I absolutely love the look of shelves in a kitchen - they help to create a really light and simple feel to the space, and create a stage for all your favourite things. However, they do provide less storage. So if you dont have the luxury of plenty of storage, I would suggest going for wall cabinets instead, or having a mixture of the two. There is something to be said for keeping the walls open too - it can be tempting to fill every possible space, but don't be afraid of leaving space for your cabinets to breath. This might mean having a clear out, but it will make your room feel much more open. Charlie

If you want to paint, paint. I think I'd agree with the people who suggest professional re spraying though unless you love diy and love the idea of being able to change the colour yourself relatively quickly. I recently painted a dresser (heavily stained and varnished wood, nowhere near as nice as yours) and a chest of drawers (bog standard orange pine) and unless you can take the wood right back it takes coats and COATS and a lot of patience to get a good finish. It is worth it though! Personally, I'd go for a greyish blue on the bottom half, White worktops, and paint the uppers the same white as the tiles (there's nothing intrinsically wrong with them, a classic choice that won't date). Put in a steel splashback behind the cooker (it should be possible to fit over tiles) to tone with your handles and a hard wearing natural fibre rug on the floor to break up the dark grey. A few wood accessories and the usual bits and pieces to finish.

Hi, I have just finished repainting my kitchen myself. Overall I am happy with the new look, but I think the final verdict is only possible after some time (to see if the paint hardens enough). I have used Ammonite Farrow and Ball which is very warm grey colour. It looks nice in dark corners as well. Had to apply 4 coats of paint after 3 coats of FB primer. So be aware of the quantities. I must say that the process of repainting was not an easy ride. I spent overall three weeks (full time weekends and doing some smaller works in the evenings). Preparation is the hardest part (sanding, sanding and sanding), while painting is also a vey delicate process). If you are not afraid of hard work do it yourself! Otherwise, a professional is always a good option. Check traditionalpainter.com website they have a number of good instructions on repainting the cabinets.

If you've got the time and the inclination (and budgets are tight) I reckon it's worth giving the paint a go to see how it looks. Lots of the kitchens we're doing for clients now are ones with painted finishes and although (as mentioned above) this isn't the most classic style/a bit old fashioned it will look completely different painted. New handles... save up for the kitchen you really want!