It seems like youryou’re looking for a facelift. Just a warning if you come here for advice, 90% will tell you to completely remodel! Which is nice if you can do it, but it’s not always necessary. Just keep your own goals and budget in mind.

I’m seconding ShadyWillowFarms above to pick paint last. There is a white for everything. If you find a counter and backsplash you like you’ll like the white that complements them. Here’s a tip for when you’re to pick out paint. you can buy some inexpensive paint canvases from the craft section at Walmart or the like. Paint them using your options. You can use a blow dryer to dry your paint and quickly add three coats for accurate color. Then move them around to different parts of your kitchen during the day. This way you’ll see how the color really looks in your space. You’d be surprised how much location and time of day changes a color.

Also, herbflavor has the right idea. Look for other small changes that will have a big impact. Are you planning to change out the sink and faucet? That is another *relatively* inexpensive way to improve the overall look of your kitchen. i love my single bowl sink! Not only does it look big and lovely, i findfound it just as functional as a double bowl.

Another thought, just for aesthetics, consider bringing your wall cabinets to the ceiling. If adding another set of small cabinets is too expensive, or there is not enough room. You can just use plywood and trim to get the “look.”

Good luck, it can be difficult but also fun to redo your kitchen! Enjoy!

* Hopefully this post isn’t too much of a mess. Doing it on my phone which doesn’t seem to play well with Houzz!

I see you have a finish failure on your current cabinets, so they definitely need refinishing. Make sure your refinisher is using a product made specifically for cabinet recoating and not just regular paint or you will have the same issues you have now. My suggestion is to pick your countertop first and have it installed. Then get some Samplize of several whites that coordinate with the counter and have whoever is finishing your cabinets make a sample door for you in the cabinet coating process they use. This way you can see it in your kitchen and in your light with the countertop you love. We can suggest some popular whites, but until you see in your space you never know. Some can look dingy in certain light. Your preferred countertop may need a cooler or warmer white to coordinate well. There are a thousand iterations on white paints and they don’t always look the same when they are color matched in a different product, but countertops are limited. Backsplash last after everything else is done. If budget allows, you could look into redooring as well, then you would be more likely to get a good finish. Consider pulls.

As far as floor, solid hardwood with a durable finish will last decades. I just saw pics of the house i grew up in on Zillow, and the oak floors my mom scrimped and saved for the kitchen look as beautiful now as they did 35 years ago. Tile floors chip and crack. The grout gets gross. If not possible to get wood floors to match your other floors, I would hesitate to put a white tile floor in, with white cabinets and countertops, you will need some warmth in the floor. Your existing tile could work, you can deep clean and then paint the grout with a product designed for grout renewal.

Don’t let the people telling you your layout is crap and you need a whole new kitchen. You will be surprised at how much changing to under mount sink improves your countertop space. Working with what you have in a budget friendly Reno is perfectly fine. Good luck!

I have hardwood in my kitchen and would not want anything else.

I don't know how much you want to spend, but rather than replace the flooring I would try recoloring the grout first. Easy to do yourself and I have had great results - did this in my last home that had 1700 sf of tile and in my current home which just needed the grout in the foyer done. Your flooring looks like it is in good shape and is a fairly light, fairly neutral color.

Here are a couple of pictures from the reviews of Grout Renew on the Home Depot website.

Second thing I would address is the countertop and backsplash. Find a countertop and backsplash that works with your flooring. Warmer white vs cool or gray white.

Then pick the paint color that works with the counter and flooring.

Use the same color on the cabinets and walls with just a glossier finish on the cabinets.

I can't tell from the pictures just how off white the cabinets are. If not too dingy I may try to just paint the walls and get new counters and backsplash that work with the current cabinet color and flooring. Painting cabinets is either a ton of work or expensive.

Looking at your furniture I am not sure that I would want a really bright, cool white kitchen. Can the rest of the house sit next to a brilliant white kitchen and not look like the kitchen belongs in another home?

I am going to a single bowl sink with new tap. Originally I wanted white sparkle quartz with simply white cupboards, baby grey backsplash and tile flooring. The appliance will be new stainless and so will oven hood. It’s not on my budget for a full Reno just a facelift type. I never thought this would be so overwhelming!!

Finishes are very difficult for me - I love layouts, afterall :-) If you haven't stumbled upon Maria Killam's blog, I found her "white is complicated" information super helpful. She also has client kitchen before and afters showing how to harmonize fixed elements with paint.

Looking at your kitchen photos, it looks to me that the issue is not the color of the cabinets, it's the color of the appliances - color is relative. On my monitor, the cabinet color and the tile color look very nice together. Stainless appliances and a grout color change as recommended by Jennifer Hogan would be the best bang for your buck.

I skimmed through the comments and saw no mention of what your cabinets are made of - the doors appear to be thermofoil. In my experience, they are not easy to paint but hopefully others will chime in.

Have you received a quote for painting? and then priced out new cabinets? It seems a shame to change everything and not have new cabinets with all the latest bells and whistles. I would suggest researching that so you can make an educated decision on what to do.

I am not a fan of white , so I will leave that suggestion to those who know better.

Good luck

Here’s a nice bright white galley kitchen for inpiration. I like Jennifer Hogan’s idea of refreshing your grout instead of spending big bucks on a new floor. I find tile to be very hard, so a rug to bring in your personality would soften the look and feel.

I am going to a single bowl sink with new tap. Originally I wanted white sparkle quartz with simply white cupboards, baby grey backsplash and tile flooring. The appliance will be new stainless and so will oven hood. It’s not on my budget for a full Reno just a facelift type. I never thought this would be so overwhelming!! This is the living room and dining room so no I’m not even sure if white would work. Yikes more dilemmas

The last photo is from inside the kitchen where it’s wide open to the living room. Our dining area is very dark, to be honest we find the entire level too dark and are looking at putting pot lights in. I think that’s why I really want a a white kitchen.

The flooring is cracked and therefore needs to be replaced, the appliances stainless, I love the pictures that you guys are sharing it’s a huge help and so are the comments. Thank you

did you get a quote to reface the cabs...your home would suit shaker cabinets more than the door style you have now. refaced with shaker and trim on top

Reborn Cabinets Kitchen Reface - Irvine, CA · More Info

Yes it was really expensive. To repaint it’s 4000.00.

That’s a beautiful kitchen

KS, you home is lovely! I think the rug that ffpalms posted would look wonderful with your couch and the art in your living room. You want it big enough that the front legs of the furniture are on it. Your floors and walls are very warm, you may want to consider a warmer white palette.

Yes I think I will look for the warmer white again. What’s you opinion of the simply white on the cabinets stainless appliances cream tone flooring, white galaxy quartz and who knows on the backsplash

try this approach.....paint a COLOR on the bottom cabs and REPLACE the uppers so you get a nicer effect on your walls...glass doors......extend up with taller or stacked or rmore trim at the top. For the number

Painted and Wood Kitchen · More Info

of wall cabs it wouldnt be that costly. Your style is more eclectic which gives you tons of opportunity ..... .

Classic Kitchen · More Info

KitchenCRATE Custom Arrowwood Drive · More Info

Darn I was really hoping your flooring could be saved. Seeing your whole floor I really think upgrading to wood would be best.

Simply white is a lovely color, but we cannot tell you it will be perfect in your room, with your light. BM White Dove, SW Alabaster, SW Pure White, SW extra white are all lovely. You really need samples. One tip with white cabinets is to match your white trim to avoid either looking dingy or yellowed.

Your chosen countertop is pretty pricey imo for what it is. You can get that terrazzo look with laminate or a solid surface like Corian for less.

to carry with you when shopping.y

sorry about that last bit of comment. most of what I wrote disappeared.
edit options???

Anyway. We used cork flooring in a color that harmonized with adjacent wood floors. very comfy.
agree on making a samples of paint on good sized canvas boards or a pice of cabinet material. a smaller sample in the final color is handy for shopping. Personally I wouldn’t go all white on walls backsplash, etc. I think hour white cabinets would look better against some contrast. If you go gray try a shade that blends with stainless appliances. otherwise take cues from your other room colors.

My kitchen is a similar design, along with a warm livingroom. I used the same Scintillo quartz on my counter tops. I would advise it. Top cabinets are white and the bottoms are light grey. The wall color is Moody Blue from Benjamin Moore. It adds a lot to the ambiance of the area, and is a transition color to the livingroom. Get color samples from where you are going to buy your paint. When remodeling my bathroom I got white Sherwin Williams samples from Lowes. My contractor bought the same color from the Sherwin Williams store. They were not the same because their base paint is different. My backsplash tile is marbley grey/white with little veins of gold. I did a herringbone design above the sink. I hired Steam Doctor to clean my tile floor. What a difference! No amount of cleaning with a toothbrush etc. that I did compared. It wasn't expensive either. I recommend changing the floor.

I have the same tile running from my front door to back wall of house (under kitchen table) and through kitchen under cabinets and appliances. (It's an expensive dilemma!) I really appreciate all the advice and pictures everyone has contributed. I believe our hardwood floors are a similar color to the original poster's as well. I have been happy with shades of gray against the gold of the hardwood. I have a fireplace built of used brick and have looked to the mortar color there for help. I endorse your idea of much larger tiles, if changing is affordable. Those small, rounded edge ones you show have been impractical.

I don't know about that floor..In my experience I would take out all the cabinets to do the floor properly..I think the flooring should always go under the cabinets...same with sub-floor. Don't butt any flooring up to the cabinets..but then I am old school.

Maybe wait and save some more money?

IMO the sam floor as you have in the rest of the house would be the right one for the kitchen . When floor tiles crack there are issues with the sub floor so probably no tile next time. I agree Ilke the flooring under the cabinets and honestly if those are therm afoil they will not paint well.Painting the cabinets will not do much to brighten the space . Good lighting is the way to brighten a room Lots of pot lights IMO all LED 4000K and the spaces will look like new. A good chandelier that lights the table not the ceiling too and the same bulbs

I see the pictures of the rest of your house, and you have color and personality. When I look at your kitchen, I see barely any color, or any personality. I cant see a white kitchen going with the rest of your rooms. The colors you have in there now, go with the rest of your house, even though the kitchen could use a bit of personality and color. Some of the orange that is in that big painting would look wonderful in the kitchen.

I agree with Deborah Lippitt's comment about having your new flooring go under the cabinets. If you have the option to change the flooring to solid wood, don't hesitate. I've had hardwoods in my kitchens for the past 37 years, and I've enjoyed them in terms of the ongoing ease of care, lasting beauty, and comfort for standing on. (Our most recent kitchen has oak, to which we applied water-based urethane -- which we love.) You could probably have new hardwoods done in a great color-match to your existing floors, which would add to the flow in all the areas you've shown us. As a last step, after all your other changes are made, you could add a runner or an area rug to really pull together whatever colors you decide on -- and these could be changed inexpensively, over time, just for variety.

I would do a gorgeous medium brown, warm wood floor in the kitchen that coordinates with your current wood. Or the same wood in kitchen. Just that will make a world of difference in your kitchen. Too much white right now. Maybe you could paint all walls a color like SW Alabaster? Your flooring is yellow, a soft, warm white would look nice and bright throughout.

Your house is pretty!! I think minimal changes are needed.

We had the same struggle going back and forth about style and color. Our kitchen cabinets were yellow oak wood with the same or similar beige tile that you have. We opted to leave the tile, go with white cabinets and black granite counters. We put vinyl plank flooring on the living room wall opposite the kitchen and are doing the rest of the walls in the living room and kitchen in a khaki color. We took out the smaller cabinets over the stove for more connection with the living room and some “bar” seating. Since my hubby and I are doing all the work ourselves, we had to leave a support post there :(, but it will work out ok. We brought the black and white into the living room by covering our 40 year old brick fireplace with a white stacked stone and the hearth in the same black granite we are going to use in the kitchen. I would say pull some colors from the kitchen to the living room and vice versa. The hubby will spray paint the cabinets white with a near professional paint sprayer so it looks good, is something he can do, and only costs us for the paint. He built the cabinets so we saved there, and we purchased appliances (gas stovetop, double oven, new fridge, microwave, and dishwasher) on sale for MUCH cheaper than if we had paid full price and paid it off within the timeframe that we paid no interest. It takes MUCH longer to do things yourself, but it saves a lot of money. Of course it isn’t finished yet, but we are getting closer. There are solutions for every budget. Have you considered luxury vinyl tile for the flooring? It comes in lots of colors and is very durable (supposedly dogs can’t scratch it.) also, if you have a smaller budget for a Reno… maybe do it in several stages instead of trying to do it all at once?

yes, your home is lovely -- I would not use the spotted quartz that you have shown in the photo, i think you need to think classic, not trendy and use either a plain white quartz with fine veins or a marble-look quartz with classic, larger veins. I think the spotted will feel dated from the get-go. Also a wood floor in there, would work with your whole house and so easy to maintain. Benjamin Moore White Dove is my go-to with most projects and it has never dissapointed me. Instead of all stainless steel appliances, maybe consider a color for your range only, your space would look exceptional with a color pop. Based on the rest of your home, I think you need to think "clean line classic" for your kitchen.

I would never in a million years use a wood floor in the kitchen.

I am a messy cook and drop things, and had a child besides.

And as we get older, we drop things even more. (Aargh!)

Even my neater friends have had leaks from their dishwashers or ice makers that have wreaked havoc on their wood floors.

As to quartz counters,

I think those big fat veins in many quartz counters render the counters so artificial appearing.

Before making a decision, is it possible for you to go to several showrooms and see large, very large slabs of these materials, even sample kitchens with these products installed?

The spotted and speckled and sparkled quartz has a terrazzo - like appearance if you get the particular type. (Are we talking about Jacob's sheep? :)

I like terrazzo, but it is reminiscent of nougat candy and I'd be hungry all day long.

Other types of veining in certain colors makes me think of vanilla fudge or rocky road ice cream and ...

You see, this is all very individual.

I do like all white products, I like that very clean look, then I can see what is dirty, and I am also prompted to keep the surfaces clear.

In addition, all white surfaces won't compete with whatever else you might have such as your dishes, small appliances, utensils, plants and flowers, baskets, artwork, in the kitchen and in neighboring rooms.

Have you thought about Corian?

There are a lot of Corian afficionados here.

One of the biggest Corian cheerleaders who did her kitchen in Corian passed away recently.

If I can find her posts I'll come back here and add them to this thread.

There is a Houzzer Joseph Corlett, LLC , a professional who installs Corian products. He sings Corian's praises and says essentially that there is nothing quartz does that Corian can't do better, and unlike quartz, when Corian gets damaged it is easily repaired.

I have had engineered wood floor throughout our first floor including the kitchen for 28 years. It has been durable and beautiful all this time.

Put new cabinets all the way to the ceiling. Silly to have that grease and dust collection space above them - a trend that began along with avocado green refrigerators. All white is great.

And white appliances will never go out of style or look ugly like stainless or black.

revisited after all the comments..first thing I would do is change the way the fridge opens..it is a fairly easy thing to do..most fridges have the capability..just some screws on the handle and at the top of the fridge. As it is ..what a pain..opens into the corner..

We can’t it will hit the wall beside the fridge.

Unfortunately these cabinets may not be paintable. They have a vinyl wrap. The kitchen layout is poor as well. I would aalalso recommend having the cabinets run to the ceiling. Do not pput a new countertop on old worn cabinets. There are affordable, quality cabinets with modern styles and colors that would make you so much happier. Save your money little longer and get what will not just make do but be perfect.

I TOTALLY AGREE w SWC !!

K S - Just a thought -- if you have the refrigerator door open the other way (assuming that it really can be changed), maybe you could install a bumper on the wall so that the door doesn't hit the wall.

Well that is a bummer about the fridge's location and door hinge! A big inconvenience!

After reading all (well most) of the comments I think I would paint a wall that orange to pick up the color from the LV RM and maybe change the knobs/handles ( I changed mine and it was well over $200) and save $$$ to really do the job right.

I was considering buying a sprayer for a project and one guy investigated all different paints for cabinets (including top of the line BM) and only Sherwin Williams commercial grade paint stood up to wear for the cabinets...it took him over 6 month for his experiments. So thinking about that and Sonja's comment..hum?

I've put in a few kitchens and big box stores aren't always the best way too go or the least expensive. We found a local guy that was very good and reasonably priced .

I've used Corian in our 3 bathrooms.. well a local store (77 miles away) that makes their own version of Corian and it is great!! Even considering redoing my formica counter tops in the kitchen.

We redid it 9 years ago, used Mexican tiles and the house came with natural cherry cabinets ( we just rearranged the cabinets). I was too thrifty to pay for stone in our rather large kitchen back then..maybe now I will check out the Corian and price soapstone too. But maybe I should just quit reading redos and decorating on Houzz? LOL

These are all really great suggestions.I totally dropped the planned choice of the counter top and I’m searching for a better one based on all the great ideas from you guys!! I will get pull handles, look at flooring options and start fresh. Unfortunately I can’t get the money back that we paid on the spraying and that is being done on Monday. I did request to cancel and was told I would lose the 2000.00 deposit!! So I’ll cross my fingers that it goes well. The stainless appliances come today, perhaps that will give me new hope . Thank you for so many suggestions.

If you like adventure, sometimes (often?)the thermofoil has failed to such an extent that it can be entirely and easily peeled off leaving what may be good quality MDF... which than can be easily primed/painted. Lots of how-to info on Youtube. Ive not yet tried it, but will on some 20 yr old ikea cabs which are just beginning to chip in places. At the point where its either that or get new doors, it makes sense to at least try it.

Since you are going ahead, please ask how they plan on prepping the cabinets since the doors are thermofoil. I do have to agree that 4k seems about 1/2 of what it should be.

I'm a fan of wood floors in the kitchen, especially since you have them in the rest of your home. A good floor guy should be able to match them. I've had solid wood in my current and last home--one from 1934 and my current home from 1903. They have lasted well, other than needing a color change (personal preference). If I were to change my floors now, I would get engineered wood or perhaps LVP (luxury vinyl plank), depending on the resale value of your home. The problem with tile, other than it is very hard to stand on for any period of time, is that it almost immediately outdates. You can always know the year your home was remodeled if it has tile in it.

I haven't been keeping up with this thread very well, but I think it's a mistake to update everything and end up with the same layout with the same lack of drawers and the same cabinets that don't go to the ceiling. Function is my bias, however, and I would choose new cabinets with cost offset using diy butcher block any day.

New Ikea cabinets to the ceiling with all-drawer base cabinets in an improved layout with Axstad doors and fronts is $5000. You'd have an additional cost to move electrical for range and exhaust hood as well as new ductwork. If your sink is on an exterior wall, maybe phase two could be installing a window above your kitchen sink.

(Please excuse the wonkiness in my rendering - I'm not used to the new Ikea software yet.)

This is the process they are doing on the cabinets

For a bright and clean room, choosing light shades of paint is a good idea. However, there’s one more thing you can do. Consider using some lights to illuminate the area. Currently, I can see the only lights on the ceiling. You can replace those with some white lights or add cabinet lighting for brightness.

Before doing anything, I strongly encourage you to select your countertops first, then choose the paint and other pieces around that. I’m doing a similar kitchen refresh with new quartz counters, and there are so many nuances to the colors. Since that’s probably one of the most expensive pieces of the project, I’d make sure you know your counter colors first. Good luck, sure it will turn out great!

Reface/replace cabinets with simpler, shaker fronts in muted blue or purple/grey. Mirror the early American style (found in most of the furniture seen in other areas of your home,) by replicating it in shaped brushed chrome door and drawer handles. Suggesting Edwardian and mushroom with or without backplates. Pick one type for drawers and the other for doors of your cabinets. 

Replace 2-tub stainless sink with 1-2 tub white or grey porcelain farmhouse sink with large "apron" front, and, again take the opportunity to reinforce your chosen home style, (in this case, and at this time, according to the images,) early American, in your choice of sink faucet hardware design, again, in a brushed chrome. 

Counters should be able to incorporate these same shades (muted blue or purple/grey), and if going dark with either a solid marble, quartz or other hardtop counter, insist on lighter finishes on installed appliances, such as brushed chrome or stainless. 

The floor could then be of a polished or matte finish, in a darker, muted blue or purple/grey porcelain-tile with veins complimentary to the chosen cabinet front colours. 

The lighting needs to consider use of leds as adding undercabinet lighting is a must. Again, utilise the ease and availability of leds so as not to rely exclusively on the old receessed lighting in the room. Better to put in a semi flush main chandelier style kitchen light, with a similar pendant light over the table in the next part of the house, or a row of pendants in a cutout/pass-through, if leading to a bar or over an island table feature. 

As for the space over the cabinets, you could create new drama by making new built-ins in a lighter tone than the original cabinets (in their new colour,) with lattice or fully-glassed door fronts and placing antique items or keepsakes, like water pitchers, meat platters or plates over these cabinets. Lighting with leds would be a great finishing touch to your new kitchen.

The abundance of colors and design options for quartz countertops is one of its main advantages. Your kitchen cabinets will go nicely with any hue, including brilliant white, taupe, and black. You may go through the options online or in-store, and you'll probably discover that subway-style tile is accessible in almost any backsplash material, including ceramic, glass, marble, stone, and high-end granite.