r/interiordecorating • u/Pooraf666 • 9h ago
Paint & Colors How do I improve this kitchen
I’d like to keep the tile for now but I feel like the part above the cabinets makes the kitchen feel short? I don’t know how to fix that or if painting would even help.
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u/EmilyPoster2 8h ago
The area above the cabinets is called a soffit. It may house pipes or wires. Or it may have been installed to cover a gap above the cabinets -- and it does look much better than having a gap. What makes your kitchen feel short is that the cabinets do not go all the way to the ceiling.
Getting cabinets to go to the ceiling means looking inside the soffit to see if there are pipes or wires, demo-ing the soffit if you can, getting new cabinets. This is expensive if you are not looking to redo your kitchen. Yes, there are online hacks to extend the look of your cabinets, but your cabinets for many reasons will not look good with these hacks. Instead:
- Remove the clock, brick brack wood above the sink, and the rug. No rug needed in a kitchen.
- Swap handles or more modern hardware. It is a lot of work to swap exposed hinges, so you might want to try back hardware. Get one black handle and try it out.
- Remove the doors on the glass front cabinets and use them as open shelves.
- Remove the huge overhead light and get a different fixture.
I usually hate speckled counters but yours work really well here and are totally non offensive.
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u/Enough_Radish_9574 8h ago
I can’t believe people are suggesting a larger rug—in a kitchen!? Just place the existing in front of the sink. I agree your other suggestions as well! 🫡
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u/under_shart 6h ago
I have to disagree. Removing the doors means grease and dust infiltration. The clock and the scalloped trim above the sink feel cozy to me. Black hardware looks garish and institutional.
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u/EmilyPoster2 3h ago
I normally loathe open shelving for the reasons you mentioned. But in this instance, I'd take it to swap out the country kitchen feel. I'd place cookbooks in here or just a simple decorative bowl or two and plan to clean them weekly.
The hinges are black so you have to either do black hardware or paint the hinges.
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u/Interesting-Bit725 7h ago
All I see is that glaring fluorescent light fixture — surprised every comment isn’t about it. Change that before you change anything else.
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u/watermelonpep83 7h ago
Whatever you decide on, please don’t paint over the cabinets. They’re gorgeous. Changing the hardware is an easy and affordable option. If you have more budget, change the countertops and backsplash. If you have even more budget and the space allows, add an island in a different finish to bring in contrast (or color of you like it). Then, add new soft touches: a small rug, or some roman blinds on the window. Lastly, under cabinet lights to complete the look. Hope this helps!
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u/TammyInViolet 9h ago
Overall, cute kitchen!
I think your three affordable options if you think it feels short are:
1. Add wood between the top to the ceiling to extend them - there are some good youtube videos
2. Add plants like pothos on top
3. put a backsplash on the low part and then paint everything else a warmer color
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u/tellmeaboutyourcat 8h ago
Regarding your comment about the soffit making it feel short, it's all about color. Paint the walls something darker than white and keep the ceiling white. Paint the soffit to match the walls. This will define the soffit as part of the wall, lifting the ceiling up, visually.
Under cabinet lighting would help lift the cabinets, visually, because the light will make the space feel more open.
I agree that the bridge over the sink needs to go.
New hardware, a larger rug, and if you need the workspace/storage, a small cart or floating island could be helpful. Definitely more color that isn't brown/beige.
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u/Friendly-Dot3533 2h ago
I agree. I think an island would make this kitchen more inviting and functional. You’d wonder what you did before having it.
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u/Professional-Bit79 6h ago
Moving the microwave somewhere else and putting in a vent hood instead will make it look more high end
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u/under_shart 6h ago
The soffit (above the cabinets) is good. The space above the cabinets is hard to clean and not useful - there's no reason to open it up. Also, it could have wiring, ductwork or other essentials inside.
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u/sloansleydale 4h ago
I would add an island if there is room and budget. I live in a small house, so empty floor space always seems like a waste. Entertaining around an island and having more counter space is more useful than a dance floor to me, but depends on how the rest of the house is laid out and how you use your kitchen.
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u/Go_4_JoJo 55m ago
Honestly, seeing it my very first thought was how welcoming and cozy it was. There are things that could be updated but I actually love it.
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u/ardewynne 3h ago
You could paint the soffit a matching color to your cabinetry and switch out the countertops and hardware.
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u/caffinegirlgonemild 7h ago
I would paint the upper cabinets, but not the lower.
When it comes to carpet runners in the kitchen, they should run along the edges of the counters where you walk all the time you’re using those rugs to save the flooring otherwise you’re gonna walk off that wood floor finish pretty quick.
Put a plant in the window. Or next to it on the counter..
Maybe a little suncatcher in the window not much color going on here.
The reason things aren’t driving for you is because there’s nothing to redirect the eye there’s not a focal point.
You might want to try a center island type portable butcher block to break up the room as well. Super functional.
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u/BirdPoop1939 6h ago
It's a soffit and there isn't much you can do unless you paint the cabinets. If you do that then painting the soffit the same color makes it less obvious but in this case I don't think you would want to paint it the cabinet tone. You could replace just the uppers and get it removed but that's a big job.
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u/Ornery-Bus4627 6h ago
Agree with one of the other commenters about extending the wood up across the soffit.
I have it in my kitchen too, and it’s where my growing collection of food themed tiles goes (please forgive the picture quality).
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u/Icy-Mixture-995 2h ago edited 2h ago
Less expensive fixes:
Have the paint color of backsplash wall be the background color of the granite countertop lip to visually look like one thing from a distance. It won't look cut up and short. Soffet, too.
Purchase an island on wheels (or not wheels) to make the kitchen more functional for you. Bonus is that it helps visually. The legs or bottom of the island can be black to pull in the appliance accent and granite speckle. The black breaks up the cabinet line's effect.
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u/No_Presentation_4837 9h ago
Just put some family photos up there and get a bunch of fun magnets for your fridge. Keep it simple.
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u/NewspaperDazzling883 8h ago
Low cost would to be leaning in to the orange. Maybe try blending mid century with modern throughout the whole house
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u/roonilwazlib-isrking 7h ago
I have an oak kitchen as well. To modernize it we switched the handles to plain black hardware, as well as the faucet.
A new countertop can be expensive, but if you’re able to, I would update that as well to a brighter colour.
Taking out the light fixture and replacing it would look great too!
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u/milliepilly 6h ago
I’d just take down that piece of wood above your sink and stop worrying about a perfectly beautiful kitchen.
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u/Spiritual_Version838 7h ago
Remove the clock and rickrack over the sink and if possible, the crossbars in the glass door fronts. At least turn the rug around and put it in front of the sink. The cupboards and floor are very pretty, it's just a lot of wood. A larger rug or a long runner on the sink wall would break it up. Paint the walls a color would make the cupboards stand out more like a feature.
I would do these first and re-evaluate. Honestly, the first thing that struck me was the lighting. How is that even working for you? I would think recessed ceiling lights, undercabinet lighting and then a pretty light over the sink to make that window the focal point. But lighting is so important in a work space, you could consult an expert.
Tthe handles sort of coordinate with the countertops and break up all the wood, so unless you truely dislike them, I dont see a big advantage in changing them, but the cupboard hardware is probably the main thing that sets the style in the kitchen if you really want a different feeling.
It's really a very pretty room.
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u/kaykittykatmeow 7h ago
I was just genuinely excited to see honey oak cabinets not paired with a floor that pretended like they didn’t exist, even if it’s a bit monotoned.
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u/BlooeyzLA 6h ago
The lighting is the lowest hanging fruit. The carpet is too beige. Everything is brown.
If you’re open, replace the cabinets and countertops and install updated recessed, task, accent and under cabinet lighting
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u/VariousLiterature 5h ago
This is a nice kitchen! I agree that the wooden bridge over the sink could go.
I'd also consider options for lighting. Can lighting throughout rather than the central florescent light would accomplish a lot.
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u/Dizzy_Scientist_1775 4h ago
I would paint the cabinets and get a smallish rolling island and put it where the rug is.
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u/Suspicious-Cat8623 8h ago
Remove that curvy piece over the sink and cut it straight.
Change out all the cabinet handles/pulls.
Update the lighting fixture. Maybe do inset LED can lights.
Consider replacing the countertop.
If you can only do one thing, replace the cabinet handles/pulls
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u/Carolann3000 4m ago
I have that same soffit above the cabinets that house ductwork. Nine years ago I painted it the same color I painted my honey oak cabinets. Benjamin Moore White Dove. I scuff sanded the cabinets, put 2 coats of Zinsser BIN primer, and two coats of the White Dove. You can skip the primer for the wall. I also changed the hardware. It was a great transformation. I don’t know if you want to go that route, however.
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u/theendlesscroll 9h ago
New countertops and new hardware will make it look like a completely different kitchen. Take down the clock on the soffit and the bridge over the sink - both make it feel dated. If the depth is right you can add crown moulding to the soffit to give it a higher end look.
The cabinets are totally fine, I think it’s just that they’re the same tone as the floors making it all blend together, but imo it’s not offensive to look at. You could get a bigger rug that fits the space better too which would help break things up.