I agree white is a safe option. But I would probably also consider a blue.
Honesty what I’d do is leave the island brown and light blue surrounding cabinets.

Go to Sherwin Williams color Snap app you can choose color and it shows you in your own photo

Good idea! I was afraid an app wouldnt be able to tell the difference between the cabinets and the floors!

Leave the cabinets. The biggest impact will come from lighter counters and a light backsplash.

Add some more recessed lights too.

Some examples:

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Those are all beautiful! Definitely something to think about. The main problem is that the floors are pretty much the same color as the cabinets.

Some people don't like floors and cabinets being close in color, but I've had 2 kitchens that came that way and I didn't mind the look. For me, changing out the counters and backsplash to much lighter colors made the biggest difference.

I am all for painting wood, but I don't think you will get the look you want just by painting the cabinets. Your counters will still look muddy brown and the backsplash is the main element that dates your kitchen.

That’s a really good point. you guys are changing my mind!

Light colored cabinets would be my first choice for impact and really let the floors shine.

If it were me, I'd sand and refinish the floors -- it's not the darkness that I would find hard to work with, it's the stripey-ness. You could refinish in a lighter color. It looks as though the flooring travels into other rooms, so you'd have to take that into consideration -- it should be all or nothing (meaning hardwood all same). I'd also change out the backsplash; the cabinets are beautiful -- I'd leave those alone.

I love your floor and cabinet color- rich and welcoming- I vote for new backsplash and lights first.

I agree with the one who said switch out the counter and backsplash. Painting the cabinets they will just make them stand out more. Plus I think the cabinets look like they are in good shape and could look really pretty with the right colors against them.

Start with the easiest, least costly change first: lighting. The bulbs might change as well which would impact your colour options in the space. I'm not a fan of the closeness in colour between cabinets and floor either so would explore the proposed idea of lightening the floor. That might actually turn out to be less expensive than painting the cabinets which usually cost more than expected for professional results. The cabinets look to be good quality. Don't devalue them with a poor quality paint job. After changing the lighting, I'd change the backsplash. Get some poster board to mock up the look of a seamless lighter colour on those vertical planes. See how much impact just lightening that space has in the kitchen.

I really alpreciate all the comments! the floors just for refinished before we boight the house, so i wont be touching those. Really thinking about changing the countertop, backsplash and lighting now!

I would think about going upper cabinets white and lower cabinets denim blue base cabinets or just island and light Countertops with a back splash to blend in all the colors nice.

Or you can have wall cabinet and base white with a medium darker Countertops and the island denim blue base cabinets with a light color stone with a 2 inch edge with a waterfall.

Hope this mixes it up for you .

Those cabinets are beautiful. I am not a fan of dark either. I can see they would be beautiful painted white too. That back splash, well it was a poor design choice when it was first invented IMHO. Mostly it looks cheap up against your cabinets. It would be a much easier job to swap them/counters/lighting than cupboards FOR SURE. Keep us informed. Good luck with your choices!!

The brown floors and brown cabinets reads “too much brown”. I opt to get your cabinets professionally painted in white. Your floor will then pop. Your backsplash goes with your wall colour but it’s already dated and an easy fix and it’s relatively inexpensive so that’s the next change I would do if budget allows. Your light fixtures will need to be changed to something more updated as well. Good luck.

Thank you! I need to price out changing that backsplash. We haven’t dont that before. And we will have the cabinets done professionally. I would not take that on!