You're amazing, groveraxle.

Deepak-

White cabinets and gray floors looks good, but then painting the island brown or espresso with that does not look good.

Does the stone on the island match the stone on the counters?

Like your current cabinets -- far preferable to painted cabinets.

Suggest you change the flooring first and then wait and live with the result before changing anything else.

It's not unusual to paint the island base cabinet only, leaving all other cabinets with their wood look -- especially if the objective is to add color to the room.

I would never paint those cabinets but might paint the island in a color!

For the love, don't paint those cabinets! And that is coming from a painted cabinet loving girl!

Are the counters staying?

I'd change out the floors and swap out that small island for something with more character like a small painted antique table/island/cart.

I love white cabinets. I think it will be beautiful with Grey tile floors. Sorry, hate the idea of painting the island brown, I would paint it white to match the cabinets. The grey and white will be a beautiful and clean look

I love white cabinets, but I would not paint those. I would just switch out the floors and countertops to a very light color.

Wow thank you for the quick responses! and thank you groveraxel for making those pictures! It is definitely making me think about this renovation in a whole different light! I am hoping to change out the counters as well, but have not figured out exactly what to do there. I'm curious as to why so many people agree not to paint the cabinets. will it look obvious that they were painted?

I would never paint those cabinets either. They are beautiful. I do agree, about changing out the entire island to something more interesting. The flooring is different, and it is interesting, but, I think I would change it out, and the kitchen needs a bit of color, and window treatments. It looks like a kitchen no one ever uses, and has no personality.

Even though I’ve always had white cabinets in the kitchen, I wouldn’t paint those. It will make your kitchen look like every other generic kitchen that has been prepped for selling. I know because I’ve been house hunting the past few months & that seems to be the norm. Gray floors & white kitchen cabinets in literally every house I’ve looked at. Change other things in there, not the perimeter cabinets.

I like white cabinets, but would not paint your current cabinets -- they have so much natural warmth and interest.

I would definitely paint the cabinets (too red) but since you are replacing the floors and counters, make the island larger at the same time. Either add 1’ deep cabinets along the side facing out or legs and an overhang because visually it is too small currently and doesn’t seem to have much function.

Your kitchen is very nice! White cabinets are are my favorite but I would not paint yours. Gray and white choices often come out looking cool. It looks like your kitchen is very open. The rest of your space has warm floors and probably other warm elements as well. A cool gray and white kitchen will look "off".

If you want a change, I would consider painting the island one of your accent colors from your living space. And I would speak to a good flooring guy to see if they could restain and tone down and blend the wood accents in your floor. It may be enough change that you won't feel the need to put in a new floor.

Finally, your backsplash is fine but is bland and doesn't really do anything for the space. You could update the backsplash with some pretty crackle or fireclay tile with slight color variation.

Groveraxle, you are awesome and I always see you do such cool things!! Can I butt into OPs thread and ask you to make my upper cabs white so I can visualize my kitchen?? LOL!!

It looks like your adjoining floor is the same stain colour as the cupboards and the inlay in the kitchen floor which may mean there is just too much 'red'. I would not paint this wood. Would you consider a backsplash in the colours of the tile floor, and toning down the look with similar paint colour for the walls?

As an earlier poster mentioned, when home shopping with my son last year we saw mostly white and grey kitchens. Here's an article on why I would not paint them. Pro's and Con's of Painting Kitchen Cabinets

Deepak-

Did you just move into this house or just purchase this house and your wife hates this dark kitchen?

If so, then it is understandable that she wants white cabinets. Some people just don't like dark cabinets and want white cabinets, and they are entitled to them.

The grey floors are another matter.

Grey is very "now." That means it is a trend, which will fall out of fashion very soon.

I understand that she or you do not like the current floors, they are very busy, with two contrasting colors.

But grey may not be the way to go for the reason I just mentioned.

As for the counters, that stone is very dark and very busy and may not be to your wife's or your taste. It actually seems less oppressive when the cabinets are white, but sometimes the people who like white cabinets like a lighter stone for countertops such as a marble or marble look-a like such as quartz or silestone.. Some may like a dark stone that is more uniform such as a soapstone or soapstone lookalike.

When all the cabinetry is white, it is important to add interest with hardware, such as larger handles and knobs. Some people choose handles and knobs or pulls that are black, even wrought iron ones or larger brushed nickel, or stainless steel.

Some people decide to paint the island a different color that they like, e.g. a blue or green (whatever color they like that coordinates with adjoining rooms) or they keep the cabinets and island all white introduce color into the kitchen through their use of accessories such as the dishes, dishtowels, a curtain, a canister of kitchen utensils, a pitcher, a cutting board, a basket, flowers, etc. Because the house once lived in will always have these things around to introduce color and texture to the all white kitchen.

These white kitchen are not at all boring!

If you are remodeling, one suggestion- please add molding to the tops of the cabinets to the ceiling. The tops of the cabinets are just dust catchers and that they are different heights is jarring to the eye.

I'd like to see some views from the kitchen to the living area. artladyla53 did a great mock up but now the wood floors look really out of sync with the kitchen. I suspect that the rest of the space is too warm to work with a gray and white kitchen.

Deepak-

is that a tiny little window in the corner? Why is that there?

Does anyone know?

If that was my house and there was a pantry, I would get rid of that little rack for wine bottles and store the wine in the pantry where they are away from light and heat.

In its place, I would put a slide out shelf for a toaster, so I wouldn't have to put the toaster on the counter.

In addition, I might replace the current divided sink for a single large sink that could accommodate a very large stockpot or frying pan because the current sink looks to have not that large individual sinks, although that might just be the camera angle.

Kitchens do need to be functional, not just look good!