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lorna_karaj

Help with kitchen cabinets

5 years ago

Hi All, I am just about to close on a home and the first diy project I plan to undertake is to paint the kitchen cabinets. The cabinets are in great condition, but they look so very monotone with everything else. I was planning to do white, but not sure if it will look good. I keep going back and forth on the decision and I have horrible imagination/visualization. Any thoughts on whether white cabinets would work well?

Comments (13)

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    First, if you want a change in the room, have a plan in place before you begin a large project such as painting the cabinets. A plan means a cohesive roadmap to address the overall design, layout, color palette, etc. Deciding to do projects piecemeal is not the best approach.

    Even if you decide to paint the cabinets, this is not a DIY job. The best paint job is done by a highly experienced professional. Otherwise you'll get cabinets with paint that peels off and is uneven, which is much worse than what you have now.

  • 5 years ago

    It feels monotone because the cabinet and floor colors are so similar. You could try using area rugs to add color and warmth, and to break up the long stretches of matching wood color. That could cost less (with budget rugs) than a professional paint job on the cabinets, and let you take some time to really live in your kitchen and get a better feel for long-term remodel goals.

  • 5 years ago

    White will be awesome!

  • 5 years ago

    Even if you decide to paint the cabinets, this is not a DIY job

    This is probably the comment that irritates me the most. It very much can be a DIY job. I painted my cabinets 10 years ago and they still look great. We did all of the proper prep work, and used a self-leveling paint specifically for cabinets. Was it easy, no, but it saved us thousands of dollars. Not everyone has an extra $5-10k, so they learn to DIY.

  • 5 years ago

    Your wood looks monotone without other elements to enhance. However white cabinets and white walls will also look monotone. IF you decide to invest in painting cabinets work with a kitchen designer to find colors that offer variation to the current look in paint colors that will compliment the warm wood tone of the floors, gray would not be that color.

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    I hate to say this but I have never seen a good cabinet DIY paint job unless you have a spray room and have a lot of experience painting even other things like dressers this is not a DIY project and you can easily ruin what appers to be decent cabinets.So have you had lots of experience doing smaller paint jobs, do you have a place to spray all the doors and drawer fronts, that space needs to be dust free and able to keep out the wind too.The prep alone will take a huge amount of work and if not done right those cabinets will look like garbage. Wait to paint them until you see how the whole house works for you and for sure the kitchen . I see function issues that would make me crazy but maybe you are fine with how it functions . My advice always is live in a space for 3-6 months before doing anything major .

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    White cabinets are classic and look good in most kitchens. For a really good finish I would suggest stripping the current finish. This is no small task (I know from experience) but it is worth the effort. Would also suggest applying the paint with a foam roller for the smoothest finish. Would suggest using a sprayer to paint but unless you want to remove the cabinets from the kitchen and take them outside that wouldn't really work. Do remember to give the cabinets a light sanding between coats. You can apply a coat of rub-on polyurethane but I have usually just given cabinets a good buffing with a soft cloth. Good luck!

  • 5 years ago

    Painting kitchen cabinets is not a DIY project you do in a weekend or two, especially with everything else a new homeowner has to do. Replacing the backsplash with something more interesting might be a better way to start.

  • 5 years ago

    Living in the space first is a better idea. You might find the layout isn’t working for you, or you need more cabinets, or something else. It takes time in a house to be sure of a big step like this one. Maybe you’ll decide a full renovation of the kitchen and adjoining area is necessary.
    Move, unpack, and spend time in your new home imagining everything you want to do to it.
    If you’re determined to get the messy job of painting out of the way before you move, white is definitely a good, safe color. Ahhh, but WHICH WHITE? I would go ivory and not stark white. You can have a whole thread on a Houzz about white paint for a reason.
    Have you considered a color? Maybe one of our Houzz pros can change the color of the cabinets for you.
    Congratulations on the new house! Thanks for making us a part of your future project(s).

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    I agree that you must ask yourself if you have the know how and experience to paint. A bad paint job will ruin these cabinets and a very costly mistake to fix. I would also consider the functionality as Patricia Colwell Consulting mentioned.
    Can you paint your kitchen white? Not if it’s a true white and all the other fixed elements are staying- countertops/ backsplash. Your flooring appears to be a mid tone wood so you do have flexibility there.
    If you introduce a true white you will start to get the “yesterday and today look” old finishes mixed in with new. Think (clean and dirty)not saying your kitchen is dirty lol. It looks very clean.
    If you are keeping all the other elements, a complex cream or griege would be better suited, perhaps an off white (of the undertones were correct)
    Get professional color advise. Specifying color via the internet is not a wise choice unless you are a true color expert!

  • 5 years ago

    Add color. Window coverings, furniture, accessories. You are probably looking at a staged house. It’s meant to look like a clean slate for you. You may find it’s not “bland” after all.

  • 5 years ago

    In our previous house we had a similar kitchen and spiced up the kitchen by replacing countertops, backsplash and pulls. House sold in two days.





  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    The backsplash is something I would change rather than paint the cabinets. If you paint the cabinets, that backsplash will still be there. Once you remove the wood table and wood chairs, and add some budget rugs (check out Ruggables because they are washable), and change the backsplash, the kitchen will look more current.