I certainly would paint the upper cabinets. To reproduce the light fixture in her dream kitchen, she can purchase a galvanized bucket remove the handle and cut the handle brackets off...spray paint it in side and out with Rustoleum High Heat Paint in white, two coats on the inside to ensure good coverage over the silver galvanizing, Spray the outside with the accent color of her choice....her dream kitchen seems to have used a tangerine or Blood orange color...but her "light" she'll want two nice coats. once all the paint is dry she can drill a hole in the bottom of the pail to accomodate a "pendent" light fixture. Be sure to drill some tiny holes around the bottom rim also to allow the heat to esacpe and not build up in her Light. Also get rid of the "scalloped" wood Valance over the window joining the cupboards, it really dates the look to the 1970's when it was all the rage.... Paint the walls a soft, creamy yellow..... I believe that Rustoleum sells a kit to re-surface the counter tops, there are several postings on HT regarding it's use, and all bragged on it's durability except one that used it in the bathroom where it got wet constantly...I believe they said that Prepping the counters, (sanding and cleaning the dust) was the most critical and time consuming part of the process...The pictures of the kitchen to be "re-worked" do not show the floors, so have no idea what might be needed there...Lastly if there is a local RE-store nearby they should see if they can find a UPscale Stove Vent-a-hood, it will change the entire appearance of the stove and cabinets in that area if they can find or build one that looks as though it were "custom" made out of wainscoting or something to match the cabinets. Be sure to trim out the cabinets and hood vent with crown molding...it takes them from Builder grade to "custom" with just that one item.