tile, maybe it won't.

Then you have that taupe/beige ceramic floor to deal with. It just begins a snowball effect.

Wait. Save up the money and do it all so that it all matches.

Could you paint the cabinets a nice white? yes. have you ever painted cabinets? the correct way? It's an immense amount of work. It would be a shame to ruin those wood cabinets and not do it correctly.

you want to hire someone to do it? great. a good pro job will prob run in the 5K range.

If you hate the backsplash, demo it yourself. save some money. you could even put up some beadboard and paint it for less than $50 to hold you over.

your white appliances aren't bad. they look new. Could you live w/them? Or maybe sell them and look for 'lightly used' SS replacements.

If you can tackle the backsplash yourselves, that's one less thing you spend money on.

The next thing would be the flooring. And that is a big ticket item.

your quartz countertops. Have you ever heard of pre-fab countertops? for about $500 you can get a white quartz. You have a small kitchen. One 9' prefab is all you'd need. someone would cut it and install if for you for about 800 or so. Look into it

middle are prefabs.

(but until you switch out all that yellow, hold off on any marble look quartz. it won't work w/that flooring or the yellow wood)

can't really see your granite. here are some colors

Painted oak cabs w/Santa Cecelia granite

creamy white cabinets.

similar cabs to yours. you could even pull down your backsplash and just paint the wall.

The cabinets are the nicest thing going here. change the lighting first & paint color. Then I would put money into the flooring first. After that go for new backsplash. You will be amazed what a little facelift will do.

Wow thank you so much to all of you for taking the time to share your ideas. it’s such a huge help for me.

One thing I’m sure of is that I want white paint for the whole house because I want it brighter. Having seen the kitchen, could you guys give me an idea which white paint you think would work. I totally do not understand the undertones and if it should be cool or warm. Here’s a photo of the family room. Thank you again.

everything is warm, so you'd want a warmer tone white.

Simply White would be great. I did it on my walls and trim. It's a bright white w/a warmer vibe to it.

If you want something creamier, try Alabaster

These are whites that lean over to the red side, so they will have a pink undertone (not that you'll see the pink. if you put it next to a white that leaned on the green or yellow side, you may be able to tell, but w/o that, it's just going to look white that works w/your red floor.

Swiss Coffee (BM) is also nice w/the tones in your room.

This swiss coffee would work w/your fireplace tile. (not sure if you plan on keeping that)

another color that would look nice is Sage. any type of sage accents w/the creamier whites, would look great.

these too would look nice w/the flooring

Right now the only thing I would do is get rid of the tile backsplash.

You don't need to replace a backsplash.

I don't quite understand why people feel they need to put a backsplash everywhere when they are not going to be splashing everywhere.

The only place in your kitchen that you would need to protect once you remove the mosaic tiles is behind your cooktop.

Until and unless you re-do the entire kitchen and move your microwave and get a proper vent hood, which is something you do want to think about down the line when you do your whole kitchen, just do something simple behind the cooktop.

An idea would be a sheet of stainless steel or stainless steel tiles.

Easy-peezy to clean, and impervious to heat, too,

I actually like your cabinets, t's just the doors that are dated.

If you look at one of Beth's photos, it shows a kitchen with light wood cabinets but with slab doors, and look how chic and contemporary that kitchen is.

Maybe when you are ready you can price out what it would cost to get new cabinet doors and drawer fronts. Maybe it would be even cheaper than painting, I don't know.

Beth, can you comment on that?

I also like Beth's idea of changing the light bulb.

I needed to change the bulb in my kitchen because it blew and I put in one with a cooler spectrum, and not only does the kitchen look newer, it looks cleaner, and puts me in a better mood too, just because it is bright.

loobab, that's a good idea. refacing. didn't even think of that.

Here's a light maple slab front w/marble countertop. they used it as a backsplash.

another lighter, natural maple w/shaker style doors. gray quartz countertop.

If you like the layout then contact a local carpenter, cabinet maker, Amish craftsman, and look into getting those refaced. (If the bases are all good, solid wood). I actually did that w/my custom cabinets after 15 years.

You could stay w/the wood, make have them lightened, or, paint the skeleton and bring in another color.

This way you get rid of the dated arches.

but, what I would do w/this kitchen is completely revamp it

or, wrap it around to the other window and close off this one. this way you get a huge kitchen w/a large island that would then become your eat in area. (unless you really want a table. I never use my dining table and would rather sit at the island)

you'd have a large L shape w/more seating at the island
(not this style, just showing you the type of layout!))

However, in the interim if you must have a change, you could easily reface those cabinets. And paint if you like. if you do that, build some boxes on top and take them to the ceiling

Or, you could reface the uppers w/taller doors. build some boxes on top and then get 36" doors. if you have room, do some crown molding

if you like a more modern look,,,slab reface, two tone

or, fill in the gap with some taller crown molding and paint

this is similar to what yours would look like painted. (BM Soft Chamois)

And you say potato and I say potahto, cause I never sit at the island and only eat in the dining room!

That's why everyone is saying wait a while and see how you live in the house.

I do agree with redoing the whole kitchen. Just not right away when you move in.

I am not thrilled with putting a cooktop in an island if you have children, it makes me worried. Also, it is harder to put in a hood over an island, as opposed to against a wall.

I would get rid of your current counter and get rid of the current window. Have additional cabinetry uppers and lowers where the current window is that is perpendicular to the french doors. And you can have more counter space there too if you want it. If not, you can make it pantry cabinets.

Then you can have your counter/island perpendicular to the one that is there now. If you won't use the table, have countertop seating. If you want your table and chairs, you don't need countertop seating so close, and you have an island that is just for an additional work surface, and you can get a really super-duper stainless steel island on locking casters. You can get a marvelously thick end-grain butcher block on part of it for cutting, and if you do a lot of baking, you can get a great piece of marble for the other end for rolling out dough. Or you can have a more traditional type island with closed cabinetry, and still have it on wheels, with locking casters.

I think if and when you are ready to re-do your entire kitchen you should think it through very carefully, because it is a big deal and a lot of money and effort on your part, and inconvenience for your family, too.

I would read a lot on every website and study every photo, and make notes about what you like and don't like in terms of functionality and esthetics and specific appliances.

Do the same thing when you go to other people's homes. too,

I hope COVID will be over soon, so you can go visiting, and to open houses so there will be a lot for you to see.

For me, I would for sure want two sinks apart from each other, and two separate ovens, and a real hood vent that vents to the outside. I wouldn't mind if the immediate family can see the kitchen(they know the truth:) but I wouldn't want guests seeing the kitchen.

Whether or not you need 2 dishwashers may depend on the size of your family and if you can bear to see a mountain of dishes until the first load is done.

I think the more storage the better, and who wants to fall off of a stepladder dusting the tops of cabinets? So I would build to the ceiling, if not cabinetry, some sort of storage box of the same wood as your cabinets if only for a teapot, tureen, etc.

Thank you for all your brilliant ideas. The thought of extending the kitchen and having an island really excites me. :)