What is your budget? Does your kitchen work well functionally? Easiest and cheapest fix is painting the walls. If cabinets are in good shape, have them painted professionally. I have cabs that were put into my condo in 1980 and they are a lovely particle board! Mine are not worth painting. If this were my kitchen, I would do a greige for the upper cabs and medium blue or brown for the lower cabs and the island. You may consider putting pendent lights over the island. Also think about when and if you'll be doing a full remodel. That may help you with the budgeting short and long term plan.

Just what do you mean by "signs of age"? Are the finishes on the cabinets worn, scratched, stained? or do you just feel that the overall look is a little dated?

If the finishes are damaged, you really only have the choices of painting or refacing, I think.

If you just want to update the look: I think that the counter is pretty and works well with the floor. On my monitor the gray wall doesn't seem a good match, so I would look at a warm color to complement the island. I would remove the fluted columns and replace with a simple molding, and add a strip of the same or matching molding across the top of the door on the far wall. Does that strip of wide fluting molding next to the ovens serve a purpose? Is it hiding something? At the least I would make it as narrow as possible and also a simple design.

I’d start by removing all the fluted trim. Build in the tiny space over the cabinets with crown moldings, change the backsplash to a single color, either with new tile, or if budget doesn’t allow that, just paint it. New hardware in either warm gold or dark bronze.

Is the island top different from the rest?

Other than the fluted pieces, your kitchen looks pretty great in the photo so we need more information about what bothers you. Is the layout working for you? Please post a photo of the whole space as there is something that continues to the left we can’t see. And the countertop is blurry, so it’s hard to assess the whole room.

If the painted cabinets look worn, you could have them touched-up or repainted. The vertical fluting would be less visible if painted to match the cabinets. I would have the walls painted in a fresh color…my kitchen walls are done in a light apple green, which I love. I am expecting the end of the gray fad soon. Color is more refreshing. And you could add a few accessories, such as ceramic canisters or bowls, in the new wall color.

Thanks everyone for your feedback, I’m taking it all in. Here are some more pictures. The cabinets are showing their age, the backsplash is a bit dated I think or not what I would choose. I think the materials are expensive so I want to salvage as much as I can and have a fresh looking kitchen.

Those look to be MLS pix and they aren't enlarging. Can you post some that do? Can't really see any details. Does the island hold a micro and wine fridge? I might update the range hood and do something about the fluted trim. If you decide on new countertops, you might want to lower the top of that two-level bar. What's the interior of the pantry like? You might replace with pullouts. If you're going with a full blown reno, all drawers are a good idea. Here's why. Especially good for a retirement/forever home.

I agree that removing those fluted tall side trim pieces would have a big impact - that is most bothersome to my eyes. Changing the backsplash to all one colour (with a fun shape/pattern/lay-out for textural interest) would update the look. The dark brown island is standing out a lot- could the colour be changed or lightened? The grey wall colour is competing with the warm tones of your kitchen. You seem to have loads of space and storage capacity... such a great canvas to tweak! I look forward to seeing the changes!

Did you just purchase the house? What is the hurry? How well does it function?

If you just moved in or are buying the place I would do nothing for the next 6 months.

Figure out what works and doesn't work, what is most important to change (some things will drive you crazy and others you will learn to accept) and then figure out your budget.

Rushing to get a few things updated right away generally just leads to wasted time and wasted money or frustration when you end up re-doing it or limiting other decisions based on a rushed decision.

Depending on your budget, getting a new countertop and backsplash will definitely update the look. And I had the raised countertop area like yours (at the sink) and when I refaced my kitchen, I took it down and created a great island for serving or eating at. Definitely change the paint color of the walls since just doing that, in any room, feels fresh.

This isn’t dated other than the fluting and corbels. Don’t change out this great kitchen to make it cookie cutter with white cabinets and “marble” look quartz countertops with white subway tile.

I think i may get some quotes for repainting the cabinets and removing the fluting

I agree that I don’t want this kitchen to be cookie cutter but I want it to be refreshed…