Your home is lovely! You've perfected your outdoor space and your flowers are beautiful! No matter how you decide to lighten those cabinets, I can tell by what you've already done that it will be perfect. I think your decision to start out with lighting, etc, is great. I look forward to seeing how this turns out. Trust your instincts.

These new pictures are dark. I would paint them. It is your home and you live there. I was going to suggest adding white marble or tumbled marble as a backsplash and white tumbled marble on the floor but now seeing how dark the kitchen really is.....paint them!!! You are in Manhattan. It fits with the rest of your place. The next buyer some day may want white or would gut the whole kitchen anyway. Go for it! Don't waste another minute. Paint your cabinets!

I just noticed from the new pictures that your wine rack, spices and mircrowave were hidden behind the closed door which I love. But in your new version, I would like to see the outlet hidden also. That big plug hanging down into the outlet distracts. They make outlets that go in the cabinet and also under so that it is not visable.

I would NOT repaint your cabinets - because you are only reducing the life of the cabinetry in doing so. What I would do is replace your countertops and backsplash to lighten and brighten the space to better fit your love of white.

Some kitchens with this aesthetic -




https://www.houzz.com/photos/2828-greenwich-unit-kitchen-contemporary-kitchen-san-francisco-phvw-vp~89567

I think if you "make sense" of the dark cabinetry by streamlining the things that you can change to white - will also ground the space and make it earthier.

good Luck with your project -

I think you should paint the cabinets. I'm not in love with the current colour, and clearly you aren't either. I don't think they go with the rest of your apartment - they don't match your style.

If you are brave and paint your cabinets. I think you might even like the counters and back splash.

I still think that the problem is the backsplash and the countertop and even if you paint the cupboards you still have to change those 2 items so why not start with them, replace some doors with satined glass, replace the trellised glass with satined glass and voià you will have an urban chic kitchen. I find Marie Hebson 's suggestions very cool - European, Italian

Your cabinets are great. You could change your countertop as they seems to be too similar to the backsplash. also some long Stainless steel pulls pulls instead of knobs will give it a boost

I think it is your kitchen, you have tried to live with it and its not working. You can paint the cabinets a nice off white to a creamy color. You can either hire someone to spray them out (which I would suggest) or you can do it the hard way and remove all the doors and start to paint them out yourself. Once that is done your counter tops are beautiful and high end. The backsplash is horrible. I don't know why people keep putting those in. See if you can find a tile man to remove that and try a bisque subway tile. Then the only color will be one the counter tops and it will appear neutral and inviting. Remember its your space and if you don't fix it, it will never be what you want. Take the plunge and do it :)

I would start with replacing backsplash and tops. Then see what it looks like. Better to go through that construction before painting.

Howdy, Are we still undecided????? FYI painting your cabinets is a bad idea unless you have a pro take the doors and drawers to a dust-free booth and do it properly. Then the cabinet rails and stiles will need to be done too. I had a client who insisted on this plan and so that's what we did. The Kitchen looked fresher for sure! We changed hardware, counter tops and backsplash. When it was all done she had sticker shock even though everything had been priced before she took the plunge.
She could have had a brand new Kitchen for the same cost!!!! There's a lot of labor involved with a facelift job and doing it yourself will be a mistake.
If you do decide to go for it, you'll have some options to consider which in the end will translate into a possible increase in value when the time comes to move on.
It's tough for me to see from your pictures but it looks as though you have the room to increase the utility of the penninsula. Can the stove be relocated? In most apartments in Manhattan the cooking is via electric. If so you should be able to relocate your stove easily.
If you cannot do a major reno then be sure you use a good painter. See what it might cost to take down the tall cabinet above the sink and instead, install a cabinet where your microwave and wine rack are. For fresh tile, white or cream is probably the easiest to find at a good price. If you want to have fun and splurgea little, Ann Sacks is on 58th St. between 3rd and 2nd Ave. They have some really gorgeous tile. One that I think of when I look at your pics, is a brand new tile which is actually antiqued mirror. Might be too blingy for you but would be awsome in your Kit.
Paint the uppers and leave the others as is. Install a wall paper or fresh paint on the ceiling. (Try "Cumulus" by Benny Moore). If you want to get really creative; install new counters in a light stone and run the stone around including the top of that wood cap. You can also have glass panels run from the knee walls up to the ceiling!!!! (Groovy huh?). I hope this is useful to you and I wish you luck with your beautiful new home!
*Pics attached; 1. Glass mosaic from Ann Sacks in Ecru. 2. Side view of two sided vanity/dresser with glass partition. 3. Detail of Glass partition w/two sided mirror and satin glass field.

More reinforcement to go with the decisions you've made. Do have them painted professionally! My hunch is that you won't be happy with less and it's so important to protect your investment. Someone else mentioned BM White Dove. Almost without exception, it's used on the custom, high end white kitchens that I've seen on Houzz. Kashmir White granite (in addition to others) is used (as a low maintenance substitute for marble). it's not an expensive granite. Anyway, I love your wonderful taste and can't wait to see it.

Dreambee, I just looked at your White Kitchens IdeaBk. with 51 pics! Case closed!

I think what you are not liking is the browns all seem to fight with one another- you have a lot going on in a very small space. Since you like the whites, you could easily remove the backsplash and replace it with a lighter less busy backsplash, such as some light travertine 3x3 squares. However, your kitchen is very pretty the way it is.

Try keeping the backsplash but painting the walls a bright greenish blue. It also might give it a more modern look.

In my opinion, if you don't care for something no amount of tweaking the outskirts but leaving what you dislike will change your mind. If you can afford to change out the cabinets or paint them then that is all that matters. Life is short, take the happy & satisfied route! ;-)

@Grace Reed !!!!!!!! :-)

Update:

Hi All,

I am very excited to announce that I have now hired someone to take off the backsplash and replace it for something else. That's a good step nudging me along the path of courage to go with what I like :-)
I am very excited! ... and...nervous.

Now I am picking something I like for the backsplash. This will give me a first good step (together with the additional lighting) to encourage me. And who knows...perhaps... you never know... I may even like the brown wood kitchen then. Right now that doesn't seem realistic to me but anything is always possible.

I started to really like the look of painted white exposed brick (veneers in that case) and may even add some throughout my Condo. For the kitchen I am looking at so many different options. What I really like are the glass backsplashes, I assume that is a quite pricy option to have glass custom made for the space and since I am keeping this on the low price end (otherwise I would have put in an entirely new kitchen) I am now looking at white subway tile as an option. I am nt sure yet if I want something very glossy or matt.... options options.....

Glass backsplash range from 4 to 25 dollars a square foot. Matte finish is what I would reccommend. Your not trying to make the backsplash a focal point. Use a soft pattern- not busy, you have that in the granite. Everything in your condo is soft white, so paint the cabinets and be done with it. I'll be your older brother saying its okay. You live in this place, why not have it the way you like it. I'm a contractor and to please you would be easy. The contractor will spray the door fronts at his shop and the amount of time he will spend in your place will be at a minimum.

P.S. I'm to far away- Chicago area

no dont paint it

Thats why they make vanilla and chocolate.

i haven't read all of the comments so i'm sure there's repetition.

glass fronts on the uppers with good inside lighting.

replace backsplash with glossy white tile. add under cabinet lighting.

you'll have a lighter, gorgeous kitchen wwithout spending a fortune.

@Ole Fredrickson @ Son "Everything in your condo is soft white, so paint the cabinets and be done with it. I'll be your older brother saying its okay. " !!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!! That's exactly what I need :-)))))

Dreambee, so glad my comments helped! Sometimes it helps to take small steps towards a big change. You're already doing that with the backsplash. You could get 3 quotes to paint the cabinets; it doesn't mean you have to do it. :-)

Also...it's not a look for everyone but you could start by having only the wall cabinets painted. My hunch is you'll tell them to keep going! (I see someone else suggested this too and posted pics).

Decisions decisions decisions.... TILES... after spending the weekend looking for the "right" tile I wondering weather a clear glass tile when installed is blueish or when painted on white in the back would be white? Anyone who has experience with that who could suggest something? Thank you all so so much for the great support!

If you want it blue, you need to paint it blue. If it is clear, whatever the color of the mastic or thinset that you use will affect the color. If you use white on a clear tile (no color at all) it will appear white. I have seen huge plates of glass spray painted blue and then attached to the wall. The paint does not let the glue to show. Depends on what you want and the work you want to do.

Thank you so much! I would like for them to be white or off white! Very simple yet elegant.

White dove from BM or silver lining from Pratt . Both soft whites. Paint a 8.5 x 11 sheet of any color you like and tape it to the cabinet. It will look different at differents times of the day. Keep me abreast.

The contractor needs to mud the back of the tile and NOT use a notched trowel!

H.D. had some glass tile @ 5.00 dolllars a square foot that were in in the right color palate, that when with the off white cabinets would look outstanding!!!

paint the cabinets! satin or flat. color. knobs could be worse, but they could be better too

never flat- must have a sheen to repel finger print etc smudges

This may have been mentioned before but what about selling your kitchen cabinets, etc? and getting what you want. I personally love white/cream kitchens - haven't had wood as wood for probably 20 yr and I've not got tired of the white. I haven't read thru this whole thread so maybe you've already said this isn't possible in which case, I apologize. It's still going to cost you but it would be worth it if you can afford it. And your 'old' cabinetry and countertops wouldn't be going to the landfill.

I like the cabinets but I would replace the hardware with something more substantial and modern. The long stainless handles would look nice.

This kitchen would look lovely a cream color or offwhite. It has to be sprayed in laquer of course. I have done manhattan projects and many nj with the same counterstyle. It would open up the kitchen and make it look larger. I sprayed two kitchens the exact same color and posted the pictures on my profile if you want to check out.

Your house is lovely. You like very pale creams and whites. So dark wood cabinets are throwing you off balance. Maybe paint walls a cream. You could replace granite with Carrera marble. With a soft gray and white. Glass backsplash. You could have cabinets sanded and stained white with a silver glaze. That would tie in your stainless you have now. Putting some glass on doors would lighten it up to. What is on floors? 18" ceramic tiles in white with a gray vein would help give you look you want. No peach, or rose not good in kitchen. Hang a small white crystal chandelier. For accent

I see your dilemma... I wouldn't be opposed to painting the cabinets white considering the rest of your gorgeous place. However, keep in mind that as far as trends go, white will soon be out especially as far as cabinets go. Now it's not horrible to paint them since you can always sand them down and stain them again when you are sick of it.

If you plan on being in this place for a while, do whatever catches your fancy! You like white, so do white! However, if you plan on selling in the next say 5 - 10 years I wouldn't touch them just yet... You need to know what the trends are at the time you are planning to sell to get the best bang for your buck.

Good luck!

The kitchen is nice and the cabinets are too but if it is not working for you, ayy life is short- go ahead and change it and enjoy your home. I see some of me in you! Light and bright areas spiritually make me feel happy, so I can see why after walking in the rest of the lightness of your home, why the kitchen would suddenly seem dark and enclosed. I have a feeling it might really be the enclosed area that is making it 'feel' dark.

If you must change (want a change badly) , then I would paint the wooden parts something lighter ,to match with the platform, may be whitish, cream. something like that. I am guessing that would give a sophisticated look.

So now I am curious. It's been over a year. What did you end up doing?

Yes, PLEASE, give us pictures. I am dying for an update!

Love to see what you've done. By the way, you have a beautiful home...so elegant.

paint it! it will look beautiful in a ivory or sand color...but use a pro..make sure the paint job is primed and sealed.

Post from Feb. 2013

You live in a NYC penthouse but you can't afford new kitchen??

Oh well, this is not meant in any way as an insult but Pottery Barn and C&B has sold the world on these unreal fake wood colors. Your cabinets are a lower grade wood painted to look like a cherry or whatever wood cabinet. Everybody has grown so accustomed to these stains that are so thick and non transparent that it really doesn't even matter if the doors are actually wood. You could achieve the same look on MDF with some of the darker colors.

Stain is transparent what they use is heavy gel stains or brown paint.

Problem is people are so use to that look when they see high dollar say walnut or cherry cabinets they think they look bad because they see the natural defects in the wood instead of brown paint.

The point is you do not have a super high quality solid cherry wood kitchen. If you want it painted there is no could here. Pay $2500-3k to have them painted and be happy every morning.

Paint those cabinets girlfriend! Get them a nice ivory to match the rest of your home! I actually just did this in Valspars Lambs Ear.....turned out beautiful! Then I would go for a nice mid level white granite like Delicatus White and just roll up the counter for the splash, as you seem to like it clean. Add some under cabinet lighting and you are set. Hope this helps!

Paint them. I've done it before and loved the results and I sold that house without anyone realizing I'd painted them myself. Also, I've preferred white kitchens my entire life so there must be others of us that just prefer clean looking white kitchens. Screw the trends. Love your space.

Are there some after photos we could see? Curious what you ended up doing.