As Aja said, "Yes, of course!"

There is no problem changing cabinets and keeping the countertop.

My suggestion is to try and sell the entire kitchen with counters and then pick a granite that is your choice. You may want to reconfigure stuff and keeping the tops are going to force you to repeat the identical layout. So I would either A) pay someone to paint/refurbish the existing cabinets or B) go for an entirely new kitchen.

everything I've read says it's VERY easy for the granite to chip and/or crack if they try to remove it. So I would just try to change the doors and have the boxes of the cabinets refinished or painted in some way. That would save you a lot of money and headache.

What is the visual advantage to changing kitchen cabinet doors? No, really, I'm serious. They will still look like cheap cabinets, right? Or not right?

I'm not suggesting you go dark with the cabinets, but here is a before & after you may want to look at. The poster changed doors and used rustoleum cabinet transformations to change color. She also changed countertop - but I think the impact was really in the cabinet change.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/this-old-kitchen-now-updated-dsvw-vd~442671

I was at a client's home recently when their contractor was there and we were talking about this very thing. After a kitchen fire that was seemingly caused by a 6 month old Miele dishwasher, they will be replacing all their cabinets but wanted to keep their granite countertops if possible. The contractor said that because of the seams in the granite, there was no way it was salvageable. We might have been able to reuse a part of it in a bathroom if any of the nonseamed pieces was big enough. But alas, that was not the case.

@8dognight, I have the OP's exact same cabinets in my current kitchen. That hated honey oak with that dated arch thingey. I think if stained or painted the box and changed the door to a different style - shaker, modern, traditional, it would look SO much better. I don't think she even needs to go far with the color, just changing out the door from that dated arch style which screams 80's will make a huge difference. But since there's probably some wear and tear, she'll need to do a bit of sanding and staining or painting (depending on her preference) just to make it look nice and fresh.

@8dognight. Gee, no one here even mentioned cheap cabinets. I believe most people who replace kitchen cabinet doors do so because the cabinet boxes are still in good shape (i.e., not cheap cabinets) but they want to do away with the particular door style or stain/color.

I wasn't implying anyone but me said the cabinets are cheap. They are cheap. Several drawers are difficult and some doors don't close well. I like cheap and attractive just fine; cheap and unattractive...that's another story.

@8dog - could you elaborate a bit on what it is that you don't like about the cabinets? I know that isn't always an easy question! Is it the color or is it that they just feel dated to you?

Something else that might help is for you to look thru kitchens photos here and add some to your ideabooks that you like. You'll probably start seeing a trend in what appeals to you.

You mentioned early on replacing cabinets. Was there something particular you had in mind?

I think hazeldazel nailed it best - if the color and style changed, your kitchen would look a LOT different. If your cabinets are in good shape that can be done with doors. If they're not in good shape or if you want a different wood grain, those would need a different approach.

OH - and if possible if you do new doors, it would be the time to do hidden cup hinges. It sounds like entirely new drawers and/or drawer glides are in order too. Also think about any aftermarket pullouts you may want to install.

My thought was to have cabinets that are a less jolting color and have better cabinets at the same time. I've looked at lots of photos. Three years ago, I changed the hardware on the cabinets to something that matched the new appliances I put in. At that time, I didn't change the granite as a matter of principle because it is sturdy, serviceable, in good shape, and the inclusions are pleasant to look at from above while chopping vegetables and doing various other kitchen tasks.

However, I don't enjoy the granite quite as much as I did when I had it installed 11 or 12 years ago so I am thinking of changing the whole kitchen. Changing the color of the cabinets, the doors, and removing the scrolled piece across the sink might be enough.

I like the cabinets and they do not look "cheap".

They blend beautifully with the granite.

Why do you want to change them?

Also, I asked about changing cabinets because I have read that oak is tricky to paint and I don't want to paint darker colors which many of the successful paint jobs seem to do. Is oak tricky to have painted?

I am definitely leaning toward new cabinets and also to not inquiring about other questions I have on Houzz. Too bad, I had some good ones and could use the input.

Aja Mazin, I wouldn't be on Houzz if I weren't tired of the way my house looks. Few people would.

My kitchen is 15 years old........................Its better than what s available these days so have changed floor tiles added new work tops and my kitchen looks great lol

@8dog - re: painting oak - I've read that oak is tricky as well. Regardless, if I were to paint, I'd have a pro do it. I know there are grain sealers available now so you don't see the grain after the oak is painted. Personally, I've always liked the look of painted oak and like the painted grain but YMMV.

Re: asking other questions - please don't give up. I'm hoping that the positive and helpful responses you get will outweigh the others.

@8dognight. Oh, sorry, my bad. In that situation it would seem you'd want new cabinets (or new cabinet doors) since by self-definition your cabinet boxes and drawers are cheap and/or cheaply made. (I say this only because they are not performing up to standards.) So this is where your dichotomy comes into play: cheap and attractive or cheap and not attractive. If you want to keep the current layout and retain the granite countertops, your first assignment should you choose to agree with the narrative to this point will be to find unpainted cabinet doors in a style you like (and probably not cathedral or arched since they are dated) which then can be painted or stained by a professional, with an outcome you can expect will look like a million bucks. Compared to purchasing new cabinets these doors will be "cheap" although after a craftsperson has finished with them, one would not call them "cheap-looking." They will be cheap and attractive, which certainly should have you very pleased. If however you choose to personally paint or stain the unfinished cabinet doors, I must be honest because unless you're a pro there's a good chance the outcome will instead be "cheap and unattractive", a whole other story, as you say, and one colored by disappointment.

If you get a good cabinet person you can get new doors in the style you like and the cabinet maker can add a thin piece of wood skin, in the same kind of wood as the doors, to the boxes and stain all of it and it will look brand new. I am a designer and have done this many times. You cannot remove the lower cabinets without cracking the granite. Get a stone tile for the backsplash in the light color in your granite and have it installed in a brick pattern

Don't paint oak. You will never get rid of the grain. If you keep the boxes you can have new drawers and the new doors will come with new invisible hinges

hbmiller, have you seen painted oak where grain filler has been used before painting? I've never used it personally so I'm curious. Does the grain filler not work?

@hbmiller. As soon as I moved into my present residence I decided to paint the oak cabinets in my master bath. I was not afraid to use oil based paint and followed religiously every thing the Benjamin Moore paint employee told me to go along with the products he had suggested I use. This was 10-12 years ago, and he was certainly right. They are holding up wonderfully and I have to assume that it was because of the oil-based primer that there was never any visible grain and still isn't. Every once in a while I get the silly notion to paint my oak kitchen cabinets. Then I remind myself I am no spring-chicken and our kitchen is very large. Right now there are no funds for a professional but I'm saving my pennies. I actually like the honey oak cabinets and the wall color I painted when we moved in. Just that boredom sets in and painting has always been my way to fend it off...in the past. Your point about new drawers, new doors and adding European invisible hinges is an excellent one.

Good decision tree, Madeline. Thanks. I won't be painting anything myself. A good painter with experience doing various decorative techniques will be doing the painting. Where do I look for just doors and drawers?

Hbmiller, if I don't paint the oak, then am I stuck with this color stain? Won't a lighter stain just be more of the same? A darker stain would break up the room even more.

8dog, there are a variety of places on the web. The ones purchased by the poster in the link I provided earlier came from rawdoors.com

I think you can purchase doors and drawer fronts from Scherrs as well.

http://www.scherrs.com/

BTW - if you decide you want to opt for a lighter painted cabinet, I think you can get doors in a wood with a much less prominent grain pattern.

Are there any painting techniques that take advantage of the grain?

Have just seen a new discussion which might be relevent Blotchy cabinet redo............check it out

The way to do this inexpensively is to replace the doors and drawer faces. Painting the cabinets will be a challenge, and stripping them would take some elbow grease. Properly prepared, you could paint or stain the boxes, just take a door to a local paint shop and tell them what you are doing to ask for some guidance. If you do decide to replace the cabinets, you can almost be sure to kiss the granite goodbye in the process. It's pretty straight forward to replace hinges as has been suggested here, but the drawer guides are a bit more trouble.

Re: painting techniques - here's the projects page of a cabinet finisher and faux painter on Houzz (I don't know this person, this was just one of the items that fit my search criteria). She gives notes with each photo of the changes she made. It looks like she uses glazes and adds trim detail as well to change a look.
http://www.houzz.com/projects/31981/CCFF-Kitchen-Cabinet-Finishes

I'd search the photo section of kitchens with a filter of "painted cabinets" and see what catches your eye. Hopefully any pro finisher you interview will give you suggestions and provide samples of what various techniques will look like.

KEEP THE COUNTERS BC THEY ARE NICE N GET N NEW DOORS. NO NEED TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE CABINET. YOU WILL SAVE MONEY THAT WAY N U CAN GET A NICE BACKSPLASH.

If you are going to refinish the existing cabinets I would do the darker and a low sheen finish. I always use a cabinet builder to order and install new doors and new drawers with self closing slides. Then he skims the outsides of the boxes with a veneer of the same type of wood.

If the cabinets themselves - not just the doors - are in bad shape, you could TRY having the countertops removed and reinstalled. If you would go with EXACTLY the same layout with new cabinets, you could possibly have the cabinets removed with the counters intact and then moved to the new cabinets. It's a dicey situation though, and you would have to be prepared to replace it. I would have a granite countertop fabricator come in and take a look.

If you opt to go with new doors and drawers, there are many companies out there that do this. I think this company, in particular has beautiful replacement doors and drawers, and is a good site for inspiration, if nothing else. http://www.caronind.com/en/style.php If you go with a vefy simple style, it might actually be less expensive to see if you can find a carpenter to make the new pieces. It would be worth investigating.

Painting cabinetry is a daunting task, although it is certainly doable. There are very good DIY products out there (Benjamin Moore Cabinet Coat is one). I wouldn't necessarily be worried about the woodgrain showing through, but if you use a good oil based paint or an acrylic, they are self-leveling and will tend to mask most of it. Ask at a good paint shop regarding a painter if you decide to hire someone. You certainly want someone who will take the time to do it correctly. I think it was Madeleine who said she had painted cabinets that had lasted so well, and they will if prepped and finished well!

I think you will have to get very careful pricing on this, whichever way you choose to go. While cabinets are expensive, so is labor to do all that you want. You could always sell your cabinets, and certainly your granite, if you decide to go new. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

I'm leaning toward new doors and drawers as cheaper and less likely to chip, also toward putting a veneer on the cabinets and island.

Thanks for the helpful remarks from almost everyone who responded. The contractor will be taking out the tile floor. We'll put wood in the kitchen and refinish the floors in the house. They need it. I can then use a rug in the kitchen area for water bowls and move the island counter if I feel like it.

My idea of cleaning up is putting pots and pans where they can't be seen in no particular order so visible storage isn't an option.

1) Do those lovely drawers that pull out easily and close on their own take up too much space in a storage challenged kitchen? 2) I'm wondering how to keep the microwave from looking like it is about to crash down on top of the stove. The wall space between those two appliances creates that impression for me.

Hi 8dognight: Yes, on your style cabinet pull-outs will be smaller than the stationary shelf because they can, of course, only be the width of the opening. Since you are replacing your doors, you might ask your contractor if he could cut down the stiles on a couple of your cabinets, replace the exterior mount hinges with European hinges (these are completely internal and attach to the inside of the door and the side of the cabinet) and then order wider doors. This way, you could have a full-width pull out. So that it would look right, this would be best done where you have only a door (no drawer), e.g. the cabinet to the left of your range (otherwise the door and drawer would be different widths).

As for your microwave, it does look low to me. Here is an idea for a fix: see if the contractor could move the cabinet above the MW up so that the bottom of the MW would line up with the bottom of the wall cabinets. This would also give you a little articulation and interest at the top of the cabinets. HOWEVER, you would have to check the height on this to make sure that you could easily reach whatever is in the microwave because it could be a safety hazard. Another idea would be to possibly mount your MW elsewhere (even underneath the counter) and install just a recirculating fan above the range. I think that it is possibly the curved design of the MW itself which is making it feel that way.

Another thought if you like the granite tops is to save the island granite and then replace the perimeter countertops with something that blends with it as well as a backsplash that works with it all. (For example It could be a wood countertop and subway tile B/S. As far as the MW from what I've read and according to most people with whom I've talked MW above the range do not successfully do the job they are supposed to do which is to clear the air. I believe it got started as a builders convenience way back when. I would locate the MW somewhere else and install a true venting hood above the range. It could be a focal point as people often do make them one and it will rid your kitchen of unwanted smoke, odors and grease. As to the question of installing drawers: rollout drawers INSIDE a cabinet take up useful space and are a pain to use. A true bank of drawers will cost you extra but will be worth every last penny. I had such drawers installed under a Gaggenau cooktop back in the 80s (yes those 80s, some people did have taste in the 80s but then as now more often than not taste equalled a big roll of cash) for my pots and pans and in a kitchen of many wonderful things I thanked my way cool designer many times over for that truly great idea.

IMO Kathryn Peltier above has given you some great advice. The things she mentions about the microwave are exactly a few of the reasons I don't like the OTR microwave. I completely agree with moving it.

I could see quite a few options. If you wanted to change the configuration of your island and put in a MW drawer, now would certainly be the time to do it. Or, convert one of the lower shelves of an upper cabinet and place the MW there (see pic below). As a last resort, how much use does it really get? If it isn't an essential part of your cooking suite, can it go on a shelf in your laundry room?

I also like the idea of pullouts. I think you're going to get the best possible use of your existing cabinets this way. Regarding Madeline's idea of installing drawer banks - that's a nice thought - but it's a completely different cabinet. Which takes you back to a complete tear out to replace cabinet boxes.

Most granite countertops are built on subtops and often it is possible to keep them and remove the cabinets altogether without taking the granite out and putting it back. Remediation contractors do this all the time.

Also, if your seams are made properly, taking granite out intact may be possible - this also depends on the depth of the granite itself. 3 cm lends itself more to this than some other more common depths. No granite contractor will guarantee whether it can be done or not, but they can tell you what the odds are for a consultation fee.

A remediation contractor would charge you just to build the framework to hold up the granite and demo the cabinet and install new cabinets. They are very good at this - worth having them come in and look and price that solution for you so you can get all new cabinets with the bells and whistles you want. You can probably call your insurance company and get some local references for people who specialize in this type of work.

Refacing / replacing doors and drawers is another good option, though doors and drawers in the common refacers stable are not high end products.

Pull-outs it is.

I like true venting hoods; they look good and improve air quality when cooking anything smelly like artichokes (How can something that tastes that good smell so awful when cooking?). I am not at all sure that a vent can be added, however. I will investigate.

I will be shocked if there is anything as sensible as a subtop on the cabinets and under the granite.

Is the range on an outside wall (I see a door off to the right)? If so, you should be able to vent it without to much ado!

That door goes into the garage.

Well, that should be easy enough to actually vent the range, then.

8dognight-Here is the low down on replacing the cabinets while trying to salvage current granite counters.

First off, when it comes to removal of granite countertops you will always run the risk of breakage depending on material. Meet with your local fabricator and get pricing on replacement granite incase breakage does occur. This way you won’t be caught off guard and you have a back-up plan.

In order to utilize the existing countertops, you will need to keep the same footprint for the cabinets. Make sure you cabinet provider is aware of your intentions of using pre-existing tops. If everything goes smoothly you should be able to use the existing tops while replacing the cabinets.

If all else fails you can easily re-face cabinets, add veneer to island, update hardware, and fix any draw problems for an inexpensive but dramatic change. Hope this helps!

This is the pull-out suggestion I'm taking. It's from Kathryn. "[A]sk your contractor if he could cut down the stiles on a couple of your cabinets, replace the exterior mount hinges with European hinges (these are completely internal and attach to the inside of the door and the side of the cabinet) and then order wider doors. This way, you could have a full-width pull out. So that it would look right, this would be best done where you have only a door (no drawer), e.g. the cabinet to the left of your range (otherwise the door and drawer would be different widths)."

Keep in mind that many kitchens use more than one counter top material, so if it suits your design scheme, don’t be afraid to mix and match.To know more go to http://www.forevermarble.com

If the existing cabinets work for you and you have been in your home a long time, then reface the fronts and don't take the granite off. In my experience, you are asking for trouble if you want take the counter tops off and reuse them there is lots to consider, labor cost to remove, storage while waiting, chipped counters, cracked cabinets, etc. Very risky. If you want to improve the layout, then use pieces of the granite for a small island or table. Toss the rest. Changing out the cabinets gives you an opportunity to improve the function of the cabinets, update the look AND

Old post.

Honestly, I just encountered this thread and this is way too dragged out lady. You either have the money to get new cabinets or you don't. If you don't, contact a kitchen refinisher since you obviously have heard countless times that oak is difficult to paint. As for doors, there are companies online that sell cabinet doors. With your counter and your tile floor, a darker color will look better. Don't go too dark, but definitely move away from this bleached 80's look. The rest is all in the staging and removing that lamp from the top of your refrigerator would help.

I am curious what you ended up doing? I realize this post is quite old at this point. I do agree that the granite is really nice. One possibility, if you are still deciding, would be to do a two-tone kitchen - i.e. replace the top cabinets with a new color or wood finish, keep the base cabinets with the granite but either paint it or change the doors to update it. The top and base cabinets don't have to match anymore - there are a lot of modern designs that mix it up. For example, you could go black or dark wood stain for the base cabinets, and white or grey for the top. Also update the cabinet hardware and lighting fixture at the same time - that could look quite nice.

I have the exact same cabinets, and I'm not happy with them at all! Our house was built in 1992 and they are original cabinets. I would love to get new cabinets soon! I've always wanted off white cabinets. We did upgrade our counter tops to granite several years ago and I do like the counters. My concern was whether or not we would be able to salvage the counters as it would save us a great deal of money since we also are in need of getting a new refrigerator and stove as well not to mention a new floor. After reading some of these comments it seems that some people are saying the counters could possibly crack and some contractors might not even attempt this project at all. So, I'm now thinking maybe we could buy new upper cabinets and keep the base of the old cabinets on the bottom , paint the base of the lower cabinets to match the upper and just buy the drawer fronts and cabinets doors for the bottom. This would save us a considerable amount of money in not having to buy new counters and base cabinets for the bottom. We are not necessarily planning to create a new layout in the kitchen so I think this would be a great option. Someone mentioned the arch design on these cabinets as being a dated look. If she were to have these cabinets painted and perhaps changed the hardware it would make a huge difference. Arched cabinets are still on the market, I've seen them in many places, its a traditional design, as opposed to contemporary. I believe whats really making them look dated is the color of the wood more than the design itself. Remember, if you go overboard with your remodel, in just 10-15 short years from now you will stand back, look at your kitchen and already start feeling like it's getting old again, because styles keep changing and new trends keep coming out. You can never keep up and who can keep remodeling their kitchen every 15 years! Traditional is just that its traditional, meaning its classic. Sometimes all you need is paint and or changing hardware, maybe new paint on the walls or backsplash....

Regarding breaking granite seams glued together, you may be able to cut them apart as I did. I used the thinnest blade I could find: a thin hacksaw blade with a hacksaw where the blade projects beyond the saw. It was easier and faster than you might think (you're only sawing through resin after all). It relies on having enough working space of course.