Keep the cabinets! They are classy and timeless.

Definitely hire a pro for the best outcome

I had a white kitchen and loved it at first but it became soooo boring! New kitchen will be more like,what you have now!

Creative cabinets: do you have a before shot of the kitchen you posted?

It would make me sad to see these cabinets painted, but bottom line they are yours and if you dream of a white kitchen then go for it! Benjamin Moore makes a new paint that is amazing. ADVANCE® Waterborne Interior Alkyd Paint...it is an oil base that cleans up with water, low odor, resilient, stain blocking etc etc.

These are waaaay too beautiful to paint white! This combo is my favorite, as I love contemporary, clean décor. Maybe you will learn to love these once you live with them. You can add a backsplash in a subtle stone pattern to make it less sleek and more earthy. Please don't paint them!

Visit some sites or displays with modern, contemporary design and I think you'll come to realize just how lucky you are to have such a beautiful kitchen!

I love the maple cabinets. I think they are timeless

Lovely cupboards. If you need a change why not change the bench tops? A light coloured ceasar stone would change the whole look.

I had a gorgeous kitchen with wood cabinets--mine were antique cypress--I redid the counters in white quartz, the backsplash in white subway tile, put in marine style hanging lamps with big white glass inserts. It was a different space altogether. You might try that first. I used the quartz that looks like marble on my counters and a solid white on the island--. It was really stunning with the wood cabinets. My new kitchen will be white IKEA but only because I can't afford real wood. Your cabinets are really gorgeous and your kitchen can still look very contemporary. Can you make a white room nearby that will satisfy you?

I think it would be a big mistake to paint those beautiful cabinets.

You can paint the cabinets with no problems. Proper prep and a very high quality paint are the keys to your success. These cabinets are hand brushed and will stand the test of time.

You can easily paint your cabinets, I have painted my twice. The prep is the most important part. Make sure you use TSP to clean them, then a light sanding. Remove all the hardware and fill and fix any damage. Make sure to use a adhesion primer. Benjamin Moore sells a couple of great ones. (Stix and Adhero) Paint the cabinet doors with a low pile roller ( Mohair works well) I would lay the doors on a flat surface and paint with a high quality paint made for cabinets. Benjamin Moore has a great paint called Advance, and worked really well on mine. You can choose any colour you would like. My cabinets wore really well and I have a 16 year old and 2 dogs and never had any chips. Hope this helps.

I'm curious-- what is the stone backsplash? On my screen, it seems quite yellow. I really think if you changed that out, you might like the cabinets more. I think this is such a beautiful kitchen. But I wonder if the backsplash is bringing out a lot of yellow in both the cabinets and the floor that you possibly don't like. ?

basilmd, what a lovely kitchen! may i suggest you try adding white accesories, white paper or fabric in your glass cabinets .... to help get the feel for white in your space before committing to painting? also, perhaps you could opt to introduca a section of white in your space (such as a set of cabinets that serve as dish therin.storage, beverage center etc.). - painting cabinets can truly be a second time around love affair with your home, it can also become a diy disaster. if this is your first foray into painting, and you are too nervouss i also would recommend professionals be utilized. - a small note, i see your scheme in general appears to compliment the tone of the cabinets, specifically your backsplash (according to my monitor). once your cabinets are painted, you may be unhappy with this too. alas, the never ending redesign :) your counters, black(?) willl be a classic compliment to white. - my opions are just that, based on many a kitchen and paint chips. in the end, you and your family dwell therein. make it your haven...make it your home. good luck.

forgive the typos (too much java!)

People pay premium for real wood, so I would be hesitant to paint it when is higher end than "paint grade wood". Plus in my opinion the white paint will not look good with that backsplash. An option could be a white wash finish, or a more natural maple finish, they would have to sand it and glaze it. In the end is up to you, good luck!

I totally agree with getting a pretty runner!! And perhaps you could change (lighten up) the backsplash instead of changing the cabinets. Do small things first, so you don't make a HUGE costly mistake. Those are beautiful cabinets. Add some more white accents in pottery, etc.

I wouldn't paint them......if they were mine. I love them! And if you really want white cabinets, have those removed and sell them to someone else! Then buy yourself new white cabinets and just redo the whole kitchen! :)

If you hire a professional painter it would definitely work, especially with your floor. Now it is too much of the same color (brown floor, brown kitchen, brown back wall). Another option is just to change the fronts. I don't know if they are standard size doors. You could also consider hiring a carpenter to make new doors.

I agree with dianahb in theory. While the backsplash is the blandest element in this otherwise good-looking kitchen, I've seen some truly unfortunate choices of backsplash material. I tell my customers they should only choose a white kitchen if they are prepared to keep it immaculate and deal with the inevitable chips which occur even with a factory paint job. If you really want to have your cabinets painted, go ahead, but I'd also change the splash.

I personally repainted the wood cabinets in our VERY SMALL galley kitchen in our condo. It was very time consuming. It looks like you have a beautiful kitchen with solid wood cabinets. Rather than painting them, could you stain them? This may cut down on the risk of paint chipping, etc. Then you could lighten the countertops and backsplash and get that white and bright look you are going for.

idea https://www.houzz.com/photos/maple-cabinetry-contemporary-farmhouse-style-rustic-kitchen-huntington-phvw-vp~380677

Or just lighten the countertops and backsplash and leave the cabeints as is for a more contemporary feel.

The natural wood is absolutely gorgeous and it would be a shame to paint them. I like the idea of adding white accessories in the room to help you get that "whiteness" in it. The combination of polished natural wood and the dark granite are modern and elegant. This is a real eye-popper of a kitchen that would cost thousands to replicate and it's very well designed.

I remodeled my kitchen at my old house myself and had a small budget so I had to use less expensive wood and we made our own cabinetry. I tiled the kitchen myself with a faux stone textured porcelain tile and it took me 6 months to complete (evenings and weekends). It looks great and it was all done on a low budget, so please consider yourself very, very fortunate to have such a beautifully designed and fabricated kitchen.

True wood workers do not like to see the natural grain of beautiful wood painted. It's an abomination to what Mother Nature has created. You may as well buy Ikea or cheap pressboard laminated with plastic instead of using real wood. A tree gave up it's life for these cabinets! Try to learn to appreciate natural textures and colors. It's quite an adventure once you notice them.

The backsplash wall is not very attractive, so you may be able to change this to something with more white in it. Paint this area to see if it can give you the whiter look that you are yearning for. Wall paper and tile are an option but of course, more expensive. A neutral, off white or sandstone color tile would be a nice option. (I'm unable to find photos of my kitchen but will keep looking!)

I wouldn't suggest painting it. Your cabinets look wonderful already and the maple matches the countertop so well. White cabinets would most likely mean a change to a white countertop too..

Your project picture shows a black end wall, black tops and SS appliances. The existing wood is beautiful and it seems a shame to paint the cabinets. However, white can become overwhelming in a short period of time. Have you considered a semi-gloss/gloss black with a SS backsplash?

I love the cabinets and if your thinking of changing something then maybe go with a white countertop and a new backsplash....you never know just how beautiful it may come out

Most people would recommend that you do not paint them because maple is a nice hardwood. But the bottom line is whether you like it or not. If you don't like it, what's the point? Your cabinets can be painted. Proper preparation and paint is the key. If you are unsure, hire a pro.

I sometimes think that people get the idea for white kitchens because you see so much of it, on Houzz, and in magazines. Personally, I think you see so much of it, because it is less expensive than to have real hardwood for kitchen cabinets. Generally, most people can't afford real hardwoods, like maple and cherry. In fact, my guess is that you could carefully remove these cabinets, sell them to someone who knows the value of hardwoods, and make a profit. Then go and get some MDF board, paint it white, and go from there. But when you have maple cabinets that look as beautiful as yours do, I'd keep them natural.

We have cherry cabinets that were put in 18 years ago-- and look as beautiful as the day they were installed (moreso, really because they've darkened somewhat over time and have a lovely rich tone to them). Hardwoods are pretty timeless--

You have a beautiful kitchen! I wouldn't paint the cabinets.

Painted cabinets, less expensive? My suppliers charge more for paint than for stained cherry. A five piece door has joints that will move with temperature and humidity and a painted finish will generally show hairline cracks with time. On a stained door these are not very noticeable but paint shows all the flaws beneath it very nicely. For that reason manufacturers often take extra care in preparation for paint. A good paint job is time consuming and is ideally done under controlled conditions in a factory.

It does not look cheap. It looks modern. I dream of this color for my kitchen cabinets. Right now I have dark brown cabinets. I plan to strip everything off and stain cabinets lighter. In your case, I would choose a trendy cool color for the walls (pale grey, off white) and your cabinets will stand out and shine.

I think that you probably will need to hire a professional to repaint them if you really want a white kitchen.

BUT some things to consider:

How long have you lived with this kitchen? And how long have you wanted a white kitchen?
Wooden cabinets like you have that are expensive and high quality. Once you paint them, you won't be able to go back. Make sure you have lived with them for long enough to know you really want that white kitchen, and it's not just a phase or a fad.

White cabinets are a lot cheaper than beautiful maple like you have. It is easier to get "fake" look-alike cabinets made particle board and plastic veneers from IKEA in white, which might explain the current prevalence of white kitchens.

White cabinets are much more difficult to keep clean. Even if the cabinets are painted well so they do not chip, they will show dirt and grime much more easily than wooden cabinets, whose color and variation in the wood grain hide buildup from hand oils over time. I have owned both white and wooden cabinets and the white definitely gets more dirty looking. No so much that you would need to clean them every single day, but everything shows on white cabinets, from soap build-up to hand oils around the cabinet pulls, to pet dander where your dog always rubs up against the corner cabinet. They are kind of like stainless steel -- beautiful, but you just cannot get rid of the fingerprints.

Design Details: If your suppliers are charging more for painted cabinets than for cherry cabinets-- something's not right. I think, aside from perhaps some rare exotic woods, cherry and maple are probably two of the most expensive hardwoods out there for kitchen cabinetry.
While I see nothing wrong with white painted cabinets-- they can be beautiful, and beautifully done-- they can't hold a candle to these maple cabinets shown above. Sorry-- they just can't. I also cannot envision trying to keep white cabinets clean. I have enough trouble with white trim on interior doors. Imagine just the oil from your hands with those white cabinets. You'd be cleaning around the knobs and pulls everyday.

dianahb: Custom cabinet makers often (usually?) use maple as the underlying wood for high quality painted cabinetry (mine did). I assume that the quality of cabinets that Design Details carries does the same. There are definitely painted-finish cabinets made from all different grades of materials, at all different price points, but usually the most well-made ones have solid wood doors and drawers beneath the painted finish. Thus the increased cost for both the wood and the extra finishing required on painted cabinetry. I'm not, BTW, encouraging basilmd to paint those beautiful, high quality maple cabinets. I absolutely love them just as they are. I'm just suggesting that Design Details is describing a very standard set of price differences for higher end cabinetry.

Two options: 1) Keep cabinets the way they are and install a 3X6 white subway tile and a Carrera marble (or solid surface that looks like Carrera) counter to achieve a "white kitchen" look. 2) If you paint the maple, they will look best if a professional does them and they are sprayed, not brushed. They will need to be sanded well and primed first. If they are done correctly, they should not chip easily and will not look cheap. I would still then switch to a white backsplash either subway tile, white marble, or white glass depending on traditional or modern to achieve the look you are wanting.

Most cabinet manufacturers charge more for painted finish than a natural or stained wood finish. And many offer painted maple and painted cherry cabinets as well. In my area, a painted MDF cabinet is less expensive than a stained maple cabinet. But a painted maple cabinet is more expensive than a stained maple cabinet. And although there is plenty of painted MDF cabinets out there, there are a lot of mid to high end kitchens out there with painted maple and cherry cabinets.

Whether or not painted cabinets "hold a candle" to maple cabinets is really subjective. There are beautiful painted cabinets and, like anything else in design, whether it works or not has to do with quality, the colors and how it is integrated with all the other elements in the room.

In regards to cleaning, white obviously shows dirt more than most other colors. That is a consideration, but dirt should really be cleaned off of any cabinet finish on a regular basis. Does anyone really want hidden dirt on their kitchen cabinets?

feeny-- Thanks for the explanation. So, yes-- agreed-- if Design Details' suppliers are actually using a hardwood, like maple, and then painting over that (still totally flummoxed by that choice)-- then I can imagine that would certainly drive the cost and become more expensive. I still stand by my earlier comment; I do suspect that the majority of white cabinetry you see is not of that quality. And, like I said, I think that can look very good-- but the kitchen above is drop-dead gorgeous.

I do believe the backsplash color is bringing out a lot of yellow in the floor and cabinetry, so putting in a beautiful runner with shades of blue, maybe, and ensuring the wall paint has no yellow in it-- her perception of the room would positively change (I believe). Replacing the backsplash would make a difference, too-- but I'd do those other things first, before doing that.

As someone who is also thinking about painting my cabinets white, if I had your beautiful maple cabinets I would keep them!

I would love to have them. Would you sell them to a good home?

you are the one living in this kitchen not them dont keep them orange because thats what someone else likes. Go with what you like!!

I have white cabinets and really want exactly what you have. The grass is always greener....

Old post from 2013. ( but hope they didn't paint them...)

basilmd - Did you end up painting your cabinets? If so, are you happy with how they turned out? I have a traditional style kitchen with black granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. I did not care for the cabinets when we bought our house and 10+ years later, I still do not care for them. Our kitchen is on the back side of our house and somewhat dark to begin with. In addition, the color of the cabinets blends with our wood floors. Just wondering . . .

If you choose to have them painted definitely hire a professional.

We are just completing a full house remodel. The kitchen cabinets were ripped out and replaced. However, two of the bathrooms had cabinets that were painted professionally.

All of the cabinets have turned out beautiful.

I have cherry stained cabinets that I am struggling with. I would like the look to be more updated. The wall color of course is the warmed beige (looks slightly pecan). Large black tile floor. I moved in here a year ago and have to repaint so I would like to bring it into this century.

Typically, I'm in favor of painting cabinets, but in this case, I say NO! Your cabinets are beautiful! I would consider changing the backsplash if you want to update your kitchen. Also love your granite and think that its works beautifully with the other elements in your kitchen.

Your kitchen is beautiful, I wouldn't change it to white!

Lol. Kpappal that kitchen is beautiful and I don't know what happened but that is not my kitchen.

changeitupgirl- Do you just want to make your kitchen more updated, or do you actually dislike the cherry cabinet look? If you just want to update it, look at tons of pictures of cherry cabinet kitchens and see if there are any where you like the look. Sometimes updating the cabinet hardware, accessories, backsplash or even the kitchen lighting can make a huge difference. But If you truly dislike the look of the cabinets, go ahead and paint them. Just make sure you know what you are doing or you hire a professional.

Maple is a great material to paint -- as a matter of fact, one of my cabinet manufacturers uses it for their painted finishes. While your photo looks good, maple is known for its tendency to become more yellow over time. I rarely specify it in my projects for that very reason. You have been well-advised to hire professional painters for best results. Yes, it's very possible that you can chip a painted finish on a cabinet, piece of furniture -- or your car! Just be careful putting things away. That said, I think you're going to find that the existing tile backsplash may not look quite right with your new white cabinetry and black-ish countertops. If it were up to me, I'd tear that out before you paint the cabinetry. Good luck!