Repainting the cabinets is very easy and can be done very cheaply. Your biggest cost would be the granite counters. Try looking for remnant pieces that are large enough to cover your counters. If granite ends up being out of your budget entirely, look into high end formica. If you are absolutely settled on getting granite, calculate the difference in cost between the less expensive stuff and the granite countertops (which are the most expensive).

If there's a huge gap to where you can paint the cabinets and do a tile backsplash, do those first and then change the countertops after you have your paint done. This way, you can find a counter top that will match the cabinets and the tile and you can save up if the cost is higher than you expect.

Unless you've lived with granite counters and are wed to them, I'd forgo that expense and use a different material. I had granite countertops in my last home. It was porous and absorbed stains and grease. In my new house I have Silestone counters (and there are other brands of similar material. I'm much happier with that, and it was cheaper.

I just did exactly what you mention to freshen up my 15 y/o kitchen. I had my light wood cabinets painted white with new hardware and we installed granite countertops. We also had the walls painted and an island built. It looks like an entirely new kitchen.

However, all of this assumes that the kitchen functions well for you in its current layout. If it's not functioning well, now is the time to really think about changes that might make it work better. These need not be expensive - adding a cabinet over the fridge or changing out just one cabinet or putting a microwave over the stove instead of on the counter - that kind of thing won't break the bank.

Also, there are a huge number of wonderful things that can be retrofitted to make cabinet interiors better. I got a book from Home Depot kitchen dept. filled with wonderful organizers and space savers. I love love love the interior pull-outs in my bottom cabinets and my recycle bins in my corner cabinets. Other places, including Ikea, have these things, too.

Save a little money and look for a nice quartz countertop:

No need to seal quartz countertops
Quartz countertops are less porous than granite
Quartz countertops are more resistant to bacteria
Quartz countertops are more resistant to staining
Quartz is available in solid colors and as it grows in popularity you may be able to get custom colors

Looks nice, still stone!

Yeah, I'd pass on granite too. There are a lot of better options available these days, and I think granite is starting to look kind of dated. Which shouldn't be a concern if you absolutely love the look of granite, but it always pays to consider these things when redoing a kitchen, because kitchens are such a big thing that people look at when buying houses.

Whatever you decide though, choose your paint AFTER you have chosen your countertop and backsplash materials. It is easier to find a paint to match something than it is to match something to a paint.

Wow, thanks for all the great advice. This is a picture of the kitchen.

<img src="http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q175/camikamm/IMG_41382.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">

I am going to look at Quartz countertops and other options now. I really think I hate that bland backsplash too.

Your appliances are fine but maybe to get some more counter space you could purchase an above-mount microwave with built in range hood.

I'd take out the decorative trim around the window above the sink

The tile backsplash and the floor need to go. Sorry to say, they are looking so dated. If the rest of your home is hardwood, you could carry it into the kitchen for a more streamlined look, or opt for slate tiles which are not too expensive.

Backsplash could go a lot of ways ... glass tile, plexiglass, even stick-and-peel metal tiles such as Aspect Tiles. To me colored glass seems a little bit dated... I'd go for something a bit more muted, perhaps white subway tile.

The cabinets look like they are in good shape and do not need to be replaced, but maybe you could stain them... I'd go either darker or plain white. Then replace the hardware with something more updated. If you like modern I'd go for the Lansa cabinet and drawer pulls from IKEA.

I don't think granite is dated at all, but there are a lot of other options these days. Quartz, granite-like composite, concrete, butcher-block. etc. If you like the look of granite then try and find granite tiles and use them as a countertop instead of a large slab and you'll save a lot of money.

I just did some brief quartz research and it seems more suited to our needs.

And oh yes, the floor. I hate it so much. It was installed so shottily and there are tiles that we had to stick back to the baseboards with liquid nails.

I hate the trim above the sink as well. Would we need anything there? Or we could just remove it completely?

The cabinets are like the bottom of the line from homedepot. They are a real wood frame with a plywood insert. I am not sure if staining them would work, although I would love the look. And we new hardware is a must, I think I know the lansa ones, but I will go refresh my brain.

As far as a mounted microwave, I think its a really good idea, but I personally don't find them very convenient. I am a short girl, and they always seemed like a hassle to me. I am not very sure where it would go either.

All such great advice, it helps a lot to have an outsiders perspective and knowledge. Seeing a room everyday, you become complacent with all of its flaws.

i would do something with your floor first - a darker tile (or is it possible to stain/paint them darker) would greatly benefit the room. painting the cabinets, and updating the backsplash - you could do all of this easily under $400 without touching your countertops. i bought ceasarstone for our island (kind of $$) and ikea butcherblock countertops (very affordable!) for the rest. love them both.

Paint at least the upper cabinets white and get rid of the hideous backsplash. The countertops look okay to me. If you have any time, money, or patience left, then tackle the flooring.

I know what cabinets you are talking about and I wouldn't bother trying to stain them. Even taking the doors off and just painting them would be an improvement. I like the look of darker base cabinets with lighter uppers.

If you are going to paint do a light sanding and investing in a spray gun will save you a lot of time. Look into using Zinsser's BIN primer. It stinks something awful so wear one of those heavy duty respirators but dries in 45 minutes and is specially made to stick to materials like what those cabinets are made of.

For paint look into something like cabinet coat.

I agree with taking down the decorative trim above the sink. It looks very country and will be an instant improvement.

You could also try cabinet refacing, not sure how much that costs in comparison to replacing.

Or www.cabinetstogo.com is another option.

When I was looking for countertops quartz was actually more expensive than granite. I wanted quartz but settled for granite. Corian is another solid surface option which was about half the cost.

If you go with either, switch out the sink for an undermount. Sometimes you can get a free sink with your countertop purchase.

Go to a stone yard and see if you can get a deal buying directly from the source or as someone else mentioned look for remnant pieces that will work in your kitchen.

The floor is pretty bad. Look at lumber liquidators for wood or you could try cork. Or tile depending on your preference.

Definitely take down the backsplash. If you can't afford a backsplash right now, taking it down and painting the wall would be inexpensive and better than leaving it.

Right now the kitchen looks very builder grade. How about adding some color to the walls.
Here is a kitchen favorite you could use for inspiration: http://www.houseofturquoise.com/2010/03/whistle-while-you-work.html

I think it depends on what you mean by "hurried and cheaply done". If it's really shoddy, then I think you need to concentrate on the basic items and leave the high end counter tops, etc. until later. It sounds like your cabinets are at least sturdy. If you are ok with the layout, then I say keep them. You can stain or paint them as desired. Or you can replace the doors, which is way cheaper than replacing the whole thing. I think veneered plywood will stain just fine.

Given the level of workmanship on the floor, that needs to be your #1 priority.

Aesthetically, I would definitely prioritize getting rid of that backsplash. It just makes the room so much darker.

You can replace the trim above the sink with a simple arch, which would be much classier.

if you want to be a source of design advice, then at least know your materials:

1) quartz - at least the countertop product - is not stone, it's an engineered product (i.e. made by people in a factory). it's made of stone and resin and other things that are cheaper than mining stone.

2) granite is a word that has been generically applied to a wide variety of igneuous and metmorphic rocks, the vast majority of which are not actually called granite. they are generally made from magma that cools deep underground to form the stone.

@Camikamm, if you do want to go with stone counters, check out the Materials section on craigslist - stone suppliers who are hurting for business often advertise on there for countertop deals. good luck!

Melissa - I think you need to understand your budget, too. If you've got $500 to spend, you can probably paint the cabinets, replace hardware and do some other little things. If you're talking about ripping out cabs, replacing floor, new countertops, that's significantly more.

As others have said, are the layout and the current cabinets functional for you? If yes, try to stick to more cosmetic fixes - replace the backsplash and paint, maybe. If you hate the doors (instead of more useful drawers) on your lower cabs, consider Ikea cabinets. They are super functional, have a 25 year warranty and won't break the bank.

I actually don't think your floor looks bad. It's neutral and tile is great for a kitchen floor. Maybe talk to a tile guy about some repairs? Or tackle it yourself? You should be able to chip out the old grout and thinset and replace with like. You can easily put in a tile backsplash yourself. I just did one for about $500-600 in materials (using glass tile).

If you do replace the cabinets, make sure you demo clean. I got $600 for my 16 year old kitchen cabinets via a craigslist sale. That covered a significant portion of my new cab cost.

Also forgot to mention that IKEA does sell butcherblock counters. Painted white cabs and a new butcherblock counter would have a big impact for a relatively small cost.

I'm interested to know what your budget is, and if you plan to sell the house in the near future. . . .

Before you put a penny into updates, I would ask if you're using the space as efficiently as you could. For example, get household appliances and other stuff off the counters. To that end I would recommend mounting your paper towel holder under the cabinets or on the interior of a cabinet door, moving the blender into a cabinet, and moving large bowls or decorative kitchenware on top of the cabinets. Whatever you can move on top of the cabinets that you don't often use or isn't rusty/ugly -- do. From the pic I think that's just open space up there, and that can always be used. Do your pot holders get splattered with food? I would think so, considering they're right over your stove. To visually declutter that space, I'd also mount a hanger to the interior of a cabinet door and hang them there.

Then I'd get rid of the ornamental wood over the sink and change the blinds over the window, replacing them with a non-beige set mounted high, that when closed display an image.

Your biggest problem is the backsplash. Depending on budget/your DIY ability, I'd remove that tile, sand down the area and paint with a color other than off-white or beige. :) And changing the cabinet pulls is an easy, obvious fix. Long-term you could put tin tile there and above the cabinets to add interest and draw the eye.

Instead of granite I'd go with recycled glass countertops. They're non-porous plus you'd be doing a good thing for the environment and be able to interject a little color if you want. There are several manufacturers located around the country; just google as there might be one near you.

That backsplash is blah. New tile made with recycled content could be an option. If not, then maybe paint with a semi-gloss that's suitable for kitchens and bathrooms. That's what we have and things wipe right off.

With cabinets, just sand well and paint with new hardware. No need to replace them unless they're a safety hazard.

I completely agree on the quartz countertops. We just put them in and it's one of our favorite things after changing a lot in the house.

I redid my kitchen myself (at least 90 percent) three yrs ago with ikea cabinets for about $8000, which included knocking out wall between living room and kitchen. While I could have spent $$$$ on the countertop, I opted, instead, to go with the ikea laminate top, which looks alright and works fine. One of these days, though, I think I'll try making my own concrete tops.

@OP --

The undermount microwave would go above your stove. The range hood is built into the microwave so you could get rid of your current range hood. Depending on the size of the microwave you may need to lose a little bit of storage space currently above the range hood ... but you gain a lot of counter space.

The only thing I dislike about my mount microwave being right above the stove is that the metal handle on the microwave door gets really really hot when I'm cooking food on the stove.

I would have never imagined I would get so much help and input! Just want everyone to know I really appreciate all of the tips and I will consider everyone of them.

We are kind of thinking of selling the house, but that is not why I want to do the improvements. I have a feeling our house will sit on the market for a while, even if we do try to sell and I just want to enjoy it more.

I am going to check out all of these non granite options for countertops, I had no idea there were so many. The Ikea butcher block ones sound especially appealing.

Seems like I should tackle the back splash and counters first, then see about painting the cabinets.

And I will clean off the counters ASAP...I am not sure why I over looked that and the clutter above the stove! :)

Will keep you updated when we start work.

Thanks sooo sooo sooo much, all of your advice has fallen on grateful ears!

[didn't read the comments so apologies if this is a repeat]

If you are looking to do a sort of quick, cheap reno that could last a while but not be your "end all be all" kitchen, I'd recommend:
- Painting the cabs and putting in new hardware to suite your tastes (do the cabs right...sand, prime, sand, paint, etc)
- Paint the countertops. There is a kit that you can buy at Home Depot ($250) that is a sort of paint + granite chips + sealant that truly transform your countertops. It's food safe, very durable, easy to do, and looks good. Comes only in dark colors. Use over laminate countertops.
- Backsplash: again, instead of replacing tile, you can get sheets of what look like a stamped tin backsplash. They look really cool and are super easy to install and cheap (given the alternative).

I helped a friend do all these things to her super outdated, dark, ugly kitchen and it looks AMAZING. She was going to just do a quick redo to hold her over until they get the money for a real new kitchen, but now she says she doesn't want to change a thing...ever!

Agree with the above posters - Scoot especially covered most of it. Definitely paint the cabinets - there's a ton of great tutorials out there. www.theletteredcottage.net www.younghouselove.com, etc. Ideally, I'd love to kill those soffits and move the cabinets up. Add new hardware - even Target has big packs of cool hardware. Paint the backsplash - it doesn't get alot of wear.

Take your time after that figuring out what countertops and backsplash you want.

Add the 2" white fake wood blinds from Home Depot - shouldn't cost you over $50.

Lastly, pick out your floors. Sorry, they're pretty hideous and I think you need nicer toekicks. Maybe some white MDF liquid nailed to those hideous tiles?

Good luck and keep us posted!