Here's a classic GW tutorial:

https://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2696275/anybody-make-kitchen-improvements-with-oak-cabinets

Just want to point out that "just paint" will not rid you of the oak grain. To achieve a smooth, no-grain finish (as shown in JudyG photo) will require wood filler and lots of sanding before the prime & paint. The upside is that the old cabinet pull holes will be gone, allowing you to place the new ones as you wish. If you decide to have them painted, they must be done with a sprayer...not a brush. BTW, you are lucky you don't have the dreaded "arched tops". Your cabinets are very nice as they are.

@chiflipper--thanks for pointing out that the knob holes will be filled. Good point! Since I pulled out my painter's quote, I was able to check. He'd remove the doors and hardware, clean, sand, prime, lightly sand, fill nail holes, caulk where needed, spray 2 coats of finish on doors and drawers, the boxes are brushed out. Is that good? I've used him before (but not for cabinets) and have been happy with his work. Yes, I have been telling myself that: at least I don't have the arched tops. ;)

The grain would show through with that paint treatment.

I don't think adding pulls using the one hole from a knob would help because it would still place pulls in an odd location. The one thing that you can do if you were painting is reposition the knobs or pulls by sanding, puttying and redrilling.

What condition are the cabinets in? i thought you mentioned the doors were flimsy? The cost of painting now, the quartz in the spring plus floors will be quite costly. I like your idea of doing the low cost stuff DIY, but then save the money for the counters, pro-painting and floors until you’re able to replace the cabinets too.

If the boxes are solid, then it may be worth looking at the cost of replacing the doors so they all match instead of painting what you have. Scherr’s and Barker Doors sell finished and unfinished customsized cabinet doors; they do online pricing so you can get an idea of what the cost would be,

https://www.barkerdoor.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=SHAKER%2DIP%2DDOOR

There is a product, Howards Restor a Finish, that will even out a finish on wood. I used their walnut on my oak cabinets. You basically use a rag (wear gloves) and rub it on like you're giving them a good cleaning. Then hand rub a coat of their bee's wax on top. It was labor intensive but very inexpensive to do. You're not changing the stain color like you would if you were refinishing but it spiffed mine up quite a bit.

@Julie, what is missing in that paint treatment? He’s sanding, priming, filling holes and caulking the gaps etc. thanks

@richfield, thanks for your thoughts. The cabinets are in decent enough shape though they were made of pressboard. (We’ve had to repair the silverware drawer once). Most of the doors are solid wood, only those few are flimsy. When I got bids for new cabinets, I think the estimate was about 20K for KraftMaid, not even custom cabinets, and that’s just the cost of materials, so I’d have labor too. The new door ideas sounds cool. When I popped over there it seemed like there are a lot of add-on charges, so it might add up quickly, but let me check it out.

I like your cabinets including the warm oak. It doesn't have the dreaded arched doors so even the style can be made to read more contemporary.

I wouldn't paint them or stain them but I would work with them.

Stainless appliances would do a lot to modernize the look as well as hopefully providing you with better functionality.

I am not clear as to whether your cabinets are in good shape and you just feel are dated or whether there are construction issues. Probably the least expensive way to go is to get a local cabinet maker to make new doors or whatever.

What you do next really depends on your budget. Given the amount of cabinets you have, I am not surprised that the cost for Kraftmaid was $20,000 so unless you plan to spend $50,000 or so on a total kitchen remodel I would make those changes which update the look and minimize cost - ie. the most bang for your buck

I think the floor is very dated looking and changing it would be relatively inexpensive.

As discussed, replacing appliances would give you a modern look and you would have better appliances - remember not all stainless appliances are created equal so you would want to get the best appliances within your appliance budget.

It's hard to tell what your lighting Is in the kitchen but the fixture above the dining table s rather sad :-(. Replacing it for something with more pizazz would be relatively inexpensive. You should also consider under cabinet lighting and perhaps canned lights in the actual kitchen area.

I think the plants in front of the window are a bit passe looking and I would replace with a really sharp looking window treatment - perhaps a nice Roman shade

I have been told by wood experts on this forum to avoid Old English as it makes it more difficult to maintain the wood. I would probably double check to confirm - perhaps start a thread specifically asking about Old English or alternatives.

If your cabinets are not going to be replaced you could consider some accessories for them that improve functionality - do you have roll outs for your lower cabinets for example?

Replacing your counter and sink is really where you make the decision regarding whether you live with your cabinets or just hold off until you want to spend $50,000 to completely redo. Your choice of counters really depends on budget. Formica has come a long way and there are some really gorgeous formica choices available if you look at the Wilsonart website - you can get a curved edge as I did when I installed formica some years back and it doesn't have the tell tale formica seam :-). Some granite choices are actually relatively inexpensive so that depends on your budget. Obviously you don't want to spend a whole lot for a counter if you plan to rip out the cabinets in a short period of time since the counters would almost certainly not be able to be used again.

shell king shows a great semi-makeover. stainless appliances and darker counters give the cleaned up oak a great presence. You could do the same. What floor is on order?

I have a wood cabinets idea book which includes some refreshed older kitchens. It might give you some ideas:

https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/75202366/list/wood-kitchens

The second one is mine and there are more pics in my "my pics" idea book.

What is meant by the grain will show through the paint is that the texture, not the color of the grain of oak shows trough the paint. This bothers some, but not others. Painted over a finished surface also does not wear as well as a factory paint job, and so usually touch ups are needed - again this bothers some, but not others.

These cabinets show wear as seen after 3 years:

From:https://www.confessionsofaserialdiyer.com/painted-kitchen-cabinets-three-years-later/

I painted some of my original oak kitchen cabinets about 18 years ago and put them in the laundry room. Wood moves with changes in temp and humidity which can crack the paint at the joints. This pic shows the oak grain and a paint cracked at a joint. This is a close up, and I actually don't really notice it, and only a few joints have the crack. These pics are not meant to discourage - just give information to help you decide:)

Your Houzz Bookmarks · More Info

Shell King did the knobs-in-a-weird-spot to pulls-using-that weird-hole conversion like you were thinking and it looks good!

There is no shame in seeing grain in painted oak. It's a tad charming.

if you have any plans on painting, do not use old english. in fact, do not use that stuff period. it's a wax based product and will hold on to dust, grease, fingerprints like no ones business.

you got a quote from a house painter for those cabs?? no. no house painters, unless they are also qualified cabinet painters. to find out, have him spell out all of the steps for both preparing and painting that he does. everything. if he tells you, i paint them with primer and then paint, in place, run far away from that quote. if you want the paint job to last, time consuming prep work is the only way to make it happen.

Why not save the money and do it yourself? yes, it's a tedious, time consuming PIA, but you'll have money to use elsewhere. I would paint those babies in a NY minute. they will look like new. (and you need hardware when done).

before/after

a few of the products you will need.

If you think you might want to tackle it yourself, let me know and I'll give you the best link with how-to.

didn't you have an earlier post about your floors?? it looks familiar. you know you can paint over the vinyl, right?

I would also do a cute breakfast nook instead of that table

you can build this yourself with beginner DIY skills

Wow, thanks everyone for your comments. I really appreciate them. I don't know where to begin to reply. Oh here: I'll post the link to a thread on how to properly clean wood cabinets. (thanks for the tip to stay away from Olde English)

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/how-to-clean-wood-cabinets-dsvw-vd~2690664?n=19

I emailed my neighbors to see if I can look at their finished kitchen, hopefully this weekend. They did a DIY update reusing their existing cabinets. The wife was the first one who mentioned to me, awhile ago, that wood cabinets are coming back. ;)

@fori--thanks for pointing how that shellking's kitchen had the knobs in a weird spot. I missed that. I think it would work on the two cabinets next to the fridge. The ones across from the sink are weirdly higher, but maybe I'll just go with it and say it's vintage charming. ;)

@Beth, yes, I had posted previously. Then I decided to do the full remodel. But then a couple issues came up in the permit process (new rules the city hadn't told us. thanks), and with the turbulent economy (and housing prices dropping already), I'm back to wondering if it's worth-it to invest a ton is a big remodel. Thanks for your suggestions but I think I'm going to steer away from a DIY project. (I'm behind on other stuff as it is, and even cleaning and decluttering cabinets/closets will take time). But your ideas are cute.

Last night I measured and did some math. My counters are 12' linear feet, so about 24-28 square feet. The floor is about 250 square feet. So I'm thinking maybe I can do a refresh for $15K (?). Seems high for a refresh but my estimates are: counters installed $3K, tile floor installed $5K, appliances $3K, + misc. (sink, faucet, lighting, backsplash, paint, knobs/pulls). I know my neighbors did some bargain hunting, so maybe they'll have leads on materials. If I went with new cabinets, that's another 20K + labor for installation. Thoughts on the $$$?

thanks again! I'm still open to other ideas/ suggestions.

Hi everyone, thanks for all your suggestions. I've decided I'll do the refresh (vs. the full blown house remodel). I'm thinking if I have doug fir floors under the vinyl, I'll refinish them and will have a pro paint the cabinets white. If I need to put in a new floor, I'll probably do tile and leave the cabinets as wood. Thoughts? I also went to HD and saw there are counter-depth french door fridges that will fit in my existing space (36" wide gap, so I'm looking at fridges that are 32-33" wide.) It feels like there is hope to improving this without blowing too too much $$$. Yay!

Today's question: As a stop-gap measure to hide that floor (arg!) I saw a used sisal rug on craigslist for $20. Is that a horrible idea? Seems like more boring beige (and something that will stain easily), but maybe boring is an improvement and I can restyle the window areas and direct the eye away from the floor. I know it's only $20, but I don't want to bring it home and immediately hate it. (It's been posted awhile, so it seems like I wouldn't be able to resell it quickly).

you can buy a new sisal for not much more. how big is the used one? if you really want it, offer $10.

Just know that sisal can be a little rough on bare feet.

this one would work. It's about $60, 4x6.

Safavieh Natural Fiber Collection NF143 Rug, Marble/Beige, 4' X 6' · More Info

they have many more colors and sizes from 30-65 bucks.

[https://www.houzz.com/products/rugs/material_fabric--Jute-%26-Sisal/size_rug--2-x-3-Ft.-%26-Smaller--3-x-5-Ft.---4-x-6-Ft.-[(https://www.houzz.com/products/prbr4-br~t_515~a_623-12951--716-4114-4116-4118)

you can even do something like this for $35

Safavieh Evoke Collection EVK238 Rug, Ivory/Gold, 3'x5' · More Info

and I think last time you posted I mentioned how you can paint that vinyl and have a brand new looking floor.

Hi! IE flooring. I would look at getting a floating vinyl floor product that is Not a wood look. DIY and maybe can go right over what you have now.

Thanks Beth. I usually wear slippers, so the texture should be ok. The rug is 6x9, which is what I need. It's from Crate and Barrel and had cost $250 new. The 6x9 ones I see here online are about $120 and up (plus tax).

FWIW, last week I ordered this rug (below) and it will come on Thurs (fingers crossed). I paid a bit over $200, but am I throwing good money after bad?

https://www.target.com/p/striped-kilim-rug---green----6-x9-----safavieh--174-/-/A-51388804

FWIW, I ordered both the 6x9 and 7x7 verisions of that rug. The area from the fridge to the stove is 9'; from the sink to the cabinets on the opposite wall is also 9', so there might be a benefit to having it square. (I wish it was 8x8 or 9x9) Not sure if those strips and colors will work. Maybe I should wait until these rug arrives before I look at the sisal one. (?)

Thanks for the tips on painting. I don't want another DIY project (or the exposure to the chemicals).

ok, no prob. I like that rug w/those warm colors. 6x9 is huge! have you taped it off to see how it might look?

I currently have a blue rag rug there now (something I owned) which is 6x9. I'd love something for the nook too. They don't have a matching one so something solid or ?

girl,,,I found some 8x8 sizes you were asking about. they're on sale too.

https://esalerugs.com/8-ft-squares-rugs-show-84

Beth, wow, thanks a lot! That place is amazing, a ton of rugs and free shipping and free returns. Have you used them? Been happy w/ the quality?

(BTW, I love the hot pink shag rug. Not for my ktichen of course...)

the really cheap ones, are pretty cheap. I have some made from that material, polypropylene, and they're pretty, but a little cheap feeling. don't expect a wool rug quality! but they're easy to clean. and if something does happen to them, it's cheap enough to get another!

if you want quality, look at the materials. wool, silk, cotton, nylon,,,those will be the better ones.

IF you are keeping the cabinets "as is" I suggest you take one door to a Pro refinisher for a consultation. They should be able (with minimal effort) to tell you how to remove any "bad" product (such as Olde English) and what process & product will get them looking their best. Good luck.

@chiflipper, thanks for the suggestion. I can’t find a professional “refinisher” around here. (Though I can keep looking). But I got a bid from someone to reface the cabinets. The prelim estimate (based on photos) is about 13K + $100 per drawer for new drawers. Seems better to just install new cabinets, if I go that way.

And, if anyone is curious, the striped rugs arrived. Here’s how they look. (the large one is 7x7, so an 8x8 would be better). I think the rugs are nice but don’t achieve my objective. (I want to cover up the ugly floor. Yes, they do that, but they draw the eye down, you see the rug and then notice the ugly floor, lol). So I think I’m going to keep searching. My plan had been for a solid sage green rug in the main part of the room and an accent in the nook. (Not pictured here). I still need to spend some quality time with the website Beth mentioned. So much for my quick and dirty stop-gap fix to cover the floor. Ha

girl,,,it's too bad you're not into the DIY thing. Your cabs would paint up nicely.

Look into General Finishes Milk Paint (it's actually an acrylic, but easy to work with) . a friend of mine did her's (similar oak cabs) in Linen, and put on new hardware, and a few glass doors. totally upgraded the space for less than a few hundred.

any of these will make quite a difference and hold you over for years until you get new cabs. You could do these a little at a time without much expense.

And you could install hardware to finish off the look.

for the rug, they do have an 8x8 sisal

this green one would be a nice color.

I actually kind of like the cabinets. I don't think they are the dreaded cheap orange-y oak from the 80s/90s. The placement of the cabinet knobs makes me think they are considerably older (50s?60s?). They might even be original to the house? In the old days knobs were placed 1/3 up the cabinet door instead of near the corner as they are nowadays. So that means they are either old or the previous owner was just eccentric.

There's nothing wrong with oak. It's a perfectly nice wood that has become less trendy and was sometimes stained or varnished too orange in the past.

If they were my cabinets I'd first clean the bejeesus out of them. They might just be dirty and stained. Maybe after an extreme cleaning they will be a milder color. Then I'd install new knobs and pulls as you were thinking about. You can switch the knobs to pulls if you'd like a more modern hardware placement ( ie. use the existing top hole and drill the second hole lower, which will place it closer to the corners).

There's a lot of cream in the room which might be making the cabinets seem more drab. Maybe paint the walls a sage green to complement the oak. You can't replace the floors? There are some nice inexpensive tiles from Somertile and Daltile.

If you still hate the cabinets after cleaning them and changing the room you could try General Finishes gel stain. I think it's less work than their milk paint. You don't need to sand the cabinets down to use it. You can apply it over the existing finish.

But I agree with the suggestion to consider General Finishes. Whether you use their milk paint or gel stain is just a question of taste and which look you'd prefer. They have pictures on their website where you can see kitchens people redid using their products.

As mentioned earlier oak has a prominent grain that tends to show through paint, so in that respect the gel stain might work better.

I wanted to give an update. I bought the sisal rug on Craigslist (for $10–thanks Beth!). Here are pics in the kitchen. I don’t love it (so much beige!) but it does cover the floor. There are stains on one end (so any light rug in the kitchen will get stained). So I’m going stop looking at rugs (except maybe on Craigslist) and move on. (BTW, I put the sisal rug in my living room, for a change of pace. Was able to cover the stain).

I talked to my floor refinishers (we’re wondering if we have Doug fir under the vinyl). They can’t make the call until the floor is completely pulled up. So worst case scenario, putting in new Doug fir or new tile floors will cost about $5k, probably the biggest single expense of this kitchen refresh. If the floor beneath a usable Doug Fir, I would save that and paint the cabs white. If the floor is not usualable, I’m leaning towards tile since...there will be a awkward transition point from the dining room into kitchen. (Plus my GC went in the crawlspace and said the subfloor might need to be rebuilt if I put in wood floors, but not tile). One advantage of painting the cabs is that I could use that 6.5” space next to the left of stove. I’ve seen some shallow 6” cabs, (that would open out to the left), and that could give a little workspace on the left side to the stove. If I go with tile, I may keep the cabs wood, at least at first. (Bad idea?) I also called the interior designer who I met when I was considering my big house remodel, so I can get his opinion on this new plan.

So....my latest Q: is it a bad idea for me to buy new appliances this month (Black Friday deal) even if I won’t be doing the rest of the refresh until spring? I could install them right away and improve my space. Or I could delay the delivery, I believe, up to 90 days but my GC and subs may not be available until April or May.

Thanks everyone for all your help. I really appreciate it!!!

Get your appliances now if you're sure about the size. No reason not to!

great deal on the rug! You can get them now. even if you do decide to change everything down the road, they'll still work. try and get a countertop depth fridge though. you don't want a new one sticking out too far.

and hardware?? why not add some? it will really help update the looks. this style is my favorite. simple, looks good and will fit w/diff styles

Thanks Beth. You inspired me to haggle on the rug. I normally hate doing it but it wasn't hard. (I said, "are you flexible on the price?" him: "Sure, how much?" Me: "Ten bucks". Him, wincing, "OK". Later he admitted that a friend had given it to him for free. So thank you!)

Thanks everyone for encouraging me on the appliances. I was surprised that a counter-depth could work in my 36" opening. I need to do more research but something like this. (I don't need a ginormous fridge.) So this is 33" wide and the door can be out beyond the cab enough to open, right?

https://tinyurl.com/y9ldt4zt

Great, thanks for the encouragement on the hardware. A couple weeks ago some hardware was on sale at Rejuvenation Hardware (but I didn't want to get a "good deal" until I had my solid plan.) I love that style. I'm probably going w/ oil rubbed bronze since one of my goals is to make my house more consistent, and I have ORB in other places and like it.

your countertops are 24", yes? measure your current fridge to see how far out it comes. measure your width to be sure you have clearance.

BTW, check CL again for appliances. I've found killer deals on there for our rental. all brand new appliances for a fraction of what they cost in the store. my wall oven was $800,,,normally 2500. it had a dent on the side panel. you can't even see it because it slides in the cabinet! Same w/the DW. you can save hundreds by seeing what they have. now, if you're getting a special package deal and financing at HD, then go that route.

Beth, can you recommend a place for hardware? Rejuvenation Hardware has a sale but for all the cabinet doors it's still $$$. Here's what I saw. Since we'll be drilling new holes, are there guidelines for sizes, 3", 3.5", or 4"? They also make a super cute pyramid knob but they are back-ordered until Feb.

https://www.rejuvenation.com/catalog/collections/mission-drawer-pull/products/5b648cd8642ab643022bc2fd

Re: appliances, yes, my cabs are 24" deep, the current (laminate!) counter makes it a bit deeper, but I'm assuming that is standard. thanks for your help!

do you have holes in the plain cabinets? I see u have them on the larger ones.

4" would be the minimum. why don't you cut a piece of tape to 4" and a 5" size and place them on the doors. lets see how it looks.

these are a tad too small, IHO. another inch would be good.

you can use the existing holes on some of them. I'd be concerned about the holes in the middle though. you may just want to keep knobs on those. Or go w/a longer handle on those back cabinets.

$12 per handle is not expensive! thats a decent price for a heavier handle made of brass.

these are $7

https://www.build.com/amerock-bp55277-cabinet-pull/s439072?uid=1315577&source=gg-gba-pla_1315577!c958978462!a46953045559!dc!ns&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIn4ilnPvF3gIVg7xkCh1znA3mEAQYCSABEgISr_D_BwE

$10 for these, same place, Emtek.

but, you could try:

https://www.myknobs.com/Cabinet+Hardware/_/N-category+Cabinet_Hardware

sometimes Wayfair has some decent selections.

https://www.signaturehardware.com/hardware/cabinet-and-drawer-hardware.html

Caitlin,,,correct what holes? she doesn't have hardware on them. at least not on the main cabinets. she can use the current hole for the top of her new hardware, drilling a new one for the bottom portion. On those back cabs, she can use a 6" handle.

And if you'd read the prior comments, we've already gone over the 'paint your cabinets' option. she doesn't want to.

Here's a recent House & Home slideshow of kitchens and bathrooms with wood cabinetry. I thought slide 8 might interest you for the colour palette, girl_wonder. jhmarie, don't know if you'd want to add it to your wood cabinets links?

If you do need to reconsider new cabinets, girl_wonder, have you thought of IKEA? (You can hire someone to install the cabinets. Still cheaper than Kraftmaid.) Here's another H&H video - a renovated 80s condo with an IKEA kitchen. Sarah Richardson and Tommy Smythe. Kitchen starts at 1:41.

I have your flooring in my laundry room. Well, had. I successfully and cheaply camouflaged it.

Oh, forgot to say: I grew up in a 40s home and our kitchen had the original L-shaped banquette. I think Beth's suggestion of doing one in your breakfast nook is a good one!

@taran, how did your camo the floor, paint? Woudl you be willing to post before and after pics? The floor is embossed and the one paint job I saw was dark brown and meh.

girl,,,I gave you a lot of suggestions for how to do that floor, but you said you didn't want to mess with it! all you have to do is roll on some paint (special primer and paint that works w/vinyl) and then you can take your time and do a stencil or some other design.

these are sealed with a few coats of Floor Poly.

there are tons of pics, how to's and products to use. Pinterest. How to paint a vinyl kitchen floor. Cutting Edge Stencils will have stencils you can use and instructions.

https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/before-amp-after-margarets-patterned-kitchen-224816?

paint here was tintable Porch and floor paint by Valspar, at Lowes. (you must use primer 1st)

or do something easier like the stripes

@Beth, first thanks for all your tips and ideas on the hardware. Good idea to mark them out and good to know that 4" is the min (they sell 3 and 3.5, which are cheaper, so I wondered if that would work. thanks) I know; You had a lot of good ideas on painting. Thank you. I am still waffling on what to do. I guess my concerns w/ the painted floors are the effort to do it and the maintenance (I have wear patterns on my front porch and the kitchen gets more traffic). Plus I want to limit my exposure to chemicals.

FWIW, this morning I emailed my house painter to check his schedule if I choose to have him repaint the cabs. (he's a much better painter than I am) Painting would allow me to fix the placement of the holes on some of the cabs (currently, most of the cabs do not have holes). I could also put a cab to the left of the stove. And I made an appt next week with the interior designer who was going to help me pick finish materials etc with the big remodel....to get his opinion of a scaled-down remodel. i.e. how to make this house a better version of what it is without spending a ton of money since I may move in a few years....thanks for all your help! I don't want this to be all about $$$, but everything is so $$$ and I hate the idea of investing a lot of excessive $ that I won't get when I sell. (when my former realtor came over this summer, she kept saying "do what *you* want; do what makes you happy; you don't need to do anything to fix this house to sell it" etc). So I guess my dilemma: what can make it more live-able for me for the next few years. (but possibly longer? who knows?)

Nope, not paint. Contact paper. AKA magic. Perhaps one day we'll get around to redoing that floor properly but in the meantime, I have an easy to clean surface that coordinates with my white walls. Instant mood lifter. Still in good condition after more than a year of almost daily use. (I only did the space in front of my washer and dryer so the surface was tiny.)

If I had a kitchen floor to do, I'd paint that sucker so fast. :D Beth is right: totally doable and affordable. A carpet covers but it's a tripping hazard. Also, not as easy to clean as a smooth surface.

If your wood floor underneath the vinyl isn't in good enough condition to refinish, you could paint it. Thomas O'Brien swears by marine grade paint for his living room floor. (I saw this in one of the shelter mags but I can't find the picture now.)

I understand your wish to reduce your exposure to chemicals but a lot of today's paints are low-VOC. You can research your options. Viable ones do exist.

Forgot to ask: do you have a vision for your kitchen? Inspiration pics? That should help guide you in your decisions. I hope the designer can help guide you as well. Most everything can be done in stages and budgets are real things that need to be respected.

@tartan, thanks. Interesting point about the trip hazard on the rug. It's funny. My blue rag rug hasn't been a problem, but when I tried that rug from Target, I caught my foot a few times, just within one day. (It was a flat weave wool rag)

Interesting idea to paint the wood floor underneath. My wood floor guy can't commit to being able to refinish the old floor until the vinyl is pulled up and he sees the entire floor, so interesting to consider this option... (the floor is about 250 square feet, including that little hall to the back door and the w/d closet off the hall and behind the stove) so my bids for flooring are running about $5K, either new doug fir (to match the front of the house) or tile. thanks!

Spotting a few palatable tile options at Home Depot for $5 sq. ft. or less so $5K for a tile floor seems a bit pricey for 250 square feet but I don't know how much labour and installation materials cost. Keep researching your options, I'm sure you'll find something taste and budget appropriate. :) Good luck!

Great decision to leave the cabinets for later as they already look pretty good. If you do decide to treat them, go for a lighter color, not darker. Remove the plants from the window to let more light in. Consider a new backsplash and new countertops. I think that that rich color of your cabinets would welcome light marble looking quartz counters like Calacatta Nuvo, Statuario Nuvo (more veining), or pristine looking Blizzard Caesarstone quartz. I think any of these would look beautiful in your kitchen both as a countertop and backsplash. It is important though to see the whole slabs of quartz and check the veining and the pattern so you are sure which one you like best and how much veining do you actually like -- more or less. Good luck with your project!

girl,,,how old is that vinyl floor? asbestos anyone? if it is, you have to have it properly abated and that's quite chunk of cash. have a little piece tested first before you get started.

plenty of paints on the market w/low voc. if you pull it up and redo the wood, those are chemicals in that as well. pick your poison.

A house painter isn't a cabinet painter. ask him how he preps the space, preps the wood (does he sand, de-gloss, prime, sand again? what products does he use? does he paint on site or take them back to his place? what's the diff? whether or not you paint starts peeling in two months! make sure you get a written guarantee about the paint lasting and him fixing any chips or redoing any parts that peel) If his prices are cheap, I can assure you he will not be prepping those properly.