Here's a photo of the upper doors and space above.

For my remodel I kept my old golden oak cabs and got new shaker doors, had it all painted and they look like new cabs. The doors I bought (Decora) weren't that expensive, considering the bang for my buck, a totally new and different look. Since you're already planning to refinish your existing cabs, you should be able to match. I think with all your space it would be a good decision to add more storage, but I think keeping that arch will be a dead giveaway.

I've never seen a kitchen where the shorter cabinet is stacked below a taller one, except in very modern design or older period homes (Frank Lloyd Wright style). I also agree with linelle that the arch will stand out as an odd element in your kitchen, I'm afraid. Therefore, I would replace the door fronts on your current uppers.

Saying that, I would also compare the cost of ordering new cabinets to stack on top, and new fronts for the existing. It could be that you're not saving much over just ordering all new uppers.

What about adding open shelving underneath the upper cabinets?

I've seen the open shelving underneath, but I don't like open shelving... just collects dust and requires everything to look very orderly.

Yes, I haven't seen small cabinets underneath either, but when I imagine it, it seems ok...

Replacing the doors does cost about the same as replacing cabinets... we have quite a bit of cabinetry. This was supposed to be a low cost update because we're planning a home addition in ~5 years, with a new kitchen in a new location. I just couldn't stand the thought of the same kitchen for the next 5 years so had to update it. The cabinets are good quality in good condition, but I don't like orange stain, and I don't want paint. Oh, I probably should just add the crown molding.

If you are doing a complete reno in five years I would just put up some crown molding and save the expense for the new kitchen. The eold doors with fresh stain will look and feel much better!

I agree with greenhaven - if you are putting in a new kitchen in a new location in 5 years, i wouldn't put any more time or money into this kitchen other than the already proposed changes. The new island, counters, stain, hardware and sink will transform the kitchen. Save the rest for your "dream kitchen" in 5 years.
Be sure to post a picture after you've finished this remodel, cause i'm sure it will be helpful to others in a similar situation.

Save the effort for the new kitchen. You must have never done any furniture refinishing before or you'd know that it's 10x the work of painting the doors. And it will NEVER match the factory finish of the island, even if you have their stain. It would be better to not even try and just try for a contrast and paint the existing.

I have done furniture refinishing... stripping and staining, and I've had good results with this color on other cabinets. I don't care for painted cabinets.

Yes, I think we'll just do the crown molding now.

I just want to caution you that refinishing cabinets is actually much much harder than refinishing furniture. The factory finish is incredibly durable and difficult to remove. I'd leave the perimeter alone until you are ready to do the more extensive redo. It will be here sooner than you think!

Or invest in something like Citristrip and learn patience. That's what I did.
Factory finish? pshaw. T'ain't nuttin' in the face of Citristrip!

The cabinets are already stripped and sanded, just in the process of staining and the match looks great. My husband planned to do the finish work while I took the kids out of town, but the stain/toner just arrived yesterday instead of the13th as scheduled. So, he's working on it now. Memorial weekend will be this project instead of going fishing... oh well. The only think we're waiting on is deciding the topcoat. I was going to use water based satin polycrylic, which I used on previous cabinets and is the same sheen as the manufacturer's, but I need to find exactly what the manufacturer uses... if they use oil-based, I'd like them to age at the same rate. I think they use shellac or laquer, but will have to verify.

Citristrip is not an effective stripper in my opinion. Yes, it has a lovely orange scent, but it doesn't strip much and leaves such a waxy layer that it takes more work to clean it off than it does work to help. We used a nasty, toxic stripper that works well, even pulls out the stain... while outside wearing a respirator with lots of ventilation.

The plan is the addition in 5 years... but things seem to always take a bit longer than planned, and I just couldn't stand the kitchen as is. The problem is that we plan to make the existing kitchen / dining area into a 2nd master. My husband doesn't want to do any tile type backsplash because it will ruin the walls. I think I would prefer the wavy glass with a painted back anyway, just because I don't really like cleaning grout, but I'm trying to figure out if I can get that in my small town. Also, we have breaks in our cabinets, with window over the sink and I'm not sure how to end the glass, then I was thinking, maybe I shoud just put a piece behind the stove (where I really need a backsplash for my splattering pots of pasta sauce), but maybe that wouldn't look very good. Still pondering this one.

We saw the counters at the fabricators shop, and they look great, so I can't wait for those to go in. Yes, I think this will be enough of a change that I can live with it... I just couldn't work with the orange cabinets.

Manufactured cabinets are sprayed (HVLP)with a multi part catalyzed varnish. If you have an actual Pro SW paint store nearby they handle similar products. Smaller quantities than by the 55 gallon drum too. Poly is never the first choice for a cabinet finish.

any chance you could post a picture of the newly stained cabinets. I'm really curious about this color. sounds wonderful

I'm happy with the cabinet color. I was worried it would look too similar to my provincial brown floor (gray undertone) so I'm happy that it's a bit more gray. Still pondering the hardware. I planned on amerock inspirations in weathered bronze. 2nd photo shows the colors together. I feel pewter is too much gray, copper is too pink and I don't care for black or oil rubbed. I do prefer a rustic brass/bronze color and the existing hinges are bronze but not quite this bright golden.

Here's hardware. Didn't realize I couldn't post 2 pics at once

Should also add that I'm thinking of a solid sheet backsplash behind the stove either wavy glass or a distressed sheet of brass or perhaps other sheet metal. The glass is less likely because I'm not finding it available here. No tile backsplash. Appliances will be ge slate finish.

Should also add that I'm thinking of a solid sheet backsplash behind the stove either wavy glass or a distressed sheet of brass or perhaps other sheet metal. The glass is less likely because I'm not finding it available here. No tile backsplash. Appliances will be ge slate finish.

I really like your cabinet color! I just got a kitchen table in a color very close to that.

FWIW, I wouldn't worry too much about ruining the drywall, as when you rip out all those cabs, etc, to turn it into a 2nd master br, I am sure you'll probably have plenty of drywall work in changing walls/doors/etc and fixing damage from the cabs themselves, plumbing and vent removal, etc., and have a drywall crew in there for that, and a good drywall crew can redrywall a few walls in an hour or two . . .

For instance, I am doing a big addition project (doubling the size of our house, about 2500 new sq feet), and my GC will have his great drywall sub do it (I call them the drywall ninjas after seeing them drywall my entire 700 sf basement project in under a day -- 2 guys . . . amazing). Anyway, we were talking about the ceiling in my main floor, and the ugly squuosy pattern, and the new ceilings having smooth finish, and blending them . . . and I asked about just having the guys redo all the old ceilings on this level -- so another 1000 sf of ceilings . . . GC told me that'd cost me about $500 or $600 TOTAL for redoing all those ceilings. I about fainted at how cheap it was (nothing is ever cheaper than I expect, lol, normally it's the other way around!), and, of course, I am going to do it. So, anyway, so long as you are going to have a drywall crew in for the project at all, redoing a few more partial or full walls is probably no big expense.

Good luck on your project!