Changing the splashback to a lighter colour will definitely brighten up your kitchen. If you decide to stick to the canopy rangehood you can add doors to the open shelving cabinets. Another suggestion is to either change the overhead cabinets to a contrasting colour such as white you can keep the carcasses to be less costly and just change the doors but keep in mind that the side scribes and top scribe will stay dark if you do it this way. Also think about using bright accessories instead of the White you currently have in the open shelves, this will give you an instant change at a low cost

my suggestions include the new pantry but to avoid changing the kitchen window there's no wall or door between the kitchen and pantry and the dividing "walls" between pantry, kitchen and storage cabinets facing the dining area are built using kitchen cabinets back to back with shallow shelves in the pantry behind the stove and the walls are the same height as a standard doorway ...one thing to realise is that this enlarged kitchen/pantry will take up more of the family room and to understand how much you should create a temporary barrier (dining table?) about 1500 out from the present breakfast bar and from the outside wall across the room level with the back of the existing fridge wall leaving less space in the family room so you need to plan how the new family room will be furnished but despite being smaller the whole spec will feel more open and you will have much more counter space space and a generous island ... this photo shows how the partition cabinets create my separate pantry with cabinets on both sides of the dividing "wall" but no wall to the ceiling or door across to the outside wall...the position of your sink would be about the same place as my ovens with your kitchen window making your pantry bright and easy to work in

Congratulations on your new home. I can't tell what your kitchen cupboards are made from by your photo, but there is a laminate paint available that is suitable for vertical surfaces, but you wouldn't use it on a benchtop. Never choose a splashback after you have selected benchtop and cupboards. They should be selected together to work in harmony as you see all three elements together. If your budget is tight I would keep the splashback and benchtop, as they are very neutral, will work with your furniture, and are expensive to replace. Concentrate on finding the right laminate paint colour first and then the wall colours. Don't rely on paint colours that you see online as they are always different in real life. It may be worth your while to engage a Dulux colour consultant so you don't make any expensive mistakes if you really have no idea as they are very reasonably priced. https://www.dulux.com.au/services/colour-design-service/overview Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls

I would do sink on back wall in front of window. Stove on the side wall that has the window. Could do 2 windows either side of stove. With stove on side you can still chat whilst cooking. Tall storage on opposite wall and fridge