A dark quartz countertop could give you great contrast if you plan on keeping the lower cabinets. Quartz is one of the most durable, can take a hot pot, doesn't scar and requires minimal care. (All other stone types have limitations and require extra work.) Daytime photos would give a better idea of what you have in the way of upper cabinets and light fixtures, how much light you get. Also, need some comment on your decorating style -- modern/cottage/traditional, etc. -- and color preferences. What rooms does this kitchen connect to? In the meantime, look into replacing the cabinet doors. These look somewhat 70s, and you may enjoy a wood or a color. There are a lot of companies that specialize in refacing cabinets. Some glass doors might be interesting. Search houzz for kitchens you like; that will help you focus on what changes you want to make and will help us make suggestions.

I love a good design challenge & you CAN make this sink work for you! I don't know what your design aesthetic is, but I see this working in a contemporary or transitional style bathroom. For the sink, choose an under-mounted model & place it beneath a 1-1/4" thick, solid surface countertop made of engineered quartz such as Silestone or Zodiaq. Mount your faucet to the wall & you've made a design statement! Cabinets doors can be slab for contemporary, shaker for transitional. Just be sure that your vanity is deep enough to accommodate this sink. You can always order a kitchen sink base & modify it for the bathroom. Standard rule of thumb: - kitchen cabinets are typically 24" deep & 36" high - bathroom cabinets are 21" deep & 34" high Good luck! ~LMM

Hi , I did a major repaint of my kitchen when I moved in last year (this is the second time I've done this in a home). From salmon pink doors and tiles with plastic pink handles, it has transformed into quite a lovely kitchen with crisp white benchtops and doors, retro aqua blue splashback tiles and chrome hardware. I didn't paint the floor tiles because it is not a good idea, it won't last. And I think in your case, the kitchen floor will not look as bad when you take care of the cabinetry and countertops (and appliances - don't forget the sink, this made a huge difference to my kitchen which had a horrible stained "white" fibreglass sink and plain tap). The only regret I have is that I was convinced instore by a staff member to use water-based enamel on the countertops and this was not a good idea as it marks and stains at a feather's touch and I am always scrubbing it with magic erasers to bring it back to white. Just use oil-based enamel, preferably gloss, and it will clean up beautifully. It will just yellow in about 5 years' time, which isn't an issue if you're not using crisp white like me. Step 1: remove all handles etc. and sand back the melamine/formica surfaces and vacuum up all dust. Wipe down all surfaces with methylated spirits to remove any other dirt and - especially - oils. Step 2: Undercoat all surfaces with White Knight Grip Lock Primer (keep this stuff on hand, it is magic and can be used for a million things). Give it two coats preferably. Step 3: Paint doors and cabinetry with a good quality high gloss acryclic. You can use oil-based enamel too, but it's easier to work with acrylic. It doesn't really scratch unless the cat tries to jump up above the cabinets and claw its way back down when it misses - in other words, don't run knives or screwdrivers down the doors and they'll be good. If it scratches, get a small artists brush and touch up with your leftover paint in the tins. It takes two seconds and is as easy as to do. Step 4: paint the countertops with an oil-based enamel. Clean up with turps. Do two coats and use a good quality brush. Give it a good few days to dry, a week is good if you have the time as it hardens in this time and becomes very strong - so put your camping gear and laundry sink to good use during this time! Step 5: put on new handles and hardware, install new sink and appliances and enjoy the makeover. For the tile splashback, follow the same steps, making sure you give them a good sand. You can use gloss acrylic here too. It will scratch if you knock it with a sharp object, but again, keep the touch up paints and a small artists brush handy. In your case, because the splashback doesn't go all the way up, I'd also consider chiselling the tiles out out and using a panelled splashback from somewhere like Ikea or Bunnings or a store that orders Laminex panels. They can be pretty cheap, and although not perfectly beautiful are a lot more attractive than those tiles. If you can save the tiles (the tile glue is probably old and brittle) and sell them, someone will love them on ebay! And even re-tiling with some cheap/chuck out tiles isn't difficult or expensive in that space if you are at all handy. Splashbacks in burnt orange or red would blend with the cream and floors. Other alternatives for the countertop (particularly if you don't want to patch up the gaps from the older, larger stovetops and sink) is to put in an Ikea or Bunnings (or similar) cheaper benchtop. I have also tiled a benchtop before and this worked really well with the added benefit of being able to put hot pots straight onto the benchtop. Don't use low end wall tiles. Use a stronger tile so they don't crack. Again, with your oh so brown floors, if you stick to lighter colours for the cabinetry (eg. antique white or cream) and a more sandstone-ish colour for the benchtops (or match the cabinet colour to the benchtop so you don't have to paint it and set off with the coloured splashback), the floors won't look as bad. Also, you can put a floor runner along the length of the kitchen hallway (in front of the oven/fridge area) if everyone in the house is generally steady on their feet and don't tend to trip over everything and this will break up the brown beautifully and you will barely notice the tiles. All in all, it cost me about $200 for the paint and equipment plus handles, sink and big shower tap, but it has meant that I am delaying my kitchen reno for a number of years, as I really like the kitchen now and everyone comments on how great it looks. None of this is hard to do. As a female, I have no problems doing all this myself as long as I have the time from work. But my father was a painter for 40 years, so that's why I can get the scoop on the best paints etc. to use on these projects. Good luck! PS: Don't let anyone tell you to whack some fancy paint on the doors and it will be done in a jiffy - it will peel off. Sand and grip lock prime - this is essential if you want it to look good longer than a couple of months.

Actually I think you can have whatever style cabinetry you want so long as the colour scheme is the same, consistant colours are what helps create the 'seamless flow' from old to new. We did the same kind of renovation 2 years ago - a huge extension onto our 1900's cottage and the front hallway (in the original house) joins the new hallway so flow was very important as we did not want it to look like the old house stopped and the new house began. But honestly the cabinetry can be more modern if you prefer, and completely different from your existing, as from my experience to create the perfect flow between the old and the new the most important details are: 1) Paint and colour scheme: If you want the old house to connect well with the new extension make sure you repaint the walls, ceilings and cabinetry in the original part (at least the hallway and areas that connect with the new) the same colour as you paint in the new extension and keep the colour scheme very similar between the old and new. 2) Flooring: We had solid hardwood flooring in the original house but unfortunately is was so badly water damaged and patched throughout so couldnt be saved, so we installed the same wide-panel reclaimed-look oak flooring that we were using in the extension - essential as the old and new hallways joined. 3) Doors: Try and find doors as close as possible to the ones you already have. We had some difficulty with this as ours were solid timber and had 5 horizontal panels but in the end we managed to find one supplier that had similar and with so many doors in the new extension it really helps create a more seamless look 4) Wall panelling (if applicable): We had waist high panelling throughout the original house and our builder copied this throughout the extension (his suggestion). Couldnt be happier with the result and it definately wouldnt have looked right if the panelling stopped suddenly where the new house began 5) Consistant ceiling height: Really important when blending old with new, make sure you keep ceiling heights the same at the point where the old meets the new - or go much higher, this also works. But dont go just slightly higher or lower! Other than that there is no need to try and replicate other period details like cabinetry and cornices. Love and celebrate the original part of your home that has the quirks, ornate ceilings, fireplaces etc and let the new extension compliment without trying to compete