We faced the same problem when we moved to a new house. Our kitchen is not that much big, but it was designed in a wrong way, so it seemed to be smaller than it was. To make your kitchen lighter is a good idea as it will make you feel that it is more spacious. I also prefer the light colours, so I ordered white countertops and installed a backsplash tiling in our kitchen (
https://forestrykitchens.ca/). Also we painted the walls and changed a sink. Now we have a light and spacious kitchen and I like it. I hope you will also like the result of your kitchen renovation!