I think they are nice, too, but I do think they are trendy & you may be tired of them in 5-10 years.

I put gray cabinets in my laundry room and master bathroom and blue cabinets in my kitchen, dining room, gathering room, great room and conservatory. I do not think mine will be dated or look "so 2011" because they are stained, not painted, because they are done in keeping with the colors and style of the rest of the house and because some of them contain unique additions (like blue stained cabinets with yellow/gold rope detail).

So, I think whether they will look dated is a matter of execution. If you do them in a kitchen that follows all the other "so 2011" trends, then the cabinets will look dated as part of that trend. If you do something unique or different with them, then I think they will stand alone as unique/different pieces and not look dated!

Full disclosure: I have gray cabinets...

Yes, they will look outdated in a few years. If you like them, who cares. Yes, you may tire of them in a few years as you will tire of other things that you own.

If you are painting the cabinets, you can always paint them another color, and they will look fresh and new in the hot new colors of 2010! I have yet to see painted (not glazed etc) cabinets that did not look "chipped" after 10 years of use, especially around the sink. If you get painted cabinets, budget yourself for a new paint job in a few years and you are golden.

I have seen many white thermofoil cabinets that looked perfect after 10 years.

Yes, well unfortunately our doors will be thermafoil, so painting in a few years is not so relevant, but I guess refacing the cabs can be.

I apologize if I offended any gray cab owners by sounding like a doomsday predictor. I really think they are so so beautiful but I am just trying to make the wisest long term decision. The last thing DH needs to hear in 5-10 years is that I hate the color :-)

So, have you always loved gray? Or are you liking it because everyone is? Or have you grown to love it?

I have gray island cabs with med stained Alder perimeter. This was a color combination that evolved from not even being on the radar, to just considering it, to falling in love with fond appreciation for the depth of color combination. Just like true love...

IMO, if you've made the choice to love it for your own reasons, not because you saw in a magazine, blog or forum, then you will always love it and feel comfortable in it.

Most cabinet lines only offer thermofoil in white, so check out that if you'd be using thermofoil. I'd recommend that you also check out a painted cabinet instead. Yes, they are more money, but the finish is so much better than thermofoil. Those you can repaint to your heart's content with rainbow colors at another time if you want.

We have thermofoil cabinet doors in our kitchen. Came with the house. I HATE them. In the 13 years we've been in this house they've worn terribly...and the doors under the sink are starting to disintegrate at the corners. I wish the Previous Owners had left the original doors and just painted them. The cabs in the rest of the house (bathrooms, etc) are fine. (1966 site-built mahogany plywood. Painted in some of the baths, stained in others.)

Short answer...yes, everything that is trendy today, will look dated, in 5 years.

Long answer...if you love the gray cabinets because you love the color and the style, then go for it! You'll still love them in 5 years. If you aren't sure, choose something you can paint, to update them, when you grow tired of them.

I love white and blue, with lots of plants (but not gray) so white and blue cabinets, will make me happy for many years.

Nothing against those who love gray, but I think you might be happier with the blue/gray or green/gray. Right now, the driftwood gray seems to be very popular...and no offense to those who love it...but it reminds me of the 'before' in the Wizard of Oz. I'll take the 'after' full color version, any day :)

Yes. And some people think all cabinets will look dated after a time, but that doesn't mean all lifespans are equal.
I recently visited a friend who moved into a foreclosure. I could see the kitchen from the front door. The kitchen was a nice dark cherry color. I was so impressed that she had already redone the kitchen. When I commented on her beautiful cabinets, she told me they were installed in 1994. I couldn't believe it because they are what I have seen in many new homes. I hope my kitchen looks undated after 15 years.

I always thought I wanted white(ish) cabinets with soapstone. After mulling this over for literally years, we are finally doing out kitchen in dark grey-green cabinets and white caeserstone. Go figure. I'll love it for the next ten years, then not worry about it when we sell our house.

Also--My sister's Eichler has cabinets that were gray. (Inside faces are still gray.) At some point (1970's would be my guess)someone "updated" the kitchen and refaced them in walnut-toned laminate. She has repainted the laminate in a variety of interesting tones...but wishes the OP's had just left the gray!

I'm guessing you've already seen Flatwater's gray cabs. Really nice.

There was a thread a couple of months ago on this very same question. The responses were about the same. Gray is such a hot color right now that its hard not to feel like when the current fad color changes that gray will feel dated. I don't think they would look dated, but someone up on the latest trends might look at your kitchen and know you used a 2011 color. So what? If you know you'll be happy, then do it.

I briefly considered them also as gray would be nice with my marble, but decided that since I've wanted a white kitchen for so many years that I should just stick with that.

Here is a link that might be useful: Flatwater's gray kitchen

IMO, it seems like many who are feeling that white kitchens are too common are moving over to gray as the next big thing. Nothing against either white or gray kitchens, as I like them both, but that's how it looks to me. There's nothing that won't look dated at some point-- if you want white, gray, or whatever other color, if you get it because you love it and not because you want to do what's popular, I don't see a problem.

I'm in a slightly different situation, but I think it's analogous. I've been *agonizing* about whether I should get a dark green BlueStar range. It's a huge investment and what if I got tired of it in a few years?

But the thing is, over 20 years ago I fell in love with the dark green that Williams-Sonoma had come out with for kitchen appliances etc. and decided that was what I wanted in my future "forever" kitchen. I started off with a little coffee grinder and added from there.

W-S has long since discontinued the green, but I still love all my green kitchen stuff. So I realized, I'll love the green stove too.

If you really love the grey cabinets, get them.

If you're worried about "dated" then you are more worried about someone else's opinion than your own. Don't be. That's the beauty of painted cabinetry. Any good wood cabinetry can be painted white (or grey) down the road if you feel it's necessary at the time. Everything will be dated in a few years, but if you LOVE it, you'll still be happy every time you walk in your kitchen, so datedness doesn't matter.

There's a whole rainbow of paint colors besides grey or white. A soft khaki green. A pale yellow. A soothing turquoise. A shocking lime. A bold red. A deep hunter green. A glazed mustard yellow. What's your favorite color? The one the you have 8 blouses of in your wardrobe? The one you "go to" and feel good when you put that sweater on? A custom cabinet maker can not only be less expensive than many cabinet store lines, but you have the ability to create something that works for YOU the person. Look at beaglesdoitbetter's kitchen. That's about as personal of an expression of color as there is. And it looks great! Not that she doesn't have some white cabinetry. She does. But she doesn't shy away from using color, and a bold color at that! Her whole house is charming because of that. You really ought to view the latest issue of KBB, as it has a LIME AND BRIGHT PINK kitchen in it that shouts it's happy spirit out very well. It's not your resale beige and white, that's for sure!

I think gray is a problem in a stained finish,not paint. The difficulty is what will happen to the stain once the wood underneath undergoes a darkening or ambering process naturally over time. We were called upon to paint a mid-90's gray stained maple kitchen because of this ambering that made the gray stain look very odd.
There's no reason that a nice gray paint wouldn't continue to look just fine. And if it goes out of style it can be painted another color with no regrets.
Casey

I remember a thread from a while ago about things being "dated" in general, whether people should be trendy or neutral for resale or just do what they love--everyone else be danged! Some points/questions that came up (some have already been mentioned above):

Is the color something you have always loved or been drawn to? Or are you the sort who loves purple one year, and ditches it all to get green the next?

Is this your forever house? Or do you have to consider a potential buyer's opinion in a few years? (though whatever you put in, a buyer will probably want to change it anyway!)

Do you redecorate your home often? Or do you keep the same furniture/drapes/pillows/rugs/wall paint for years and years?

Personally, I think grey is pretty much a neutral, and you can change it up with different color accessories if you get bored with it. I have seen grey with reds, purples, greens, blues, yellows, pinks, and even oranges. You could have a brand new fun AND trendy grey kitchen every year if you wanted by choosing the new hot color for your canisters/dish towels etc!

I couldn't find the kitchen I was talking about online, but I did find this:

Doesn't this feel like a happy place?

Doesn't this feel casual and sophisticated all at the same time?

Or is this more what makes your heart sing?

Or soften that look down by introducing a green into the grey?

Or maybe leaning to blue?

Could anything be more serene than a beachy turquoise?

Pull out your fan deck and delve into the wonderful world of color. Be not afraid!

I just finished painting my cabinets a beautiful silvery grey. Grey is a great neutral for those who don't care for yellow-tone, warm colors and don't like the sterility of white. Grey looks attractive with all appliances. And as mentioned above, it's always easy to follow fashion in your accessories and coordinating touches.

But, if you've always envisioned a "creamy white kitchen", then I would think twice before choosing something just because it's caught your eye recently. Go with what you know YOU will love, because you are the one who lives with it thereafter.

I actually prefer the look of white cabs but I knew that I would be forever wiping up after my kids, my DH, and myself. I went with light gray and it is much more forgiving. No regrets!

This is the gray I'm thinking about. It's Martha Stewart sharkey gray.

Gray is classic, so I consider it to be popular rather than trendy. Still, I have a hard time commiting to gray cabinets.

I fell in love with the Martha Stewart Sharkey Gray cabinets. But after comparing prices, which were very good at Home Depot,I might add, and looking at pros and cons for painted cabinets, etc. I went with a local cabinet maker, and a lighter, more dove, gray. The Marthas had more taupe in them, and I wanted to pair the gray with black appliances, black and gray Dura Ceramic floor,. and a Sanded Gray Staron solid curfacing for counters. I have never liked the coldness of granite.

My cabinets, in fact, are Thermafoil, which I had decided I would not like. But my cabinet guy took me to a house he had done n 2004 with Thermafoil, and they were BEAUTIFUL!!I am as we speak at the cabinet installation, keeping in mind also that this was a full gut kitchen remodel.

I am really pleased with these cabinets, at a MUCH lower price than paint. I will have black pulls and knobs, which I think will pop nicely...I love red, so think red kitchen accessories will look great, and will also be fun.

About gray being the in color for 2011...who knew...I just liked it. And about being tired of them? Well, that's possible with anything, right? In my case, I have lived in a kitchen in a house built in 1927 (love the house) with one functional counter for 21 years....I think in my case, it will be awhile until I am bored (:>)

If I could figure out how to do it, I would down load some before and after shots!! This remodel experience has been very positive for my husband and me. We gutted our tv room and turned it into a great laundry/sewing rooim as well, so for the entire tear out, we have had a functional sink, electric cooking gadgets and a really large surface to use. That saved us, I think. I can't imagine doing this with nothing but a bathroom sink to wash dishes!!

Bushka, I wouldn't buy the MS cabinets - I'd just use the paint color. I also chose it without knowing it was popular. I hope you figure out how to load pictures.

If you open a photobucket account, then you have to upload your photos, click on a particular photo, click on the "HTML code" to the right of the picture, and paste it into your post. HTH!