Fun! I would paint it white in a heartbeat. What do you have to lose?

Check out Jenny Komenda's Little Green Notebook blog. She is renovating a Brooklyn brownstone they are renting (rent is reduced due to all her work on the place). She recently made an amazing transformation for little $ in the kitchen. She walks you step by step how to paint the cabinetry. I think she painted the cabinets in the last placed they lived in, too. Just a word of warning...you can get lost on her blog for hours. She amazes me:

Here is a link that might be useful: Little Green Notebook blog

You aren't going to get any joy from me, what you've got to lose is a pristine looking vintage finish.

I really like them the way they are. I would change the wallcolor first (and painting walls is much easier), if you want a change, and then maybe the hardware but do Not get rid of the hardware.

Actually depending upon how the hardware is attached, it may be difficult to change without leaving marks, in which case I'd keep the hardware.

This post was edited by palimpsest on Thu, Jan 3, 13 at 18:18

OMG I adore your banquette!!! Darn, I want that in my house.

Regarding the cabinets, I am torn, yes, they are vintage and the finish appears to be in good shape. But I hear you on the orange-overload feeling. I have a crazy idea that would be easy to try out ... What if you changed the counters to something else? My first thought is to take white paper (printer paper, even) and lay it out on you counters to hide the teal. Then snap a pic and see if a blander counter can calm the orange color down.

If it does, you could re-laminate your counters more cheaply (even if you hire someone to do it) than it would be to paint your cabinets, I think. Painting cabinets is something that sounds easy but really takes a TON of time in the prep work to make sure the finish is durable.

White, or even a dark brown faux granite color counters might help you like the cabinets more, and would be a 1 day project (once you pick a color). My sister has a very similar kitchen and had her counters re laminated to cover a stained, ugly yellow counter with a rich brown colored granite look and it looks great. It doesn't fool anyone into thinking it is actually granite, but it looks fresher and more updated than the unattractive sickly yellow she had before.

I agree with pal. I love them and think they are really pretty. I just don't think the wall color does them any justice. and either paint or get new hardware

Oh goodness no:(! I love your kitchen as it is! It oozes with warm retro charm! If only my home had retain its earlier features!

If you're not happy in your kitchen, I would paint them. You spend far too much time there to have it unappealing to you. It's your home. You should enjoy it!

I adore your kitchen! Maybe try painting the walls first and see if you can downplay the orange?
Your banquette is to die for.

As far as I'm concerned, retro charm, especially retro charm that looks so good, wins hands down over what might end up being a so-so paint job any day. I have no idea what Butter Cream looks like, but it doesn't sound like it would go as well with the cabinet color as some other wall color might. So I'm agreement with drybean et al. - try painting the walls.

A vote for painting the cabinets in the White Vanilla -- and adding hammered silver or pewter hardware! :)

Pretty kitchen -- LOVE the dining nook! :)Have you ever considered adding thin bookshelves on each side wall -- for cookbooks etc.?

P.S. I have the same Father Christmas face pictured on the right-hand upper corner of the dining nook; plus old bean pots for storage on my counter and a hammered aluminium icebucket too! LOL! Yes -- I do notice those kinds of details .... :)

Those cabinets remind me of my childhood home. I kind of love them. I know you said you weren't up for major work, but painting cabinetry well does mean major work. To look really good and have a smooth and durable finish, they'll need a lot of prep and several sprayed coats with a specialty product. I had my builder grade cabinets professionally painted this summer and after watching them work I realized that even though I'm a decent painter, I couldn't have come close to doing the job they did. Your cabinets are very nice and probably of good quality, so you'll want to be especially careful with them.

I think I would either live with it all as is for awhile and think about it or gear up for some renovation work. I would swap out the counters and maybe the floor, and change the wall color first. From the photos, it seems like the yellow walls are accentuating the orangey tint of the cabinets. The teal counters and orangey cabinets are are of a similar color intensity so neither looks dominant, and the colors don't compliment each other either, so they are fighting.

If the color of the cabinets still bothers you after changing the counters and wall color, you can always have them professionally painted. That works out because painting cabinets is something you'd want to do after counters, backsplash and flooring are finished.

When you bought the house 8 years ago, did you love the kitchen & cabinetry or did you always plan to change them? If you loved them, then I agree with the other posters that you should keep them. However, if you really didn't love the look 8 years ago, then why not? You've lived with them long enough to know how you feel, either way. If you do like them, I do agree that changing the wall color might help.

Ha, ha! Well, there you go!

Thank you, wishiwasinoz, I LOVED the blog you sent me to!

I actually painted the walls BM Butter cream b/c I like the cheery color--go figure, I like it!

I agree once I paint the cabinets, there's no going back AND retro is quite pleasing. But...the hardware looks quite cheap so I won't keep that; you'd have to see it in person.

Are there any colors in the kitchen nook that I could pick up?

I guess it's really all a matter of taste, to paint or not so I'm not really asking you to totally answer that question for me. Some of you will like the cabinets as is; some will not. I'm just trying to look at all the angles & possibilities w/o a lot of major re-haul (although I do like to paint since I'm pretty fastidious).

If you have any other ideas, bring them on! thanks!

MyCityGarden

I WISH ours were unpainted. No, I would not touch yours If you want to get an idea of painted, here are there. The PO's painted them, and did not do a great job or choose a good color or the paint was free. We also went to the hidden hinges, but sometimes I wish I kept the exposed hinges and just replaced the hardware with new. They were probably originally black but were painted over.

I agree, you can change the counter. Painting the cabinets is a lot of work even for a small kitchen.

BEFORE:

DURING:

After:

The cabinets are BM Chantilly Lace and the hardware is Ikea Gravyr. The granite is blue pearl. I would have also liked Boomerang laminate, but that's also expensive, too.

My vote is no, don't paint them- they're pretty and charming as they are.

I like your cabinets, consider painting/changing the hardware.
What I can't get past is why you can't put in a dishwasher?
The picture doesn't show what's on the other side of your sink. Any carpenter worth his salt can move some of your doors next to the stove and cut a box for the dishwasher.
I can live with any color cabinets-but no dishwasher-NO WAY!

maybe a black laminate countertop, Wilsonart Smokey Topaz. I have maple cabinets, and used green BM Cedar Grove for the wall color.

Is it the color of the cabinets you don't like or the style of the cabinets? If it's the style, painting won't change that-they'll still be 50's style cabinets--just white instead of maple.

If it's the color, then painting them makes sense.

I would not paint them, the hardware does look like it is placed to high? I would change the wall color, check out some photos

Here is a link that might be useful: wall color

The only thing I would change in that kitchen is to put in a mod turquoise countertop.

Abet Laminati Serigrafica 2000 series, color 1231

Love that formica above! The painting issue depends on what you have done in the rest of your house. If you are going for a certain retro charm, keeping the cabinet finish and updating the counters would look great. If you're doing a complete overhaul, I would paint the cabinets a soft black instead of white. And a satin finish. Anything shinier will show every surface imperfection, and sometimes wood painted white isn't as smooth and pretty as black.

What is plan B if you don't like the cabinets painted?
I vote is to save the cabinets and update the counter top and the backsplash. Is the backsplash formica? It is def a different color scheme than your other rooms. If that doesn't do it for you, then paint.
Keep us posted!

I love painted cabinets and I think you would be happy with yours a brighter more cheerful color. I'd just be careful not to go too white. Mine our yellow and I love them but then our walls are stained wood.
I think it would look really cute with lighter cabinets and then decorate with some pieces that bring out the pretty counter top. Try to find some plates, platters that bring out the colors in your kitchen to tie it all in.

Your kitchen is so cute. I love the nook. I guess it depends on your preferences. If it were me I would leave them. I have cabinets similar to that in my kitchen and they were already painted when I moved in. I wish they were natural. But if you like the clean bright light look, then you would probably like white. Either way they will look good, but I prefer the unpainted, its so warm looking, and I like that in a kitchen.

Gel stain? Way more forgiving than painting.
The issue with your cabinets is that they will still be flat front and have the frame and hinges exposed. Below are some pictures of what they would look like just painted. I can't find any that are dark stained.

Here is a link that might be useful: flat front cabinets

Can you post a picture of your kitchen from some other angles? I would like to see over the range where you want to add a hood and more cabinets eventually, as well as to the left of the sink.
I love your cabinets and would not paint them. The handles with backplates are not original. My theory is that there was dinginess around (at least some of) the original knobs and someone replaced the knobs with a style with a backplate to hide the dinginess.
Give the cupboards a good cleaning with a degreasing detergent, inside and out. This would have to be done as a prep to painting anyway. Try warming up the wood tone with a little old english on the inside of one of the doors to test it out, if that is not enough, try a little gel stain.
Your cheery yellow, while a great color, is making your cabinets appear extra orangey. Try painting the walls that lovely grey-green that is on the top half of your gorgeous nook. You could even take one of your drawers out and bring it over there and see how the tone appears differently next to that shade.
Think about changing the teal countertop that you dislike. At least get it priced out. Remember a gallon of good paint is not that cheap. The cost of the paint plus the labor involved in painting may equate to the cost of a new countertop. It is alot of work to paint cabinets!

It seems to me the central issue is this: "I want to add cabinets & hood above the stove, a dishwasher doesn't fit with the present configuration...". You might consider asking for feedback about the layout - even knowing you are not ready to make major changes yet, it might help with your initial modifications.

If it wasn't for the appliance issues I would leave the cabinets - I think the maple is great and I like the green counters which seem to be in perfect condition.

I painted builders grade 1980s so-called Oak cabinets and was glad I did. Your cabinets appear to be of much better quality and much more attractive. I can't see the hardware clearly - would you share a closeup of the handles and knobs?

If you want to change the counters then I think the mod counter tops GreenDesigns posted are great - I'd be tempted by them, knowing I'd start every day with a smile.

I would change the countertops before I painted the cabinets. I imagine marble or something sleek and white.

I'm a little confused by the posters who recommend not painting them simply based on the premise of keeping the original finish. The OP stated that her house is a 1920's Dutch Colonial. These cabinets seem very 1950's mod or retro, not vintage. What would be the benefit of keeping them unpainted? Unless she were to replace them entirely and donate them, in which case I can see someone enjoying the stained finished in a home of a similar era/style.

To the OP, I think I had the exact same laminate counter pre-remodel! I was in a similar position as you with a 1920's house with 1950's cabinets, except mine were already painted and needed revitalizing. I prepped, sanded, sprayed BM Advance paint, removed the upper doors, and used new hardware, and I love the look. It's still just slab doors on the bottom, and I may eventually have new doors made all around, but I think it's a much more fitting look for my period home.

Painting cabinets is a lot of work, but it can be done in small chunks. BM Satin Impervo is fabulous if you want to brush or roll, which allows you to do cabinets individually instead of masking and spraying the whole kitchen.

Before:

After:

Here is a link that might be useful: My farmhouse kitchen update

Good points equest! I think you're right. I, for one, was ignoring the "20's dutch colonial" part and focusing on the maple cabinets which to me are charming probably because they remind me of my mom's kitchen. Not real helpful to the OP!

I feel that the kitchen in a given house can be any style that is newer than the house itself if it is part of a natural progression. Unless the "new" kitchen style is based on a historic form like the white vaguely Edwardian looking kitchen. So, a 19th century house doesn't need a 19th century looking kitchen necessarily. There are entire neighborhoods here with 19th century houses that have charming metal kitchens from the 1940-50s and I think that is completely appropriate (as is IKEA,for that matter).

If the house had the original kitchen and it needed to be replaced, I would recommend replacing it with something in kind, or something current but compatible, but not a 1950s kitchen. But since it has 1950s kitchen, it is an original vintage kitchen in it's own right. I wouldn't recommend duplicating in the new kitchen if everything including the floorplan were being changed but since it is staying as is, that is why I recommend leaving it.

This might sound a little confusing, but my point is natural progression. A minimalist lacquer Italian kitchen in a Victorian house--fine. A Victorian reproduction kitchen in a Modernist house, not so good. It's backwards.

Funny, that kitchen strikes me as odd for a Dutch Colonial also. I would be more concerned wrecking good cabinetry that is original to the house or style of the house, or installing a kitchen that isn't appropriate.

When you do remodel your kitchen, are you planning on replacing all the cabinetry? Do you have any idea how far off that would be? Is it possible it might never happen?

Is it really fair to ask the OP to preserve the cabinets in their current state, which she doesn't like, so she could possibly donate them later to a stranger who would enjoy them? Would she get much money for this cabinetry as-is that would make preserving it an investment towards the remodel?

This post was edited by snookums2 on Fri, Jan 4, 13 at 23:20

No help, but thank you wishi for the link to the Little Green Notebook. I love it!

I would paint them ASAP; I hate that orange-y finish and think they would look charming in a white or cream and have more of a cottage feel, which would match the breakfast nook. That would probably be enough to tide me over until a real remodel.

Well I'd probably paint them, but I'd change the countertops first and see how it looks. I am not really interested in vintage or historic items just for the sake of it, if I don't find them aesthetically pleasing - and if I'd lived with it so long and wanted a change, you bet I'd paint those cabinets white or cream and get a new countertop in there!

Absolutely adore your maple cabinets. In fact, I am building a brand new house next year and I want to put in maple cabinets or maple look laminex cabinets. Agree with a number of comments that you could perhaps change the benchtop and the wall colouring.

I don't like orange either, but I dislike painted cabinets even more. Paint is a very cheap finish compared to a natural wood finish, and painting the cabinets will make them look cheaper. Also, you have to be careful not to paint the hinges or hardware and also make sure that the doors will close properly after getting a coat of paint.

I have solid maple cabinets (about the same color as yours), and while I do not love the finish, I realize that painting would only make them look worse. Bleaching them and refinishing them in a lighter wood finish would be an improvement, but that is a major task, and they might as well be replaced as to do that much work.

Since they are solid wood, keep a wood finish until you decide to redo the entire kitchen. These cabinets were never meant to be painted.

Lars

That's about the color of my cabinets and I'm getting ready to gel stain them.

I'd gel stain (General Finishes brand) or paint. I could see them painted the vanilla color. I suggest gel stain because you always could move to paint if you hate it. Easier to do that than paint and have to strip to stain, you know?

I'll answer first and then read the other posts. Pretty sure that you don't want to hear this, but I wouldn't be so quick to paint the cabinets and rip out the counters, especially not to get another "creamy white with granite or butcher block" (a look which I love, BTW). Once you've painted, there's no return without lots of work, not to mention how much work it'll be to do a decent paint job.

I'd paint the walls (probably off white) and add vinyl floor tiles with a checker pattern or some checks n for starters. You have this cool booth, and I'd play that up. I love, love turquoise and would pick more shades of turquoise in accessories and also in that booth (white and a watery aqua, for example, or add a coral to the mix). Oh, and I'd get different window treatments.

Lastly, if you remove that one wall cabinet, could you add a hood?

Of course, it depends on what you like and what the rest of your house looks like.

More info on the link below. Looks like they actually stripped their white cabinets to get the maples back.

Here is a link that might be useful: kitchen remodel

Oops, didn't realize that this thread was over a year and a half old. What did you decide in the end?

Ha! I just realized that this was an old thread too. Never mind ...

This post was edited by deee on Mon, Aug 18, 14 at 8:53