I like them but they look a lot like mine. Are they maple? If it were my kitchen I'd change other things but not the wood.

Yes, they are maple but they are so yellow. They look and are old!

thank you for the advice

If you are planning to replace the counters, almost any color you choose for the cabinets will work with the beige floor.

Not inexpensive to have them properly professionally painted. I'd clean and polish them really well, and see how they'd look with new hardware, light quartz counters and a new floor.

If you are painting them yourself a few suggestions:

remove the door fronts and lay them flat

sand them with a palm sander

apply a primer

then appy your top coat(s) and whatever you do, don't use Behr paint from Home Depot. It's awful. Took me several coats in a former rental and I did all of the steps above first. Good luck.

thank you all for your help

i was thinking of painting them with chalk paint maybe charcoal for the bottom and off white the top!

I dunno. Never used chalk paint. Does it wear well? What if you get grease splatters? Isn't chalk paint very flat? If so, it may stain easily. Are you changing the counter too then?

caroline, no chalk paint. please. the style of your kitchen and cabinet style does not welcome a shabby chic look. Plus, you still have to sand and prime before painted. no sense using a chalk paint. (it won't last if you don't sand and prime)

I've painted many cabinets and have had mine professionally painted. (I'm also a pro painter and refinisher of furniture). I PAID to have mine done because it is so, so much work. Trust me, spend the money to have it done.

I can't see all of your cabinets, but a good pro CABINET painter (not a house painter) should be able to do it for under 4-5K. (based on what I see here). They should all be removed (except the bases) taken back to his shop where they will be sanded, primed, sanded again, and then sprayed.

if all you have is what you've shown in the 2 pics, it shouldn't be that expensive. call in a pro kitchen cabinet finisher company and get some estimates. ASK them what their steps are (get a detail). If they plan on spraying them on site, forget it. find someone else. You get what you pay for so don't try and get someone to do them for under 2K. they'll look like crap and start peeling within months.

Do you plan on getting new countertops? The rust color one you have may not work w/a darker lower color. (I'd also remove that little 4" piece and do a tile splash.)

Here's mine before/after

as for color, I did a Simply White, and my island is Wrought Iron (BM)

had them painted a year ago and haven't had one issue w/the finish.

I would do a regular top coat over the two coat of chalk. i guess I will have to change the counter unless I find a good colour that goes well with it?

Wood is classic. It is also currently en Vogue.

Your existing cabinets are nice. From a design standpoint, @calidesign is correct, re: the maple cabinets currently being the best feature of your kitchen.

New hardware, attention to lighting. Install under cabinet lighting, if you don’t have it.

Do not paint cabinets change counter top and backsplash!!

for all you saying the wood is fine, it's really not. In pictures those maple cabinets look much better than they do in person. They probably were coated w/an oil base clear coat which ambers over time. That yellowish tone on maple is ugly. So while the wood may be 'in', the yellow finish is not. and if her cabs are anything like mine were, the actual finish was wearing off in spots. In person, they don't look quite as good as they do in photos

how old are these? 15-20 years? That's long enough to suffer through these dated maple cabinets.

She has already said she doesn't like the yellow and the finish isn't in good shape, so merely changing hardware or lighting isn't going to make much difference. They are older maple cabinets, not some exotic hardwood.

If you want, you could get the finish redone on the wood to take away the yellow, and then do a white countertop and tile splash.

(and you guys posting pictures of new lights and hardware, you aren't even getting the same cabinet wood! of course if looks great. go find a picture w/her exact maple cabinets)

Caroline, it doesn't matter what top coat you put on, if the wood isn't properly prepped, nothing, even chalk paint, will last . And chalk paint is not meant for kitchen cabinets.

Have you even painted or refinished wood cabinets? Any idea how to do it? if you really want to do it yourself, I'll give you the best tutorial out there, but i'm warning you, it's extremely tedious. The prepping is 75% of the work.

btw, to get the most bank for you buck if you paint them, have some boxes built to go to the ceiling, and then have the whole thing painted. it will make a huge difference.

Chalk paint is a horrible idea. That would totally devalue your house. Stick to the wood and change the hardware and counters.

caroline,,,here's a link you may want to read.

these maple cabs are similar to yours, and we're painted.

I don't care what anyone says, the after is a hundred times better looking

https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/our-painted-maple-cabinets-2-years-later/

she talks about how the finish has held up

another one painted. wood may be in, but not yellow maple.

I would avoid the chalk paint, It's not going to hold up at all.

If possible, it's best to have them professionally painted.

If that's NOT possible, proper prep work is key. And then the use of a good paint made for the purpose. Ben Moore Advance, C2 Trim and Cabinet, or something of similar formulation/quality.

Color will depend on what else in the room is going or staying. If you're keeping the floor, I wouldn't do charcoal. I might think about a warm white. But greys are going to clash with the yellow-beige of that floor. I assume the countertops are being replaced? Because that's probably the other determining factor in terms of color choice.

Some thoughts:

Or perhaps a sage-y green?

If there is any way to sort of "whitewash" or lighten that floor, a very pale shade might work, too:

Wood is in fashion, in all forms. All manner of wood is trending. And you do not need to have some type of ‘’exotic hardwood’’ for this to be the case. And the wood cabinets do not need to be in perfect condition, etc.

However, your wood cabinets are nice. They are also a desirable color and style, and would absolutely work In an updated design.

But if you prefer, you can paint them, of course. Don’t chalk paint them. That would be a disaster. If you want white painted cabinets, or whatever color, best to have it professionally done, with the right paint, etc.

You can paint them any color you like, it's your kitchen!

If you really like the grey family, then do your charcoal on the bottom.

There was a post here a while ago where the poster had done her kitchen with the upper cabinets white and the lower cabinets painted a very dark blue on the bottom cabinets.

In fact, I thought it was a charcoal or black color until she said it was blue. She also had brass handles (pulls), and it looked just fantastic.

If I recall correctly, the walls between the uppers and lowers were painted white.

I would change the counter top first, then decide whether and what color to paint.

What colour countertop should I do?

Use the search button under photos here along with all the filters to find a kitchen with the same shape, size, and features you have and want to keep to see what comes up. Then you can pick the one you like best and duplicate it as much as you like. For example an L-shaped kitchen with Maple cabinets in traditional style. It even lets you choose your budget.

What colour countertop should I do?

Depends. Again, is the flooring staying? Because that yellow travertine is going to be bossy and dictate everything else.

What sort of countertop is in the budget? And what sort of durability do you need? Where is your sink? I often like butcherblock counters, but not by a sink. Water+wood can be trouble. If you're going to paint the cabs, a wood countertop might add warmth. And everything works together. If you're going to do a colored cab, a solid white or creamy Corain might be a good choice for counters.

If you can afford to pay a professional to do this job, then don’t do them yourself. But if not, I can give some advice about painting cabinets (but I only did bathroom ones).
First, Beth is absolutely right that prep work is everything. You have to take the time to sand and clean dust over and over. The doors HAVE to be removed, as is all hardware. I strongly urge you to use wood filler for all holes so you have options for new door hardware. Look in to the Sherwin Williams Emerald paints. They have a polymer in them that increases the durability and reduces chipping. Chalk paint is a no-no for kitchen cabinets.
Start a Houzz inspiration file. Which kitchens appeal to you? White? Two-toned? You will regret not doing the countertop if you spruce up the cabinets. Everything around them will look tired. And add the upper cabinets as Beth suggested. Keep us posted.

For the countertop, I’d look for inspiration pics and then go to a showroom to look at samples. You have a lot of options- you just need to take the stainless steel appliances and maybe the floor into account. I would get something with some color variation, not just one solid color.

If changing countertop that’s your first step before considering a paint color. If sticking to laminate, a marble effect is classic, easy to compliment and will work with floor. Combinations below would work and don’t forget you will probably have to paint your walls. Start saving inspiration pictures so you have a plan as it’s a very labour intensive job and you want to get it right.

FYI: it took me 22 hours for my small kitchen. You have to remove everything, number so they go back in right place, remove hardware, clean, sand, add bonding primer, 2 coats of paint and allow time to dry before flipping to paint other side. I’d suggest speaking to a consultant at BM to help with one of their two recommended cabinet paint choices.

Countertop color, anything light that goes with what stays. The old countertop dates your kitchen more than anything else. You didn’t ask about your microwave, but I’d get rid of that one, and install one over your stove. There are lots of choices for those, and if your budget is tight, a good used one might be an option.

Beth H the before and after photos you posted almost all use the same “trick” as before and afters on many Reno tv home shows & almost always on IG and social media. That being the “Befores” are taken in dim or normal light with ZERO editing. The “Afters” however, are lit up & edited & filters used to within an inch of their lives to show light, bright best possible look. It’s inaccurate & just plain deceptive. As a Pro you know that & I’m surprised you’d post those pics without at a minimum, mentioning that. With good light, accessorizing, and filters & professional photographer you can make even a horrible room look good.

The cabinets will look gorgeous painted. It will be work but it can last for years if you do it right. Set up an area where they can be flat on sawhorses. Take a few weeks. Really. Prep is the most important step here so get them cleaned and we’ll sanded. Use a very fine sandpaper and take your time so the texture does not get gummy. Wipe down really well between each sanding. I’ve done a few kitchens this way and the best paint was actually a Behr paint that had the primer right in it. Don’t load the paint brush and do as many very thin coats as you can manage letting dry between each. Dry to the touch is NOT ready for the next coat. I mean at least a day or two dry. My last job was 11 coats (I went overboard) and it’s been over 7 years now without a touch up.

When I painted my bathroom vanity, the SW paint store helper told me this paint dries within a few hours. He was right and it took much less time at the end to do the painting. However, don’t rush the sanding, cleaning, sanding, cleaning part! And ABSOLUTELY number the doors!
Pam, very often a renovation job includes improving the lighting. You can’t falsely light up a room with before photos sometimes. My before kitchen photos are far worse than my afters because I doubled the number of lights and improved the bulbs too. It wasn’t to be deceitful and it wasn’t for a magazine or HGTV show.

I wanted to add pictures of the island and sink. Thank you everyone for all the help. I’m very grateful for all your advice.

By putting your budget into a new countertop, you can remove the outdated tall counter near the sink and make it all one level.

Pam, having painted 3 sets of kitchens, plus over 100 wood pieces, and having my own kitchen done (professionally, because I'm way too old to paint 40+ cabinets) I can honestly say the before and afters look that dramatic. lighting only goes so far. The before and afters I posted are really that much different. (besides, you're not giving OP's on here much credit. You don't think they can tell when something is clearly edited? Take a look at the examples I posted. they are all similar to OP's kitchen, not like some of the 100K examples that other people have posted on here)

Could you show me which before and after you think has been photoshopped or looks completely different due to lighting? I looked back over them and I don't see any. They may look brighter because the cabinets are white.

like these maple cabs. the lighting is actually brighter in the before shot. But what is so "edited" in the 2nd one? there is more under cabinet lighting, and we get a shot of the wall, but the cabs are white and reflect light more evenly. the maple before cabinets are clearly yellow. just like OP's.

This is an accurate representation of what Caroline could expect her cabinets to look like.

Ditt to all of the others I posted. Nothing has been 'professionally' photographed and completely edited and filtered. Most of these are blog pictures, not professional kitchen photos.

In the before and after w/Kylie E Interiors, of course the after is brighter. The black appliances are gone, the dark island, gone, and white paint and white splash is reflecting all of that light. I really don't see a huge photo shop in that one.

I posted a before and after of my kitchen. are you telling me I photoshopped it? I didn't. it's with an iPhone so it's not that great of a shot anyway. The lighting was the same, I just shifted to the right a bit more (it's in my very first comment). The reason it looks brighter is because of the white paint. It bounces around the light instead of the wood sucking it up and making it look dark. No photo shop tricks.

Her (OP) cabinets are prob pushing 20. How long do you think an original finish lasts before it starts to yellow, blotch and wear off in spots? Mine were very similar and after 15 years they looked like crap. But they photographed beautifully. And there too is what people don't see when posters come on here asking for help. They post a pic of their cabs and say, "it's old and ugly" (because they look at it in person) but people on here shame them for even considering a paint job because "they look so good!"or "they're wood, gasp!"

OP wants to paint them. I'm not going to talk her out of it because I happen to agree w/her. I know exactly what those maple cabinets look like in person.

caroline, I don't know if you have recessed lighting in your kitchen ceiling, but that is one thing I would splurge on doing. it's very dark in there.

as for countertops, what's the budget? a lower end granite or quartz is going to run you in the 3-5K range. Pro painting, 4-6K

If you just want to do a countertop for now, and save up for the painting, go to a stone yard and shop for slabs you like. Or maybe you'd like to do Corian in a plain white. Up to you.

If you plan on keeping the floors for some time, you'll have to work around that shade and color. a soft white or creamy type of quartz, would be fine. there are hundreds out there.

Sometimes Home depot can get some good prices on countertops, but you'll have to check a slab yard and see what you like.

I would NOT use them for any type of cabinet restoration. you'll pay them to be the middle man. Call cabinet refinishers/carpenters in your area and get some estimates.

BTW, any chance you could hang some artwork on the wall space over by the table?

this blank wall could use something. I just grabbed a double framed piece that goes w/your colors, but you could also do a single, larger canvas. something more horizontal rather than vertical would work

11 coats of paint?! Not likely.

following

white or gray. as to how and whether it is going to last? no idea as i will never pick anything brown/yellow with a red tint in it. shaker style is classics but the color is all wrong. (i do not care if it is "coming back" as "fab"
comes and goes. i do not do "trend".)

I had similar maple cabinets. I’m so happy I didn’t listen to the no painting advice. Mine photographed well.. but after 20 years.. they were orange. I could of changed everything like people suggest and I would of never been happy until they were painted.

Lisa - that looks wonderful! Great example to post.

Especially if this is to be a DIY project, you might consider painting only the base cabinets and then use a lighter shade of the same color for your wall between backsplash and upper cabinets.

If there is any grease/oil film left on the cabinets, you will not end up with a good paint job.

For counters you can do white or black or very dark charcoal, or a mix with the perimeter one color and your island another, and or have the top of the island one color and the part of the island that has the sink a different color.

Wait, that is confusing-

The bottoms the dark color, the uppers white.

For your island, you can do the serving counter (upper portion) white as it is, and the lower part that has the sink the darker color, or reverse that for the island.

I tried to find that thread for you with that Houzzer's cabinets, but I can't seem to find it, sorry (:

If that darned COVID19 puts me out of work and I have more time to go over the threads, I'll have more time to look through them.

11 coats of paint? Why? That is not only a ridiculous waste of money, but also time. I painted my cabinets 9 years ago, used 2 coats of paint and they still look perfect.

Who ever told anyone they need 11 coats of paint on anything? Cabinets need sanding, primer and 2 coats - as suedonim said.

RedRyder-the comment above yours where you mention painting your vanity is where 11 coats of paint is mentioned.

Your new counter needs to work with the existing floor. Once you have the new counters installed, you can decide on a cabinet color and wall color.

I just wanted to echo what others have said here about taking the time to prep the cabinets well. I ended up having to sand down and redo several doors because I didn’t take the time to sand between coats and really thoroughly remove dust. If you do it yourself, you will never be able to not see the flaws in the job. You can get an amazing finish (even as a DIY job) if you really take your time. My cabinets look much better than a friend who hired a pro who obviously didn’t sand between coats as there’s a grainy texture. I did primer and three coats with Farrow and Ball paint. They have beautiful colors!

Not everyone prefers the wood look. Follow your bliss.

Like button not working ... yet again.

Like the before / after pics posted by Lisa (well done Lisa).

It is a good clear example of the two choices between wood and cabinet -- either looks good. Which looks better is a matter of personal taste.

Beth H. :is also right. Not every painted kitchen is going to be a whole lot lighter -- what lights you have and where matter. Even more so, natural lighting plays a huge part in whether a kitchen is agreeably light or not.

Your kitchen; your choice.

Hope whatever you decide is everything you'd hoped.

Do post after pics.

White is nice but harder to keep clean over time. That's what my sister tells me anyway. I have solid maple. A little Murphy's oil soap and they look like new.

Totally agree with ( territheresa ) and her sister about white cabinets and maple cabinets -- but if we all liked the same things, it would be a dull world.

My cleaner preference and scratch cover preference would be Old English.

https://www.zoro.com/old-english-furniture-cleaner-and-polish-lemon-12oz-62338-82888/i/G4181786/feature-product?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8IbTtYqv6gIVC5yzCh0HTwqIEAQYBSABEgL0EvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds 

Scratch cover comes in red, light/yellow and very dark. Would try the yellow.

https://www.google.com/search?q=old+english+furniture+cleaner&client=firefox-b-1-d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjouMu1iq_qAhWAg3IEHeKTBEYQ_AUoAnoECA4QBA&biw=1366&bih=654