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A Direct Distributor Corp What an awesome bay window you have! I'd definetly draw more attention to that. For low budget, quick fixes: Hardware can do wonders for any kitchen. As we say, is the jewlery of your cabinets. I would definitely change that out. And the flooring. I would go with something more natural/historic looking. More expensive changes: swap out the black appliances. It may just be the camera, but it doesnt' seem like there is a lot of natural light, and the black appliances darken it up. For a more historical/traditional look I would change the kitchen to raised panel doors.

dmoran0 I recently lightly renovated a kitchen with similar colored cabinets and it looks great now. Your kitchen probably only needs a change of countertop and backsplash to bring it forward to the 21st century while maintaining its history. Adding some stainless steel into the appliances, but not overdoing it would make it lighter and more reflective. And antique brass for knobs would reflect more light without getting too much out of character. I have a mid century house with similar colored cabinets which I did not want to change because of their blending with existing wood mixed with white brick and floor in the family room. A near white mottled engineered countertop, appliances in a mix of stainless steel and black (the dishwasher is all black to avoid the nightmare of constant fingerprints), one inch Bellavita glass tiles in camel bamboo with near white grout which look reminiscent of a soft sixties olive green, and wall color a little lighter than yours added light to the kitchen and brought it into the 21st century while harking back to the 60's at the same time. All my friends are impressed and the cost was relatively modest.

lsanderson50 Love the bay window. Lighten up cabinets with paint. Lowes has some great paint for cabinets, that need no sanding etc... do it yourself and you can pick from various colors. Update with glass black splash to continue to lighten up and freshen up the space.

ceilsan32 Think about adding some moulding to the cabinets to give the appearance of a raised panel. Go with reclaimed hardwood flooring. In the Pittsburgh, PA area, there is a place called Construction Junction that resells items taken from older homes in the area. Anything like that where you live?

apple_pie_order The ultimate in reclaimed wood is to re-use the cabinets you already have.

What time period do you want the kitchen to evoke? It's easier to recommend decor when we know what historical period you have in mind.

My guess is that the kitchen cabinets are from the 1970's. They look like they could be birch with partial overlay doors on face frame cabinets. If you scrub, sand and refinish them, perhaps in a darker stain to match the crown molding, they'd look good with new knobs and pulls. If the island has a butcher block top, it can be resanded and resealed, though many people like the well-used look. I don't see a vent over the cooktop: it is a pop-up that works? Do you want new tile countertops or retro Formica?

New lighting will help set the mood and could add drama if you want it.

If the floor tile is in good shape, you can have it professionally steam cleaned and then have the grout lines painted with a special paint to nearly-match the tile body color. Then the grid lines will be less dominant. The upkeep on painted grout is more than normal grout, but it might be worth the effort to avoid the expense of new floors.

The window is lovely, the floor plan is good, it is spacious. The kitchen will be fresh again with not a lot of effort.

Elise Historic homes can be refurbished with period appropriate features without losing modern amenities. Depending on where you live, Southern Planter Style was widely influenced by french and irish settlers. Look for european style accents like wrought iron and colorful tiles. Give your kitchen the "unfitted look", with more freestanding pieces or making the island look like a freestanding cabinet/table with legs, (think old icebox, china cabinet, etc...) Oak was widely used as it was a common hardwood, look for pieces with quartersawn oak, as that was an old method of cutting the wood to show the grain.

Go to architectural salvage companies, Habitat for Humanity locations, demolition companies and start looking for items to incorporate into the home. Make friends there and they will hunt for you.

Ideabook: Kitchen of the Week: New Traditional Style in a 1900s Home

Your cabinets can be trimmed out to look like Shaker style cabinetry and painted. Add period appropriate hardware. A large salvaged farmhouse style sink with dual drainboards could be reporcelained.

http://www.hippohardware.com/index.htm?lmd=40605.680382

http://www.portlandsalvage.com/inventory.html

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/kitchen-cabinets

http://www.oldhouseonline.com/category/articles/kitchens-and-baths-articles/

Shift your refrigerator to the left, lose the oven and cooktop and bring in a great stove (something your really want). Feature the stove with a great tile backsplash and hood design.

https://www.google.com/search?q=vintage+stoves&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=oEWPUNHyBOOJjAL78oCgBg&sqi=2&ved=0CC0QsAQ&biw=1024&bih=677

Have the refrigerator electrostatically painted, usually in an auto shop. Reface the dishwasher with wood to look like a cabinet door so that modern feature is disguised. Tile or wood floors will be most period appropriate. You already have a great tile floor!

Kitchen detail

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sorbosister Everyone, thank you all for all the great advice. I was thinking the same thoughts. Thank you for the sources as well. I actually have saved many pictures of this look in my portfolios . Thanks again for the fresh perspective. Everyone has been a really great help !

ManLand LandMan Tile needs to go! Go Go Go! Looks cheap, upstage!

sorbosister I TOTALLY agree ! The floor drives me crazy! It's the first thing to go! They are the wrong size,type, Color, texture.What makes it more noticeable is that they abutt against beautiful reclaimed heart pine floors from an old warehouse building in New Orleans. These floors are perfect in this house! (we are buying this house). I've gotten one price quote for same type of wood. $18.99 a sq ft installed. Flooring is also reclaimed from N.O. Warehouse...I will get a personal measurement tomorrow.

sorbosister I really want better quality cabinets, but between the two, the floors are definitely worse . (the cabinet quality is not there, that's why I prefer to replace if I can swing it.). The pic doesn't show it, but this space is one section of space that opens into a breakfast area and sitting room. This pic is about 1/4 of total floor.

Kitchens For Cooking Whether to keep these cabinets depends on how sound they are. If they are not in good shape with good full-extension hardware, then you may be putting good money (counters) after bad by keeping them. If they are solid cabinets, you can update them as mentioned, plus get new appliances, counters, and hardware.
That said, if this were my kitchen, I would get a counter depth refrigerator, double oven with top oven being micro-combination or speed-cook (or a microwave drawer somewhere), and take out the peninsula and replace it with a larger island. Whatever you do, please get enough extra flooring so that if you want to make changes in the future you can do it.

dmoran0 Replacing the island with something that has a little more legginess, at least at one end, would break up the boxiness of the kitchen without changing cabinets and possibly even floor. I do like maintaining the warmth of you kitchen due to the style of your house and existing window trim if possible. I also think keeping some history has more staying power than going with the latest trends. Appliances, countertops, retrofit cabinet conveniences and knobs, etc. can still modernize the kitchen.

ruthmand If you intend to change the floor plan at a later date I would caution you to rethink spending $$$ on the floor now unless you can get lots of reclaimed flooring to fill in where needed later.

bygeorgi Your kitchen layout is nice , I would keep that. Paint and add molding to the cabinets. The island would be the place to add that vintage feel... for a boho look use reclaimed wood in a horizontal pattern staggering seams. Or if you prefer a great place to shop is your local thrift store or my personal favorite Habitat for Humanity"s Restore, just use a piece of furniture for the island. And wood flooring would make a huge difference..... When it comes to counter tops if you are ready to upgrade to granite don't go to the big box stores, go to the source ,a local granite yard is much cheaper and they usually offer installation and cutting. But if you are handy its actually the easiest reno project i've done , I had it cut and my sis and I installed it together.