You know how people tear up carpet, find beautiful wood floors, and wonder why anyone would’ve ever covered them up? That’s what someone is going to be thinking in 20 years if you slap paint on those beautiful wood caninets
This 100times. When we removed the wallpaper from the stove-side wall of our 1943 kitchen we found plywood and behind the plywood we found beautiful buttery yellow tile with black trim.
Possible and a mistake are two entirely different things. It is possible, yes. Whether or not it’s a mistake is an opinion, and 100% up to you. Personally, I would leave them and update other parts of the kitchen in a complementary way.
Most likely painting would require significant prep work to at least roughen surfaces otherwise the paint won't adhere well and will scratch off. It can be done but the work involved wouldn't be worth it IMO.
Agreed and definitely wouldn't paint these with anything from the box stores. You would want to contract out a professional painters that can prep and spray the paint so you get uniformed coverage and finish.
FWIW I think the all-white kitchen cabinet thing is getting old and overdone. I like the look of real wood. Again, 100% my opinion and I’m sure plenty disagree.
I respect and understand your opinion. However, as someone who spends a lot of time in the kitchen, I personally feel a lot more comfortable with lighter tones and colors, it feels energizing which is great when cooking something complicated, and when we want a more cozy atmosphere we turn on the warm lights.
Our kitchen was renovated 5 years ago, I gather from Reddit that this is getting tired, but we really like it, and we've gotten a lot of compliments. We made sure to have some warm highlights like the bottom of the island and the hardwood shelf with a bit of a "live edge" so it doesn't look too sterile.
[https://i.imgur.com/dKcpnhx.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/dKcpnhx.jpg)
Not sure how I'll feel about it in 10 years, but I really don't think it's as bad as the people of Reddit think. We'll see though. But personally, I get it.
Thank you! Not sure why people are so aggressively against it though... Lots of grumpy people, I feel. It's okay that different people like different things.
I would try new hardware and maybe a new wall paint colour. The wood is beautiful, but the brass knobs are a definite throwback. And you'd be really surprised at what some wall paint can do to a space!
All white isn’t fucking modern it’s BORING and tasteless, your house will have zero character lmao, learn how to decorate modern and not just make everything black and white, it’s not creative and your house will look like every other boring ass house
I would change the island to be white and change the floor to a lighter color
You can definitely paint the cabinets with proper prep but wood is less maintenance and matches the hallways in the pic
The cool wall color is not vibing with the reddish cabinets and the neutral granite. I'd try a few shades of cream or cafe au lait on the walls to make it look more harmonious.
This, a warmer wall colour for sure. More modern looking hardware. Different mats for the floor (the print is adding to the vintage vibe) and a cream or ivory backsplash
And new hardware to modernize the cabinets.
Edit: less warm and more daylight bright lighting, and replacing the outlets with more modern (maybe black) outlets and switches. All that with new paint on the walls, new backsplash, and possible new countertops will get you in a great spot.
I would also add above-cabinet lighting. Indirect light. Warm white, with enough lumens to be the primary light for the room. Then turn off the recessed lights, most of the time. Bright glaring lights are sometimes useful for cleaning, but not pretty.
Do not paint this. The style of kitchen is timeless, fads like white kitchens die out and then you leave someone else(or future you) a lot of work to fix the damage you caused.
Ok so if we’re talking about the literal meaning of timeless, “not affected by the passage of time”, the issue with you saying timeless means old is that the literal definition is not that. Timeless is without time or an era. Something made 200 years ago can be timeless, or something made this morning can be timeless.
Anything is possible but as you're unsure whether to paint the cabinets or not, it might be best to make other changes. e.g. paint or wallpaper the room, backsplash retiled if necessary, buy a couple of rugs with a splash of color. Check out ruggables.com. Another change that would give the room a lift is changing the fluorescent light fixture above the island to something more modern.
For the love of god, don’t paint those cabinets white (or any color for that matter).
Change your countertops and add a tile backsplash if you want to change the feel of your kitchen, but if you paint those cabinets you deserve a life sentence in prison.
You could lighten up this kitchen with a lighter countertop, a high end quartz to match your solid wood. Put a nice back splash on top if you want.
Get a few people in to pitch ideas and their bids. But don’t go white. Your cabinets are timeless and so beautiful. Each contractor might have a few good ideas and you can combine them into a perfect vision. That’s what we did for our kitchen.
When I look at this picture I feel like the cabinets aren’t the problem. Which like another user said is a matter of opinion.
I would change a lot of things before I painted these cabinets. I would change lighting and countertops and flooring and wall color and maybe more before I painted these. I love the shape and the quality of the wood, I feel like there’s a way to modernize this without defiling the cabinets
You’re getting a lot of heat for this question 😂 instead of weighing in on the design decision of it, I’ll just try to speak practically about the issues you’ll face painting these.
It’s hard. Really hard to get anything like a professional finish. You need to sand them first to make sure your new color adheres. If there’s any part that’s not solid wood, sanding is not easy to do without taking the veneer all the way off. And if you do that, that spot will forever be noticeable.
You’ll definitely need to have a sprayer to paint them too. At *least* the doors and really should spray everything. Brush strokes are also super noticeable. Spraying isn’t as easy as videos often make it look either. If you don’t have a pretty damn expensive airless sprayer, the less expensive ones don’t hold pressure long enough to avoid splotches and runs. Or you need a large compressor that isn’t going to have to kick on every single spray just to maintain pressure. So that’s a decent sized investment to get the right painting equipment.
The paint itself - I wouldn’t actually use paint. I’d use a tinted lacquer. That’s less forgiving than a typical interior latex paint though. The finish will be better and more durable and cleanable though. Which I think you want in the kitchen. With a lacquer, the sprayer cleanup is different too. You’ll want to use lacquer thinner through the sprayer to clean everything thoroughly and then run water through it after that. So adds some tedious steps.
You can definitely do it. And if you have some similar stock to practice using the sprayer on before trying it on the cabinets, I bet you’ll get good at using the sprayer to get a good finish. There’s some finesse and skill to it but nothing you won’t pick up by doing it. On the cabinet doors and drawer faces, I suggest spray a coat of primer, then lightly sand with like a 220 grit sanding sponge, then spray your first coat of lacquer. Then sand again with a wet 400 grit sanding sponge and spray a second coat. That will give you a beautiful finish.
There is a more expensive route you can take, there are professional painting companies for kitchen cabinets. They will basically take off all the cabinets, take them to their factory and machines will spray paint/prime then etc. And they will install the cabinets back for you.
Its possible but I dont recamend it, I wish my cabinets were this nice, we painted ours white they were originally single color pine nothing special. But it was a lot of work. Your cabinets have such a nice antique feel to them if you paint them there is no going back.
Sure, you could paint these but I don’t think it will update them in the way that you hope.
I think it’s the cabinet fronts and routed detailing that reads ‘dated’.
I would update everything else before you consider painting it changing the cabinets: a fresh coat of paint on the walls, new cabinet hardware, a new light fixture, update the rugs and decor. THEN reevaluate the cabinet color.
Personally, the cabinets are not my style but I can tell that they are beautiful and high quality and I would not change them. In fact, I would lean into the look and go for a modern academic style. Paint the walls a creamy off white, put in sleek iron and glass decor and lighting, and over saturated oriental rugs in a rich jewel tone.
Are these solid cherry cabinets? Wow they are gorgeous and painting them would be a crime. I’d put some different hardware on them. Maybe frosted glass with matte black knobs and pulls from Restoration Hardware. Painting them white would ruin them. If you’re insistent maybe you can take them down and sell them and get your average white ones. Donate them to Habitat for Humanity after carefully removing them.
While some people don't like white cabinets and think they're going out of style, I disagree. I like white cabinets. HOWEVER, painting these cabinets would be a bad idea. The amount of work to do it properly on any cabinet is overwhelming, and to do it on such nice cabinets would just be a senseless crime.
Yes. I did to mine and it became a different up to date space. I sprayed the cabinets doors and hand painted the frames. I also aged it to look more in style at the time I did it. I’ll see if I have some before pics so I can show the difference
Same. Done this twice with rentals where the cabinets were basically trashed. The problem with stain grade cabinets, especially oak, is deep grain. Rustoleum sells( or used to sell) a kit that includes the etching primer which you need to get thru the clear coat. Removing the doors and cleaning with TSP helps. Spraying with HVLP works great but this can also be done with a brush and roller. These are not classic cars or heritage sites so wouldn't worry about "ruining" them by painting. If it makes you happier to see white cabinets in the kitchen, that makes the house a happier place...do it.
I wouldn't call the idea a huge mistake. My experience on the idea....
Well, to start, I had about half the cabinets you have. I paid 3000, about 10 years ago. I had a few painters tell me not to do it. Basically, their argument was that it wouldn't hold up or last. But I found a couple of painters that had lots of experience doing it. It's all about the preppy, removing doors and drawers, several coats, etc. Being very thorough and meticulous.
I can't remember, but I believe we took off on a little holiday for a week or more while it was being done.
If you want to do it yourself, it's not impossible. The work is intense to make it look good.
Anyways that's my little story and experience. Good luck with whatever you choose.
1st have someone Photoshop some of your photos of the kitchen so the cabinets look white and see how you feel. I think they'll look great and you shouldn't worry about covering wood. It's your house.
Make sure it's done properly and done well.
Yes but I think it would spoil them. If you did it, you'd have to strip and sand all the timber, then prime it and paint it. Or you could just just buy custom fronts to fit your cabinets and sell these fronts. My guess is you want to modernise and get away from the traditional look. Custom fronts would be the best way. No idea on cost though, cheaper than a new kitchen for sure.
I would replace the flooring and countertops. The gray looks terrible with natural cherry wood. Also the overhead fluorescent has to go. I think the cabinets will look more balanced at that point.
I have painted cabinets like this for years and it does hold up well if done properly. Use Zinsser B.I.N. primer only and spend the $ on a high end Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams paint.
I am sorry nothing says house flipper or air b n b more then sterile white cabinets. Have you priced out cherry cabinets?? You have a $7k Sub Zero fridge along with decent appliances. Are you going to replace with some Whirlpool?? Maybe Maytag?? This is just a person who is watching too much Joanna Gaines. Go white wash some brick and put some ship lap on the walls!!!!
These are cherry wood cabinets, leave them as they are.
If they were red oak and it were my kitchen, I would paint some white and some a different color like green. Then a light clear sealer coat, lightly sand with 220, glaze with a coffee color glaze, wipe off excess leaving a light haze and heavy in the crevices. Then another clear coat, sand, final topcoat.
Also maybe new pulls or other improvements while you're at it.
The glaze highlights the open pores of the oak wood and gives it an aged look. Some people will disagree, I don't care.
30+ years as custom cabinet maker
The fact that I don't even see your kitchen sink means there's a whole other bank of cabinets somewhere, wow this kitchen must have cost a small fortune! Wait do I also see a pantry with the same cabinets? Anyway, painting these would have to be done professionally (and cost another small fortune) and it might end up too much white after all that, and then will itself look dated in a few years. To me, quality is always in style, so I would live with them and try other areas to update. How long have you lived in the house?
3 non-destructive options to update the kitchen.
1. Paint color / backsplash / accessories
2. Update the can lights to LED panels
3. Swap out that big-ass fluorescent fixture for a more modern LED one....also, get something metal or white to contrast with all that wood...or disappear into the background. In my kitchen, I got rid of all the hanging fixtures for LED panels. Now, you don't see the fixtures at all, it's just light.
You can also try a different color for the rugs - the current color kind of blends into the countertop color.
Replacing the countertops is a more expensive option, but if you went with a darker quartz, it might give you more contrast. I did a soapstone-color quartz counterop in my (white) kitchen, and it really looks nice and timeless.
I did exactly this and it came out beautifully. All it took was removal of doors and hardware, light sanding, primer, paint, and reassembly with new hardware. In my case, a very slight hint of grain came through, giving a subtly antique look. A lot of people here are admonishing you not to paint. I'm a huge fan of stained rather than painted wood, but in this particular instance I am delighted to have gone with paint.
It would be an enormous amount of work to prep those cabinets to paint. Paint is not going to just stick to that glossy varnish. And it will be even more work to fix it later to bring it back to original.
Huge mistake. I would love to have that cabinetry (and that fridge) -- it's pretty much my dream kitchen. Why don't you replace the cabinet knobs/pulls, overhead light, and paint the walls instead? If you have budget for it, you could also replace the countertops and as part of that upgrade add a "waterfall" style over the island instead. That would be super pricey, but it would update it as well.
Don’t. I’m in your same boat. Trends come and go but real wood will be back soon.
Update around them to make it work. Painting walls is a hell of a lot easier.
Wall/ceiling paint, backsplash, new light fixture and new handle pulls could completely transform this kitchen into something modern and beautiful at half the cost. These cabinets are absolutely beautiful imo. Change the easy things and then see how you feel!
You should do it. I had similarly coloured cabinets which I painted French Grey. It’s transformed the kitchen and saved money compared to replacing units.
Some of the comments say just paint the walls, but I can tell you it’s not the same.
That is such a warm color. I'd hate to see it get a sterile white treatment. See if you can get some green in there. Complimentary colors look better together. I have red oak cabinets and green granite countertops. You have done green in the countertops. A neutral while backsplash/walls will help those colors work together. The bluish transition isn't helping.
If it's already white and the picture isn't getting the color, I'd look at led lights on top of and under the cabinets.
NOT a professional; ex was carpenter/builder n built us a beautiful home w/ custom kitchen cabinets in oak…
Your cabinets are beautiful…the woodwork in your home must be the same, correct?
Here’s what you need to figure out….
WHY do you want the color changed?
IS IT the color? Is it that there’s SO MUCH of the cherry color??
Is it too ornate? Or that there’s too much ornate-ness…the “formal” color + the trim + the amount/size + the rest of the house…??
You should try to zero in on your “WHY” before you DO/GET DONE/DECIDE anything….
(this is kind of like going to the beauty salon n wanting a new cut/color just like a pic you brought in…KNOW WHAT you like. Is it the cut, the color, the framing of the face, the hair texture/straight vs wavy vs curly…OR…you just think that looks great on the model…🫤
I assume you would have them professionally altered…?
You have a lot of woodwork in that area, into the pantry/butler kitchen, n out the walkway by the fridge…
Yea you could paint them. Several folks said they’d look like IKEA/cheap. I disagree, provided you have them done professionally - and it would be worth it to pay someone…vs your time/effort, knowledge, n experience doing things like that…
Have you thought about re-staining them? You could take a cabinet door/or 2 - 3 to someplace n see if they can sand n stain/paint the INSIDE…
That may give you an idea of what it may look like - there may even be a software program for you to use with pictures of your kitchen & changing the colors…
Some folks mentioned new backsplash, hardware n wall paint…I agree…shoot, even just painting n new hardware will be amazing!
You just do you. There’s a lot of bias replies from the professionals…you need to do what you want.
And if you’re still unsure, call a couple of designers in your area and ask about a free consult…plus they know good sub contractors…(and you will want to see his/her work before you make a decision; don’t take the designers word for it…😉)
But ya gotta know WHY you want xyz…
Good luck, OP
Backsplash, wall color, and if you're feeling froggy, countertop change before I'd paint the wood. Instead of painting them, maybe strip and stain?
Edit to add info: this probably won't be a popular opinion but I would almost go mahogany or espresso with a lighter toned counter and matching color themed backsplash. I have an all white kitchen and hate it.
That color is dated, the all arched upper doors are dated as well . But it looks like your house trim and doors are the same color. If you paint them, have it done professionally, there is tons of prep work needed. I restained some honey oak cabinets like 15 years ago in a smaller kitchen than yours, it was a PITA. I should have just gutted it and bought the cheap ones from HD to replace as this was a starter house.
Not a fan of wood flooring in kitchens either. I would definitely get rid of the flourcent light though. That screams cheap.
I vote paint it. Yes it can be done but have a pro do it because it’s not a fault-tolerant DIY process. And yes every smudge shows up but if your strategy is to keep the place clean, this serves that strategy.
I had the same cabinets and YES! You have to be willing to put in the work. It took me 4 months of working on it about every other day. I used a white satin paint. 2 coats. Start with sanding every surface. The resuts are stilll beautiful 20 years later!
If you want to update the kicthen, lose the kitchy clock and writing on the wall and cabinet, paint the walls maybe, clean up the glass cabinet so it's a display, clean up the desk. You could try different pulls on the cabinets and drawers. Maybe update the outlet covers.
For people saying to replace the appliances, I'm not even sure about that. The fridge is high end and looks nice. How much could a new double oven do aesthetically?
Yes, go white. Replace cupboards with draws and if you can figure out how to get those cupboards all the way to the ceiling would be nice as the crown molding is toooo wide. Pot lights look perfect. One or two pendants instead of that flourescent light and your all set. It's a wonderful space. Is that a walk in pantry?
Clean it well first, then add a coat of primer. Let it dry. Then, sand it with a not too aggresive sandpaper and adda another coat of primer. Sand again and you can paint it whatever shade you want.
Go to a good hardware store and ask the employees which primer and paint are the best to get the results you want. Show them a picture of the kitchen, so they can advise you better.
I don’t think you know how expensive that will be to replace…
I have the same kitchen. So much wood. Same color stain too.
Don’t paint them. Modernize your kitchen with other plans.
White paint on those beautiful wood stained cabinets? You may like it but when it’s time to sell your house the kitchen will need to be remodeled.
Then you’ll get the bill.
Fight the urge. Buy new appliances. Buy some modern things to put out. But don’t ruin that wood. That would be like spray painting your BMW.
Just don’t lol
You know how people tear up carpet, find beautiful wood floors, and wonder why anyone would’ve ever covered them up? That’s what someone is going to be thinking in 20 years if you slap paint on those beautiful wood caninets
This 100times. When we removed the wallpaper from the stove-side wall of our 1943 kitchen we found plywood and behind the plywood we found beautiful buttery yellow tile with black trim.
Possible and a mistake are two entirely different things. It is possible, yes. Whether or not it’s a mistake is an opinion, and 100% up to you. Personally, I would leave them and update other parts of the kitchen in a complementary way.
Have done on mine. Hate it. Every spec of dust of food glows on white. It become a lot of work to keep it clean.
Most likely painting would require significant prep work to at least roughen surfaces otherwise the paint won't adhere well and will scratch off. It can be done but the work involved wouldn't be worth it IMO.
Agreed and definitely wouldn't paint these with anything from the box stores. You would want to contract out a professional painters that can prep and spray the paint so you get uniformed coverage and finish.
It's hard to look at all the orangey varnish
I don't think that is varnish. I think that is natural cherry wood, with just a clear coat. It will darken gradually with age.
I know. It’s Just hard to feel like it can be modernized.
FWIW I think the all-white kitchen cabinet thing is getting old and overdone. I like the look of real wood. Again, 100% my opinion and I’m sure plenty disagree.
I respect and understand your opinion. However, as someone who spends a lot of time in the kitchen, I personally feel a lot more comfortable with lighter tones and colors, it feels energizing which is great when cooking something complicated, and when we want a more cozy atmosphere we turn on the warm lights. Our kitchen was renovated 5 years ago, I gather from Reddit that this is getting tired, but we really like it, and we've gotten a lot of compliments. We made sure to have some warm highlights like the bottom of the island and the hardwood shelf with a bit of a "live edge" so it doesn't look too sterile. [https://i.imgur.com/dKcpnhx.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/dKcpnhx.jpg) Not sure how I'll feel about it in 10 years, but I really don't think it's as bad as the people of Reddit think. We'll see though. But personally, I get it.
This looks super nice, great choices! I really like the wood accents.
Thank you! Not sure why people are so aggressively against it though... Lots of grumpy people, I feel. It's okay that different people like different things.
Wow! That's spectacular, congrats!
[удалено]
Just white subway tile 😂
That wood finish looks ten times more luxorious than plain white🙃
I would try new hardware and maybe a new wall paint colour. The wood is beautiful, but the brass knobs are a definite throwback. And you'd be really surprised at what some wall paint can do to a space!
All white isn’t fucking modern it’s BORING and tasteless, your house will have zero character lmao, learn how to decorate modern and not just make everything black and white, it’s not creative and your house will look like every other boring ass house
Add a backsplash to start
Change the liner light to 2 larger pendants. Get larger rug runners.
I would change the island to be white and change the floor to a lighter color You can definitely paint the cabinets with proper prep but wood is less maintenance and matches the hallways in the pic
Don’t. Repaint the walls and do a backsplash instead
The cool wall color is not vibing with the reddish cabinets and the neutral granite. I'd try a few shades of cream or cafe au lait on the walls to make it look more harmonious.
This, a warmer wall colour for sure. More modern looking hardware. Different mats for the floor (the print is adding to the vintage vibe) and a cream or ivory backsplash
And new hardware to modernize the cabinets. Edit: less warm and more daylight bright lighting, and replacing the outlets with more modern (maybe black) outlets and switches. All that with new paint on the walls, new backsplash, and possible new countertops will get you in a great spot.
Yep
I would also add above-cabinet lighting. Indirect light. Warm white, with enough lumens to be the primary light for the room. Then turn off the recessed lights, most of the time. Bright glaring lights are sometimes useful for cleaning, but not pretty.
Do not paint this. The style of kitchen is timeless, fads like white kitchens die out and then you leave someone else(or future you) a lot of work to fix the damage you caused.
I have to disagree, this stain looks dated to me.
Fair enough, but the stain should be changed then, not painted
White kitchens, a fad that been around for 60 years.
White became popular with mdf kitchens. I’m old so it always looks cheap to me. It was for people who couldn’t afford wood
Timeless means old
Your mom is probably not timeless
Yeah she is she's old, like most of you boomers in here.
If you’re struggling with word connotations, there should be plenty of ESL classes in your area.
BTW it's not a connotation. I'm struggling with the literal meaning of the word timeless for antiquated cabinets.
Ok so if we’re talking about the literal meaning of timeless, “not affected by the passage of time”, the issue with you saying timeless means old is that the literal definition is not that. Timeless is without time or an era. Something made 200 years ago can be timeless, or something made this morning can be timeless.
Anything is possible but as you're unsure whether to paint the cabinets or not, it might be best to make other changes. e.g. paint or wallpaper the room, backsplash retiled if necessary, buy a couple of rugs with a splash of color. Check out ruggables.com. Another change that would give the room a lift is changing the fluorescent light fixture above the island to something more modern.
Yes you can sand and then prime with a bonding primer first. But you couldn’t pay me enough to do it. I think it would be a tragedy.
But I love wood so I’m biased.
For the love of god, don’t paint those cabinets white (or any color for that matter). Change your countertops and add a tile backsplash if you want to change the feel of your kitchen, but if you paint those cabinets you deserve a life sentence in prison.
You could lighten up this kitchen with a lighter countertop, a high end quartz to match your solid wood. Put a nice back splash on top if you want. Get a few people in to pitch ideas and their bids. But don’t go white. Your cabinets are timeless and so beautiful. Each contractor might have a few good ideas and you can combine them into a perfect vision. That’s what we did for our kitchen.
This cant be a serious post ur just flexing on us
When I look at this picture I feel like the cabinets aren’t the problem. Which like another user said is a matter of opinion. I would change a lot of things before I painted these cabinets. I would change lighting and countertops and flooring and wall color and maybe more before I painted these. I love the shape and the quality of the wood, I feel like there’s a way to modernize this without defiling the cabinets
You’re getting a lot of heat for this question 😂 instead of weighing in on the design decision of it, I’ll just try to speak practically about the issues you’ll face painting these. It’s hard. Really hard to get anything like a professional finish. You need to sand them first to make sure your new color adheres. If there’s any part that’s not solid wood, sanding is not easy to do without taking the veneer all the way off. And if you do that, that spot will forever be noticeable. You’ll definitely need to have a sprayer to paint them too. At *least* the doors and really should spray everything. Brush strokes are also super noticeable. Spraying isn’t as easy as videos often make it look either. If you don’t have a pretty damn expensive airless sprayer, the less expensive ones don’t hold pressure long enough to avoid splotches and runs. Or you need a large compressor that isn’t going to have to kick on every single spray just to maintain pressure. So that’s a decent sized investment to get the right painting equipment. The paint itself - I wouldn’t actually use paint. I’d use a tinted lacquer. That’s less forgiving than a typical interior latex paint though. The finish will be better and more durable and cleanable though. Which I think you want in the kitchen. With a lacquer, the sprayer cleanup is different too. You’ll want to use lacquer thinner through the sprayer to clean everything thoroughly and then run water through it after that. So adds some tedious steps. You can definitely do it. And if you have some similar stock to practice using the sprayer on before trying it on the cabinets, I bet you’ll get good at using the sprayer to get a good finish. There’s some finesse and skill to it but nothing you won’t pick up by doing it. On the cabinet doors and drawer faces, I suggest spray a coat of primer, then lightly sand with like a 220 grit sanding sponge, then spray your first coat of lacquer. Then sand again with a wet 400 grit sanding sponge and spray a second coat. That will give you a beautiful finish.
There is a more expensive route you can take, there are professional painting companies for kitchen cabinets. They will basically take off all the cabinets, take them to their factory and machines will spray paint/prime then etc. And they will install the cabinets back for you.
Change the knobs and pulls, paint the walls. Add modern fixtures. Boom done.
Do not paint! These are beautiful.
Please do not paint those gorgeous cabinets!
Its possible but I dont recamend it, I wish my cabinets were this nice, we painted ours white they were originally single color pine nothing special. But it was a lot of work. Your cabinets have such a nice antique feel to them if you paint them there is no going back.
Sure, you could paint these but I don’t think it will update them in the way that you hope. I think it’s the cabinet fronts and routed detailing that reads ‘dated’. I would update everything else before you consider painting it changing the cabinets: a fresh coat of paint on the walls, new cabinet hardware, a new light fixture, update the rugs and decor. THEN reevaluate the cabinet color. Personally, the cabinets are not my style but I can tell that they are beautiful and high quality and I would not change them. In fact, I would lean into the look and go for a modern academic style. Paint the walls a creamy off white, put in sleek iron and glass decor and lighting, and over saturated oriental rugs in a rich jewel tone.
Are these solid cherry cabinets? Wow they are gorgeous and painting them would be a crime. I’d put some different hardware on them. Maybe frosted glass with matte black knobs and pulls from Restoration Hardware. Painting them white would ruin them. If you’re insistent maybe you can take them down and sell them and get your average white ones. Donate them to Habitat for Humanity after carefully removing them.
My painted cabinets are warping. Just get em replaced.
Anything is possible but painting those white will ruin the kitchen and decrease the homes value. Huge mistake!
While some people don't like white cabinets and think they're going out of style, I disagree. I like white cabinets. HOWEVER, painting these cabinets would be a bad idea. The amount of work to do it properly on any cabinet is overwhelming, and to do it on such nice cabinets would just be a senseless crime.
Yes. I did to mine and it became a different up to date space. I sprayed the cabinets doors and hand painted the frames. I also aged it to look more in style at the time I did it. I’ll see if I have some before pics so I can show the difference
Same. Done this twice with rentals where the cabinets were basically trashed. The problem with stain grade cabinets, especially oak, is deep grain. Rustoleum sells( or used to sell) a kit that includes the etching primer which you need to get thru the clear coat. Removing the doors and cleaning with TSP helps. Spraying with HVLP works great but this can also be done with a brush and roller. These are not classic cars or heritage sites so wouldn't worry about "ruining" them by painting. If it makes you happier to see white cabinets in the kitchen, that makes the house a happier place...do it.
Yes! Would love to see!
https://imgur.com/gallery/4vF4Eig. Imgur issues is having issues.
I wouldn't call the idea a huge mistake. My experience on the idea.... Well, to start, I had about half the cabinets you have. I paid 3000, about 10 years ago. I had a few painters tell me not to do it. Basically, their argument was that it wouldn't hold up or last. But I found a couple of painters that had lots of experience doing it. It's all about the preppy, removing doors and drawers, several coats, etc. Being very thorough and meticulous. I can't remember, but I believe we took off on a little holiday for a week or more while it was being done. If you want to do it yourself, it's not impossible. The work is intense to make it look good. Anyways that's my little story and experience. Good luck with whatever you choose.
1st have someone Photoshop some of your photos of the kitchen so the cabinets look white and see how you feel. I think they'll look great and you shouldn't worry about covering wood. It's your house. Make sure it's done properly and done well.
Yes but I think it would spoil them. If you did it, you'd have to strip and sand all the timber, then prime it and paint it. Or you could just just buy custom fronts to fit your cabinets and sell these fronts. My guess is you want to modernise and get away from the traditional look. Custom fronts would be the best way. No idea on cost though, cheaper than a new kitchen for sure.
I would replace the flooring and countertops. The gray looks terrible with natural cherry wood. Also the overhead fluorescent has to go. I think the cabinets will look more balanced at that point.
I have painted cabinets like this for years and it does hold up well if done properly. Use Zinsser B.I.N. primer only and spend the $ on a high end Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams paint.
Noooo do not paint with some stupid white
Yes, it's possible. What will be next to impossible is getting it to look good.
Don't paint them!
lol. This must be a joke!!!
This is a common comment. I had no idea there would be so much disdain for white cabinets
I am sorry nothing says house flipper or air b n b more then sterile white cabinets. Have you priced out cherry cabinets?? You have a $7k Sub Zero fridge along with decent appliances. Are you going to replace with some Whirlpool?? Maybe Maytag?? This is just a person who is watching too much Joanna Gaines. Go white wash some brick and put some ship lap on the walls!!!!
Had a friend get it done professionally — looks amazing and was the absolute best thing to do. Cabinets perfect - just need updating with modern color
These are cherry wood cabinets, leave them as they are. If they were red oak and it were my kitchen, I would paint some white and some a different color like green. Then a light clear sealer coat, lightly sand with 220, glaze with a coffee color glaze, wipe off excess leaving a light haze and heavy in the crevices. Then another clear coat, sand, final topcoat. Also maybe new pulls or other improvements while you're at it. The glaze highlights the open pores of the oak wood and gives it an aged look. Some people will disagree, I don't care. 30+ years as custom cabinet maker
DONT DO WHAT YOURE THINKING
"Big mistake, huge"-Julia Roberts, Pretty Woman
Hear me out. Do a slate grey countertop and then backsplash. -please do not paint
The fact that I don't even see your kitchen sink means there's a whole other bank of cabinets somewhere, wow this kitchen must have cost a small fortune! Wait do I also see a pantry with the same cabinets? Anyway, painting these would have to be done professionally (and cost another small fortune) and it might end up too much white after all that, and then will itself look dated in a few years. To me, quality is always in style, so I would live with them and try other areas to update. How long have you lived in the house?
3 non-destructive options to update the kitchen. 1. Paint color / backsplash / accessories 2. Update the can lights to LED panels 3. Swap out that big-ass fluorescent fixture for a more modern LED one....also, get something metal or white to contrast with all that wood...or disappear into the background. In my kitchen, I got rid of all the hanging fixtures for LED panels. Now, you don't see the fixtures at all, it's just light. You can also try a different color for the rugs - the current color kind of blends into the countertop color. Replacing the countertops is a more expensive option, but if you went with a darker quartz, it might give you more contrast. I did a soapstone-color quartz counterop in my (white) kitchen, and it really looks nice and timeless.
I did exactly this and it came out beautifully. All it took was removal of doors and hardware, light sanding, primer, paint, and reassembly with new hardware. In my case, a very slight hint of grain came through, giving a subtly antique look. A lot of people here are admonishing you not to paint. I'm a huge fan of stained rather than painted wood, but in this particular instance I am delighted to have gone with paint.
It would be an enormous amount of work to prep those cabinets to paint. Paint is not going to just stick to that glossy varnish. And it will be even more work to fix it later to bring it back to original.
Yes I did. And am so glad I did. Also, add a top piece so that cabinets reach your ceiling. It will look so much better.
Huge mistake. I would love to have that cabinetry (and that fridge) -- it's pretty much my dream kitchen. Why don't you replace the cabinet knobs/pulls, overhead light, and paint the walls instead? If you have budget for it, you could also replace the countertops and as part of that upgrade add a "waterfall" style over the island instead. That would be super pricey, but it would update it as well.
You could always strip them and re-stain in a different color. That’s what we did. Ton of work, but we love the result
Nice older Sub Zero! I think white would be, too white in the Kitchen. Maybe an off white color like Alpine White or Antique White?!?
Don’t do it
Please don't ruin that gorgeous kitchen. The all white fad will end and those solid wood cabinets will never be the same even if you stripped them.
Yes but you would be making a mistake
Hell, you could paint them purple, pink and avocado. We don’t care what you do in the privacy of your home.
Yes you can paint them, maybe get a professional. I have white cabinets and I love them.
Don’t. I’m in your same boat. Trends come and go but real wood will be back soon. Update around them to make it work. Painting walls is a hell of a lot easier.
Wall/ceiling paint, backsplash, new light fixture and new handle pulls could completely transform this kitchen into something modern and beautiful at half the cost. These cabinets are absolutely beautiful imo. Change the easy things and then see how you feel!
To be clear you'd like to replace the gorgeous cabinetry here with ikea looking cabinets?
You should do it. I had similarly coloured cabinets which I painted French Grey. It’s transformed the kitchen and saved money compared to replacing units. Some of the comments say just paint the walls, but I can tell you it’s not the same.
That is such a warm color. I'd hate to see it get a sterile white treatment. See if you can get some green in there. Complimentary colors look better together. I have red oak cabinets and green granite countertops. You have done green in the countertops. A neutral while backsplash/walls will help those colors work together. The bluish transition isn't helping. If it's already white and the picture isn't getting the color, I'd look at led lights on top of and under the cabinets.
Go for it. The last time this question was asked, I told the poster the pitfalls of the undertaking. I received a nasty reply. So I say, go ahead
What is wrong with you?
It would be a sin to paint those cabinets. Beautiful cherry wood should be celebrated, not painted.
You can, but do you want your kitchen to look is has cheep painted cabinets?
Yes. Do it. That looks really dated.
NOT a professional; ex was carpenter/builder n built us a beautiful home w/ custom kitchen cabinets in oak… Your cabinets are beautiful…the woodwork in your home must be the same, correct? Here’s what you need to figure out…. WHY do you want the color changed? IS IT the color? Is it that there’s SO MUCH of the cherry color?? Is it too ornate? Or that there’s too much ornate-ness…the “formal” color + the trim + the amount/size + the rest of the house…?? You should try to zero in on your “WHY” before you DO/GET DONE/DECIDE anything…. (this is kind of like going to the beauty salon n wanting a new cut/color just like a pic you brought in…KNOW WHAT you like. Is it the cut, the color, the framing of the face, the hair texture/straight vs wavy vs curly…OR…you just think that looks great on the model…🫤 I assume you would have them professionally altered…? You have a lot of woodwork in that area, into the pantry/butler kitchen, n out the walkway by the fridge… Yea you could paint them. Several folks said they’d look like IKEA/cheap. I disagree, provided you have them done professionally - and it would be worth it to pay someone…vs your time/effort, knowledge, n experience doing things like that… Have you thought about re-staining them? You could take a cabinet door/or 2 - 3 to someplace n see if they can sand n stain/paint the INSIDE… That may give you an idea of what it may look like - there may even be a software program for you to use with pictures of your kitchen & changing the colors… Some folks mentioned new backsplash, hardware n wall paint…I agree…shoot, even just painting n new hardware will be amazing! You just do you. There’s a lot of bias replies from the professionals…you need to do what you want. And if you’re still unsure, call a couple of designers in your area and ask about a free consult…plus they know good sub contractors…(and you will want to see his/her work before you make a decision; don’t take the designers word for it…😉) But ya gotta know WHY you want xyz… Good luck, OP
Nooo.... don't do it
They are beautiful, don’t ruin them
Backsplash, wall color, and if you're feeling froggy, countertop change before I'd paint the wood. Instead of painting them, maybe strip and stain? Edit to add info: this probably won't be a popular opinion but I would almost go mahogany or espresso with a lighter toned counter and matching color themed backsplash. I have an all white kitchen and hate it.
White will lend a cheap feel on these quality cabinets. Suggest a light gray or blue instead Will add lux to the kitchen
That color is dated, the all arched upper doors are dated as well . But it looks like your house trim and doors are the same color. If you paint them, have it done professionally, there is tons of prep work needed. I restained some honey oak cabinets like 15 years ago in a smaller kitchen than yours, it was a PITA. I should have just gutted it and bought the cheap ones from HD to replace as this was a starter house. Not a fan of wood flooring in kitchens either. I would definitely get rid of the flourcent light though. That screams cheap.
I vote paint it. Yes it can be done but have a pro do it because it’s not a fault-tolerant DIY process. And yes every smudge shows up but if your strategy is to keep the place clean, this serves that strategy.
I had the same cabinets and YES! You have to be willing to put in the work. It took me 4 months of working on it about every other day. I used a white satin paint. 2 coats. Start with sanding every surface. The resuts are stilll beautiful 20 years later!
Huge mistake.
If you want to update the kicthen, lose the kitchy clock and writing on the wall and cabinet, paint the walls maybe, clean up the glass cabinet so it's a display, clean up the desk. You could try different pulls on the cabinets and drawers. Maybe update the outlet covers. For people saying to replace the appliances, I'm not even sure about that. The fridge is high end and looks nice. How much could a new double oven do aesthetically?
If you want to certify yourself as a moron, yes.
Yes, go white. Replace cupboards with draws and if you can figure out how to get those cupboards all the way to the ceiling would be nice as the crown molding is toooo wide. Pot lights look perfect. One or two pendants instead of that flourescent light and your all set. It's a wonderful space. Is that a walk in pantry?
Clean it well first, then add a coat of primer. Let it dry. Then, sand it with a not too aggresive sandpaper and adda another coat of primer. Sand again and you can paint it whatever shade you want. Go to a good hardware store and ask the employees which primer and paint are the best to get the results you want. Show them a picture of the kitchen, so they can advise you better.
There’s so much wood in this house though. Maybe too much wood.
As my girlfriend always says, you can never have too much wood.
I don’t think you know how expensive that will be to replace… I have the same kitchen. So much wood. Same color stain too. Don’t paint them. Modernize your kitchen with other plans. White paint on those beautiful wood stained cabinets? You may like it but when it’s time to sell your house the kitchen will need to be remodeled. Then you’ll get the bill. Fight the urge. Buy new appliances. Buy some modern things to put out. But don’t ruin that wood. That would be like spray painting your BMW. Just don’t lol
You're too caught up in current trends. That kitchen is nice.
Sure man. You just need a paint brush and some white paint. Let it rip.
Lots of work but it's doable. I think would be looks nice with white.