A definite YES to adding some glass doors. It may take some thought to choose which ones especially since the cabinets on each side of the microwave are unequal in size. Hickory is a great wood and I wouldn't recommend painting them. However wood cabinets do tend to make a room darker. So, I'm going to hesitantly suggest pickling the cabinets. That will lighten them but still allow the wood graining and patterning show thru. Will suggest changing to lighter colored countertops and a coordinating light colored backsplash. Would also suggest replacing the appliances with stainless. It would seem that you have a spacious kitchen and don't really need additional storage space but would you consider adding an island. It would be functional, give you a second sink if you decided to add one and could provide seating. The table and chairs you have now just don't look appropriate. Good luck!

The table and chairs are just wrong for that space . If neutral / Scandanvian is the aim the blck applinces need to go and BTW they suck up loghting. Speaking of lighting you need to change all the bulbs to LED 4000K that alone will make the space feel a lot brighter. I also think I would leave the cabinets alone since they really are fine as they are but if the time comes to really redo all those base cabinets should be drawers and also a lot wider a counter depth fridge would be better . I would probably right now just do a moveable island in the center . IMO don't spend money on a ktichen that honestly needs an upgrade and better layout and obviously more useable storage.

I think your space has so much potential!!!

The very first thing I would do, is find out where your cabinets are from and reach out to the company and have them make a very large trim piece to cover the soffit.

Second, I’d remove the microwave and get a nice hood vent.

New lighting

New countertops, backsplash and island.
You can really go either way with the countertops - dark leathered soapstone
Or a bright white plain clean quartz.

Backsplash should come at the very very end.

And island can be a moveable island
Or maybe a cool antique find
Or maybe a regular cabinet island.
I’d look for something contrasting. Maybe black for the island.

And then, if you can some stainless appliances

And new hardware

....

It all adds up so quickly, the list is always growing.
So make a “wish list” in order of what’s priority for you.
Keep an end goal in mind and do it right the first time :)
Enjoy the process!!!

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond, you have given me so many ideas to work with! I love covering the soffit i had not thought of that before!

I want light counters but I am so overwhelmd at the options - if you can recommend any silestone or ceasarstone colors that pair with wood tones please share!

I would leave the cabinets alone, I think they're quite nice. Changing out the backsplash would probably be the first thing I'd do -- it's not so much the counters that are making the space dark but all that dark backsplash. I'd also switch to all stainless appliances and get a nice big area rug under the table to visually break up the wood. Agree with above poster -- that kitchen table is all wrong for this kitchen.

if you will be sticking with this kitchen basically the way it is for a good number of years I'd calculate into the mix just a bit more than counters and backsplash. I think I'd go to the trouble of taking down the uppers in order to remove the soffits then get a hood w venting and use your uppers to put back in the space. But source some hickory small cabs to stack above what you have ..these can have the glass doors. maybe remove a couple wall cabs..even just one....and insert a shelf or two just to break things up and display what you have in your possession. I dont always think its essential to remove soffitts but in this case I think you would gain long term with them out. the view is so wide and open into the space...with stacked cabs.... [or extra molding at the top] .... I think the gain would be worth the trouble. Then on to counter/splash and rustic table or work island in the center....pendant fixture??

We might recommend just updating the lighting, hardware, appliances to stainless steel, and removing the backsplash. It looks like you also could add in an island or if you wanted a table there you could get one that would go with the updated feel. If you wanted to update even more you could opt to remove the microwave and add in a hood.

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