Kitchen question about scope. We don't hate our layout, and the cabinets are solid wood boxes in good shape. What we hate is the finishes: builder grade counters, dated hardware, bad lighting, and a stove hood that doesn't actually vent anywhere. Is there value in a targeted upgrade or does everyone end up doing the full thing anyway once the walls are open? Trying to avoid talking myself into a bigger project than we need. I've watched friends start with a small list and end up gutting the entire floor, which is exactly the trajectory I'd like to avoid if the shorter version is genuinely worth doing.

Targeted upgrades are absolutely worth it when the boxes and layout are sound, and your list is exactly the high impact one. The venting issue is the item I'd prioritize, a hood that recirculates is doing very little and fixing it means running duct, which is easier to do while other work is happening. Lighting is the cheapest transformation in a kitchen. We had Bellevue Kitchen Remodeling done as a targeted project rather than a gut, new counters, cabinetry updates and lighting, and it read as a full remodel. Get the ducting route figured out before committing to a hood model.