What are you thinking about doing for the floor, new wood? Does that wood floor continue throughout your first floor? Was the water damage confined to the kitchen?

first thing I'd do is electrical and get rid of those horrible light fixtures!

do some nice canned lights.

what's with that window? was that a pop in? the giant surround of white vinyl doe not go w/one thing in that kitchen. Everything is wood/dark, nothing is white, so it sticks out like a sore thumb.

are you happy w/that island? the placement? the shape? Because now is the time to redo it.

honestly, it's a little weird looking. I"d want something straight with a nicer overhang.

You could redo the island and get a diff countertop on it.

why don't you want to keep the laminate on the other counter?

It would look nicer if you did something lighter on both countertop surfaces.

then you could do a nice tile splash

lighter countertops

What kind of flooing are you doing? the same type of oak? maybe a bit wider?

Do counters resemble soapstone / slate grey? seem ok, but new lighting seems good idea, maybe in a pewter/ iron type. Ikat grey/rust valance.

The flooring goes throughout all of the first floor minus the dining room in which the only thing we will change there is the colour of the dining room floor. Feel free to suggest paint colors!

To answer your other questions, I don't really want to spend the money on countertops if I don't have to. If I could get away with not that would be better. I would however replace the island countertop if you think that would help?

Good call on the kitchen window. I will look for better trim?

But only W 27" / H 23"

Kenroy Home 93675 Alvar 5 Light 27"W Chandelier - White · More Info

@Beth H. :Not sure on flooring. You seem like an expert. You tell me. Want to design my kitchen? :)

W 42" / D 8" / H 16"

4-Light Antique Black Downlight Linear Kitchen Chandelier With Amber Glass · More Info

Style of stools / W 15.5" / D 38"

Timbale, Multi, Light Pendant, Polished Chrome, White · More Info

If a 'dark' look, maybe new stools in an finish that's antiqued, and not bright [red, or other color]-

W 48" / H 27.5"

Hinkley Nest Linear Downlight · More Info

I can post photos, about it. This mountain home has flooring about your color, and they made 'stone palette' coloring - could your cabinets be deepened to grey-green, or pewter-grey...

Scottsdale Mountain | HKD | Kitchens · More Info

I don't care if you replace a window... ya know what I mean. But I came upon this kitchen with white shelves, and farm sink. Brass handles, and Beth has posted the Cosmos line [I might have some memory left].

Kitchen · More Info

With your perimeter cabinets, here's a white island.

Sunset Residence · More Info

Colin, lol. I already told you exactly what I'd do.

Lights. You need recessed lighting. maybe some pendants

Window trim

New cabinet hardware

(I really think new, lighter countertops would look 100X better,)

Recessed lighting, wood cabs, red oak flooring, River White granite countertops and a squared off island. Now doesn't this look way better?

Island (and those modern looking chairs really don't work w/your cabinet/kitchen style)

I'd remove that island do one that is squared off. If you need seating, then do a table-like overhang at one end w/the appropriate stools

Basically, something along the looks of this. (without the sink.) y

ou could opt to do a microwave in the island and get a better hood vent over the range. (like the previous pic)

get rid of that dome light fixture, do some pendants, do recessed lighting everywhere else. (that is the MUST you need to spend money on!)

You could try and match your wood, but I think it would be eaiser to do a painted island cabinet.

you could top it w/quartz, butcher block,

whatever

diff ways to do the seating.

I know you said you don't want to replace your laminate countertop, but I think it's too dark and really doesn't look updated.

Similar stain color to yours. you could do a few more glass uppers. beautiful granite (it's not expensive for this one) and simple subway tile backsplash and new hardware.

Still prefer your dark green laminate?

You asked for advice on updating without paintin the cabs, so that's the advice I'm giving you, (along w/the other gems)

For the flooring, do you want a solid or engineered? stain on site oak or pre-stained?

All 3 of these are stain on site red oak done w/Bona stains. (prob 2 1/4" up to 3")

larger plank, white oak, Bona Natural (5-7")

examples of engineered french oak style wood floors. wider plank. first one is almost like mine. wire brush

I'd get new hardware for the cabinets -- maybe stainless or nickel to go with the fixtures and appliances. You could get a more modern knob, or could mix knobs and pulls; either would make your kitchen feel a bit refreshed without costing you a fortune. (I don't think I'd paint any of the wood here!) Definitely new lighting of several kinds -- cans and pendants -- will brighten the space, update, and give you better task lighting!

Photos in a minute -- having browser issues.

Trying to help. :)

By Half Price Drapes - The second is, of course?, Fresh Popcorn.

Solid Cotton Pleated Curtain Single Panel, English Cream, 25"x120" · More Info

Solid Cotton Pleated Curtain Single Panel, Fresh Popcorn, 25"x120" · More Info

Here are a few. I prefer floor and cabinets to have a little more contrast, so I'd just finish your new floors as light as you can...

narrow shotgun house · More Info

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DR if tall curtains - these white beads seem a bit 'bohemian' to me [not the usual wood stain ones]

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The lighting and window fix will be huge. Your island may be unique but what great work space!! Most people have swapped the kitchen desk for a coffee bar but it appears you really use yours. In order to keep your counters you will want to think lite with paint/floor etc.

@Beth H. :you are bad for my pocket book! ha i get your point tho! question, does the picture of the whole space make you change your mins about the window trim in the kitchen?

Colin, lol. it doesn't have to cost that much more.

The countertops are going to make that space come alive (right after those god awful ceiling lights!)

you can find a pre-fab white quartz countertop (24"X9') for about $600. A fabricator will cut it on site and install for another 1K-1300 or so. Just depends.

Or you can purchase an entire slab of quartz for 1500-2500. depends on what you want.

cheaper granites can cost 1200 for a slab.

this window looks odd to me becasue of the huge vinyl trim! I've never seen one like that on the inside.

Because this is isolated from the other part of the room, it looks 'off'. If you had a white countertop, or island, or tile, then it would tie in.

I would do this type of island. (the shape w/the 'table and chairs at the end)

But with a lighter countertop everywhere else. here's wood cabs similar to yours, white tops, tile and a darker island. I'd prob do a diff color.

great lighting in here too.

you have a beautiful sunroom/kitchen nook area! and great lighting! Now that I see it, it makes want to push you even more to redo that dark/green laminate!

Let me show you a few more examples of wood cabinets w/ better looking countertops

Yours could easily look like this (except your island would be a diff base color.

This flooring is hickory. countertops are quartz.

I like this one too. darker island base w/a butcher block countertop, and a honed black granite or a matte quartz, perimeter countertop. The flooring is a red oak in a 5" width?

Nice pendant lights over the island along w/those glorious recessed lights!

this is the front view of that kitchen. it's more craftsman, but I wanted you to see the whine window! somehow it works here because everything else is light and bright.

few others w/wood cabs and a white island. This one has an inexpensive granite.

this one has the butcher block I mentioned

this color is better,(NO NO on the pendants. lol) this is still a little too ornate. but just look at the colors and the granite color w/your brown cabinets. Do you like this scheme?

for you bright sunroom/dining space, I'd love to see something like these

Love this wood dining table because you really have no other wood that ties in to your cabinets.

It's like you have two diff styles. your living space is on the more modern side, while your kitchen is 1997, w/vintage oak flooring!

I think you should do a wider plank engineered wood floor that matches your style.

something like either of these two pics

@Beth H. :fantastic! Is it possible to keep the shape of my island (maybe paint maybe not) but just a squared off countertop.

I think you could do that.

I am offering my thought, though you have good help. Before changing kitchen, have you considered items for nearby rooms: rug, a throw over the sofa, etc.?