on the super-cheap:
replace hardware (with brushed stainless knobs?), remove wall paper and paint (my favorite choice is silver grey).
Get the press-on faux stainless steel to give oven and refrigerator an updated look.
Get brightly colored accessories (bright blue or red handtowels, canisters, and other accessories)

A little higher budget:
replace countertop with light grey stone-like material
get new vinyl flooring (I would go with light grey faux stone again)

Higher budget:
get ceramic tile flooring
replace stove and oven with something new (and white? to match refrigerator)
Get granite tile countertop or use stone remnant...

Jill, just a note from another South Philly rowhomeowner---make sure you know what you're getting into with renovations on these old homes! We thought we would be able to strip wallpaper, but it turned out that underneath it was a layer of wood paneling, and underneath that were 5 layers of wallpaper, and underneath that was the original cracking plaster. The house was like a game of pick-up sticks--every time you tried to do one thing, something else became a problem. We had to gut the whole thing and put up drywall--a major major and unexpected expense. Now, to be fair, we're idiots, and you may be better informed. Good luck! Can't wait to see how it turns out!

Please don't get rid of that hardware! You must appreciate it! With what you have i would got for a shabby chic look. Replace the backsplash and coutnertops. It could really be a beautiful kitchen, You have great bones!

Get rid of the acoustical ceiling tiles. As Forthright Fattie stated, you may find more nastiness under that... but if you are willing to do the work yourself & take the time, then you can have nice ceilings again. Unless, that is, you actually like ACT :)

I agree with all the suggestions, except I'd leave the hardware alone. It's got a kind of quirky charm. I'd also suggest selling the big cabinet near the door and putting up simple open shelving to open things up.

I'd also replace the lineoleum. I'd love to see a checkered floor. And maybe you could pain the oven and range? I'm thinking a robin's egg blue or lemon yellow would look pretty against your cabinets.

"paint the oven and range", not pain them.

I'd start by either painting the face of the cabinets and cupboards white or replacing them with white or blond ones. Their dark color pulls light out of the room and gives the place a gloomy atmosphere. Second, I'd find a white, built in oven rather than the brown. Check a used appliance store or newspaper ads for a less expensive one. The white oven face will reflect more light and improve the working area immensely. I have a black faced stove and would love to replace it with white, something to add brightness to the room.

The look I'd go for is high contrast dark wood/ white / off-white, clean lines.

- Update the wallpaper, floor, ceiling to something white or off-white.
- Update appliances to black / stainless steel, either using faux stick ons or getting new appliances from Craigslist.
- Resurface the kitchen island and make it match counters. Replace chairs with something modern and sleek.
- Replace cabinet by door - or if you reorganize your kitchen you could get rid of it entirely
- The details on the hardware are so gorgeous and unique, keep them! Add a couple decorative items in the same style to keep things interesting in your nice new modern kitchen.. Maybe pictures, or a table lamp with nice detailing?

Don't change your cabinets or hardware if they're in good shape! They're unique in a world of cookie cutter kitchens, and I think they're lovely and full of character. The kitchen does need to be brightened up, though.

My suggestions are to strip the wallpaper and paint the walls a nice, clean, bright white. From the picture it looks like your cabinet hardware has sort of a greenish, oxidized copper tinge to it. A mosaic glass tile back splash using clear, milky white, and pale green colored tiles, and a light grey grout would add some luminescence and play off the color in the hardware. Also, judging by the color of your teapot, I'll assume you like pale green : ) You can add under-cabinet lighting to brighten up the space and illuminate the glass tile. Next, there are heat resistant paints specifically designed for appliances so you can match the oven, hood, and stove to the fridge without changing them. Some of the darkness and denseness of your kitchen stems from the fact that the hood and appliances are too close in color to the cabinets. Making them white or a stainless steel color would help lighten up the space.

Paint the base of the island a light grey to further brighten the space, and re-stain the top to match the cabinets and tie the island to the rest of the kitchen. I'd prioritize upgrading the floor before ripping out the ceiling tiles; stay light since the dark cabinets already anchor the space. Change out the faucets for something you love, and then add softness, additional color, and texture with floor rugs, tea towels, etc. You can stick with your palate of soft greens, greys, wood tones, and whites, or add a dash of color with small pops of a complimentary color.

Good luck and please send pictures of the "after" when you're done!

I COMPLETELY disagree with getting rid of the cabinet hardware. It's so awesome! I feel like it should be your starting point for the whole renovation. You could paint your stovetop and oven the same color as the turquoise detail... and it would still retain the vintage charm. http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/good-questions/good-questions-painting-metal-appliances-016165

Yes to taking off the wallpaper and a neutral paint. The backsplash is a good idea too. I would also stain your doors the same color as your cabinets.

Paint bottom part of island same color as the wall. Maybe replace the cabinet near the island with some narrow shelves? That space looks a bit cramped.

And the linoleum floor and ceiling tiles are awful, but I'm not sure what to suggest otherwise. The folks above have some good suggestions.

Definitely leave the cabinets and hardware alone.

Spend the time to strip the wallpaper. It'll be a pain, but I think new paint will be a big boost to the room, and I wouldn't really suggest doing much else until you are ready to re-do the flooring.

For paint, I would do a light sage (like your teakettle) on that strip above the cabinets and maybe the nook area where your island/table is, and then I would do the rest of the room white. The white will brighten up the room and pull your counters, backsplash, and refrigerator together. The sage green will keep it from being to stark and also bring in the cabinet hardware a little.

Lastly, I would move the armoire thing near the island/table out of the room, if possible. It looks a little crowded in that area.

Clean and polish that hardware, AND KEEP IT.

I'd move them though, to the corners of the doors, instead of the middles.

Yes, that armoire thing near the table is really crowding that area. If you really need what's in that cabinet, there might be some kind of modern open storage decorative thing that could happen on that wall.

Meanwhile, I feel ambivalent about those knobs, but I'm more inclined to replace them with this:

http://www.bellacor.com/productdetail/115702.htm

Because if you did, you'd have just the hint of a shiny silver metal, but you'd have a similar time period feel but with some update to it.

For the ceiling they make lay-in tile that use a similar ceiling system as what you have, except that they're made to look like old-timey tin ceilings and you can probably get them at Home Depot, but they also sell them at:

http://www.talissadecor.com/catalog/drop-in-pvc-tiles

There are all kinds of backsplashes you could do, but I'd consider a back-painted glass one if you can afford it, or perhaps tile it yourself in smaller glass tiles.

And yes, please do remove the wallpaper and just paint it, instead; I like the sage idea, because it's lighter than the dark wood, and yet still warm.

But the white refrigerator is the biggest problem if you're planning on keeping the other appliances. The stove top and the oven both have some stainless steel bits on them, so I think that a stainless steel looking fridge will go a VERY long way toward bringing the room together.

About my stainless-steel-looking fridge idea, I really have to say that I'm truly not one of those people who think that stainless steel appliance are the gold standard for everyone, and I actually only have white ones myself, but for that kitchen, as I'm seeing it in those photos, I think it would be a good idea for the fridge.

Am I the only one who sees the ceiling as the biggest problem?

I had the same thoughts about a stainless steel fridge tying things together, though. The white fridge sticks out horribly and screams RENTAL! (Possibly because it is the same white fridge I had in my last rental?)

I am puzzled by your kitchen cabinets. They don't look vintage to me, although the appliances and door pulls do. The cabinets are just in too good shape, and don't look very sixties in style...

Well, I am about to suggest a heap of work, but here goes...

Definitely get rid of the acoustic ceiling tile! It will make a world of difference! And yes, strip off that wallpaper (you know you have to...).

To me, the natural pairing with brown is robin's egg blue, a colour which was also very popular at the time. I would therefore sand down all the cabinetry, prime and paint it Robin's egg blue, keeping the hardware and appliances. Well, I would change out the fridge for a very simple side-by-side, either in white or stainless.

For the flooring, I would hunt down Dalsouple rubber flooring which comes in gorgeous colours (it is all over the place in the UK and Australia, as well as parts of Europe, but has only limited commercial distribution in the US).

I would also try to come up with a back for your island, as it looks quite "raw" at the moment.

Here are 2 kitchens for inspiration. The first has shiny metal cabinets; note the wallpaper on the bulkheads and the lighting -- it would be perfect in your case.

Another attractive example is the next kitchen, which has the walls painted the same colour as the cupboards -- an ingenious idea.

http://retrorenovation.com/pams-kitchen/

http://retrorenovation.com/2006/09/16/the-kitchen-comes-together/

http://retrorenovation.com/2006/09/16/the-kitchen-comes-together-2/

http://www.decorpad.com/photo.htm?photoId=3775

Good luck -- and post your afters!

Oh, what a lovely kitchen!
I mean, it needs some updating, but it's still gorgeous.
Strip that wallpaper and paint those walls a bright color. Any color you prefer would do, but make sure it's high gloss to offset the amount of light the dark wood absorbs (high gloss paint is also WAY easier to clean when you splatter something on it).

Secondly, switch that last counter and the fridge around, so it's not making that area a creepy, dark corner. It should be simple enough to tear out that paneling and reinstall it, save for a few patches in the walls which you can fix after you get rid of that wallpaper.

Next: the ceiling. I know it sucks. You could do one of two things: section off the wiring and encase it with something ornamental, or look into some of the awesome options for tin ceilings available these days. It's cheap, it'll cover up the wires, and you can paint it any color you want. Switch out those overhead lights, which restrict the light and add to the shadiness of the room, to globe lights which will warm up the kitchen.

Move the hutch all the way to the corner to avoid yet another dark area.

Oh, and that half wall by the island, do you need it? It's constricting. If you're lucky and there's full floor underneath it, all you'll have to worry about is patching up the wall before you repaint it.

Don't do anything with that stove and oven. It's beautiful.
Instead, paint the refrigerator. You could use chalkboard paint and constantly change what's on it. Or there are all sorts of cool appliance paint colors that you could use. Maybe something that will complement whatever you paint the walls?

Good luck!