@ samondragon

"People are so into white kitchens that even a bad paint job is OK as long as the kitchen is white."

I couldn't disagree more.

I have had white cabinets in all my homes for 40+ years. I still prefer them. How's that for following trends?

When it comes to kitchen cabinets my personal preference for a stained wood versus a painted finish isn't an automatic thing. I truly like both, so my choice depends greatly on what other materials will/do make up the whole of the kitchen (floors, counters, backsplash, appliances, the quality/quantity of natural and electric light, open floor plan, etc) as well as, of course, budget. As with most things, when it comes to cabinetry quality is quality (in my mind anyway) regardless of whether its painted or stained. But I strongly feel that quality cabinets alone, do not an attractive kitchen make..... I do happen to have a deep appreciation for the beauty of natural wood, but let's be honest, not all varieties are equally beautiful or highly prized. I have seen solid, stained wood cabinets that have a gorgeous grain and a flawless finish, which are clearly high-quality in terms of both material and construction. I have also (many times) seen 'solid' stained, wood cabinets which are flimsy and/or poorly constructed, have an unattractive or unremarkable wood grain that has been sort of 'faux' finished to help it look nicer than it is, and are little (or no) better than builder-grade quality. My own 'came-with-the-condo' cabinets are a prime example! They are technically solid wood- no veneers- but the recessed panel that makes up the majority of the door is all of (maybe) a quarter inch thick? So technically solid, yes, but sturdy? Not so much. And relatively speaking, not expensive looking either. This is one reason why the knee-jerk, often alarmed/disappointed reaction so many wood advocates display at the very mention of painting over it (an irreversible crime against nature and an assault on good taste, that will instantly devalue your home and sentence you to a lifetime of high-maintenance, due to a more obvious need of cleaning and/or chipped paint, seems to be the consensus among most) is so ridiculous to me. Not everyone values the look of natural wood, and not all wood is 'good' wood, worthy of preservation and inherently easier to care for. I will admit, it does seem a shame to me to paint over high quality, solid wood, cabinets, particularly when they are in perfectly good condition, but, to each their own. People can and SHOULD do whatever makes them happy when it comes to how they personalize their homes. I would not hesitate to paint over any wood in my home that I did not like looking at, although if it was only a matter of disliking its colour, I would probably look into refinishing it first. Often painting is much cheaper though; not a small consideration to anyone with a limited budget. A fact that should be kept in mind by those who make snide comments about choosing to paint over wood. Everyone has the right to voice their opinions of course, but claiming that a decision to paint over wood is merely the result of being a trend follower, or someone who watches too much HGTV (I am not pointing fingers at any comments made in this post in particular, these are claims I have heard many wood lovers make over the years) isn't only insulting to a paint lover, but presumptuous and possibly ignorant on the part of the person making the comment. Besides, is the idea that someone might actually prefer the look of a white (or grey, blue, black, etc) painted kitchen cabinet, regardless of any trend, really so hard to fathom? I suppose to a wood lover it is, but I don't really get it; we're all different so why wouldn't our preferences be as well. Also, as someone who has lived with/cooked in kitchens with both stained wood and painted wood (I've never had MDF) I want to weigh in on a few points that I saw raised. First off, IMO dirt is dirt (and completely unacceptable) whether its on stained wood or painted. Not unlike scuffs, scratches, and sticky or smudgey fingerprints, I personally have found dirt is just as visible against wood as it is against paint, it just depends on the colour of the spilled, splashed or smeared substance and the colour of stain or paint it has been deposited onto. Light messes shows up on darker colours and dark messes are obvious on lighter ones. But regardless of paint/stained wood colour, any sticky, powdery, greasy or crusty grime, is seldom difficult to spot in a well lit kitchen. In my experience, the (presumably smooth) surface on a cabinet is somewhat reflective and spills, splashes, etc tend to be easy to spot when light hits them. As to the paint chipping argument, again, quality is key I think. A quality painted finish should be durable enough to handle daily wear and tear just as well as a quality stained wood finish. And while I have never had to deal with a chipped paint, I fail to see the difference between that and a scratch in stained wood (which I have encountered). Wood touch-up markers can only do so much and they don't provide a factory-perfect finish.....
In regards to this kitchen specifically, even though I am not at all fond of cherry wood cabinets, in this case I preferred them to the white. White plus wood is usually an attractive and timeless combination I think, and it at least provided some contrast. I do like white kitchens, but the 'after' picture, with the white, on white, with more white was overkill IMO. But, it isn't my kitchen and as I've already said, to each their own.

Not a fan of painting wood, but in this case it improves the look. viewing the kitchen as a whole, the white minimizes the poor installation on original cabinets. It minimizes that dust gathering gap at the ceiling line, where the cabinets do to reach the ceiling, but just look like someone hung them 4” too low or missed some molding. the white also minimized the hack job on the aisle with the odd pony wall and partial post and then some cabinet side. Nothing you can do without a big expense but the terrible odd placement of the cook top with no ventilation is minimized in the white. i would have painted that aweful gold inside the glass cabinet to a fun color or added wallpaper. Kitchen needs a wow factor, its bland.

White kitchens do happen to be a trend right now, but I have always loved them and I have had them in every home for 42 years. They have come and gone and will do so again, but for me, it is a matter of choosing what I want in my own home, whether it meets with anyone else's approval or not.

I don't mind them in white, but it needs some other accessories. new hardware, counter stools, a backsplash w/some color, new wall color, a runner, clutter cleared off the counter, etc.

I actually prefer the OP's kitchen the way she had it w/the cherry. it goes better w/all the white.

I've seen some beautiful kitchens with white cabs and w/wood cabs. they're both nice. cherry cabinets isn't one of my favorites, so I may be biased. I'd rather have walnut, or a nice white oak (not 90's oak, the newer oak cabinets) rather than cherry. Cherry looks great in a craftsman or a very traditional type of home. So, it all depends on the house, how well they're painted, and what kind of decor is paired them. (Personally, I might have sold the cherry cabinets and gotten something pre-made in the white. If they were the really nice, solid cherry, then I'd be hesitant to paint those. Easier to sell them and get factory painted white)

As for OP being heartbroken,,,well, you should have taken them with you if they meant that much! I'm with Jan on this one. It's no longer your home. move on.

I don’t understand why you even posted this. It’s an invasion of the new owners' privacy to post pictures of their home, without permission (as you’re bemoaning their lack of taste, I can only assume they didn’t give it, who wants to be trashed on a public forum?). What the new owners do with their home is not your business, nor is it ours.

I have to wonder why you care since you sold the house. Once a house goes on the market, it's not the owners' house anymore. I agree that the white looks so generic and kind of Home Depot-ish. I do wish younger people who watch these HGTV shows with the white farmhouse kitchen would create Ideabooks showing how gorgeous quality wood cabinet kitchens can be. I created a whole Ideabook for kitchens with beautiful wood cabinets to show Dilemma posters who are on the fence about painting their kitchen cabinets.

Meanwhile, guess what? I have a white cabinet kitchen! Reason? The wood cabinets were very functional but poor finish, plus the kitchen was dark due to the woods outside. They look fine, and I have a lot of original art in there, so that looks great. But the darn cabinets always need retouching, and they were professionally done.

Good lord........................ talk about a first world concern. You sell, move , and the next owner does what they want. Surprise , surprise........lol

I feel your pain, but seriously, these white cabinets look awesome.

love the white, too too much wood before with the wood floors, the white is more cheerful and airy, and I'm not a young'n, and I love wood, and trees from which it comes, but never liked too much wood in a home, so I can see where the new owners are coming from

Thomas Wolfe was right. You Can't Go Home Again.
When you sell a home, don't look back. It rarely is pleasant.

And at least your former place looks looked after, and neat. We left our family home and the home hubby grew up in to downsize to a condo. The people that own our former home use it a a rental, how sad cause these rental people don't care about it at all at least not on the outside, which is always messy. We loved it and looked after it inside and out, doing updates when we could afford. Wonder if homes have a soul and can get sad too, lol!

Oh for goodness sake. Clearly people aren’t reading the whole thread. If they did, they would know I posted this at a very hormonal emotional time as a postpartum mom. @teamaltese, it’s not an invasion of privacy when the owners themselves post the photos of the kitchen (as well as OUR listing photos with OUR personal belongings...) on Airbnb.
@jan Moyer, yes. Everything on this forum is a first world problem. Your job as a pro wouldn’t exist without “first world problems.”

@doods yes you’re right. Very sad when you see a former home and place of memories trashed. I’m sorry. :(

Bri Bosh...I adore your comment on "first world problems"...so true in reference to the pros. I recently posted a simple question on Houzz asking for reviews on a bedding company that Houzz advertises in their "shop Houzz". I received sarcastic, unhelpful comments on what sheets I SHOULD be buying, what I SHOULD be sleeping on, what color sheets I SHOULD purchase, etc. Not a problem if that was my question...but it wasn't.

You cannot post the most benign comment on Houzz without readers vehemently disagreeing, misinterpreting & now, even questioning the legality of your post. In theory, we all know what the new owners of a house do after you sold it isn't our concern, but judging by the volume of responses, many folks are quite emotional about their old homes. Some can move on, some don't want to know of changes, some are hurt & angry. I thought your post was less a comment on wood vs white cabinetry than expressing a heartfelt comment about getting over loss, accepting change in life, poking fun at designer trends, etc.

I'm still puzzled how readers can say it was a bad paint job. Even if I enlarge the photo, I couldn't tell one way another. And as for the white kitchen trend...nothing would be a trend if designers weren't pushing them.

Could we just stay positive. And btw, "pros" here give their time and knowledge free and we aren't pushing trends. Retailers and suppliers move trends because they want to sell products, so please, maybe we could move on, and recognize each of us deals with selling a home in different ways at different times. Buyers push "trends". If people weren't "buying" trendy things, there wouldn't be a trend. Sorry, I just get a little annoyed by sweeping, negative generalizations about "pro" contributors here. I love the input of all contributors here and I have learned from many. "pro" or no "pro". We share ideas, products that work, love of colors, good values for our money, how to solve thorny problems. It is a great community of people helping people. Enjoy it!

Oh,

I LOVE looking at photos of "where we once lived" to see what has been done to it, it's part of growth.

We contacted the women who bought my childhood house in Chicago and she graciously let us in, it was fantastic how she updated our tired, worn out, dated crummy bungalow. She begged me to send her any childhood pictures as she was deeply curious as to what the bungalow and the street originally looked like.

I have an email in my inbox from an elderly gentleman a few weeks ago asking if he could come visit our building as his mother was born in the unit above us.

I would LOVE to see pictures of our 119 year old building from "back in the day."

Clearly the cherry cabinets wasn't something you expected in the realm of change and caught you off guard. Especially having the city send these pictures to you, it's not like you went searching for them, but even if you had, so what? Doesn't mean you "can't get over it," etc.

In closing?

On my screen everything looks a bit too red/orange in the cherry pic, especially in contrast to the oven. But not enough that I personally would have spent the time $$ to paint the cabinets. But as the new owner if my purpose was to make this an investment/airbnb property, the white is more appealing to the masses.

As a result of browsing interior advice on internet I stupidly painted some solid wood furniture which I now regret. Thank god held off on my solid oak kitchen presses. Wood I think will never date.

I saw your post and felt for you right away, just because of the words....and then when I saw the pictures -- AAAAYYYY!!!

It seems like sacrilege to me. I have always loved natural cherry, and while I can understand somebody painting those cheap oak cabinets that were everywhere 20 years ago (and I am actually involved in a bit of a project like that myself at the moment!), I can't see desecrating good quality cherry cabinetry. But people do thoughtless inconsiderate things all the time. I didn't read many of the comments above but hopefully some of them have helped you come to terms with what happened. This painting was IMHO stupid and short sighted, but since the cabinets now belong to someone else it is certainly their right to do what they want with them whether it is ripping them out and sending them to the dump or painting/staining them....and at least they didn't rip them out! Of course some people have trouble with the grain of cherry, heartwood vs. sapwood. But I think the main thing happening here is just that natural woodgrain is sort of out of style right now. The current trend is for dark.. dark... dark, or white. How many hardwood floors have been stained so dark that the grain barely shows? And sadly, most people just follow the trends even tho they like to think they are individualistic and not followers.

You can't put a historical preservation covenant on the house interior. And who knows, maybe someday when we are all dead and gone, and cherrywood is even harder to come by than it is now, yet another owner of this house will be stripping off the paint to restore the "real" cherrywood of these cabinets. Anyway, please find comfort in the many people who share your sad and outraged feelings as you move on to invest your energies in your new home, where-ever that may be.

I personally wouldn't paint perfectly good wood cabinets, but I also think people who do that are not insane or stupid. People have different taste and desires, and there's really no need to put anyone down because they decided to put their own stamp in their own house. There's no right or wrong way, it really boils down to personal preference. The people who live there now are the ones who need to be happy about their place. If this is the kitchen they dreamed of when they bought this house, then, cheers to them and wishing them many happy years in their new home.

Move on. When you move, you do that. Or you do this bemoaning thing, which is an exercise in total futility.

Jan, why are you telling me to move on for the FOURTH time in this thread?

I would like to offer an apology for calling the action of the cherrywood cabinet-painters stupid. It is inappropriate to use that term in a forum like this and I will endeavor to never do it again.

If the OP had posted her question without disclosing she was once the homeowner, would that have appeased people more? Actually, the debate is a worthy one about painting or not painting. Future readers of the thread could glean a lot of wisdom from a respectful but not all on the same page discussion. I truly dislike snarky comments, but that is just my opinion.

Bri - I hear you. When you put your heart and soul into building, upgrading, and/or maintaining a home for years, it is sad when a new owner does something you hate to it. Decades ago we put lovely light Berber carpet into our first home, which was in great shape when we sold it. The new owners pulled it up and put down cheap tacky brown vinyl because they had a large dog. It looked horrible. The dog also wrecked my beautiful yard that I had worked on for years. They lost the house to foreclosure so we saw the photos on a real estate website. We were already in a larger, nicer home, but I still grieved over what they did. That being said, I prefer light natural wood cabinets, and do not plan to paint our current maple cabinets no matter what the current fad is. We painted the cabinets in our first home and all they did was chip, chip, chip until we moved.

I'm sorry, but I like the white ones better. It's extremely rare I'd choose wood over paint (or wallpaper).

I think the painted cabinets look cheaper and more generic.

But that said, cabinets are just add-ons to a home that can be changed at any time, and often are, to suit the owner's taste. It wouldn't annoy me if a buyer changed a superficial aspect of my former house.

That being said I think it's really a shame when people buy old homes and gut them and aggressively modernize them, destroying a bit of history and sometimes replacing it with new things that are lower quality in materials and craftsmanship. As an owner of a prewar apartment I plan to suss out buyers who might gut it if I ever sell it.

Rip out old cove moulding, paint the woodwork in a Craftsman house or gut art deco built in bookshelves and I'll be your enemy for life. Replace or repaint kitchen cabinets? Well OK, the stores are full of cabinets so it's a matter of taste I guess. And from an environmental perspective it's lower impact for a new owner to paint them than replace them. So kudos to them for finding a way to enjoy the kitchen without chucking the materials in a landfill. So while not my taste, I don't think the behavior of the new owners of your former home is destructive.

If you're the sort that worries about what a next owner will do to your interior? You keep the house .

Bet you'd love the "former owner police" at the door of your new to you home............

From Jan: Bet you'd love the "former owner police" at the door of your new to you home............

Jan, I appreciate much of your advice but why do you keep bashing the OP about this? You have stated your thoughts numerous times in this thread. Sorry, but I find it tiring. This debate about painted versus wood comes up all the time just like the trend debate or is gray over yet? You are fixated on this because she was the former homeowner. Please stop.

I prefer the cherry cabinets as they look more expensive (and usually are); the white seems sterile and common. We had 60s clear (no knots) pickled pine paneling in our last house that i knew the next owner would paint so I didn't look at the updated photos. Our current house has lots of wood that I know the next owner will paint too. Good advice to just walk away and don't look back.

Jan doesn’t need me to defend her. She is a very cool chick.

But I don’t see her bashing anyone. I haven’t seen her naming names. I just see her making statements.

Yes very thick skin here. Sound off no issue! . But picture this: You rip out someones ( to them ) beautiful white kitchen/marble to replace with a favored cherry stain./soapstone........what then? See what I mean? : ) Then they post it asking for sympathy on a thing they no longer even live with on any basis. I could be insane of course,you wouldn't be the first to think so.

Both homes I sold are looking "down at the heels" today. I don't worry about it; not my problem now. And that's part of why I sold them. The problems were lurking so I let someone with the money and motivation tackle them. The 70's brick home was done well by the first two owners, but the next two have not even replaced the HVAC and have tacked little window AC all across the classic columned and shuttered street side of the house. Its a shame that one of the nicer looking homes on the street now looks like a run down, neglected place, but not my problem!

I think both the painted and the Cherry look fine, I think the white works a bit better. That said, it's a crime to paint Cherry! I been asked a few times and refuse on principal.

Funny, I never look back but our kids do!! Especially in the 1900 home we raised them in. Whenever they are back in the Oakmont area, they drive by and sometimes drop in. The house has changed hands now about 4-5 times. We still get Christmas cards from old neighbors who are still there giving us updates. Everyone in the neighborhood still call it our house! haha! Our one son who is very interested in the house, stopped one time and introduced himself and the folks gave him a tour. He gave me an "update". "Mom most things you would approve, but some I didn't like." He left it at that! They had put an above ground pool in the small backyard and it surely didn't meet my "authentic" restoration goals.! So, you just have to move on.

What you gave the house away?

Susan, not sure what you mean, but we loved every minute and fun time we had in that home, except for the last year, when we were going to have to replace a slate roof on a very high pitched 3 story house! Dreaded that, sold at a tidy profit and made our move South and never looked back!

Why is someone complaining about a home that is no longer theirs? And especially when they’ve decided to sell the house to make money. And rude to the buyers.
We built a dream home and sold it to friends; they then asked my Hubs to ‘make some changes’. And pretty much changed everything. I did not mind one bit as it was no longer my house. I just think this is not a problem that you whine about on a public forum.

I think the OP is over it now based on a comment she posted after she originally created this thread. But what a catchy headline it is!!

@ susan davis, Its just the principle of it. Someone actually invests in timeless, classic and quality materials instead of following these stupid garbage trends. Then someone else with no comprehension of quality comes along and changes it just to change it and their the ones that follow dumb trends. They think they are design masters because of the trash they watched on HGTV and this site.
Maybe your friends changed everything because you put nothing but trendy garbage in the house. Now that I would understand completely. Especially if its IKEA.

That's a rather harsh comment, Tony. Everyone has things and ideas that make them happy. Maybe they like Ikea because it's clean-lined and simple to clean (and they have a lot of pets), or maybe they prefer paint over wood because it's a better background for their art, or maybe they do love a certain trend, not because it's a trend but because it speaks to them. Maybe quality to them means something different than it does to you or me. Respecting their choices while being able to disagree for yourself is the best way to go. Trends aren't inherently "garbage" because they are trends. (Remember when emerald was Color of the Year? It was a trend but because I fell in love with it, and have remained in love as it is MY color, it became a classic in my relaxed, peaceful, non-trendy home.

Actually they painted their cabinets.

When I was shopping for kitchen cabinets a decade ago, the Ikea cabinets were top rated by Consumer Reports.

I totally get the op. when my parents sold their first dream home, to acquaintances, they saw the changes. up close and personal. my mom was so sad to see her expensive drapes, carpeting, and wallpaper replaced by odd color and inferior quality choices. she was sad, but told me it wasn't hers, anymore.
to quote mom, it is what it is, and it's not mine anymore.
truly, best to not look back. it's tough.

It's such a personal preference. The painted cabinets look nice and fresh! - probably what the new homeowner wanted. For me personally, I'm getting a little tired of white cabinets. I'm recommending light or medium gray for a more updated look.

I think you should let it go.

@karenmo, and J.D. power gives out car awards and ratings like its skittles. Thats paid marketing mumbojumbo. If you fall for that stuff then sorry for you.

Ugh! What a terrible idea that paint cherry wood! That should be a crime!

I would not have painted due to the work involved, but I like it better painted. I agree with the commenter regarding moving on. They have.