SFGate

Cynthia Taylor-Luce Who told you to refinish the floor and revarnish the cabinets? Your real estate agent? I would only consider doing it if I was professionally advised that this will be important in your market location.

If so, then I would do as little as possible and I would not change the colour. The floor is probably not stained at all, but is the natural colour that's turned more golden over the years. It's a good basic colour that people will be able to work with. If you stain this a darker or more reddish colour it will only draw attention to it. In this case definitely less is more.

I'd just make sure that the kitchen is meticulously clean, and I'd change the handles and knobs for some in simple shiny chrome or brushed nickel. Measure the distance between the screws in your handles and buy replacement handles that will fit the holes exactly.

Take everything off the top of your cabinets too and only leave a few decorative items out on your counter when it's time for a showing.

doorsopen I am with Ms. Taylor-Luce. Do not throw more money than you really need to for this space. Shine up your Stainless Steel appliances for a showing (they look quite nice, by the way) and leave out a few pretty objects but remember you want the counters to still look usable and spacious. Edit the space and pretend that you are buying your next home. What would you want to see? Make sure you use a nice oil on the cabinetry to allow its natural beauty to shine through for the buyer before each showing as well. I just sold within the year and it makes a difference if the person thinks that you take care of the most-used room in the house. All the best of luck to you and here's to hoping you find a wonderful new home!

Trisha Callahan I'm not a professional but as a potental buyer I think the cabinets and the floor just need a nice shine!

C Wright Design Hi there! I absolutely agree that you should not stain or varnish, just clean and make things sparkle. Again, less is more on the counters. We usually just put out a beautiful bowl of fruit and simple fresh flowers. Good luck on your new home!

sakcwild The cabinets have spots where the varnish has worn off & the floors are actually peeling in many spots. You can't see this in the picture. And the whole house needs decluttering got sure! Just wanting it to sell once on the market, which is still quite depressed in our area. Thanks for the comments.

pauli12 I agree with letting who ever buys it decide what they want to do. We bought a house they had just done a lot of work on getting ready to sell and we didn't like any of it and had to re do all of it.

catherinek708 I agree with all the previous posts. Use the amount of money that you would have spent as wiggle room on the negotiations when selling. Most buyers will see the potential in your space, especially since you have nice appliances. I would remove the stuff on the top of the upper cabinets and replace with just a little greenery. I would add a pop of color on the floor with a multicolor runner. Make sure your window treatment is fresh and current and that your window is sparkling clean!