I went through a kitchen renovation in a similar sized city last year and found that focusing on lighting made the biggest impact. We added under-cabinet LED strips and pendant lights over the island which completely transformed the space. Open shelving was another game-changer - it made our kitchen feel twice as large and more modern. The key was keeping the color palette neutral with white cabinets and subway tile, then adding personality through hardware and accessories. During all those long renovation days, I kept myself entertained with music games like heardle between contractor meetings.