I think new cabinet hardware, light fixture, window dressings, and sink faucet would go a long way if you can't afford new flooring/cabinet remodel.

If it was me I would paint the cabinets, don't worry about future buyers too much, it is YOUR house right now, so make it your own.
If the cabinets look dated now they are only going to look worse in five years. Paint them white/off white, replace countertop with budget friendly butcher block, change the hardware to some modern handles. Buy stainless steel appliances. Fresh paint on the walls and a nice colourful rug and your done. (and do everything the editor suggested too)

I think new cabinet hardware would definitely help a lot to update those cabinets. And remove the railing on top of the cabinets, or perhaps get some thin wood/flat trim (painted whatever you decide your accent color to be) to attach in front of the railing to clean it up a bit. Along with the other suggestions, I think it will look much better!

new hardware, lighting, fixtures and rug are great suggestions and make a bigger difference than you'd think.
when my husband and i moved into our house we had similar issues - wood floor throughout and dated tile in the kitchen. we pulled up the tile and exposed the concrete floor underneath and clear-coated it - labor intensive but worth it. i guess it goes without saying that this only works with a slab foundation. about a year later we painted our cabinets - top white and bottom a color. baby steps.

As a compromise, paint the upper cabinets a warm cream (similar to the tile backsplash), add stainless appliances to match your vent/hood and add a new sink faucet and door hardware.

Oh, the light fixture and the ivy have to go.

It looks like the oak cabinetry matches the trim around the windows as well as chair rail and baseboard, so painting the cabinets might end up necessitating a lot more painting once you get started. I'd leave them as is, but change out the hardware, as others have suggested. Get some sleek stainless steel appliances (you can take them with you). A new sink and fixture. You can do wonders with paint on the wall and fabric on the window treatments. Maybe take off that trim on top of the cabinets, the stuff that looks like a little railing. The floors look ok, but do you have the budget to cut out some of the beige by replacing the backsplash? Remember, the money you spend will enhance resale value as well as allow you to enjoy your kitchen during the time you own the house.

If you don't want to paint the cabinets, I suggest staining them a more desirable shade that you can more easily match a paint colour for the walls to. Also, change the knobs, the light fixture and window treatment (all can be done for almost nothing if you know where to go). If you really hate your floors, I suggest SmartTiles from Home Depot www.homedepot.ca), or wherever they may be available in your home town. They stick and peel on, but they're gel (not sticker adhesive) so they remove easily when heated (just use a hair dryer) and with no sticky mess! So you can literally get the tiles off in twenty minutes or less with no bad side effects when you're ready to sell!

As for colour in your kitchen, I suggest going neutral with your walls and bringing out colour with accessories: Brightly coloured flowers, bowls of fruit, dishes, etc.

id paint. walls and cabinets. and remove the rail on top of those cabinets. new hardware. new light fixture, centered over the table.

I would definately paint the cabinets a warm white/off white and change the hardware! This in itself will make the floor easier to live with. I would also paint the oak trim around that window and put up a pretty, colorful curtain instead of the blinds. Personally, I would paint any exposed oak. I wouldn't do stainless steel--I think in a few years everybody's stainless steel is going to look like everbody's mauve from the 80's. I'd go with bright white appliances and a cheerful area rug.

Also, a large, framed print with a lot of colour across from the cabinets would be killer. I suggest allposters.com! Happy renovating!

I would paint those cabinets in a heartbeat. The trim and chair rail too. get rid of those blinds and that valence. A newer modern light will go a long way to modernize the space, along with a new faucet.

Since you are already thinking of not staying long and you have to buy new appliances, I would try to really update the kitchen as it is the one room that can really pay off for resale. I'm not saying gut it, but there are plenty of budget friendly things you can do to give yourself a more modern and clean look that will appeal to future buyers, as well as yourselves.

For new purchases, I would actually get a new countertop and floor first. Since you don't actually have a lot of countertop, you could probably get something fairly nice, but anything dark (darker than the wood) will feel more substantial. The floor I would also go dark. You could get cork or even more linoleum that looks like slate. "Eco" words like cork are hot in real estate right now.

Then I would switch out all the pulls. Home Depot has some very sleek, contemporary 10-packs that won't break the budget at all. Remove the railing along the top of the cabinets. Take out the valance and replace the cheap mini blind with a modern, solar roller shade. A new light fixture too (I'd lean towards not a chandelier or pendant as it's feeling cramped hanging down.) And I would remove the chair railing wood unless it is mimicked elsewhere in the house.

Black appliances will read nicer than white, and smudge-proof stainless nicer than black. Whatever fits best in your budget. You might consider a more interesting color for the backsplash before you put in a new stove. After all of the above, if you still feel like you can tackle the cabinets, all you would need are plain front doors - it looks like the cabinets themselves are fine. I wouldn't bother painting white since you have natural trim throughout the rest of the house.

Ok, I have a totally different approach. Although painting the cabinets white would be nice and fresh, I think you should give the kitchen a more modern and updated appeal.
I would paint the cabinets either "Chocolate Brown" or "Charcoal Gray" ....then update the hardware with stainless steel or brushed nickel knobs...
If you're on a tight budget, do a new laminate countertop that contrasts nicely with the color you paint the cabinets. Update the appliances, preferably stainless steel if you can swing it...you will recoup the costs when you sell and it's a huge BONUS with buyers.
As far as the floor, you can buy really inexpensive ceramic tile in Home Depot and that would also make a big difference. If you paint the cabinets "Chocolate Brown" you may end up liking the floor a lot better. Lose the little curtain above the kitchen sink and get a nice bamboo blind. Home Depot and Lowes carries some in stock so you don't have to break the bank.
Then you're ready for paint and accessories. I think you can do a FABULOUS job with little money. Enjoy the kitchen while you can, after all it is your home now so make it special while you're there....Happy Decorating...

Here's what I would do if it were my kitchen:

I would switch out the lighting with something like this:
http://www.designpublic.com/shop/thomas-paul-lighting/14171

I would then paint the walls the blue in the light and the floors the green (painted linoleum can look really nice). I would definitely paint the cabinets and the woodwork white because that oak is very dated. I would replace the hardware with something green or blue or both (something you'd find at Anthropologie). Add stainless steel appliances.

Don't worry too much about future buyers. Who's to say they wouldn't like your paint choice? Those cabinets are dated. In any case, new hardware, faucet, and light fixture will help immensely. So would stainless steel appliances, new floor tile, contemporary furniture and great artwork. And of course you won't keep the corny valance and rug. Have fun!

I wouldn't do too much up front, especially since you'll need to buy appliances. Get some appliances you like, paint, get rid of the ivy, replace the blinds, light fixture, and cabinet hardware, put down a rug, then see how you feel. If it's still not working for you, then you might want to think about a more cost/time-intensive solution like new doors, painting the cabinets, or replacing the floor or countertop.

Congrats on your first home!

-Kill the valance - or save it for when you sale....
-Replace light fixture - again if you think it will help it sale later on, just save it
-New cabinet hardware
-If you can't change the floors, maybe a nice rug
-Use paint to paint the walls and leave cabinets - they seem nice in the pictures and you want to be able to sell this house in a few years
-New window treatments

I wouldn't do anything that fits into a fad - aka stainless steel, painted cabinets, etc - unless you plan to live there for more like a lifetime.

1) paint the cabinets white. If you can move them up a bit or put in molding between the ceiling and the top of the cabinets to make it look like 42" cabinets or less of a gap there, that'd be great too. Definitely remove railing at top of cabinets too.
2) get stainless appliances (or black as a second choice, just not white with white). stainless is timeless if you ask me, more so than avocado, almond, etc. Get a microwave/range hood if you can to clear up more counter space.
3) paint the walls a warm but pastel modern color
4)definitely switch out light fixture, and do not swag it if you can.
5) get small round modern table from cb2, westelm or ikea
5) switch out cabinet hardware
6) new sink faucet
7) bamboo blinds or roman shade, plus optional cute fabric straight valance.

If you have extra money, replace your counters (but they are pretty neutral right now) and then last, your floors.

I agree, paint over any oak!

1) get rid of all the country stuff (valence, fake plant, rug)

2) replace the hardware

3) replace the light

4) stain the cabinets a different color if you don't want to paint

5) get a new rug

other options: paint the woodwork (unless its through the entire house and it'd mess up the aesthetic)

you could also replace the upper molding of the cabinets.

I think 9/10 (if not more) buyers would prefer painted cabinets to the color you are currently working with. I say paint them-- as long as that's what you want, too. Paint the window/wall/chair rail white, too. Remove the molding stuff from the cabinets. Replace the knobs/pulls with some brushed nickel. Replace the light fixture. Replace the curtain. Right there your not looking at more than a couple hundred.
If you have more money I would say do the countertops before the floor. The floor isn't *that* bad and you could cover up part of it with an area rug.

ashleycassandra, your information on smartiles is priceless to me. I have been looking for a tile solution for over a year now and this product is going to be the perfect short term solution. Thanks for sharing that information!

I agree with th efolks who say start the painting with the walls. You can always paint the cabinets later. (there is a GREAT cabinet painting primer on younghouselove.com.)
I think you would do well to replace that huge table with a nice long counter that you could pull stools up to. It will increase your workspace a ton, as well as make you feel like you have more room to move.
For lighting, I think a modern tracklight system would help illuminate more of the dark corners, as would some under cabinet lights. You'll be surprised how much better things look with better colors and more light!
Use some furniture oil or even mineral oil on the cabinets for now, and make them look their very best. You'll need to use oil-based primer if you paint later anyway, so oil away!

Painting the cabinets would help tremendously but I wouldn't go with white. How about trying Milk Paint for some unique color options? You could do a solid color or sand the cabinets and do a stain so you still see the wood grain.

http://www.milkpaint.com/index.html

I would also paint the walls two different colors, one color on the wall by the table and another one on the end walls by the fridge and window a darker shade so the kitchen feels less like a galley.

Kind of hard to narrow down what to update without a budget in mind?

If your not planning on staying beyond 5 years is it worth it to update the look of the kitchen if the rest of the house is just as outdated?

The future buyer may come in and like the new kitchen but then see how much work the rest of the place needs. Guess I need more info for more input.

My kitchen is very similar in color. I considered painting the cabinets, but was concerned I would botch it up. I ended up painting the kitchen Valspar La Fonda Spice (a turmeric color). It compliments the golden oak cabinets beautifully and makes them an asset and not a liability. Don't even try putting any color in there that doesn't go with orangy-gold cabinets. I accessorized with burnt orange towels and rugs. The appliances are black. A few accents are Fiestaware Evergreen.

I'd change out the light fixture, remove the decorative rail from the top of the cabinets, and remove all the ruffly/lacy/ivy stuff. Keep it all very simple. Lose any knick knacks or patterns. The pattern is the woodgrain. Large modern solid color accessories, if any, will update the room. If budge is tight, look into putting a white vinyl floor. Your floorspace doesn't look very large and it would probably not be very much. If you can't, then Costco has some nice rubber-backed throw rugs with jewel tones for about $18 each. You could cover a lot of it. They are washable.

If you don't like the idea of using a gold color on the wall, then go earth tones. Gold, orange, dark rust, dark red, brown, dark green. Don't fight the cabinets because they are going out of style. Work with what's there. The idea is for the kitchen to look pretty, not cutting edge.

Years ago I was stuck with a 1970's kitchen with harvest gold countertops. I hated it until I brought home some amber glass 1970's canisters. They looked beautiful in there. Work with the colors you have, not against them.

I agree with your husband, paint the cabinets white. Get white country style dinette set. Track lighting sounds like a lot of work, so just change the fixture to a black iron antique looking lantern, and just add under-cupboard lighting from Ikea. Paint the walls white and all the trim. However, you will have to cover the backsplash with stainless steel sheets and counter with butcher block as these will now look too yellowy and old beside all the fresh white. I would just get lots of runners for the floor to add texture and to cover it up. Your appliances could be either stainless steel or black. You could also change the faucet to a gooseneck farmhouse look.

1) Remove wood rail on top of cabinet and valance/curtains
2) Replace hardware with something clean and simple
3) Replace faucet
4) Replace lighting and consider moving so that it hangs more directly over the seating area (I assume that this table and chair set is not yours? If this is your only/main dining area, try to find a set that is slimmer. I would also suggest a set that is white, rather than showing natural wood grain.)
5) Replace countertops with a solid material. You have a gallery set up, so this will not be too expensive, but will considerably upgrade the kitchen.
6) As for appliances, white or black is fine, but it should be considered in relationship to the countertops and the color you will paint the walls (the current beige is dragging down the mood of the kitchen).

I second what Homebody said. I'd go black countertop, black appliances (except the fridge - i prefer a stainless fridges) lose the chair rail and if you wanted to add interest to that wall i'd paint 2 contrasting colors one above and one below the old chair rail line. if you don't have to worry about privacy, i'd install glass shelves in the window and display glass bottles and a plant or two.

PAINT those cabinets, and don't worry about future buyers. This is your house, and you need to enjoy it while you live there. After that, hardware is easy to change, and so is the faucet. Get rid of anything frilly and unnecessary (the vallance and ivy), and you have a new and inexpensive slat to work with.

Paint the walls something a little less 'beige,' throw down a rug and you're good to go. Unfortunately, I think you're right - it would probably be quite expensive to redo the floors. But at least tile is very durable, and in the photo it doesn't look too bad.

Personally, I would also change out that light fixture. Track lighting is surprisingly cheap and easy to do, and it would light up your galley kitchen well.

Paint the walls a warm color (cools will make the wood cabinets and trim pop more). I think a springy, grassy green would complement the wood and floors and tiles without being too dark for the room.

Remove the little railing around the top of the cabinets and get rid of the current window treatments (I suggest simple linen shades in an off-white). Replace the light fixture with something simple and modern (IKEA has tons of affordable options). Replace the cabinet hardware with more modern knobs or handles. A newer, fancier faucet for the sink would also make it seem like you've spent more on the kitchen than you have. Add large-scale art on the wall opposite the cabinets and a throw rug of some kind in the middle of the floor. Now you'll have plenty left over for new appliances.

Once you've done all that, live with it for awhile and reevaluate whether you really want to paint the cabinets because it'll be a big job.

Yes, the cabinets are dated, but white-painted cabinets are starting to look dated too. How about a dark stain? It's more glamorous than the icky orange color you have now, and it's much easier to apply than paint. One coat, no primer, should do it.

There's a kitchen reno in today's New York Times that you should see. It had the same orange-y oak, but just look at it now:

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/10/28/garden/20091029-location-slideshow_index.html?ref=garden

Dear God, paint those cabinets ;-)

I agree with most of the other posters that painting the cabinets will look like an upgrade to the majority of potential future buyers. I also think that either a classic creamy white or a more modern gray or brown would look great, depending on what you decide to do with the floors and countertops.

Regarding the kitchen table, we also used to have more of a galley style kitchen (long and narrow) and found that a freestanding kitchen island with barstools was much more useful than a regular table. That way, the table is useful for both added counter space during meal prep/cooking projects and still comfortable for casual dining (assuming you have another space for when you want to have a more formal meal with guests).

Room and Board makes several narrow, bar-height tables that are fairly elegant: http://tinyurl.com/rbandover. Or you can go for something that also has storage and is a little more "kitcheny" like these from Ikea: http://tinyurl.com/ikeastens or http://tinyurl.com/ikeautby

Oops - looks like the period got swallowed into the Room and Board link - here's the right one: http://tinyurl.com/rbandover

I would go white, white, white. White walll, trim, cupboards, appliances, radiator... It's an easy, clean backdrop to what should be fantastic furniture, light fixtures, art and textiles--all things you can take with you. Don't even worry about the floor, countertops and faucet until you've done that much, and rest easy knowing all you did was paint.

Check out this gallery from the Kitchn http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/kitchen-tours/kitchen-gallery-white-bright-and-clean-074195.

Because you already know you're not going to be here more than 5 years, and I assume you don't want to spend a lot of money because this isn't a "flip" home, I would consider:

* Leaving the cabinets alone but replace the hardware
* Paint the walls, ceiling, and perhaps wood trim
* Replace the countertop. As someone mentioned, you don't have a lot of it and I think you could get some great buys at the granite yard on the scraps
* Replace and move the light. Get rid of the table (or replace it).
* Install undercabinet lighting.
* I wouldn't do much with the floor, because a future owner will likely gut the whole thing. If you don't like the tile, Layla from the lettered cottage simply put wood laminate planks over her tiled floor. This is not, as she says, a permanent thing, but is a cheap bandaid for a few years.
* Reserve money for new appliances. From what I can see, they are aging, and may need to be replaced.
* You could upgrade the faucet.

Just some ideas!

Paint the cabinets but choose a color that will not make that beigey countertop look dull and grubby. That will rule out a lot of whites.

Is the floor vinyl? If so, I would get some nice self-adhesive vinyl tiles. Don't worry about what future owners might want. Five years is a long enough stay that you should do what you want.

Someone above recommended ceramic tile, which is probably more work and money than you want to do but just in case it isn't, I would advise against it. Chances are the substrate isn't rigid enough for ceramic tile. You need a subfloor with no bounce in it at all, otherwise the grout and tile will eventually crack. You can find inexpensive tile but the process is usually pretty involved.

Whatever you do, do it as soon as possible so that you can enjoy it while the house is yours. We've rehabbed several houses and always had to put off projects due to time and money constraints, and then would end up doing them just to get the house ready to sell. It's no fun fixing the place up for someone else!

Instead of painting cabinets, you might want to begin by just removing the doors of the top cabinets. This will lighten, widen and modernize the room (all of which it needs). Plus you can do it quickly, redo it if you hate it, store the cabinet doors for future homebuyers, and if you change out hardware (which you should!) it will only cost half as much.

PAINT THEM. MAKE THE KITCHEN YOURS BECAUSE IT'S YOURS FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS. I PAINTED MINE AND GOT NEW HARDWARE AT ANTHROPOLOGIE THEN ENTERED THE COLOR CONTEST:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/room-for-color-2009/chloes-chartreuse-kitchen-room-for-color-north-9-098058

I am just echoing what everyone else is going to say. I think your floor is decent and can be worked with. The counter is a bit less decent but can be worked with. Keep the stainless sink and get stainless appliances to match. Get stainless hardware and put it in as knobs, faucet, lights, switch covers, etc. Do the pops of color on temporary things like rugs and table runners. Live with the cabinets then decide. Again as above I say, either paint white or stain chocolate brown depending on what works with your light/direction/taste. Good luck, and I would LOVE to see an update after you have done some work.

My parents had this same kitchen style and did a very low-cost update that still matches the rest of the house and does not cause any problems with leaving the existing trim and moulding colors. They added crown moulding to the top of the cabinets - easy project and way better than that little railing. Really helps the cabinet shape and overall look. Then they painted them a smokey celadon. White painted cabinets are just so expected and often too harsh for the trim. If your house had white trim that would be one thing...! The gray/green is great and goes well with the oak doors and moulding at my parents. It compliments rather than fights.

Then they put on stainless steel cabinet pulls in a not-too-modern design. The shape of the cabinets is still pretty traditional, but a clean SS pull really pops.

Then they put a honed granite counter and a new bright white fabric drum shade light. Contemporary. And the floors will blend with all that and be less of an issue. Wall color could be a creamy white, a red accent wall, tan...whatever goes with the adjoining rooms and your style.

I think simple Pier One rattan shades would be nice on your windows too, warm-looking and cheap! Then find a cute rug for the sink and a new faucet and sprayer combo (or a new bright white sink is only $200 or so...and can make a kitchen feel new and bright!). I'd say total budget for sink ($200), Faucet ($200), paint ($150), crown ($25) shades ($75), hardware ($100) and light ($100) wold be about $850 all in. Do it over time, starting with cabinets and crown and painting cabinets, then the hardware, then the light, then the shades, then the sink and facet. Baby steps and you'll be done in 6 months or a year!

Oh, and I'd do SS appliances - they may well be dated in 5 years but in the mean time they will elevate the perceived modernity of the kitchen. And for you, perception/first impression is reality! (I also think they will still be popular since the give a neutral option when white it too plastic and black too dark.)

I would take that strange railing down from the top of your cabinets. I would also lose the ivy and the valence as the editors suggest. If you can swing it, I would consider California shutters in white or off-white for the window. Or at least replace the blinds with white/off-white wooden blinds. As others have suggested, I would replace the hardware on the cabinets, the faucet, and the light fixture as well. Also noted by others, if you can afford to have the location of the light moved to be more directly over the table, that would be great. If you do, you may want to install lighting beneath your uppers to provide some task lighting over your counters. If you can't afford to move the light, don't go with a pendant-style light. Instead, go with something that is ceiling mounted.

I would paint all of your trim white. And then I'd pick a different colour for the walls. What's there looks like a makeup colour...pressed powder or super light foundation or something. I think beiges look off when they lean too orange. Anyway, something like a grey-blue or even a very pale blue-green. Like a very very very light robin's egg blue.

The dining set that is in there is way too big for the space. Which may explain why the light is positioned (via the swag) where it is. It obviously needs to be pulled from the wall to be used with all those chairs. If you don't need all those chairs in your kitchen, I'd consider a table for two and the table up against the wall.

Once you do all that, you may not want to paint your cabinets. If you do though, you can tackle it when the budget allows and then consider your counters at the same time. I will caution you — based on experience — painting your cabinets yourself is A LOT of work.

Good luck. And congratulations on your new house!

nobody wants oak cabinets anymore. so paint away if you are very inclined. Be sure to research the project thoroughly before starting. new hardware, light fixtures, window treatment go a long way, and a cheery paint color would really freshen things up. In regards to the light fixture: the kitchen is very long, and the single pendant seems inadequate and dated. If it's in your budget, I'd consider 2 or 3 modern pendant lamps in a row, in a chrome/nickel finish perhaps.

the actual shape of the basic cabinet is timeless... so is the color. I would remove the drapes, floor mat, fake plant (on top of cabinet), and light fixture. I would also remove that ornamental railing from the top of the wall cabinets.

I would get a modern light, faucet, and cabinet hardware. I would paint the walls a more modern color... something that contrasts the golden wood and gels with the white appliances. maybe silver grey? I would also paint the chair rail white to match the appliances... and maybe also window frames (unless all other windows look the same throughout the house)

I agree 100% with the Editor and would begin with his advice.

Then, because there seems to be too much of a good thing - wood tones - I would:

Leave the cabinets as they are for now except for the top rail that needs to go. The floors look fine.

Paint the walls in a matte finish, slightly off-white (no orange or peach) or another light colour that feels good with the cabinets and floors at different times of the day.

Paint the woodwork around the windows, the heater under the back window and chair rails in the same colour as the walls, but in a semi-luster finish. Will give an overall fresh feel!

Also paint the furniture - slightly distressed cream could be interesting considering the style. Maybe that is what I would do first...

Good luck! and don't forget to send us and «after» picture!

Please go for stainless appliances anything else is a fad! Stainless steel has been used in professional kitchens for years, it is far more durable and stylish than any of the current alternatives.

Painted kitchen cabinets are also not a fad, they have been considered stylish for the last 50/60 years. Also this project is not 'let's make the most cutting-edge designer kitchen' it is about improving what they have. Also just cause you paint them doesn't affect the quality of the oak, they will still be solid oak cabinets (not melamine).

White kitchens are a classic design, even a bad or dated white kitchen is still much easier to live with than tacky colours (lets face it a grey or brown painted kitchen is going to date WAY quicker than a classic off-white) or ugly wood.

Absolutely change the floor (a decent tile perhaps), change the counter tops (butcher block), change the sink, lose the lighting fixture, and just update the cabinet pulls. That will get rid of the wagon wheel feel!

Thanks to everyone for the great advice! There are many suggestions that appeal to both of us. It's nice to know that there are some things we can do before tackling the cabinets and floors that will really make a difference.

people freak out over white appliances, but i don't understand why. if they work well and you're on a tight budget, do NOT replace them. it's so wasteful! if you must have stainless, they make foil you can put on the front of your existing appliances for about $50. don't put a working stove in a landfill just because stainless steel is trendy.

i agree with the paint idea - nothing makes a kitchen feel brighter and bigger than white cabinets, and buyers will be much more into that than oak. also, painting the window trim means focusing on the view outside instead of on the wood sill. i highly recommend it.

if you can't afford to replace the floor, consider an oriental rug! homey, and busy patterns hide spill stains. if you're changing it, mexican ceramic tiles are very inexpensive, lovely and warm, and read MUCH classier than home depot beige.

Call me crazy - I don't mind the oak, and I don't even mind the handles...

...it's the beige everywhere that bugs me - I think I'd replace the post-formed countertops with a simple slab of dark charcoal grey with a nice stainless undermount sink, and redo floors with a nice rustic medium grey tile (slate appearing - but not so rough-textured) that could be picked up in the tilework of a new coordinating grey tile backsplash.

And rather than a table and chairs - why not create a breakfast bar/peninsula mounted to the wall on the other side of the room with cabinets above & below and a pantry cabinet for more storage and counterspace - that would be a great place to put things like the coffee maker, toaster, cookbooks and microwave out of the way of the main prep areas. For this area, I'd choose to paint the cabinetry in a warm complimentary tone - perhaps a nice fern green - it certainly needn't match the rest of the kitchen cabinets, but the countertop and tile backsplash should be the same to bring the two areas together.

I disagree with everyone who is telling you to paint the cabinets. It looks to me like you've bought a house with hardwood floors and unpainted wood molding everywhere. Why would you need to make the cabinets different?

If you're drowning in wood, cut the centers of the cabinet doors out and replace them with glass.

I don't object to the rail above, either. It lends a little Arts and Crafts feel, although I think you should give it a job to do, by filling the space with colorful glass bottles or jars or pottery or a collection of whatever you like to collect.

I would change out the hardware for brushed nickel or even enamel knobs. I would paint the walls a light, soft grey with some green and blue in it like Behr's Valley Mist:
http://www.behr.com/Behr/home#view=14;channel=EXPLORE;vgnextoid=6bd8ea6621ca5110VgnVCM1000008119fea9RCRD

and a darker version below the chair rail.

And while you're at Home Depot, get a light fixture like this:
www.homedepot.com/Lighting-Fans-Track-Lighting-Flex-Linear-Track/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xr5Zbdt9/R-100642441/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

And get a nice, simple table along these lines (although this is not what I call budget):
http://www.barnfurnituremart.com/product_details.aspx?id=DRCMHSB658536

So many suggestions and comments, so I'll try to add just two new things. I agree with many others, you should change the cabinets! they look dated, and while more golden wood tones are coming back into style, the heavy grain in these particular cabinets seems overbearing and makes an already long, narrow room, look longer. You could try a lime wax if you wanted to keep the wood, and that would work with the wood rather than against it, directions here: http://www.bozzle.com/id_limingwood.html
Certainly not a quick project, but could do bottom with lime and paint on top.
Also, whether you get stainless, black or white for appliances, I think a counterdepth fridge would do wonders for the line of the kitchen (my vote is for white)

One other thing, remember to consider the ceiling when you paint. I might paint the ceiling and the wall against which the dining table is currently pushed up the same color, and a strong color, even if it is a pastel. This will both make the room feel cozier and push the borders of the walls to make it look wider, especially if you play with tones of whites and creams on the other side of the room.

What would be your ideal in this space and work backwards from there. People can tell you to paint and change hardware but not knowing what you like makes it all pointless.

I mocked up a chic cherry/black/chrome look for you.

Thanks for the fun thought experiment!

From Country ick to Modern Chic

PLEASE THINK ABOUT THE TYPE OF YOUR FUTURE BUYER BEFORE YOU DO ANTHING.

Do you think your potential buyers are the type of buyers who can afford (and would like) to do a gut-renovation of the entire house or the kitchen? This depends on the price and neighborhood of the home. And when you move, will you be moving within the area? (ie. Are you willing to take the appliances)

If this is a small-ish starter home in a not so prestigious neighborhood, your future buyers probably don't want to do a gut-reno, so you should probably do some reno for them and bump up the resale value. If not, don't spend too much $ on the kitchen, but spend the $ on appliances that you can take with you.

Painted cabinets might look bad in five years esp if not done by professionals. Keep the tabs low by staining cabinets and getting new SS pulls for now. But spluge on the SS appliances and a new countertop.

Yes, do paint the cabinets! What future buyer is going to go in your kitchen and wish the cabinets looked like they do now?

Paint those cabinets. First, I can't imagine you will run into too many future buyers who would want those dated & tired looking oak cabinets. A previous poster said white cabinets are becoming dated. Nothing could be further from the truth. White cabinets are classic and always will be. That said, most any color you choose would be a huge improvement. Check out this link. The woman of this home painted her tired oak upper cabinets turquoise and the lowers white. I think her kitchen looks fantastic.

http://lifeongrace.blogspot.com/2009/04/retro-cottage-kitchen-and-painted-wood.html

Don't paint the cabinets if you're not planning on staying there. Paint the walls, change the light fixture and valances, buy new cabinet hardware and ditch the ivy. If you have to purchase new appliances, go with stainless steel. I would also remove the chair rail along the wall and the rails above the cabinets. The floors would be expensive to replace, so I would get some area rugs. If you can afford it, replace the floors first before you do anything with the cabinets. Painting the cabinets is fine if it's done properly. Oftentimes it's not done right and they end up looking awful. If you insist on painting them, try taking the doors of the cabinets to an auto body shop and have them paint them. My friend did this with some moulding and it looked amazing.
This should make the kitchen look presentable enough to get you through the next few years.

Don't paint the oak! It's been out for so long it's going to come back in. Get rid of the railing on top of the cabinets, choose some sexy hardware for the cabinets, put Fluor down on the floor for now if you don't want to go to the expense of ripping up the floor. Getting rid of that silly valance is very good advice. Once the odd little frills are gone and the hardware is a little more attractive, you'll feel much better about this kitchen.

Don't worry all that much about future buyers. No matter what you do, chances are they won't like it (after all, you bought this house and you don't much like the kitchen).

So do what is enjoyable to you and let the next owners enjoy doing their thing - they'll probably be posting here in 5 years asking how to restore the wonderful old oak cabinets the last owner painted over. :-)

It may be more useful to consider your entire home style and what would complement that in the kitchen while still keeping the kitchen functional and hard working. A little research maybe required to get YOUR preferences in order. Hardware, lighting, softgoods and paint are all easy and fairly affordable. I might add more lighting as I like a well lit work space I agree with previous posts about balancing the other end with more counter-type space, stools, and artwork. I also really like pot racks...Good luck and have fun!!!

Wait, so now not only should we not bother to change anything in a rental, but we also shouldn't make any changes to a house we buy but don't plan to live in forever?

5 years is a substantial chunk of a person's life. Your life. Do you want to be in a holding pattern for 5 years, living in a home you can't enjoy, because What If the next person to buy the house would have liked it the way it was when you bought it? Why is some future hypothetical owner more important than you? If you want to paint the cabinets, paint the cabinets. And ditto for anything else you're not doing because What If the next owner doesn't like it.

We faced a similar conundrum in our own home. We painted our cabinets (luscious moss green!), installed stainless steel appliances, and put up bamboo shades. The prospective buyers--and the folks who eventually bought the place--all commented on the cuteness of the kitchen.

Oh, we also splurged on fun cabinet hardware.

Also, it's hard to tell from the photo, but are they real "old oak cabinets" or chintzy "oak" laminate or veneer (or pine with an oak colored finish)? My crappy rental apartment kitchen which was last redone in the 80's has "oak" cabinets. They are crap. They are never "coming back". They are also very cheap to replace from Lowes or Home Depot if the oak toned look really does make a comeback.

Unless this is hand-worked antique cabinetry with gorgeous details, hewn from a single ancient oak which once stood on the property of the house and was pissed on by George Washington, honestly, it's probably not all that worthy of preservation.

http://www.ebenfidas.com/id51.html shows an oak kitchen stained a dark walnut with new hardware added -- I think this is the best way to capitalize on the wood without painting over it - do a light counter, backsplash, table, chairs etc and you're set.

No one is entering "dated oak cabinetry" in their new home search criteria, so if you'd rather have painted cabinets, do it now so you can actually enjoy your house (as long as you do a nice job).

I think a new light fixture (sans chain) and paint color would make a huge difference, enough that you'd hardly notice the floor. I'd knock that little railing off the top of the cabinets pronto, too.

@MerBot
What a difference! Whatever I was going to suggest, has changed to that.

After staining the cabinets, add in a butcherblock counter top and a glass tile backsplash.

Wow - Tzipporah2! What an amazing visual to show off your ideas. It looks great! I sometimes have a hard time picturing what the end product would look like. A realistic simulation using the homeowners actual room is always very helpful.

A renovated kitchen is a powerful selling point and a good investment if you want to sell your house down the road.

These cabinets and current kitchen configuration will never be a selling point, so feel free to make radical changes.

Personally, what bothers me about this kitchen is that even though it is a relatively large space, it is not well designed, and there is little actual counter space. There isn't really room for dining in the room either -- witness the lack of clearance around the chairs.

It depends on what is on the other side of the wall opposite the length of kitchen counter, but I would like to remove that wall and install a bar height island and counter. It would mean changing all the cupboards, and extending the wood floor into the kitchen (unifying it), and making sure that you are not dealing with structural issues, but the outcome could be really gorgeous.

As inspiration, look at this kitchen, posted today on AT:

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/kitchen-spotlight/janies-sunny-sophisticated-black-and-white-kitchen-kitchen-spotlight-100401

Note how the refrigerator has been walled-in on this project to be more elegant. I would proposed that you do this in any case; put the refrigerator on the short wall with the doorway, and wall it in. The, continue the counter under the window on the opposite side of the room (is that a radiator under the window? can it be moved?), so that you wind up with a slight "U" shape.

In redoing the cabinets, I would recommend that the bottoms be all deep drawers; having remodeled several kitchens in homes we have owned, we now abhor shelves on bottom units.

If removing the wall is too much for you, I would install a very shallow floor-to-ceiling unit of shelves as a pantry along the entire length (not deeper than maybe 8" or 10"). Ensure that the doors are not too large -- sliders would be perfect -- so that there is still room for a narrow work island (as in the kitchen link above).

Having so much pantry space will allow you to get rid of the upper cabinets -- maybe run a shelf the length of the counter (except over the stove of course).

It is not as daunting or expensive as it may seem at first blush; go with very simple solid units and drawers fronts. Check IKEA for options and costs.

Good luck!

Keep the cabinets, but change the countertop, the floor and paint the walls. Use colours that go with the oak cabinets, maybe some greys?

Remove all the wooden frames. Paint the cabinets with a light colour like China clay.
Paint the walls in a pearl colour. You can play with colours and paint a wall in a different colour.
Change the handle of the cabinets for modern ones. Paint the chairs white.
Add a more modern rug.
Remove the courtains.
Add a colourful blinds.
Add a table cloth for the table.
Add a piece of art on the wall
Change the lamp.
Remove the clock