Scrub it until every surface gleams, including the stove top around the burners and the cabinet faces.

The number one thing is you are going to want to get everything off those benches and away, to declutter and bring in the look of more bench space. That especially includes your little breakfast bar where you have the two stools, get all those appliances out of there and find a new home for them. Perhaps you can put the microwave under your kitchen island? But don't overcrowd that either. Good luck with your sale!

I agree with the previous comments. Also, the trim around the door is too dark and doesn't go with anything else. Paint it white, and consider doing the same with the baseboards.

I don't know how much you really want to sink into it, but I'd put in a black countertop, replace the linoleum with something a bit more updated (marmoleum in a fun color?) and add some chrome knobs for the cabinets and drawers...then clean and declutter.

I would add hardware to the cabinets. It is easy and can be cheap (hello, Target!) and makes a huge difference.

I second the call for cabinet hardware!

If you're going to change the countertops, maybe you can detach the cabinet next to the stove from the wall, make it even with the stove, and put a spacer behind it and panel the side so you can't see the space. It's hard to tell what's on the other side of the stove.

You may want to rethink the cream - it could look dingy against your white cabinets. Maybe a soft gray?

Even though I think the eating counter area (with stools) is useful, to prep the house for sale I'd remove it. Replace with some open shelving. How about replacing the counters with actual wood -- those ones from Ikea are not that expensive. Another nice, inexpensive choice is the fake soapstone from Formica or Wilsonart. When you replace the counters, even if you reuse the same sink you can buy a spiffier looking faucet and that will help -- there are more stylish models available for not too much at Home Depot or try Overstock.com. And of course you know to remove every bit of clutter!

I think a soft grey wall would look better with that floor than cream.

I agree..Decluttering is the first thing that should be done to make the counter look more more spacious than it is. Also, if you could just change the color of the walls as the whole look of the kitchen looks a bit dull...may be a contrast color for the walls to highlight the white cabinets and matching rugs on the floor....

As someone LOOKING for a house--don't paint woodwork. The new home owner can make that decision and taking paint OFF woodwork is so much more of a hassle. Your floor has a warm grey-brown thing going on which is nice, so why not paint the walls to coordinate with the floor? It'll make your whole kitchen look more of one piece and less of a mish-mash that might shy the buyers away thinking it need 'so much work'. Same with your countertops. If you're not going to change the floor, and it's very distinct, the cheapest and easiest way to make the whole kitchen look fresh and new is to base your decisions off of that. And again, don't paint woodwork.

To make it simple: declutter, change hardware and paint. I have done those things for my studio I wanted to sell and I succeeded to sell it twice the price I bought it. Good luck!

What is that brown rectangle at the bottom of the door? A cat flap?

Do declutter as much as possible, with the very minimum on the counters. Take everything off the tops of the cabinets as well.

The breakfast bar looks as though it is sagging a bit in the middle. I'd take everything off it and fix the sag, then leave it as empty as possible.

Clean the stove thoroughly.

Changing the counter tops would definitely be a big change. Just go with a simple laminate--it would fit with the flooring and cabinets.

A simple change to the cabinets and drawers would be adding handles and pulls. It is not necessary, but if you are looking for little details to change, that could be one.

I'd go with painting all the trim, as well.

Clear everything off the counters and walls - EVERYTHING - soap, spices, microwave, etc. Paint the woodwork white, including the door AND dog/cat door...make that disappear! If you can swing it, get some hardware on those cabinets - it will instantly make the kitchen look more valuable. Good thinking with a fresh coat of paint, but don't go too light - it may clash with the cabinets and wash out the room. Scrub those burners! Don't sink too much into redoing the counters - they sell kits, I think Rustoleum, that would help. Good luck!

1. I'd change the color of the walls to something light and airy, like a pretty blue.
2. Paint that trim around the door bright white.
3. Add nickel cabinet/drawer pulls
4. Declutter
5. Scrub
6. Take those things off the wall and get one nice, bright, larger (or like 3 smaller) piece of artwork.
7. Fresh flowers.

this kitchen needs something to make it look more 'grown-up'... because from this photo, i'd assume college students live here. i agree with everyone else: declutter, light grey on the walls, and simple hardware on the drawers and cabinets (something to match the hinges). i'd also put a small white rug in front of the sink, and i'd definitely get some plants. a bit of greenery would really help!

The only thing I would do is clean and declutter (as has been mentioned by everyone else). Ok, I would perhaps also buy some cheap accessories in a simple colour scheme, that matches what's already there. Just some flowers, tea towels and two mugs - something that pulls everything together.
If you do decide to change the countertops and paint, I would talk to your realtor first. Does she really think it's worth the investment?

I would leave the floor - it looks in decent condition. Just give it a really deep clean. Same with the kitchen units etc. Scrub everything with a dishwashing liquid solution to break down grease and then wipe over with a bleach solution to brighten and clean. I did this when I moved into my flat - thought the cupboards needed a paint but all they needed was a wipe with a cloth and bleach.

As far as painting the room... I would avoid a warm colour like cream as it will make the cupboards look too stark and thats where you will notice if they are tired. Go for a cool colour like a soft eau de nil (green) or duck egg (blue) and accessorise with a few herbs in pots to total the fresh look. I painted my kitchen eau de nil and it made a massive difference to the whole room! I also changed the knobs on the cupboards and drawers, painted my natural wood window surround white and updated the strip light with a smart spotlight trio. Go for something retro looking to make it look unified and unintentional. It wont be everyones cup of tea, but if people's first reaction is "this kitchen is cute but it will need changing eventually" rather than "this kitchen needs changing, thats going to cost $$$" then you have won!

Secret is not to "try" to update it. As soon as you change work tops, you have to change units, as soon as you change units, the floor has to be done, etc, etc. Fix the problems but just freshen up everything else. Look forward to the after shot!

The gas line is easy to change--a quick job for a plumber--we had to do the same and it cost us around $100.00.

The first thing I noticed was the dirty stove top. scrub scrub scrub!

I will reinforce the "declutter" mantra - we just bought a house that has a tiny kitchen with minimal counterspace and open shelving instead of traditional cabinetry. Total potential for lots of clutter and frustrating lack of storage, but the sellers did such a phenomenal job staging it that it inspired us to purge and get back to the basics. We looked at houses that had much bigger kitchens, but the light, colors, and modern feel of our tiny kitchen was what sold us. It just felt CLEAN, and we wanted to live in CLEAN. With that said, I think the yellow paint needs to go - does not err on the side of clean. Maybe go for a white or a crisp blue or gray - something to modernize it up and bring in cool elements. The stain of the counter tops combined with the floor and the yellow walls make it look dreary and outdated. Definitely add some modern hardware, scrub those stovetop eyes, and I would go with bare walls over small hanging items. You don't have to re-design the whole kitchen, you just want to get it to a bare palette that potential buyers can envision their own style and home laid on top.

White grout on the flooring? Perhaps no so practical in everyday life, mais much more appealing at first sight.

1) Remove EVERYTHING from the counter tops. Store it somewhere out of sight until the house is sold.
2) Clean until you can see your reflection in everything.
3) Put a fresh coat of neutral paint on the walls. Paint those baseboards/door frames white.
4) Put up one cohesive piece of pleasing artwork in place of the three, whether it's matching plates or one large painting.
5) Buy simple, classic handles (think brushed steel) online and get those up.
6) Put a warm looking rug in front of the sink.
7) Place fresh flowers prior to a walk through.

Your kitchen will look welcoming and pleasing to anyone.

I suggest painting the walls in a colour that complements the trim, but don't paint the trim; then do a thorough cleaning and decluttering. What's there now is a good starting point for the next owners. The countertops are light, which is nice.

The idea is for potential buyers to be able to see *themselves* using the space, so the less visual clutter and open space, the better. Get rid of the stuff on the countertops, and maybe a couple of nice tea towels...I'd even consider removing the kitchen cart - "They have a kitchen cart; must mean there's not enough workspace and storage" - sure, it's convenient for you, but I think subconsciously potential buyers think that...I have.

As a potential buyer, it annoys me when someone has clearly done a recent renovation in a kitchen to hike up the asking price, but I don't like the kitchen. I'm paying for someone else's reno that I don't like. I'd rather they left it alone for me to do to my taste; but I realize that might not be a popular thought...

Good luck with your sale.

fresh coat of paint on everything, ceramic tile floors, and declutter!

I like the idea of white trim for the doors. I think you may want to go with a beige or grey instead of the cream because of the white cabinets. I would remove the breakfast bar entirely. Since you're doing new countertops I would try to find a cabinet to install where that cart on the right of the photo is so that you could extend the useful counter space. If you're not going to change the floor at least get a cute indoor/outdoor mat or something to slightly cover them. It should be clean and there should be absolutely no clutter. I tend to disagree about the door hardware - let the next owner choose what they want!

Get rid of the island on wheels. It will seem more spacious and says the kitchen doesn't have enough counterspace as is.

Definitely get all the appliances off the breakfast bar and paint the leg white. Hang something bigger over it, too. And a clock where the "cafe" sign is.

I would get rid of the rolling island, too. It sends the message that you don't have enough counter space. Which might be true, but you don't want to draw attention to that fact.

Clean the stove top and invest in having it moved in place. Do they sell those liners for that shape? I used to use round liners in our one rental. Not aluminum foil type but thin metal. They were black. A few bucks at Walmart and you can toss 'em when they get grody.

The floor is really dated and I see what people are saying about putting hardware on...but chances are the new owners will be doing some of that themselves. Maybe even replacing the cabinets which might mean a new floor, too. Just taking out the clutter and making it as blank of a clean canvas as possible is what I would do.

Good luck!! :)

HI:
Absolutely paint the door trim white! My eye went straight to that because of the strong contrast between colors.
Create a focal point.
Get a quote about moving the gas line. You've got a 50/50 chance that it would be easier and cheaper to build the cabinets out then push the stove back.
Will the home be vacant when it is on the market ? If so, I'd get rid of the microwave and small appliances.
Definitely, start with the backsplash FIRST. because of the mold / mildew. Figure out why it is there. i.e. Has something been leaking ? Moisture issue ? Not enough ventilation ? Leaky window near by ?
I would Not plan on a simple tear out the old formica and glue in a new piece of formica. I would plan on tearing out the old formica and evaluating the walls for dry rot, mildew, mold etc. Take care of those problems then figure out how much is left in your budget for cosmetic changes.
I would love to see a little more vintage in the kitchen. i.e. sink style, faucet style, tile etc ... not just some little decorative knick knacks.
Best of Luck.
~ Christie

I would go white on the walls...where we rent it's beige throughout...terrible in the kitchen and bath. Unless cream isn't just another word for beige!

I would get a new door without a pet door. Any sign of pets can turn a buyer off.

I agree with a previous post that said to just clean it well and leave most things alone. I would prefer to buy a house that I can renovate to my taste and not pay for a renovation that I just have to tear out.

I feel the same way as teakfreak. I would much rather do my own kitchen renovations than have to rip out some half measures done by a seller. I agree with cleaning, decluttering, and painting walls (like the gray idea). I would not paint the trim, and not ever sure if I would change the counters--is somewhat depends on your market.

OK, here's my opinion, FWIW.

A house is most people's most expensive investment. If you ever watch the "House Hunters" types of shows on TV, you get the impression that home buyers are picky and almost always choosing the very top of their price range, meaning they don't have money to "fix things up" right away. They need move-in-ready.

So, first and foremost, fix everything that's in need of fixing. Broken, scratched, chipped -- try to make everything work properly and look nice.

You can spend a few hundred dollars making the place more move-in-ready, or you can sit with the house on the market longer than necessary (wasting money) waiting for the buyer willing to do it themself.

We repainted some areas, touched up some, added granite counters to the bathrooms (from the granite store's scrap, $7 a linear inch, which for small vanities was very cheap!) and gussied up (love that expression!) the vanities with self adhesive real wood veneer over the ugly laminate -- and sold the house at just under asking BEFORE it was officially on the market, in 2005 when things were kind of dire.

I agree with other posters -- first consult your real estate agent. I hate your floors, they are very simlar to the ones we tore out, but -- WE tore them out, they didn't deter us from buying. So if your realtor says they are ok, at least to start with, trust her.

I also agree with other posters that painting the woodwork bright white (match the cupboards if you can) and cleaning and decluttering are all good steps. (At least when being shown, take EVERYTHING off the counters. You can have ONE thing! Make it attractive!) Nothing on top of the cabinets, either. (Dust up there, though!)

Your geographic area might tend to prefer one wall color over another, but it should be light and work with whatever you are keeping (like the floor). (NOT cream.) Add three things in one accent color: maybe a painting featuring red over the breakfast bar, a red dish towel (for show, not use!), and a pot of red geraniums on the counter -- or something like that. They should be roughly evenly spaced around the room. (You CAN use more, but if so, look at the room with a critical eye so you don't overdo it...)

If that brown rectangle on the door is a cat flap, either paint it white or replace it with a white one.

I like the idea of real butcher block counters , maybe from IKEA as suggested before. They aren't to everyone's taste, but they would look good in that space, and wouldn't be terribly expensive. Then if the new owners really crave granite, they can do that later on. Clean, new counters are good even if not ideal.

It's pretty good as it is, but if you can bring it up a notch, it's worth it -- it's realy true that kitchens and bathrooms tend to sell a house.

If you want to stick with laminate counters, then I would do a dark gray with some warm tone - make sure it coordinates with the flooring. You may want to consider butcher block counters though - they are trendy right now and would look great with the floor. I would not add hardware to the cabinets - leave it for the new buyers to pick.

You really must fix that stove sticking out - well worth the money to make the kitchen look polished. I would actually consider buying a new stove (maybe get a used one off craigslist that looks new). That old stove looks cheap and is making the whole room look dumpy.

You don't' show the light fixtures in your photo but if you have the old builder's special light box in the ceiling, I would upgrade that to a basic farmhouse pendant (or group of pendants).

All the flipper houses in my neighborhood are all painted gray inside these days - clearly it's the trend... so I would consider a warm taupe/gray interior paint color instead of 'cream'. Benjamin Moore Abalone, Silver Fox, etc. Those colors are in the decorator's tool box for home sales around here.

I would do all of the above and a good cleaning before deciding to paint the wood trim. I think in this photo it looks like the trim should be painted, but it depends on how the kitchen relates to the rest of the house -- if the other rooms have wood trim and you can see into the other rooms, I would tend to want to leave the wood trim alone and let the new buyers decide what they prefer.

Oh, one other thought - paint that door a bright color? A good punch of egg yolk yellow or bright blue would make the space feel fresh and happy, and everyone knows you can easily change it if they don't like the color. Just don't go too dark.

Declutter, clean, and repaint.

Any further investment really depends on the condition of the rest of the house and the market you are selling in.

Are you selling it as a fixer upper or as something with dated-charm and potential? If the latter, I think it needs to be move in ready (as in everything functions). But as a buyer who is considering a home with "potential", I would hate to see a half-a$$ed remodel and money spent on stuff that I don't like. I'd rather have good clean functionality and the choice to make a few updates as my budget allows. If the kitchen sticks out as a sore thumb in your house - you could offer a credit to get a new stove or something like that.

I think updating the floors and counters is a waste of money because I think the cabinets look awful and cheap. As a buyer I would be more turned off from a drop ceiling and flourescent lighting than those cabinets. I feel like I could live in that kitchen, but would want to gut it eventually (and there's no dishwasher!). Drop ceilings and tube lights are just depressing though. If you are going to spend money on anything, do that.

I would paint the room a neutral color like a warm tan (BM Edgecomb gray is one of my favorites and it seems to work in any room). Absolutely do not paint the trim! That could be a major turn off for a lot of buyers. Do paint the cat door.

Declutter, remove the island, appliances, and breakfast bar. Hang one larger peice of art where there is now the couple of pictures. I would spend money on fixing the stove from jutting out as well. And as others have said clean clean clean.

Put down a small little mat in front of the sink, perhaps add cabinet hardware (although I still think it looks like a gut job), and put fresh flowers or herbs on the counter.

I agree with teakfreak and others who sayyou should make minor cosmetic changes, but not anything close to a renovation.

Leave the countertops as they are. There might be mold and there might be damage, but that's something you will pay for through the settlement when someone buys the house. Take a thousand off the final price or let them negotiate for the repairs, but after the buyer has put in an offer.

The current kitchen might be old, kind of moldy, and overall not pretty but it's a clean slate. I looked at the photo and immediately thought of all the things I would renovate if I bought the house, and there are LOTS of people who think that way. If you renovate FOR someone, they might not be as inclined to buy because it would be a waste to gut a kitchen that someone else had already put work into and expected me to pay for.

Please do not paint the woodwork, especially if it is original and matches the rest of the house! Let the next owners decide if they want to do that or not. They may rip out the white cupboards and put in natural wood. They may like the contrast. I am kind of surprised with all the responses saying to paint it. Painting natural wood (that is in good shape) is usually a sin around here.

NO on knobs, painting any other color than white,putting in a new floor or painting the wood work..
YES on a good cleaning and de-cluttering.
The reason why: Most folks will come in and usually have a re-model in mind especially for a home built in the 20's. Any amount of money, aside from the cleaning, would be a waste on your part. Even if you did re-model, it may not be the new owners choice and they may gut it AGAIN to make a kitchen to suit their needs. Granted, you may not get the asking price, but considering the re-model or updates, you're still at a win/win.
CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN...DECLUTTER, DECLUTTER, DECLUTTER

The trouble with replacing just the countertops is that if someone wants to replace the cabinets, it might mean the countertops won't be reusable. First, removing just the countertops might damage them. Secondly, as a potential buyer, I'd look at that kitchen and think immediately to change the entire layout. For example, I don't see a dishwasher next to the sink. I'd have to replace the countertops anyway just to accommodate a dishwasher if I wanted to avoid a mishmash of countertop pieces. And since the stove is a standalone unit, I might decide that I want a new one and that probably won't be the same size. That leaves me with a big gap or not enough space. Or maybe I want to move the stove entirely.

I would paint the walls leaving the woodwork as is and add nothing else. Clean it thoroughly particularly the stove top and burners and clear off the countertops, wooden table ledge, the sink and cabinet tops. Remove the pictures, stools and the rolling table. People want to see the bare bones of a house and imagine what they would do if they lived there. They usually don't want to see someone else's decorating or renovating scheme.

Under cabinet lighting. Seriously, it makes HUGE HUGE difference. You can get cheap stuff from Ikea that's LED so you just leave it on 24/7. It pretty much eliminates that old and dimly lit feel from even the grungiest of kitchens (trust me, I know from grungy kitchens!)

OMG. There is no dishwasher! for myself, if I was looking at two houses and one didn't have a dishwasher . I'm buying the house with a dishwasher.
It looks like there is room for a dishwasher IF the window was replaced with a model that didn't go as close to the floor. I would change the window to gain the counterspace to intall a dishwasher. ( You might even flip the sink location to under the window and put the dishwasher on the left of the sink.)
This is spending more money but would also be a huge improvement in the floor plan.
~ C

@m23b - Where is there a window? I don't see one in the photo.

If they replaced the countertops with a butcherblock that was a little darker in color, the door frame wouldn't stick out so much! Solve two problems with one solution. I also agree with checking the cost of fixing the gas line, I had a stove that stuck out a little in a galley kitchen and was forever brushing up against it and turning the knobs--it ended up being a serious safety issue!

Yep, get it as clean as you absolutely can. Remove as much non-bult-in stuff as you can. What about some under-cabinet lights? It might brighten things up a bit. Something very minimal and flat. I can't see your light fixtures, but from the photo it looks like you could use better lighting.

white paint on the walls
ikea wood countertops
a rug

The biggest thing I would do, besides the obvious cleaning and decluttering, would be to paint the walls a color that compliments the linoleum color. The linoleum IS ugly, and most buyers who aren't insane will not want to live with it forever. BUT, the person who buys this house is NOT going to be one of those "house hunter" people who has ridiculously high demands. Reason why: none of those people WOULD buy a house without stainless steele and granite countertops. So as far as I'm concerned, the ridiculous people won't buy your house WITHOUT a total, complete rennovation anyway. So don't pander to them. Pander to the people who have reasonable minds. THOSE people simply need to see the POTENTIAL that this kitchen has. THOSE people will have the imagination required to fix it up, and when they do, they will want to customize it to THEIR tastes. The only thing you have to do is make sure the kitchen doesn't look revolting. So I'd leave the countertops. I'd leave the flooring. And I'd even leave the wood trim just as it is. BUT, I would make sure the walls don't totally stand out from the weird olive green of the linoleum (my soon to be ripped out kitchen floors are the same color, but yours are in much better condition).

Secondly, and probably MOST importantly, hide ANY and ALL evidence of a pet, past or present. I would do what you have to do to get RID of the pet door. There are SOOOO many people with allergies or who are skeeved out when they see pet stuff, wondering what sort of urine lurks in the floors and walls. ANY evidence of pets turns them off. I am a huge cat lover, but if I go into someone elses house and see evidence of a cat (and I'm thinking about buying) it still grosses me out, because I don't know if that person changed the litterbox, or if the cat peed all over the floor and just successfully masked the smell, etc, etc). Things MY cat does, fine. Things OTHER people's animals may or may not do...yuck. Make sense? So get rid of the cat door. or AT MINIMUM, definitely make it so it's not that noticible on the door.

Other than that, good luck. Sane people will be able to see the diamond in the rough for what it is. :)

Talk to your agent about what fixes she recommends. Who is your target market? Are other houses in the neighbourhood getting bought up and completely redone? This kitchen looks like a future gut job to me, so sprucing up the little things isn't going to matter much if they look at it and instantly think "additional 30K on the mortgage to upgrade kitchen".

Decluttering and a deep cleaning make a huge difference, but if you have renters in while it's on the market that might make it harder. If the trim and moldings in the rest of the house isn't painted then I would NOT paint the trim around the door in the kitchen. If your buyer likes painted trim they can paint it themself, but if they prefer the traditional wood (especially in a foursquare) it would be pretty frustrating to have to strip off the paint. But, if the rest of the trim in the house is already painted then I would say paint this to match. To me, trim should match throughout the house, not just in the specific room.

As others have said, I would probably put hardware on the doors and drawers. I prefer cabinets and drawers that have handles or knobs, and they also add a little dimension. If you did a painted peg board for kitchen tools you could do cabinet/drawer hardware in the same color. I thought I heard once that you can paint linoleum floors, but I might have dreamed that (could have been wishful thinking as a way to fix my very ugly floors!). You could always put down a rug for an added bit of color. I also agree about the idea of a light gray rather than cream or tan if you're painting the walls. I think it would go better with your current floors, and I think gray would still look nice with the wood countertops.

I would also consider taking out the stools from the breakfast bar. If I bought your house, I'd probably prefer to just have that space as added counterspace than as an eating area, and you could add a row or two of shelves underneath for storing large appliances or cookbooks.

Personally, I'm kind of picky about my kitchen and I hate it when I look at a house that just had the kitchen renovated in time to sell. They tend to be the more generic style and not what I would want, so then I'd be spending more on the house because of the kitchen renovation while still having to put more money in to renovate it myself. If you're not going to be living in the house to reap the benefit of a renovation for at least a couple of years, then I think pre-sale work should mostly be simple cosmetic stuff.

If I were a buyer looking at your house, I would look at the kitchen as "functional but needs to be redone in a few years" - even if it had new floors, new hardware, new counters. I would run your ideas past your realtor and look at listings in the area. Do houses with kitchens like this sell?
I would use Formica in a neutral color for the counters. Something in the brown/grey family. They just need to be clean and functional. Pick your paint to match the counters.
I wouldn't paint the trim if it is the same in the rest of the house.
I would skip the hardware too, those cabinets look like they aren't meant to have hardware, so don't bother.
Paint the cat door white or replace the door.
Definitely take as much as possible off the counters and clean the whole place.
I would leave the cart where it is... the kitchen does have a severe lack of counter space, my first thought was "at least they have the cart to add a little usable space".

I'm currently house shopping and a few members of my family work in real estate... please:

1) DO NOT sink money into new countertops, appliances, flooring or fixtures. I can't tell you how many promising homes we've nixed because the owners upgraded their kitchens and thought it meant they could raise the home value by $30K. They think granite countertops are luxurious. I think they're trendy and awful, and will have to pull them out as soon as I move in. So I'm paying more for the hassle of removing someone else's work? No thanks. One person's "luxury" is another person's "tacky" - leave everything the way it is and tell your realtor to tell people you've taken $10K off the purchase price for new kitchen floors and countertops. (You don't actually have to take the $10K off... it just makes them feel good.)

2) DO NOT paint anything that isn't already painted. It's easy for someone to paint that doorframe... it's a total pain in the a** for some wood-loving homeowner to strip it off.

3) DO paint areas that are currently painted with neutral emission-free paint. I would go for white in the kitchen, since it looks cleaner than cream, but only if those cabinets are actually white-white.

4) DO clean the heck out of that place. Break out the bleach. Any hint of stain or mold should be gone.

5) DO declutter. That breakfast bar is adorable... but only without the appliances.

I agree with those who said to choose a cool color like blue or pale green instead of cream. I am afraid cream will just draw attention to those white cabinets that look pretty cheap and modern, rather than original to the house. A thorough scrubbing, nothing on the counters except maybe a few artistically arranged color accents, like a bowl of green apples or a vase of flowers. Don't throw good money after bad as I suspect the future buyer will eventually rip out the whole thing and renovate. It is a space with potential - you just have to remove the distractions.

Clean. Clean the stove, oven, cabinets around stove, the vent above the stove (no one ever cleans those and they are filthy).
Clean all baseboards, all air vents with plain water on microfiber cloth. Cleaners leave a residue on the vent fins.
All horizontal surfaces should be empty. The exception is you want one dish/platter out in your house to hold the other agent cards as proof they showed your house. This clues you and other agents in to how popular the house could be. :)

The only thing I don't like it the yellow paint. Other than changing the color and repairing the counter, I wouldn't change a thing.

Borrow a steam machine to clean. Buyers do not want to buy your dirt.

Afterward, paint that cat flap white. Put down Lowe's plank flooring in oak right over that floor. It is a miracle product. Affordable, too. I was skeptical about it, but did it anyway, because the floor in the house I was selling was dreadful looking. I sold the house for full asking on the first day.

With a new floor, cleaning and serious decluttering you may not need to repaint. I didn't. I put up a matchstick blind that had light and dark tones in it, which pulled the room together. A good piece of art and a bowl of lemons can go along way, too.

Not sure what your budget us, though I suspect you could do the following for under $200:

- Find a nice taupe-grey that works w/ the floors and paint the walls that, not cream or white, both of which will clash w/ the cabinets

- Take almost everything off the counters & top of the cabinets and clean the living daylights out of the place.

- Put back a small amount of a bright happy color (egg yolk mentioned above would work well, so would a nice yellowy green) using accessories: a container for spoons, one nice print above the shelf, a hand towel, a bowl of apples or lemons. Just a few small things that all match. You can also try putting some fancy dish soap in that same matching color next to the sink.

While I would agree not to change your countertops if you were considering granite (IE> and expensive upgrade that people may not like) but since you're only looking for something cheap I think it would help the kitchen appear a bit nicer (soemthing that could be lived with for a few years).

I would first paint and then make your decisions about the rest after you see what paint does.

1. I agree with the ikea butcherblock suggestion. It's cheap but looks nice. Or they have laminates that would be cheaper than buying from a big box store. If you do buy ikea laminate I wouldn't consider putting up another backsplash like the one you have now. Just let it be square against the fresh paint. That way you're not spending extra money on the backsplash and the people buying can decide to add their own if they want.

2.. I would go with a light grey and not cream. Your floors would look better with something that's not a yellow toned paint. It's still neutral so it wont scare off anyone and it'll make a nice contrast to the white cabinets.

3. If you're feeling ambitious you could maybe try the 2-toned look on your cabinets. White on top to draw you're eye up and away from the floor and a darker grey on the bottom. (This is a trend at the moment so it might appeal and feel updated to buyers. It is also a personal taste that some might not like so there are pro's and con's).

4. Definitely add some hardware. Ikea again has some relatively cheap door pulls/handles that would update the kitchen.

5. Depending what kind of light is in the room - you could consider changing that (but probably not necessary)

6. Definitely de-clutter and get rid of all the stuff sitting on the breakfast bar.

7. clean the heck out of the space

8. Someone mentioned peg board but I'd suggest adding 1-2 of these ikea shelves above the breakfast bar (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S39864148/) to show there's extra storage. They're only $30 each so it wont break the bank. OR making a large chalkboard out of a thrift store picture frame and some chalk paint from Home Depot. Paint the frame a bright colour so there's some personality in the now very neutral room.

9. I might consider changing out the door with the pet door in it - or trying to paint the door flat (if it's hard plastic) a white to match the door.

10. I would paint the walls first/change counter top etc and then see how the wood moulding looks. If it still looks really out of place then paint the wood.

11. I would consider getting rid of the rolling island as others have mentioned. It might make the space look smaller than it is. Plus if there's a window behind it, it'll hide the window. If there is a window you could add a roller blind from ikea in white (I think $17?)

12. add a little colour where you can with accessories. Maybe instead of the jar with cooking utensils you might want to buy a Grundtal rail (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20213538/), attach it on the wall under one of the cabinets and hang some brightly colur utensils and a nice tea towel from it (I've got one in my kitchen and I love having the tea towel there. My old one kept falling off the stove handle and drove me crazy)

Something I forgot to mention - You mentioned the counter behind the sink was a bit moldy. Is it the counter or just the backsplash? You could try to remove only the backsplash so that the original counter remains and is square against the wall. Then with the light grey paint it would look nice. The yellow right now (and cream) jsut makes the space look sickly and is grungy looking against the white cabinets.

I would definitely paint first before deciding to change the countertop. I think it's the colour that's really throwing things off. I personally like wood tones in the kitchen and while this is laminate it would still have that same feeling.

Joining this choir: Please, please, please do not paint the wood trim! Anyone who wants it painted will know that would be an easy job. Anyone who wants the wood trim is going to be turned off. There's no upside to painting the trim.

agree with the person who said go with what your realtor says. Doing anything besides cleaning, painting and decluttering may not be worth the $$ depending on the value of the house and neighborhood.

Once decluttered, I'd try to make sure accesories matched as there is a lot mismatching going on...like towels and flowers in the same color like red or yellow. It would look really good on the cheap, you can even use vases and stuff you already have and/or buy cheap at Ross.

If you do want to paint, I think a light green would look great, and I'd consider painting the cabinets gray, but NOT if your realtor thinks it's not worth the bother.

Compared to my kitchen, this is heavenly.
What really jumps out at me is the floor. I would lay down a new vinyl floor, it should not be much of an expense. IMHO, it would really spiffy up the kitchen.

As someone in the market for a house right now, I'd rather be able to put my own stamp on things and not have to rip out or reverse 'updates' that are not to my taste. It's a waste of time and resources on both ends.

Just paint and scrub everything. Put a nice, big and cheerful piece of framed art on the wall above the breakfast bar and a fruit bowl on the counter. Throw a seagrass rug on the floor.

If you want to make one permanent change, go to a salvage place, find a good, solid door to replace the white one with the cat door and stain it to match the trim.

Lastly, don't paint the kitchen cream. You could find another neutral that would not be so bland against the white cabinets. A pale muted mustard would look great against the woodwork.

Thank you so much for all your comments!

We are renting out this house and live 2000 miles away from it, so there are some things that will be out of our control completely BUT definitely plan on many of your suggestions like DECLUTTERING, major cleaning, and painting the walls - although still not sure of color, and painting that cat door to match the door.

You all definitely have me reconsidering doing much work at all and letting the new owners make the changes to fix their tastes. We bought the house when the kitchen was worse so why wouldn't someone else?

This flooring sucks but can you believe when we bought the house 8 years ago this same flooring was in the upstairs bathroom too with WOOD PANELING half way up the wall and dark blue paint. Like straight up wood paneling. We redid the bathrooms fully at least!

As others have said, declutter. Get rid of every single thing that you can in terms of what is on the counter.

Do an extreme deep cleaning (the entire house really, but the kitchen always needs it before selling.)

The fact is that while buyer's have no imagination in terms of making a space their own, the closer you get it to a blank slate the easier it will be for them to see it as an easier project.

I wouldn't sink ONE PENNY into a new floor or anything new at all (unless, its hard to tell from the pictures, you think you could use a new paint job, in the same neutral tone, that always cleans up things visually and isn't too much money.)

Honestly, even if you did something you felt was buyer friendly and neutral, there's always the chance someone would hate it anyway. Just declutter and deep clean.

Clean and declutter and offer a credit (a thousand dollars off purchase price?) to enable buyers to redo kitchen paint & basic decor) according to THEIR wishes.

I second..or third the light gray on the walls. It will make the cabinets seem brighter. Don't paint the wood work. As another poster said, it is harder to take paint off than to put paint on.

I would also take out the bar/seating area and put in a large piece of artwork or a small cafe table. I would also do butcher block counters, not laminate.

1. Everything that fancy-pants said.

2. I fourth the vote for light gray walls and not painting the wood trim. Once it is all put together you can certainly change your mind and paint the trim, but wait till the end as you might not need to.

3. We are currently house hunting and my realtor says it never really pays to put in a new kitchen or change the kitchen too much. It certainly could persuade someone to like your house over another house if you update, but you will never recoup the cost. Personally, I think it is wasteful because the next person who comes in is just going to want to change it all up to suit their tastes anyway.

I like the wood trim, especially because the wood exists in the rest of the house. What if instead you painted the DOOR the same color as the walls? I think I don't like that nasty white door with the wood trim, but what if everything was a nice warm grey instead?

My eyes were immediately drawn to "no door hardware" - I think it does make the kitchen look unfinished. If you could find cheap chrome or stainless knobs it might not be a bad thing. Just single holers so they are easy to change for the next person.

Not sure on the undertone of the floor. We just painted our room Edgecomb Grey (Benjamin Moore) and it's a nice browny grey. Very neutral. Might read a little pinkish with those floors though.

-Remove all evidence of cat. Patch the cat door hole and paint the door either the new wall color like robotropolis suggested, or paint it brown to better match the wood trim (I used to live in a place where all the trim was wood except one doorway that was painted brown to match and it was a pretty effective trick). If you can't seamlessly patch the hole from the cat door, I'd replace the door. If you replace the door, replace it with a wood-toned one. It's that white door's fault that the wood trim looks out of place.

-Properly fix the moldy area.

-Clean like crazy.

-Paint the walls a light warm grey that goes with the flooring.

-If the house is going to be unoccupied, consider getting rid of that stove altogether. You can ask your realtor if this is a good idea. A missing appliance might be less of a turnoff than a nasty one that obviously doesn't fit properly in its space because of the wonky gasline (and it will save you the time and energy it would take to clean that thing).

Don't paint the trim! That's such a hard thing for a new buyer to undo if they decide they want it natural. And if they're buying an older house, they're probably looking for wood touches like these.

Honestly, I'd just scrub, de-clutter, and add some nice handles to the cabinet doors. (maybe put the microwave on top of the fridge, if it's a smaller fridge.)

Replace the door fronts with a shaker door style in a paintable finish. Paint all doors and drawers creamy white. Paint all trim creamy white. Paint the walls a light warm gray. Put hardware on the cabinetry. Knobs on the doors and bin pulls on the drawers. Satin nickel looks good with everything. Ditch the microwave and put a microwave/vent combination above the stove. Replace the counter with a nice ikea butcher block or a corian solid surface in a neutral color. Like savannah.
I did this and a few more things for my kitchen that I'm planning on selling (along with the rest of the house). I also added a corner banquette eating area using ikea stuvas benches with drawers and hung an dark wood Asian style mirror over the table. So funny, the prospective buyers think the banquette is a built in. I'd link my MLS listing so you can get a good look at it but maybe not here. The end result is crisp, clean and decluttered (because the stuvas drawers have enough room to stash all the counter stuff when buyers come.)

Warm grey or pale taupe - whatever works with that floor and offers only a slight contrast with the cabinets. Now give the eye somewhere to go to other than floor, cabinets and counters - some contemporary graphics that continue from the side of the door and wrap around to the wall of the breakfast nook all in the same frames from Target or Ikea. Aim for something crisp. Pick up a color from the graphics and add a toaster and a kettle in that color like a red and maybe some tea towels also with that color - just a few attractive coordinated accessories from a Pottery Barn without looking too stagey would trick the eye after you declutter all those counters.

My suggestions are: light grey paint on the walls, do NOT paint the trim - it's a historical architectural feature in your home that a potential buyer may want to keep in tact, scrub the entire kitchen clean. Maybe get someone to look at the gas line behind the stove, if it's inexpensive to recess it into the wall so you can move the stove back then definitely do that. Get rid of the moveable trolley, and clear the appliances off the breakfast nook and the clutter off the bench space. Paint the pole of the breakfast nook the same colour as the cabinetry, and maybe even paint the stools a brighter colour to pop against the white. Paint the flap in the door to match. Remove the current art you have above the breakfast bar and put up one larger picture - a landscape or something.
Good luck with the sale!

Everyone has said a lot of things I agree with, but after all that: brighten up the space! Put down an area rug, bring in some fresh flowers, match a soap dispenser... Give the space a little personality!

I don't see a window either. The one structural change that I would find interesting as a buyer would be a kitchen with natural light and air. If that is an exterior door, replacing it with a door that had a window would make a much friendlier space and link the outside to the kitchen. I would even consider a dutch door which gives you the option of opening the window. link: http://www.houzz.com/photos/kitchen/dutch-door

Talk to your agent about how much anything you do is likely to add to the sale price - personally I'd just declutter and clean as you're unlikely to get your money back on any improvements.

The absolue #1 is to take care of the mold you mentioned and any issues that look like they need fixing, for example, if the stove looks like a real problem.

I agree a coat of white or light grey paint on everything (including trim) will work magic.

Make it obviously functional and in good working order, but don't do the big stuff--new owners can do that as they settle in and have time to think about it.

DON'T PAINT THE TRIM! Especially if the rest of the house is natural!

I agree with this sentiment: "The new home owner can make that decision and taking paint OFF woodwork is so much more of a hassle." Kitchens were everything is painted white are trendy right now, but it is a shame ruining original wood trim for a trend that will be out of style next year and that the home owners might not like. Besides, white trim quickly gets dirty, and your renters could mess it up before the house is sold.

Even though the floors are fine, I think replacing them with something that's a little more modern would give the whole thing an entire breath of fresh air, that and paint the trim white would be the most beneficial. If you keep the floor, everything else you change will still look drab despite your great efforts!

Spend as little as possible -- you will not get much out of it. Don't replace countertops or floor because you will have done what YOU want.. not what the new owner wants.

YES Paint the trim white - it looks awful

YES get rid of EVERYTHING on the counters. Store it elsewhere and take it out when you need it.

Get rid of the wood shelf on wheels (on the right), and the spice rack and the clutter of small pictures on the wall - replace with one larger picture (don't buy new.. just use something you already have)

If you have a small 3x5 sisal rug or chiliwich rug, throw that down on the floor to cover some of the linoleum.

Good luck!

Yes, get rid of those little pictures. Find something at IKEA or some other cheap but attractive poster. Trim around door stands out too much. Fresh flowers and de-clutter.

Do not paint the woodwork.

In regards to decluttering, while islands are functional, islands against the wall instead of the center of the kitchen (and pegboards) scream "NOT ENOUGH STORAGE". I would put the island in storage or the basement, along with any of the counter top appliances you aren't using every day. Out of sight, rather than taking up the breakfast bar counter space or showing overflowing items from under the island.

If you have an dedicated dining room or dining space, I'd lose the old breakfast bar and replace with a piece of furniture like a curio or credenza. Rather than a piece of open shelving that shows you're trying to "squeeze in" storage, it shows that "there is actually space large enough for furniture!", and it's easy for a homeowner to either mentally insert their own piece or picture the empty space from removing it.

If you're redoing the counter top by the sink - I might extend the length of counter a bit. You could invest in some installed, pull out garbage/recycling cans, or just leave a space to tuck existing bins out of the way of traffic. But leave some empty space at the end of the counter (it looks like the island is kind of squeezed in) for a nicer visual impact. The key to making smaller spaces work is leaving some negative/unfilled space instead of overfilling.

I didn't read everything previously posted... but is there a vent over the stove? If not, install one with a microwave... that would get it off the counter... I don't think they are terribly expensive... Get rid of the rolling cart and the toaster oven & microwave... put out a pretty single cup brewer..
Nice new pulls would be good... If you have a consignment store, Humanity for Habitat or university surplus... check there... and I'd price a new gas stove or maybe offer some $$ towards new appliances.. We had an under cupboard hanging toaster over that was specifically asked for by a buyer of one of our previous houses..
Maybe a 'chalkboard paint on one of the upper cupboard doors...or a door that I'm not seeing...

get rid of the counter in the back left. Get a stand alone sideboard, with drawers or cabinets below, for that space.

You have too many colors - dark wood, light wood, white, yellow plus all your bits and pieces. You also have conflicting styles in the doors. The door into the room should be changed over to a plain door to fit the style of the room. The dark wood trims painted and the room de-cluttered with the microwave disappearing below the kitchen island. Also paint the walls as close to the white as possible - perhaps a half tone of the rest of the house so the differences aren't so noticeable. Then pick ONE accent colour and bring it in with a two or three counter items and one large picture over the breakfast bar which should either be completely empty or else set for a meal. Cherrie

YES, Paint the trim around the door and baseboards a clean, bright white semi-gloss.
Everyone who says NOT to, doesn't know what they are talking about.

De clutter, scrub that stove, and add cabinet hardware.....

Wall color is fine, (am I the only one who thinks so?)

Look into butcher block counter tops (very cost efficient)..and under counter puck lights (they plug in if wiring is an issue)

Rip out the tube lighting right now.... Seriously! RIGHT NOW! No one wants to buy a home with an institutional looking kitchen.

I agree with white trim and butcher block counters.

I'd also consider painting the legs of the butcher block you have white to match the rest of the room. Also maybe put it on casters.

I've seen places look great with small incandescent table lamps on counters, it looks like there's some uncovered counter where that would work.

The cat door is not a good thing to show in a house. Can you just remove this particular door and make it an open doorway? Obviously that depends on what it leads to.

I wouldn't put anything on top of the upper cabinets.

Toekick should match cabinets.

I would add some cabinet knobs and make sure all metals in the room match (hinges, doorknobs if the door stays, and cabinet knobs). You could spray paint to get the matching.

An option to avoid painting the woodwork is to go with a darker door. Right now my eye goes straight to the door, but a darker door disappear a bit and let the rest of the kitchen stand out. From crude photoshop experimenting, painting the trim white just makes me focus on the brass doorknob and any dirt in the kitchen. Painting the door black, however makes the wood look rich.

I am not a fan of the yellow because it looks dingy to me. I would prefer a light blue-gray, but blue can be an appetite suppressing color.

Making these changes leaves other decisions up to the buyer of the house, but makes a difference in the feel of the room.

I also just realized that the darker door gives the illusion of being farther away and makes the room look larger.

De-clutter. Paint trim around door white. Are the floors in the rest of the house wood? if so consider changing flooring to similar type/ color laminate . Exchange 1 large picture for 3 small ones. Splurge on a new light fixture if current one is old and call your gas co if they offer service. They may be able to change or reconfigure pipe so that the range will sit closer to the wall and safety check your appliances.

Whatever you do, don't paint it that sad Renter's Special yellowy white that every landlord in existence seems to favor. Gross.