Only you two will know your budget and what you are comfortable spending... don't exactly know what you mean about, "because it is a townhouse." Looking at the space, it needs an overhaul. Firstly, a good cleaning out, reorganizing would be in order to make sure that you know exactly what you need storage for and where. Before you go the cosmetic route of backsplash, counters, flooring, the layout needs to be addressed. Is the open area at the bottom of the photos for the eating/dining area? Is this the only place for a table on this floor? Is there an actual dining room? Could you just use that to turn the kitchen completely into a kitchen/storage area and increase cabinets? Could you please include more pictures and a rough sketch of windows and doors for people to help you?

Your initial thoughts about moving the aquarium and extending both sides sounds right, but seeing more of the space will help others give you the help you need.
Good luck!

can you post a floor plan that includes dimensions, windows, and doors? include the rooms next to the kitchen too.

If cost is a factor the only place for more storage is where the aquarium is leaving. Adding more cabinets blocking the peninsula is not a great plan. More pics needed with the floor plan. Show us this pantry beyond the aquarium. DECLUTTER. CLEAN. then lets see what there is to work with. Why redo the floor? What is the thinking? Does she have an idea board so people know what her dream kitchen would be? Why not retro the cabinets that are there for the trash, remove the shelf get a shorter can.

Well, it sounds like she is planning to ”push back” or extend the entire kitchen. which based on the pictures you attached, sounds good (based on the pictures, it seems like that is her only option). I do wonder though, if there is a patio door near the trash, is it on the same wall as the sink or is it on the adjacent wall? Unless I misunderstood, it seems like she is planning to add a lower cabinet to the side the sink is on and an upper corner cabinet at the end where the trash is currently sitting. If that is the case and she’s planning to keep the peninsula, will there be room between the patio door and the peninsula when she basically pushes it back to make room for her new lower trash bin cabinet?

As far as the money on the cabinet issue, it almost seems like she doesn’t want to spend money on the cabinets…at all. I mean Lowes qouted her $2,000 for the additional cabinets that would match her current cabinets, but she doesnt want to spend that. All new cabinets would cost her more, and she obviously dont want to spend that. So….unless she wants to risk mix-matched cabinets, she’s probably going to need to spend some money. That said, she can always try your local Habitat for Humanities stores, second hand home stores (that resell things like windows, doors, cabinets, etc.), junk yards, or even some of the social media sites that allow people to post and resell their unwanted items (I hear about people getting lucky with that a lot). Good luck!!!

If you can take some pictures of the whole space at once please...

Anyways,
I think moving the peninsula to the wall is good.
And then maybe add a small island.

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For the cabinets. There’s not much to do other than pay the quoted price.

On a budget I’d probably keep the lowers and get new upper cabinet doors. Can you get a quote on that and see where that brings you?

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New countertops and backsplash 👍.
New flooring and lighting 👍👍.

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This space has a lot of potential to look great and be functional. Use , and take advantage of that, and this forum.
If this is the home they plan on staying in, invest money to do it right. Or wait until they can... good luck! :)

Most economic idea i had is to buy a pice of furniture to put where the aquarium is now.

it can be a hutch, or as inexpensive as a bakers rack..

spend a saturday taking everything off the counters and finding the rightnplaces for them. the toaster oven and coffee maker may be more at home on the new bakers rack/hutch.

Bryony Metal Baker's Rack · More Info

P.S. the trash can is a nice one. no need to buy it its own cabinet. slip it between the cabinet and the bakers rack, out of the way.

P.P.S. if we could see the dinnette area, we may have ideas for that. space.

If she is balking at the cost of two new cabinets, what did she have in mind for floors, backsplash and countertop? If she likes her layout, getting two new cabinets and refacing the whole room is definitely an option. Whoever does the refacing can add the new cabinets since them doors will be all the same.
Redoing this kitchen area, even minimally, will be several thousand dollars.

Here’s what I would do:
Declutter and remove EVERYTHING from on top of the cabinets. While you’re at it, declutter inside the cabinets as well. I bet you’ll be surprised at how much more space you have. Replace the floor, counter, and backsplash with something neutral. Replace the faucet with something more updated. Whatever finish you select for the faucet (suggest brushed nickel), buy hardware for the cabinets in the same finish. Get rid of the aquarium. With whatever money you were going to spend on additional cabinets, buy a free standing storage solution of your choosing instead. Look on FB Marketplace, Nextdoor, or Craigslist for some inexpensive, creative options. Add some color with a small area rug. Open a bottle of wine and enjoy your refreshed space!

IMO remove the aquarium get a nice pantry cabinets and move all the clutter to that panytry . All the stuff off the top of the cabinets and all the stuff off the counters and the fridge it will feel like a new kitchen. Some new LED 4000K lights and until she can afford to do this right forget all the other stuff that was planned. If you are worried about the difference between 2K and $K you cannot do what you are planning so stop now clean and declutter and get the pantry.

Another thought….if the peninsula has usable cabinet storage (meaning the draws and cabinets actually open and have space inside), consider moving those to the side where the aquarium is and instead of buying more upper cabinets, consider doing open shelving over that cabinet (2-3 shelves maybe). If she does this, then she’ll just need to purchase the trash bin cabinet and a corner cabinet (although she could also consider just adding a slide out trash bin unit under the kitchen sink, if she really wants to hide the trash…the kit can be purchased at Lowes or Home Depot). For the snack bar/coffee bar, maybe purchase a used buffet (or dresser that you both can d.i.y into a buffet) from a thrift store, or shop on line for a small kitchen cart with storage. To make everything seem cohesive and intentional, repaint the cabinets (I would remove that arch over the sink…jig saw may make the cut easier, or some other electrical handheld saw) to match the new additions. Hope that all makes sense :)

oh and, add some kitchen hardware (you can purchase in bulk on Amazon for a pretty decent cost).

Hard to get excited to buy more dated cabinets- dated is a term I tend to avoid but these cabinets with cathedral top, pickled wood, and not reaching the ceiling are the epitome of dated. Additionally they still might be available from Lowes but I can just about guarantee that the color won't match since hers are a decade old and the varnish will have ambered. With all the other changes you propose (floor, counters, etc) you would be doing yourself a disservice to not look at full replacement. Otherwise you risk spending a lot of money and not getting any return. If you are the least bit handy this looks like a perfect IKEA kitchen, 40" wall cabinets that go up to the soffit, and you can get a deep cabinet for over the fridge that has actual storage. Never mind that the new cabinets will have soft close, better features, drawers... My .02$

What problem or problems are you trying to solve?

Want to update the style of the kitchen?

Want more counter space?

Want more cabinet storage?

Kitchen seems to be awkward to use - if so why?

The reason we are asking for a floor plan is that, for me anyway, I don't think the changes you are proposing are going to solve these problems, and will likely create other problems. If you are extending cabinets into the eating area, will you still have room for table, walkway to the sliding glass doors etc? Why do you need more cabinet storage if you already have a pantry (not shown) in addition to the cabinets we see?

Looks like your kitchen style is "everything visible and in easy reach" instead of things behind cabinet doors. If so, adding more cabinets may not give you more counter space.

I wonder where you're planning to put a corner upper?

Why not put trash in a pull out under the sink?

You will get better help here if we have more info. But beware that it's entirely possible to put $$ into this kitchen and it won't increase the value of the home, and won't function any better.

Start by thinking about where you do your food preparation. That's where you spend most of your time in the kitchen. Does it need to have space for 2 people? Does it have easy access to sink, garbage, knives and cutting boards etc? That's the kind of thought work that will give you a better kitchen.

What does the owner think is a problem with the kitchen?

Carefully think out moving cabinets, unless you know if the floor tile is actually under it and in good shape too, or you may be replacing floor.

I like @Patricia Colwell Consulting idea. Move the aquarium add storage there. The pantry does not need to match the kitchen. It can be something totally different, but gives you everything you need to hold, most things you have out on the counters and above the cabinets. A narrow amoire would work.

Honestly, I think your kitchen may be dated, but it's truly not bad. With the new appliances in place. The counters and above the cabinets cleared off. Cabinets cleaned. New pantry with doors, or open shelving, or both, can be a coffee area with storage too. Look on Craigs List or Facebook Market, for a pantry or something with the right measurements to fill the area that will work in the kitchen for an inexpensive piece to replace the aquarium.

New runner on the kitchen floor that has all the colors in the space, instead of little matts, may bring the room together. Add hardware to the cabinets. Small changes, may make this a space you can live in with very little money invested. Save the money for when you want a bigger change, like a move.

Post pictures as you go along, no matter how you choose to update, I would love to see the progress.

Some inspiration:

This shows how you a completely different piece not matching the kitchen cabinet can work in the kitchen and still give you the storage you need.

Kitchen Custom Painted Hutch and Glam Farmhouse Coffee Station in Moorestown, NJ · More Info

So, I don’t want to be a Debbie downer but I saw several red flags in your post, particularly your girlfriend’s reluctance to put money into the townhouse. Is she planning on moving soon? Is it in an area with lower real estate values? If you haven’t already done so look around at real estate in the area to get an idea of what current townhouse values are. Pay attention to the level of finish inside and compare it to hers. You may also want to get advice from a local realtor about the kinds of upgrades that would be value added. It sounds like she has 2 major problems, function and aesthetics. Both can be fixed but the level of fix depends upon her budget. I can tell you from lots of personal experience that you have to have to commit to at least a maximum budget. Your budget and ability to do jobs yourselves will drive what you can do. We started off planning a refresh until we could afford to do our currently stalled kitchen/laundry/powder room reno but realized after pricing it that it wasn’t a good use of money so we waited for 4 years until we could afford to really do it right. The awful medium brown oak cathedral uppers, laminate counters complete with finish worn away to base in spots, no backsplash, and cracked floor tiles meant that it all had to go.

I agree with other posters about taking time to declutter, clear the cabinet tops, scour, move the trash can to the end of the peninsula facing in, and reassess. Patricia Coldwell’s suggestion to add a pantry cabinet where the aquarium resides is great for some immediate help. Definitely go to IKEA and sit with a kitchen planner there. If she is not staying permanently and the area will support a kitchen from IKEA (my area won’t) it could be a good option. My sister lives in a moderate townhouse and recently put in cabinets from Cabinets to Go, they look great. BTW, our old tile floor (just a larger format version of hers) was a huge project to remove. I feel your pain, wishing you both the best.

I would paint the grout on the floors with a White grout pen. Change the counter top to a realistic stone Formica counter top. Change the sink and faucet to silver. Add White peel and stick tiles on top of/over the existing back splash. Buy a white pantry cabinet to place in the aquarium spot and clear everything off the top of the cabinets. Buy new floor rugs in a fun bright pattern and matching artwork. This along with the new silver appliances will look so good!!

Yes! Please post an update. Would love to see your new kitchen.

Good news! Keep us updated.

Great news, so happy for you guys.

Great deal!

Awesome!! So glad you were able to find a company to get her what she wanted at a price she’s comfortable with. What’s important is that she loves it when it’s all said and done!!!

Thankfully my girl has class like me and hates the full blown modern look. I was at the store and took a picture of the cabinets on display. She is going with the 2 tone look. I love it. I barley influenced her. She just asked me what I thought and I told her. She made the final decision. But she knew this was what I wanted to do in my kitchen hehe. I told her a year ago. Its basically gonna look like this....