The counter and backsplash update might be all that is needed. You might want to also look at lighting. Make the two changes and then decide if you really want to paint cabinets.

I just put new cherry cabinets in my kitchen with black soapstone counters. The floor and walls are white, and there is plenty of natural sunlight, so I don't feel it is too dark. I think painting only some of the cabinetry is taking a huge risk. Natural wood is trending in design for newer kitchens now.

@Aglitter my first thought for countertops was green soapstone. I love the way it looks with cherry.

@Toni Hamlett yes, lighting is HUGE. We had one dark center light in my old kitchen. I can't believe the difference with decent LED discs. I used wood cabinetry for my new kitchen - natural red birch. It has the same warm look of cherry

Thank you all for helpful responses. I like the idea of replacing countertops and backsplash (and possibly cabinet hardware as well), before deciding to paint the cabinets. But, we have been advised to decide whether or not to paint now because that may impact the choice of countertops and backsplash. If we don’t paint the cherry cabinets, we like white background countertops with muted gray/gold thin veins— like silestone glow, silestone haze, or silestone calacatta gold. Would those work with cherry? Then we need to decide whether to use the same material for backsplash or have subway tiles for backsplash. A lot of decisions do make. Feels overwhelming.

Do you have photos? A marble-style counter with gold veining usually works better with cherry wood than gray veining, but those are really hard to find. Using slab for the backsplash is pretty expensive. I would plan on a tiled backsplash unless the budget is big. Don't rule out a solid white countertop with a lightly patterned backsplash. That would set you up for fewer risks in terms of materials clashing.

Here is a photo of our kitchen.

These are quartz samples we are considering:

https://www.cosentino.com/colors/silestone/ethereal-glow/

https://www.cosentino.com/usa/colors/silestone/ethereal-haze/

https://www.cosentino.com/colors/silestone/et-calacatta-gold/

Thanks all!

Nice kitchen, with an updated counter and backsplash of lighter colors will change the look. Do you also have under counter lights. If not consider adding as you can never have too much light to work with. Another thing that will change the look is updated hardware. Since you have center holes on the drawers I would replace with the same but for the doors confer handles with the understanding you will need to drill another hole to go with the existing one.

Check out this picture with cherry cabinets and white counters

https://www.houzz.com/photos/craftsman-stunner-craftsman-kitchen-portland-phvw-vp~128926375

Thank you, Toni Hamlett. I love the look of the kitchen in the link you shared.

Thanks for the photo. That helps a lot. What I am seeing there is cherry wood that was not particularly well matched in terms of color or grain, so a deep stain was added to help even things out. Ideally, cherry wood cabinetry worth keeping wouldn't be stained at all and would have more grain and color matching to the face with a clear coat only. That way the natural coloration of cherry would shine through. To make a long story short, I do think your cabinetry is a good candidate for a color change if you are seeking a lighter effect. A professional prep and paint job for all your current cabinetry could easily run $7,000 USD, so be prepared for that. If you want a lighter color, then look for a painter who does a waterborne finish like from Milesi, Renner, or ICA because the oil-based paints will yellow over time. You won't notice the yellowing as much with darker colors in oil-based paints. You ideally want a two-part, post catalyzed conversion varnish for longevity, but you can look into Envirolak coatings for an alternative if no one in your area does two-part waterborne coatings. Envirolak is a really durable one-part paint that won't yellow and is a true standout in the coatings market right now. You might want to consider some other color than white since white kitchens aren't at the peak of the trend wave like they once were. Look around for color inspiration and be really sure you like what you select since a paint job of that magnitude could last decades if done well. I like all your countertop selections, but please also consider Cambria quartz from a wholesaler like ProSource. It is one of the best quality quartz products on the market right now, made with the superior Breton technology. I would probably stay away from only painting some of the cabinetry as it would look patchy. You could also look into refacing, but your current doors are quite nice, so that's not necessary.

Thank you, Silverlined. Very helpful. We got an estimate from a pro cabinet painting company, which is around $6K. He has not mentioned any of the techniques or oil vs. water based paint you explained. I will ask to make sure. We also requested an estimate for an alternative option: keeping the lower cabinets and the island as wood but restaining them to get rid of the reddish undertones. He is working on that estimate now. Thanks again!

Cherry is a very red wood. I don't know how you would get rid of the red undertones unless you stain very very dark. And that's a look that's much less attractive than what you have (also kind of dated). Your cabinets are beautiful. White quartz and a simpler backsplash with no contrasting OTR pattern would update your space and make it shine.

It would be very hard to get rid of a penetrating stain. The preferred finish for premium cherry is clear coat only. You'd get out of the project far cheaper if you want a lower wood look by refacing the fronts of the lower cabinets (buying new doors and drawer fronts, and due to full overlay, you could probably choose any wood you wished as long as the minimal frame area could be reasonably matched to it). The two-tone look with extremely different colors top versus bottom hasn't been a trend for a number of years now. I would recommend looking at a few more current design resources to expand your scope of possibilities.

Thanks, Silverlined and mcarroll16. It sounds like restaining cherry to undo red understones is not a feasible option and my options at this point are: 1. Don’t paint the cabinets at all, and 2. Paint all cabinets (perhaps paint the island in a different color). I am so torn. I love the look of our cabinets and they are in excellent condition. But, I am not sure whether we will be able achieve sleek, clean, and brighter look by just replacing the countertops, backsplash, and hardware. The designer at the kitchen design/build store encouraged us to consider painting the cabinets because he showed us mostly creamy background and/or brown veined quartz samples trying to match cherry, but we kept telling him we want brighter, neutral white background quartz. Perhaps I need to revisit the quartz options in off-white background if we decide to keep the cherry cabinets. In the meantime, if you have inspiration pictures, please post them! Another issue with painting, I do not know how we can find a color that is timeless and that would go well with the current hardware floor. We are definitely not changing flooring. Thanks again.

I think you could get a lot brighter with a change of countertop, backsplash, and wall color. And some long light runner rugs to break up the floor tones. Cherry works really well with blue tones and cool whites. Maybe the design guy really likes warmer colors. Or maybe he's working with what he's got--warm white quartzes seem more common than cool white quartzes.

But you said "sleek," and no new finish is going to give you "sleek." You have a fairly traditional cabinet door style. The tall uppers with the raised corner piece is a heavy look. Even paint will only get you to "light and bright traditional." If your real goal is an updated modern look, you need to think about refacing, or even replacing.

I agree with mcarroll16 that changing the countertops, backsplash and wall color can brighten up the whole area. You can also add under lights to the lower cabinets or change your pendant lights. Also check that your led bulbs are a cool white, not warm white. Your cabinets are beautiful, don’t paint them. You could replace one or two cabinet doors with glass panel doors and display white dishes in there to break up the “heavy” feel of the wood or you could change the color of the island. Silestone in White Storm14 for your countertops, cool white subway tiles for your backsplash, white paint for walls and ceiling and correct LED bulbs will make your kitchen so much brighter. Here’s a photo I found to give you an idea of how great your kitchen would look with just changing the counter top, back splash and island color. The cabinets are cherry. Hope this helps at least a little in your decision making! Good luck and please post your after photos. Would love to see what you decided on.

Painting those will not improve the kitchen at all. New lighter counters will. Forget even thinking about cabinet changes until you have made the counter, backsplash, and lighting changes. That’s 15-20K right there, without adding 10-12K on top of that for a *real* cabinet finishing pro to take on an opaque color change of the cabinets.

Thanks much, heatherabramski, mcaroll16, and verbo. I have received very helpful suggestions from you and others on this forum. My husband suggests that we should visit silestone, Msi, and Cambria showrooms and see whether we will find a quartz/slab that we love and that goes well with our cabinets (we will take a cabinet door with us). If so, we’ll keep the cabinets. If not, back to the drawing board. I will make sure to update this thread once we make a decision and/or when we complete the project. Many thanks all!

Best of luck! Definitely want to see pictures of what you put together.

After reading the goals for your kitchen, I am going to disagree with a few of the others and say that you may not be completely where you want to be in the end if you only update lighting, counters, and backsplash. What you have there is cherry wood that is completely obscured in terms of natural coloration by a saturated stain. As I mentioned earlier, this may have been done in part to disguise the fact that the wood used on the face could have been color and grain matched better than it was. If your floor were different, I might agree with the others who say to keep the cabinetry as it is, but the artificial maroon stain is clashing with your floor here, and the cabinetry is definitely contributing to a darker look in general--a look that countertops, backsplash, and lighting alone may not overcome if sleek and light is your goal. I do like your idea of different yet coordinating colors for perimeter cabinetry versus island. That is a more current trend than the older split-uppers-and-lowers look you were considering earlier. The decision on cabinet color should be made now as it will inform every other color choice you make. Again, if you go with a white or light paint color, I urge you to use the state-of-the-art Envirolak, Renner, ICA, or Milesi waterborne coatings that will provide both the longevity of durability as well as non-yellowing performance you need for a job of this magnitude. Sayerlack waterbornes are also a possibility, if you cannot find anything else, but the others I mentioned first are usually preferred by painters familiar with performance ratings. Envirolak will be the easiest for your painter to work with since it is one-part while the others are two-part. It's a Canadian brand with limited USA distribution, but you can contact the company and buy direct if needed. After following quartz reviews for a number of years, I would probably shy away from MSI and Silestone. Cambria is going to be your best performing quartz for a working kitchen among those options. Read up on Breton technology and find reviews of all those brands to see why.

Thank you, Silverlined. Very useful information and suggestions. The estimate we got for our kitchen is about $5600 for BM Advance. I will ask the cabinet painter whether he is familiar or has used the brands you have recommended in case we decide to paint. I hear you re Cambria being better compared to Silestone and MSI. I have seen some commentary along the same lines, but some kitchen folks also mention that all brands are pretty much the same in terms of quality and durability and consumers should just pick what they like. That said, the next step for us is to visit MSI, Silestone, and Cambria showrooms. Thanks again.

All quartz is not the same. It's your money, your choice, but at least you know to check reviews before committing. Some problems you may encounter with inferior quartz are staining, scratching, discoloration, warping, and chipping. There is a long-running thread here at Houzz by people who purchased one brand of non-Breton quartz and have to scrub marks off every time a pot contacts the surface, for one example of staining. Breton technology is a decisive advantage for a manufacturer, and not all brands use it. Cambria is one of the few quartz brands made in the USA, so quality control and lower shipping cost is an advantage in that respect if you are based in North America.

Benjamin Moore Advance is a hybrid, oil-containing paint. It will begin to yellow by the 3-year mark in most applications (especially for white tones), and some people have also said that it tends to flake and chip on high-traffic cabinetry locations early on as well. Benjamin Moore paints in general have excellent color saturation and tone. Bejamin Moore does produce a waterborne cabinetry paint called INSL-X Cabinet Coat, and I have used this paint on white trim work myself. It won't yellow like Advance will, but it isn't as durable as Envirolak or the others I recommended. Ask your painter how long the work is warrantied to get an idea of how long they expect it to last. Also know that the industry standard for quality cabinetry is a lifetime finish warranty using two-part, post catalyzed conversion varnish. Many threads here at Houzz feature complaints from homeowners who paid a small fortune to have cabinetry refinished only to see it yellow and flake within three years when oil-based or oil hybrid, non-catalyzed paint was used. Please don't let that happen to you.

One more thing, if you bring up the issues of yellowing or longevity of Advance with your painter and you are dismissed, beware that the painter with that attitude is not going to help you when those things do occur. If you select a dark color you can get away with Advance because the yellowing won't be as visible, though INSL-X Cabinet Coat would be a more maintenance-free option in terms of touch ups required over time if you were tied to the Benjamin Moore brand. Again, confirm the warranty period of the work, and that will give you a rough idea as to how long the paint job will last. Superior coatings technologies will last decades which is why many cabinetry companies offer a lifetime warranty on their finishes.

Thank you, Silverlined. I have started to look for a pro cabinet refinisher who are experienced with the method/brands you have suggested. No luck so far. I did find a company in my area that describes its method as: “ML Campbell precat lacquers and conversion varnishes, the most durable factory finishes on the market.” Any thoughts on this? Thanks.

Pre-cat lacquers are better than most single-part formulas (Envirolak is the exception). I don't know much about Campbell, and I can believe it might be really durable, but it is definitely not the most durable paint on the market. That's going to be post-cat Milesi, ICA, Renner, plus a few others, or even something like post-cat Loba 2K AT which I am using on my own cabinetry (a rock-tough floor coating that is really tricky to apply to cabinets, but I am pushing through with special techniques). The second question is whether the Campbell this painter uses has oil in it, because if so, it will yellow over time (sellers of Advance and many brands of oils will say the paints are non-yellowing, but don't believe it). In the olden days, oil paints were the most durable on the market, however, with new technology these days, the top-tier waterborne paints are just as if not more durable, plus they don't offgas fumes into the environment like oils do which is better for your health and indoor air quality. Many places in Europe mandate the levels of VOCs in coatings which has contributed to worldwide popularity of waterbornes, including for cabinetry.

I'm so very glad you are headed that direction to find a painter who used a durable paints! The best tip I can give you is to join the following Facebook group and ask who is local to your area who does good prep and either Envirolak or post-cat conversion varnish (preferably Milesi, Renner, or ICA). There are absolutely great painters out there doing quality work. In fact, if your current painter will agree to Envirolak, you could possibly even stay with him or even discuss INSL-X with him. INSL-X Cabinet Coat from Benjamim Moore is non-yellowing, and the semi-gloss is more durable than the matte according to some people. INSL-X has a beautiful white color straight from the can if you pick the light base, and it can also be tinted to any Benjamin Mooore color desired. As a last resort, you could consider INSL-X Cabinet Coat in semi-gloss (I wouldn't do matte in this paint on cabinets, and the semi-gloss is in my opinion fairly subdued in terms of sheen), however, while it will probably give you a fair number of years of good service (less then ten maybe), it isn't going to be your most durable option, so explore everything else you can first. Envirolak is an incredible, non-yellowing, 1-part paint that is extremely durable and holds its own in durability testing against 2-part conversion Milesi for cabinetry. Here's the group, and it is public in case you're not on Facebook so you can at least read the posts and search for the directory of painters, and be very sure your painter isn't taking a 2-part paint and leaving out the catalyst as some do this and it is a disaster--Envirolak would be way better than that: https://m.facebook.com/groups/353207895210719/