Decorating and Design - Help with my kitchen

I need some help with my kitchen. It is difficult to paint, etc..because it has a fireplce in it and it has various colours at the moment.
It has white cupboards, counter, floor and appliances. The fireplce is brick with a dark oak mantle, the furniture is oak as well. The backsplash is beige and right now the walls are a light taupe.
Can anyone recommend what colour to paint my kitchen, and also if I paint the cupbords, what colour do I paint it.

It really depends on what you want to do. You could paint the doors any colour you like (providing you use a good quality primer first!)

You could even use a paint effect like stencilling, wood grain effect or marbling. There are lots of books on the market to show you how.

If you want to lighten up the dark oak you could try lime wax.

Colours that work well in kitchens traditionally are yellow and pale green.

The counter tops could be replaced quite cheaply with a mock wood or tile effect.

I think you could makeover your kitchen in to anything you choose.

If you go to http://www.housedoctorintheuk.co.uk you can get some ideas and if you write in to my FREE clinic I can take you through.. step by step...once you've decided what you want to do!
Most of all…HAVE FUN!

The best way to find what you like is to go over magazines. Look at the photos and pick out what you like about them. You might like the stove or the way the cupboards are done. You don't have to like everything about the photo. Make an album of all the photos you like. I like to keep kitchens together, living rooms together, etc. I am always looking for new ideas and adding to my album even before I need them. I may like only the way the counters look or what ever, you don't have to cut the whole page out, just what you like about it. As in any project the first part is research, research, research. If you don't know what you like you have no place to start.