Are you changing the cabinets or relocating that too large fridge that sticks out into the room?

if up to it remove the dropped ceiling to open up the kitchen. If cant do that just remove the light area and install pot lights. Current ceiling closes down the room and dates the kitchen the most.

IMO quartz is not a great choice for counters can't really be used behind your range and honestly 2 different backsplashes are IMO never good .The fridge is way too big for the space and I would look for lighter coloured granite and do the counter and backsplash the same everywhere . I have no idea what hint brown is. Is that a sky light or fluorescent lighting ?

Not sure if you’re redoing the entire kitchen, painting or leaving these cabinets, or just looking to change the backsplash. Please clarify the entire job.

FWIW - a backsplash choice is the last decision in a kitchen remodel job - after cabinets, countertop and lighting are decided and installed.

im just redoing the counters and backsplash. we stained the cabinets no change there. lighting is all done too.

im looking for a light color counter ”going for white”. i do not want granite dont like the designs.

Putting quartz anywhere near those old cabinets is expensive lipstick on a pig. New laminate? Sure. Or ditch those 25 year old rxposed hinge bad drawer glides cabinets, get new, and do quartz with it.

any way you can remove that huge ceiling light (is it a florescent?) and do some recessed lights?

basically something like this ceiling.

that drop ceiling and florescent light fixtures were all the rage in the 80's. Not so much now.

At the very least, try and patch over the hole and just do a flush mount fixture w/3-4 bulbs

You're spending money to bring in a modern new backsplash, but you're keeping all of the other elements from 40 years ago. It's going to look a bit off.

Look at what this gal did. although the cabs are old, she updated everything else around them, not just the white quartz

She (SkinnyHouse Reveal) did a beautiful job on the peninsula area to give it more of a finished look. and the rug is nice too

Another poster on here shared her own redo w/oak cabs. she redid the lighting w/a center semi flush mount fixture, and a pendant. white quartz, simiple white tile.

another one that shows them removing a similar type of ceiling light and doing recessed. so much nicer

as far as your backsplash tile,

What's the rush ? Put your countertops in first, then you choose. backsplash is dead last.

Although, they're having a sale on this tile over at Tilebar. I think it's the look you want?

https://www.tilebar.com/los-lunas-white-4x12-ceramic-tile.html (home depot sells them under IvyHill tile line, but they cost a bit more)

Let me show you some pictures of oak cabs w/diff countertops/tile. and some that were stained darker.

here's a shot w/oak cabinets and a Steel Gray leathered granite, white subways

and a white marble quartz with a soft grayish blue crackle subway.

a rug in front of your sink in this size would look great.

You could just get a nice granite and do the 4" backspalsh, paint the walls. Notice how nice the ceiling looks with canned lights and not the 40 year old inset fixture.

Your cabinets,,,

What happened here? is this finished? looks like the doors took the stain darker than the base.

Did you completely sand off all of the previous finish from these oak cabinets before applying the new stain? I know the DIY tutorials say you can just apply the gel stain on top, but without proper prep, this seldom works correctly.

did you put anything over the new gel coat? a clear coat?

or, what product did you use? Does it feel tacky anywhere?

are you using something like this? or the Rustoleum product?

you went through all that work. you didn't want to just paint them?

see how they finished the flat panel on this peninsula/island front? yours is pretty worn. You could sand it down a bit, grab some red oak boards, cut them to fit the trim sizes (ike a board and batten) and attach them to the panel for a finished look.

You would stain the panel first, and also stain your rails and stiles after you cut them. nail/glue on the panel front, and apply your clear coat. done.

I agree with most of the previous answers…..it’s hard to keep some older aspects, add new tops and backsplash and hope it will look new. But: since you’re done with lighting and cabinets, keep it simple. Choose your quartz tops and go with a simple, light subway tile backsplash. I don’t think I would do glass, because A. it’s more expensive and B. more modern….not sure it would look cohesive. Definitely stick to one type of tile, for simplicity’s sake, as your kitchen is not huge.