your kitchen is still quite good I'd leave it for now..unless it's going to be your forever home it's not worth the effort ..

that money can go towards your mortgage..or somewhere else more worthwhile..

you can install track lights to give it more light..and they are great as you can angle them here and there .

As many have said, just white doors on the upper cupboards, perhaps some lighter tiles for a splash back, otherwise, as far as I am concerned, you already have a nice kitchen, leave the rest as it is.

Just remember if you move the wall between the kitchen and lounge any mess in your kitchen is on show to the lounge area

A white textured tile might be nice

Heaven forbid!! That kitchen is lovely, such a smart and modern shade of brown too. Like Bigreader said, live with it before you do anything, you could well find that part wall behind the sink very useful and it does help screen off any mess. Having both sides open limits what you can put on the bench too and appliances that get hot, like kettles, toasters, frypans, can be quite dangerous used on an open space.

If the finish on the cupboards is acrylic as I'm thinking it is, you may not be able to just spray it. That finish is painted on and then baked - a process that can take weeks.

The splashback could benefit from being lightened, maybe check if it is possible to remove the glass, paint the wall another colour and return the glass or as you say tile it - mosaic glass tiles would look great there and give the kitchen a huge lift.

Maybe price all your plans too - you might suddenly really love your kitchen as it is. That glass splashback alone is worth thousands of dollars.

Hi, this is obviously a fairly new kitchen and it does seem very modern and livable, however it sounds like you are committed to creating a change that is more desirable for you. In that case I would definitely sell your kitchen (here or similar http://www.secondhandkitchens.com.au). In terms of design changes this is what I would recommend:

• take out the breakfast bar wall, it's quite outdated and extend this bench top area to 1100-1200mm wide to create a large and flowing slab of open stone.
• the ceiling seems to be a little low in the kitchen so I wouldn't put pendant lights on either section...how about hanging a a long and linear light such as the one below in copper over the wider side of the bench top http://www.beaconlighting.com.au/ledlux-strix-led-1600-lumen-dimmable-pendant-in-copper.html
• white cabinetry will look good in here, but i think a matt finish would look better. Caesarstone bench top in raw concrete and how about copper fittings on your tap wear as a feature?
• And a simple splash back like this?
  

ok good luck and keep us posted!

I think that the splashback could stay if you change all cupboards doors to white. The short wall could be removed but only if you intend keeping the kitchen as tidy as your photo shows, otherwise, leave it where it is. If you keep the wall then you don't need pendant lights on that side.

I would then live with it for a while to see how it works or does not work for you.

Wow you are talking about some very costly changes to what appears to be a kitchen in relatively good condition. Be careful you don't over capitalise buy spending money unnecessarily. If you would like to give the kitchen a lift, I would maybe just change the splashback colour and a couple of the over bench cupboard doors. The below bench look ok

Unless you can see someone paying way more than you for the unit or you intend to be there for a very long time I would be careful where you spend your money.

The wall behind the sink looks fine, especially when the other side is an open bench top with stools. you don't need to see in from both dining & lounge. I would kind of like that bit of privacy. Bench tops look great.

Spend your money on a holiday !

Well, I guess the question is, are you doing this for yourself, with the intention of living there for a long time, or are you doing it with future resale in mind? I doubt you'll ever recover the costs of the investment in a resale, because you won't be adding much value to the place, given that the kitchen is already pretty good. If the former, sure, spend the money to make it the kitchen of your dreams. If the latter, I'd rethink the whole thing - maybe change the splashback and the flooring if you're already doing the floors. I don't see the point of changing the sink or countertops, both of which look fine, and I certainly wouldn't add more pendants.

I think everyone is basically on the same page here. Basically, this is a good kitchen which needs nothing done to it, unless you're going to live there and it's currently not to your taste. Yes, you can lighten it up by changing the splashback - it is rather brown (and I'm not a fan of brown) - but it is a perfectly 'servicable' kitchen.

If you're selling then talk to a professional designer for ideas or go to tile, decorator store - or check out current magazines, and change a few things from there. If you're selling or renting, it won't make any difference to the price. If you're going to live there, then do that - like others have said, live with it for a while until you decide what you want.

I think a glass splashback in another colour would go over whatever you already have there, but the countertops look like they are ceasarstone and they are fine - and a good colour. The sinks are also fine - wish I'd chosen them instead of a double sink - it takes up a lot more space but does the same job.

I can't see too much that needs changing here, so it's just about what you 'want' and noone else can tell you that.

All the best with what you decide.

So many good suggestions. I'd leave the splashback (you cannot remove this without destroying it as they are made to fit perfectly with the colour being embedded into the glass) and lighten the cupboards.. That would be more cost effective. I think that changing the cupboards to white would actually make the splashback look lighter! You only need to change (or if you can paint) the doors.. since you are willing to spend the money why not change the doors.. Stick to the tiles on the floor for now - if you put down Blackbutt make sure it is not laminate.. water will swell laminates. If you feel closed in yes ditch the wall on the right side as long as it is not load bearing it will bring in light.. you can do this without spending an arm and a leg. Then work with it for a while and see how you like it.. I must say though I once bought a house and hated the kitchen so much I tore it our and had it redone almost immediately.. but then again it was a 60's kitchen with little tiles on the benchtop.. really ugly but it was perfect for me to be able to put my (at the time) dream kitchen into..

The labour costs in spraying the doors would exceed the cost of new melamine doors with new hinges.

Get hold of a sample of Polytec AMARO melamine board before you tear out the existing Benchtop (unless theres damage) as it looks beautiful with many of the recon stone Benchtop colours.

For the Splash choose a couple of colours from the Benchtop or even the floor tile and buy sample paint pots from your hardware. Paint up a couple of sheets of MDF or cheap painters canvasses in each of the paint colours. This gives you a chance to assess a new Splashback colour at a decent scale. Then you can have a glass Splash made or select tiles of the perfect tone using your selection.