how about a greyish stain so the cabinet echoes your other choices?

TC Hudson can I see your ceiling?

I love the natural wood veneer here--I'd say, leave it as it is!

Kijiji

"white wash" it. still wood, but still matches.

Unless there would be some big downside to this approach, I would leave this wood alone until you have done all your other decorating/painting, and then see how you feel. Either it will turn out to be something you want to "hide" or minimize, so you & everybody just walks right past it without a glance, or you'll view it as a much-needed "feature" that will be a great focal point, and you'll know what kind of look/feeling you want -- elegant? Homey? Wild? Color pop?

It might also be that after you've transformed all the rest of the house, this one original feature, left untouched, unrenovated, symbolizes a charming memory of the house, with its own personality, and also how much creativity you brought to the house.

@ital mover, that's the best suggestion yet!

I would white wash it so that the wood grain shows through a little, but it gets rid of that awful orangy tone. I saved money in our remodel by buying normal birch doors and white washed them then sealed them with water based varnish. It looks like white oak and is soothingly natural yet doesn't compete with my beautiful wood floors. I also just had the finish carpenter clad a closet in birch ply and the painter will whitewash them just like my doors. This look goes great with wood floors and white glossy painted woodwork by it.

RE: Kim McBride

Here is a picture of my T&G pine ceiling with two coats semi-solid exterior stain in Ultra Pure White:

It cleans beautifully! If I wanted a painted white look I would use a solid-color stain. We finished a picket fence with that and there has been no bleed through of knots, and you can see no difference between the new and old wood used.

I think an ebony stain then oil rubbed would be stunning. It would be a stand out piece while complimenting the grey and white and you preserve the wood grain.

I think an ebony stain then oil rubbed would be stunning. It would be a stand out piece while complimenting the grey and white and you preserve the wood grain.

TC: what is the manufacturer of the semi-solid exterior stain in Ultra Pure White?

Kim~I'll let the many comments favoring the beauty of natural wood speak in behalf of my perspective, and I do appreciate that you are carefully considering your options. As for those in favor of whitewashing: please join Huck Finn out in the yard whitewashing the fence and not the cabinets inside the house. And Kim, instead of painting the cabinets, I am looking at the photo of your kitchen you submitted a couple of days after your initial request for advice. Your comment suggests you are not exactly overjoyed with the current arrangement. Is that a laundry closet with bi-fold doors I see smack dab in the middle of your kitchen? If so, I do sympathize. Do we have an alternative location for a laundry? Even if it is just a pantry of sorts, I would suggest eliminating it in favor of an island with associated serving bar seating. Such an island, whether straight, curved, or L-shaped, would not only provide you with useful work space and an airy ambiance it would change the fundamental character of the entire space. By the way, I trust the maroon is history

Thank you! Pantry is behind thise doors and comin' down as soon as I get to this room. Maroon and beige (or as I call them Ketchup and Mustard) is on its way out as we speak!

RE: Gusto

I don't have a can to look at, but I purchased it at Home Depot. They mixed the color, and I believe there is only one brand they sell with the color mix-in options. Hope that helps!

That is an excellent interpretation of a Shaker built-in. Much of the original Shaker furniture was pine, so this is definitely in keeping with that tradition. If you dislike, the pine, milk paint would change that without taking away the Shaker-inspired design of this piece (red of course). Those knobs are integral to the Shaker look.

One more thing, those are not "oak-like" cabinets. They are oak cabinets.

lin915: I wasn't bashing anyone. I was answering the previous question.

This house has been a rental for over 21 years and hasn't been painted in all that time. No one has shown this house any love for quite a bit of time. If you look back at styled from the late 90's, these colors are what they used as a departure from the white walls and orange carpets of the 70's and 80's.

I specifically asked ONLY about the built in. I did not ask for ANYONES advice on wall colors, nor did I disparage anyone else's color choices. I called the current colors Ketchup and Mustard because they have faded in some places and become brighter in others. They honestly match ketchup and mustard.

The only reason I even mentioned what I was looking to do was because I figured any USEFUL advice-givers would need to be informed of the overall palette before lending a hand with advice.

When did I ever swear on here? Do you consider condiments swear-words? Or was it the word gray?

Lin915: I am sorry you are mad at someone or something, but please take your anger elsewhere. I am simply trying to make the first home I have owned since being homeless with 3 kids into a place my kids can be proud of and call HOME.

If you don't like my choices, please don't paint your house those colors. Use a different color. I promise I won't judge you as harshly as you have judged me, even if you use a color I hate.

It's pine..the cheapest wood out there..don't be afraid to paint. Prime twice over the knots or they will show

Howdy Kim~I am so sorry to learn that someone disrespected you. It appears Houzz appropriately deleted the offensive comments. I want to apologize for wandering off topic by smearing the 'Ketchup,' and hope I did not give any encouragement to inappropriate comments. You are to be commended for your initiative and should you happen to prefer 'Mayonnaise' you certainly have my support.

Paint it glossy white! It will look great and feel like a new room.

I'd stain the drawer fronts color of flr and then paint the rest either the white or gray. I love the combination of stain and wood.

I think it is always good idea to have consistent design. I personally wouldn't like to have knotted pine even if someone else wouldn't see it. With location, it would make sense for it to not stand out. So paint it same color as walls. Just use more glossy finish and crystal knobs. If you wall color very light gray, go with white on cabinets. Good luck! Also don't let people gilt you in any decisions. This is not national treasure we are talking about, just closet in your bedroom:)))

Hello, first congradulation on your new house! I know you have received lots of comments but I have a question....What style are you going for? It seem to me that by answering that question will help in making a better decision concerning your built in. Choose a style you like and let your creativity lead you. Look un country chic, modern, contemporary, or minimalist as they are the trends right now and you can easily find inspiration. One thing I know about new houses is that sometimes (at least for some month to a year) it is better just to paint walls and ceiling and in your case remodel the kitchen but leave as is for sometime thoses little details and deco stuff. I had a table that I didn't like much and everytime I passed in front I would look briefly at it. One morning I woke up and found my inspiration. I've had it for more than a decade and I'm still in love with it. So maybe you feel it's anoying not to know what to do with it right now but to take the time will certainly help you to enjoy it more for many years to come. Meanwhile you can do to minor changes. Take a couple of drawers out (you can always put them back) and replace them with nice basquets, change the door handels, put wallpaper on plain surfaces or just hang a frame (don't put nails or screws. Use a hook like those you put on top of a door and hang your frame from it). Since these changes are not permanent, you can easily reverse them if you change your mind. Relax and enjoy your new home.

I personally love the look of knots in the wood. Since everything else will be white or grey, the natural wood color could add a fun/different design element.

I think this is one of those cases where the majority (by roughly 3 to 1) are WRONG. If you paint it white (or any other color) you never get that nice wood back again. It looks like good quality classic and somewhat timeless design on the drawers and knobs.

Give #1 a shot. If you don't like it definitely #2.

I will never understand all the painted wood hate. It's not like you're suggesting painting the woodwork in a heavily carved 19th century lumber baron's historic home or even a Frank Lloyd Wright designed home. It's a non-historic 1980s house that you want to make into a home.

Here's the thing. You need to do to that built-in anything that is going to make you smile when you look at it. And since it is right next to your closet, you're going to be looking at it every single day, so make it special for you.

For me, painting the cabinet and using glass knobs would make my heart sing, because I love the elegance of glass knobs. They make me happy, but that's me. In fact, that's exactly what I did in my home.

What you need is to sit down, close your eyes, and imagine the perfect built-in that makes you smile. Then you will know what you want to do, because your heart will tell you it's right.

Don't let anyone dissuade you from making your home a place you love.

I would paint it white and add crystal knobs.

buy vintage glass knobs and leave it the way it is. You can tell people it's a 'family treasure'.

Paint it white !

Paint it white to brighten your entry to your closet and with the addition of fun glass knobs that put a smile on your face. If the cabinet is that close to your door then be careful on your knob choice, you don't want your clothes catching on them.

I would paint it black. it's a dark hallway that will never be bright, so might as well go dramatic.

If you are going to paint it you will need to do a shellac based primer under latex or it will be "naughty" in a short while.

Since it's a piece of furniture--not a trim or a wall, I would try a white wash stain and replace your knobs with a warm tone metal finish. Let these be like jewelry that adds the finishing touch to your outfit.

In addition, if you don't have a full length mirror, the opposite wall to the cabinet is a good place for one--find it, or custom-order with a wide frame and stain it with the same white wash.

We stained our oak builder grade cabinets espresso and added a light stone back splash. It brought the kitchen out of the 80s. The pine closet built in although it is good quality,the color, in my opinion, would have to go. I would update the knobs to more modern knobs and sand/ stain the piece allowing the wood to be appreciated but not the orange/gold. I would probably go a shade or two lighter than your new floors and build closet system from stained wood to match. I'm thinking a gray wash stain.

Paint it whatever color you like, change the hardware and put glass front doors on it.

I've pretty much read all the comments......I hate to be the one to say it, but I think ya gotta move. So sorry.

Just kidding! Good luck, whatever you do. There is NO possibility that this closet-dresser thing is going to affect your life one way or the other. I hope your family is very happy in your new home.

I like the stain idea. Use a grey color that way it blends in with your walls but adds that nice wood accent.

I would leave the wood and use a sheer stain or sheer glaze (grey/white?) or match the floors as another Houzzer commented) I would take off the knobs, putty, sand, stain and make a half moon notch at the top of each drawer for the pulls and change knobs on doors to a transitional style low-profile hardware. Might look sleeker and look a bit more utilitarian and sleek. Thanks for sharing and good luck at your new place.

When I moved into my current house, the family room had built-in cabinets with a similar color wood. I sanded and stained the cabinets a dark wood (mixed walnut and black stain) and then added an epoxy for shine and durability. They look great. You can always paint over stained wood in the future, but it's a ton of work to go the other way.

stain the color of floor, this is quality pine and craftsmanship, and extremely useful,

THE BIG CHANGE is ceiling lighting from the top. then yes stain to match floor. raise the ceiling and recess lighting or a darling chandelier or both for both sides of this storage space. Changing the knobs...mmmm, yes, I'd change but keep it single hole pull.

Try to match the rest of the decor and put in lighting in the ceiling to make it a focal/accent point.

Paint it white, put new hardware on the drawers n call it a day! It will look good n match the new style of your room. Good luck. :)

if your walls are gray and trim is white, i'd accent the cabinet to a shade darker than the walls. knobs are easily changed out to what your tastes are. good luck and enjoy the process!

I'm in a older 70's ranch farm home. The cabinets are all site built and quite well I'll add. A little hardware upgrade and they work great, however, they've been painted over a couple times, the last being very poorly. All the wood is poplar, the original trim, doors, everything was about the same color as your dresser. I know this because even though,at some point an earlier owner thought to take the laundry cabinet doors off was somehow a good idea. So, I have a great buddy who makes almost all our custom entry doors, and as well makes cabinet doors. His doors are sold to many contractors who do a site built in, but don't make their own doors. The guy can literally make almost anything, so part of my point is, he is making the laundry doors to match original, wood, grain color and all. With the paint colors I am using, it's a light ten/brown trim color, then a large portion of the walls are mushroom, then a portion of kitchen and dining is similar to your red, maybe a shade slightly darker. Also, keep in mind, the original oak strip flooring has been redone after carpet removed, but they left it rather dark, the kitchen, laundry are is getting a wood strip slightly lighter than the old oak, but darker than the cabinet wood. with the variety of colors, I am prepping the cabinet bases to be painted one shade lighter than the mushroom walls, which is almost 3 shades darker then the trim, then I'll be refinishing the doors all back to their natural shade of wood. Doors only, in kitchen and laundry. It helps keep a bit of the wood variation going, without the entire home being wood as it was originally. Te wood color is hard to describe, but it's a kinda med to light cedar color almost.
I think the drawers and doors on yours could stay wood, then choose a color from another area of your home, maybe one in an adjacent room, and paint the base parts. I'd likely use no more gloss than satin, and if you can't spray them, use a "floetrol" product mixed in your paint, with a good brush and cabinet roller, the cloth kind. They will smooth out as drying and look at least almost as if sprayed professionally.

https://www.google.com/search?q=flotrol&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#q=floetrol+paint+additive

That's my 2 cents, maybe it will be worth a nickel when I'm gone.

had missed the fact your floors are deep dark stain. no I would not do that to this built in. yes, the orange I would change. ...I thought you had light blonde flooring. so pale gray facing and white drawers yes lovely. and still, the ceiling lighted is key on both side. I would also totally put double half mirrored doors to divide the space.

I have a house built in 1986. I am the original owner/ occupant. It needs updates, as does yours. However, trends change quickly! You've just purchased the house, and I assume you plan to live there a while. Houses "live" differently. They have a feel you only begin to sense after you've been there a while. I'm facing some similar decisions myself. 5 years from now, "trends" will be different. This is "yours", and, from what you've said, it sounds like it's your first. You will most likely live there a longer time than you anticipate. My thoughts? Go for something Classic, and not trendy. Pretty hard to predict what will be "in" just a few years down the line. And, you won't have the money to redo , every time trends change. What "feels" like you and your family? Certainly, rework things for functionality! I hate my kitchen layout, as well as my master bathroom. I'm willing to rework those for "flow" & storage. Plus, I Do want to open up closed in spaces. I need about $30, 000 to redo what I want to redo. I don't have that right now, but who knows what will be "in" when I Do have that? I guess what I'm saying here is to go for something that you'll be able to "live" with for a long time! That's financial reality! My best wishes to you!

I agree with the ones who said to paint the walls and trims and then decide on whether you want to leave it or change it. Good luck!