Should I paint my kitchen cabinets white?

11 years ago

I love my little apartment, don't get me wrong! I've decided to renew my lease but if I'm staying here at least another year I feel like it just needs some updating. What's bugged me since day one is that the kitchen cabinets don't match the [original!] hardwood floors. I think that painting the cabinets white and adding some hardware would be a big improvement. I also want to update the yucky backsplash - I've heard good things about those peel and stick backsplashes! So what do you think? The only furniture in the kitchen is my table and chairs which are black and glass so I don't have much of a color scheme going on. The adjacent living room is the same light blue and the adjacent bathroom is a dark gray. I've thought about hanging curtains nice and high but I'm worried that my cats will destroy them; they've got a track record haha. Thank you!

-Jess

Featured Answer

visualizemaven

11 years ago

Yes, talk to your landlord. Sometimes they are thrilled to have a tenant do the work if it is done right. I think our idea to paint the cabinets linen white is a great one - with the light blue walls and original wood floors it will look awesome. Brushed nickle knobs can be picked up in contractor packs - the jewelry. Try and convince your landlord that he/she should invest in a new back splash tile! You can pick up 12x12 sheets of glass/stone mosaics in rectangles shape at big box stores like Home Depot and Lowe's for great prices. Select one that has the icy blue, maybe gray or tan, & white in it - that will pull everything together and make the kitchen pop!

The mirror over your table may be hung a bit high and looks a bit lonely. Try lowering it 6 inches or so and add interest to that wall by adding an assortment of B&W photos or introduce an assortment of small paintings with color: light blue, oranges, reds, etc. to pull the space together.

From what I can see, the shades you have add texture and contrast and seem to work so no drapes necessary especially because of your cats history!

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Comments (7)

fcs
11 years ago
Will your landlord allow you to paint the cabinets?
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missjessicalynn
Original Author
11 years ago
Yes, my landlord will allow me to do pretty much whatever I want! He had no trouble with me taking the bathroom from a dingy yellow to a super dark gray. The location I'm in is nice but isn't exactly known for high-end apartments, so I doubt they'll be into investing in a new back splash. Also, they totally redid the place before I moved in so they probably would've done a new back splash if they thought it was worth investing in. I don't really mind spending my own dollars, though.

I will definitely lower the mirror. With me being only 4'10", everything is high up so I can never really tell, ha!
visualizemaven
11 years ago
hahahah - I'm 5 foot!

ok - even tho you don't mind spending your money - it's worth asking the landlord to reimburse you for the costs of materials and installation if you don't do it yourself. Don't assume they would have done a more stylish back splash tile - some people assume it is too expensive when really it is just a few dollars more and well worth it. Also, some people just don't have the vision! :)

Wow! you went with a super dark gray in your bathroom! That tells me you have guts and an eye- good on you. Trust your instincts then!
missjessicalynn
Original Author
11 years ago
You're totally right, I will ask my landlord about it.

Thank you! Bathroom still isn't finished but it was the worsstt yellow before haha.
PRO
Stewart Remodel-Design-Build
11 years ago
I think white cabinets with a nice glass tile backsplash will really make the kitchen pop off the floors, walls and appliances.
PRO
Sound Painting Solutions, LLC
11 years ago
I would paint them BM White Dove OC-17.

Good luck:)