I agree with richfield. I would change tile backsplash and perhaps the countertops.

Sin

Great idea. Take one of the most beautiful woods and slap a coat of gray paint on it as though it were cheap MDF, which is exactly what it will look like.

The cabinets will always be classic, just as they are. Nothing at all dated about them, now or ten years from now.

Grey backsplashes, on the other hand...

Do not paint them. Have the island painted and change the hardware on your existing perimeter cabinets. They are beautiful

Agree why would you take quality real cherry cabinets and paint them? Its everything around them that is outdated not the cabinet material.

Agree! I'm all for painting cheap, ugly wood cabinets, but yours are beautiful. I am noticing more stories lately featuring beautiful kitchens with wood cabinets. The tide may be changing!

Agree with the others. Nice classic cabinets will look great with a fresher countertop and backsplash. You could also replace some of door panels with glass, if you have some pretty china and glass (and install inexpensive puck lights inside)

You could have the cabinet doors rehung with knife hinges for a more permanent look

Interesting idea, never considered that, but I like it!

Don’t paint them they’re beautiful. I can understand you wanting to update your kitchen and getting a new countertop and backsplash will definitely help with that. However. I’m not sure gray is the way to go. Stick with the warm tones that will compliment your cabinets.

Thanks all for your comments. We did have one small cabinet in our family room professional painted to match the rest of the woodwork and it did not turn out like cheap mdf.... We are considering painting because the kitchen gets very dark during the fall, winter and spring. Sometimes its just downright dreary, even with 9 can lights and under cabinet lighting. I hope jenniecollins is right and the tide is turning!

I have light countertops, light backsplash, large white farm sink and light wall paint in my wood kitchen and it is quite light.

Warm wood cabinets and cool grays do not bring out the best in each other - it can be a rather drab combo. If you love the gray / white look (which is trending out in some areas) then you will need to paint the cabinets. The problem with painted over finished cabinets is not how they look when done, it is how they hold up under kitchen wear and tear in the long run. I have heard both positive and negative experiences.

You can try a very light gray or a white wall paint with a gray undertone. I've seen some pics of Maritime White that look light gray, but haven't seen it in person. The darkish gray wall color is not helping. A simple light tone subway tile backsplash (or similar light backsplash will give your kitchen a nice refresh for not much money. I would say cream for the backsplash - but maybe very light gray if you want to stick with gray walls - just be careful your new counter / backsplash combo does not read "cool" or it will clash with your warm cabinets.

Right now, your cabinets and floors have a timeless appeal.

We had the same dilemma and ended up keeping the cherry and going with a white Quartz counter, glass subway backsplash, undercab lighting, and newer modern hardware to lighten it up. Our kitchen tends to get dark too but the counters really lighten it up. Can post photos tomorrow but here are some other examples.

I don't think it's the cabinets that are making the room look dark - I think light (not grey) counters, backsplash and walls will lighten up the kitchen to a surprising degree. I'd do that before messing up the cabinetry.

Wait a few years more and your cherry cabinets will be the look everyone is updating to:). You've gotten great advice already - go lighter countertops and backsplash, update hardware and add decorative lighting and you're in great shape!

Subway tiles with bright accent

Thank you both for the photos. The one with the white countertop and backsplash is especially helpful as that is close to what we are considering. I like the pops of color too!

A smart carpenter also could replace the upper panels with glass.

Your cabinets are beautiful! Put in a white quartz countertop with a bit of sparkle, and some reflective backsplash that you like and it will do a lot. Do you have under cabinet lighting? Also, why not have the island have a waterfall of the quartz to maximize the white?

We were faced with this delimma in our 1965 split level that we purchased complete with honey oak cabinets from the early 90s. So dated. Your cabinets are beautiful; ours were NOT. We ended up having them professionally painted, with new doors and drawer fronts, new hardware. They are beautiful. Holding up well so far, but its only been about 6 months.

I would throw in a CRISP white counter top with a matching back splash. Try to stay away from gray. If you have a dreary kitchen then the LAST THING you want is "gray". Because gray is the epitome of dreary.

The cabinets are very pretty. The counters/backsplash and MEDIUM gray PAINT on the wall (I can just see some gray on the right side of the photo) are all contributing to dark and dreary.

I would bet dollars to doughnuts that you can brighten this kitchen simply by going STRONG CRISP WHITE on the counters (try to get away from gray...if you want veining try soft blue).

And please get away from the medium gray you have on the walls. I know it is trendy but it is horrible for a kitchen that is already reading dark and dreary.

If you get rid of the gray paint you will brighten up another step on the "light" ladder. The medium gray is keeping this dark.

Here's our kitchen to show and after to show how much of a difference it made! Btw, we have grey paint. I did include some of the walls adjacent so you could see. It's perhaps a bit lighter than yours, but we pulled a little grey into the backsplash to tie it together. If grey gets dated we can always redo the backsplash and paint.

*before and after. Need more coffee.

Notice Briana's BRIGHTER lighting over the island and the under cab lighting. That makes a huge difference to the rest of the space. The pot lighting wasn't doing it...and the dimmer/darker pendents weren't helping so she upgraded to a brighter set of pendent lights with under cab lighting and voila....a "brighter kitchen" was created (along with the white counters).

Why not add white subway tiles and white countertops? That would make your kitchen much brighter!