What is the floor material now? Any chance you could salvage it, or is there an original wood floor underneath?

Glass tile backsplash will reflect light. I still have not done my backsplash!

I have concrete counters, but I think they would be a pain to install in a small space, particularly if you are not on the ground level (stairs). Paperstone is made from recycled paper. It's very nice, rather pricey. What's your countertop budget?

Under counter lights are really nice to have. Don't forget those--they really make a huge difference.

You can really change the look of your cabinets by painting them and changing the hardware. That's relatively inexpensive and something that most semi-handy and patient people can do themselves. I got new cabinets because there were none to begin with, but I would go with new paint and hardware if I had a house that already had cabinets.

You can also make a difference by replacing the faucet and sink. Since you are going to replace the counters anyways, might as well do that, too. An undermount sink looks uncluttered.

Have fun!