Kitchen Cabinet Repainting Color Suggestions

22 days ago

last modified: 22 days ago

We’re planning to get our light Oak kitchen cabinets painted professionally and are looking for color suggestions.

We were thinking of going with white since our walls are gray, but like to get recommendations from the experts on this chat on colors that would complement our space. My spouse likes off-white antique color, but I don't think it will work with grey and our space. We prefer lighter colors since it would make our space look bigger; therefore thinking white, but we are open to ideas. Besides solid single colors, I am also open to suggestions on two-color cabinets with lighter top cabinets and darker bottom cabinets.

Our wall color is Sherwin-Williams Popular Grey (https://www.sherwin-williams.com/en-us/color/color-family/neutral-paint-col rs/sw6071-popular-gray). The countertops are dark brown granite, and the floors are Brazilian teak. The backsplash is beige, but we are open to changing it if necessary.

Thanks for your feedback.

Featured Answer

eam44

22 days ago

last modified: 22 days ago

Light oak is very stylish again. Granted, your kitchen looks nothing like this, but you could steer into the trend, as it were.

If you don’t like oak that’s fine, but I mostly agree with others who feel that the cabinets are OK, but the backsplash needs to be updated.

I would address the cabinet side panels that don’t look great. Oak darkens over time. The laminate does not. Your cabinet faces and drawers will continue to deepen in color, and those side panels will not. One relatively inexpensive upgrade you could consider would be to cover the end panels with actual oak, or at least an actual (not plasticized) wood veneer. Any local cabinet maker can do that for you and I would be surprised if all-in the expense (for the fabrication, finishing and installation of 8 end panels) were more than $1K. That’s much less expensive than painting your cabinets would be, and it would give them a more elegant, finished look.

For the backsplash, should you decide to change it but keep the counter granite, you might want to consider ceramic tile in a grey beige color that makes the cabinet color (warm wood) marry well with the black of the stone and the grey of the walls. This is Fireclay Tile in Dolomite.

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Comments (7)

housegal200
22 days ago
last modified: 22 days ago
I would spend the cabinet painting $$$ on lighter countertops/backsplash then different colored wall paint, which is a cheaper route than painting cabinets. Your cabinets harmonize perfectly with your floors, which are a fourth wall.
Contemporary Kitchen · More Info

Southwest Style Kitchen · More Info

Modern Kitchen · More Info

Light uppers; existing wood bottom cabinets, white countertops/backsplash:
Washington DC - Midcentury - Kitchen · More Info

Scandinavian Lake Cottage · More Info

If you must keep your gray wall paint--cheapest thing to change btw--then here's something-wood base cabinets, uppers matching wall paint. Again, light countertops are the game changer.
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Sandy D thanked housegal200
herbflavor
22 days ago
grays [light gray wall color] often look good w the light maple cabinets. is there a surface problem so the need to paint those? i think i'd leave the perimeter. I would change the island . cant tell all the shades in the granite...maybe a gunmetal darker gray or saddle brown paint color.....could be smart and enough of a change. Get an end panel for the island at the same time.....if you want something extra change the island top to wood top ...a brown..it will work w the perimeter granite and a new darker island....and get overhang....you have space for more knee room and bigger stools I think. the kitchen seems cheerful/ largeish w some nice elements like floor and granite.....I would resist paint on the cabinets except island area. think things over.
Sandy D thanked herbflavor
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housegal200
22 days ago
More wood cabinets but with light countertops:

Light gray countertops/backsplash:
Sandy D thanked housegal200
Suki Mom
22 days ago
Your cabinets look like maple with laminate side panels. Rather than paint the cabinets I suggest you replace the backsplash.
Sandy D thanked Suki Mom
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lisedv
22 days ago
I'm also on the vote for replacing the countertops to white and the backsplash, what a difference it would make! Something like below...

New counterstools:
Sandy D
Original Author
22 days ago
Thanks, everyone, for your great feedback. You've given me lots to think about. @housegal200, thanks for the pictures, which are helpful. @eam44, I am glad you pointed out that Light Oak cabinets are in and recommending that grey backsplash tile.

I like the idea of changing the backsplash, and that should be an easy fix, along with switching vinyl sides to real wood (the vinyl sides bothered us for a while).