I would vote for the top example here. Itr gives an earthy tone to the room and yet is still bright and wont show every piece of dust or food.

I assume the cabinets are laminate though -- it would be difficult to repaint them , PLUS a decent amount of colour will take the focus off them . The walls seem to have a blue tinge to them -- to me ,that adds to the colder , austere look . If I was going to repaint anything , I'd actually opt to do the walls in a warmer English Cream , or even a slight Apricot tinge would be more my taste . And then , the right hand wall in your 'new'pic 1 ( I think it heads to the rest of the house ? Theres a door there ) I would wallpaper in a textured paper , again with apricot tones ,maybe something like relatively simple apricot and cream diagonals 12-15mm wide on a woven textured paper ? ) . And 'double down'with the splashback tiles on the 'front' of the island . So that whole room would be English Cream or maybe a slight apricot tinge , instead of the slight steel blue tinge , with the warmer brown tiles , the pretty neutral floor , the slight coffee cabinets -- and then orange appliances and stools and pendent lights possibly . Obviously , you'd then need to go warmer tones for your dining furniture -- wooden frames , or black gloss and dark glass table , and creams , apricots , orange upholstery ? Mind you , once your present furniture is added , that may be enough ? It looks coldish and too neutral now IMO , but nice furniture will divert most of that attention .

Hi, paint cabinets white, off white, deep navy blue, greige or moderately dark grey. two tone would also look ok - light/white on top, darker on bottom. Maybe choose paint based on other colours used in house. Please do not paint sage!!!! replace the cabinet handles with modern chrome T handles or similar. Replace curtain with white venetian. paint/cover brick. get rid of brick next to stove and replace with a panel. tile paint tiles white and extend to behind stove. or get creative and add a nice geometric feature tile that compliments the colours behine stove and exhaust fan. put down some cheap water proof wood look laminate click flooring. consider adding same geometric print to breakfast bar and add a couple of cute high stools from kmart or ebay. Change fan to chrome or spray paint silver. replace beam light with pendant light, maybe glass to be safe or something that is modern, meracrtor is good brand, or even just a modern round oyster type light. Cheers goodluck

The overall look reminds me of a technical hospital lab -- the whole row of sharp edged cupboard doors ! The black dishwasher , and then the white appliances , look out of place . And I'd like to see what the top part of the room looks like too , as that would influence things possibly too . The upper cupboards look to have a pink hue too , I'm not sure if that is paint or just reflections of a sunset ? And guess what -- it needs colour IMO ! So how about getting all colourful appliances -- a jug , toaster , cake mixer . All in citrus green or candy apple red . And possibly paint that panel that 'juts in a bit' up by the windows in the same colour . And change to a white dishwasher . And I actually think nice stained wooden doors would add warmth , maybe even just the 'higher' cupboards -- there is TOO much white . So no two tone there -- you'd have at least 3 -- white , then timber , then your green or red or orange or yellow .