I have always had white cabs. In my current home they have been refinished once in 12 years. Not because of cracking, just normal wear and tear with 10 boys & 1 girl in the house. In the new home we are building I am also having white cabs, for me there is nothing else.
I do love stained cabinets, they are beautiful. Its just my preference for white and since I am building a very traditional cape-ish sort of home it lends itself well to that.
I think white will always be in.

Here are white cabs in my SOON TO BE OLD house (sorry for shouting), they really look pretty good for as much use as they get. I think these pictures must be after dinner. :)

My white painted cabinets are about 9 years old. There are a couple of drawers that have a litte paint chipped off. But we just got our painter to touch them up and they look fine now.

Mine are cream colored and after 6 years I have a bit of separation at a light-rail seam. I love the look and have found them a breeze to keep clean. We're reproducing the look with custom cabinets in our next house.

Thank you so much -- I've decided to go for it! I can't wait...

White painted kitchens are classic, and I don't think of them as being any more dated than white-painted millwork and other moldings throughout the house. I think of white cabs as enhancing and complementing the architecture of the house--like the kitchen cabs are part of the house. Of course, wood stains are also beautiful, but I think of wood stained cabs more resembling furniture pieces instead of being "part" of the house. Just my 2 cents!

acountryfarm - What granite is that?

Laurie

msrose-
I was told it is St. Cecilia. Now I know there is a Santa Cecilia, but I can tell you while mine is a little similar it is so much more beautiful. do not know if this is what mine is. My granite guy had a heavy accent so I may have misunderstood him. None the less what I have is truly gorgeous and if I could find it again I would be tempted to put it in new house .....oh thats right I also love my new black honed granite.

I could take a close-up of it if you would like.

I LOVE white cabinets! Thats what we are putting in our new kitchen....they just installed the boxes and put in the crown and it already looks great! No doors yet, I'm dying to see the doors! But I think that you cant go wrong with white cabinets!

acountryfarm, yes please do post a closeup. I am deciding between several granites right now. Yours looks more to me like New Venetian Gold but I certainly could be mistaken. I think they look similar (NVG and St.. Cecilia). I also have white cabinets so I would like to see more photos. Thanks!!
JoAnn

www.omegacab.com has a wide variety of white cabinets. Great cabinet company! (we bought cherry though)

acountryfarm OT

how do you keep your home so clean and in good condition with 11 kids? I haven't known very many people with more than 5-6 children, but the homes of those I have seen have been very worn and tired looking, even when clean. Your family must be amazingly organized.

Brava, and congratulations on your new home.

We had white in our old house, and they held up to four little boys just fine.
This house is only 3 yrs old and we have cheesy, builder oak cabs. The finish is a mess under the sink already.
We're painting them white this summer!!!

Do you have to pay more attention to getting a high-quality cabinet with great finish when you get whitish cabinets? we are about to a=order some and are trying to determine how much we reall need to spend to get the look we want (and for it to keep looking good for 15+ years)! Any thoughts?

I also adore white cabs, but decided to go with a light maple instead because I was told that the paint on wood cabs eventually cracks, it's the nature of it, and you have to find a slightly "shabby chic" look charming. In general I do, but I'm going for a sleek, modern look in my small kitchen, so that look is not what I'm going for. Anyone have experience with painted wood cabs where the paint did NOT take on a cracked appearance?

We were told by several cabinetmakers, that if you go with MDF center panels, with wood boxes and wood surround panels, that this minimizes any expansion and contracting cracks and separations. The MDF also takes the paint quite well and has been so improved that they say it is very durable and long lasting. So, if you want white cabinets but are concerned about cracking at the joints, you might want to consider this option. I agree that the look of white cabinets is enduring and not at all a fad.

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

These are 93 years old...I think they look pretty good, don't you?

White cabinets are a classic that will never go out of style. Will glazed white go out? Yes probably but if they're halfway decent cabinets, the style will go out of fashion before they start pulling at the seams :)

By the way...they're solid wood. MDF/Plywood/etc., didn't exist at the time.

LauraP and Starfish, I've never had a problem with the white finish on my cabinets. After almost 5 years of heavy use (2 little kids, plus messy husband, lots of relatives and neighbors bouncing in and out all the time, lots of cooking) my cabs at my old house still looked new. They were Cabico brand, and the paint finish was called White Lacquer. We spilled everything from Easter Egg dye to food coloring to my 2 yr old scribbling with permanent marker, and everything wiped up without a hitch.
Not that I would recommend this, but I actually wiped off the permanent marker using nail polish remover (acetone free kind) and you cannot even tell where the mark was.

I never got the "shabby chic" cracking at all, just minor separation at the seam. Of course it was only 4.5 yrs. We were warned of that as well, but purchased a $15 touch-up paint kit as a back-up and never even opened it. (The new owners of that house haven't had to either.)My belief is that the cabinet dealers just tell you the paint separation thing is going to be worse than it is so you don't call and demand a repair/replacement in 4 years. Really, we never had a problem.

If you love white, do the white! It's gorgeous and never goes out of style.

nuccia--

to answer your question.... I am pretty fanatical about keeping house chores done. We mostly can get everything done in an hour in morning. We split it up and its not to bad. I homeschool so we do manage to get quite a bit done in a day. But let me say, I am not militant, I am a very relaxed mom and wife and do know what's important in this life. I have lived through enough tragedy & trial in this life for a dozen people. I don't want my golden years spent in regret.

I am a big fan of clorox wipes with white woodwork.
We have had a housekeeper quite a bit but let her go about a year ago because this house is so small. Even one extra makes it more crowded.
Our new home is 6000 sq. ft.

This home ( the one pictured) is only 2200. So I must be organized because I do NOT do clutter well. With this many people living here we definitely have to stay on top of it.

Here is some pics of my new home, this is my dream home for sure. All cabinetry will be white.

Words of wisdom about keeping perspective, acountryfarm. Also, you are doing your kids a favor by having them help with chores. Too many kids expect to be waited on these days. All those hands are just more hands to help! Your new home looks lovely.
Just wondering, will you leave your breadmaker on the counter in your new kitchen? I'm inclined to do so in mine, as I use it almost every day. Love the Zojirushi!

acountryfarm, your new home is gorgeous. I am right now debating whether or not I should paint my kitchen cabinets white. They are now pickled oak. I posted asking everyone's opinion about what color I should paint them.

What color white are you having your new cabinets painted? What color are your old cabinets?

Thanks!!!!!!

Thanks for the compliments.
morton5--- You are absolutely right about kids and entitlement. Like I said I have 11 children ( 10 Living) and I am determined to make good husbands, father's, brother's and citizens out of them. ( 1 daughter, am determined to help her not be a drama queen. ;) she's 13 )
They live somewhat a privileged life but they are still happy with a pack of gum as a treat. May they always be content and grateful.

I am leaving my bread maker on one of my baking center's which is through the scullery in the open pantry. I love my kitchen layout I think it will be so nice for all we do.

lauraa--- Thank you!! My new paint color is SW's Dover White. My old cabinet color is Bright White from a local paint co. I love white cabs.

The pictures I posted had no crackles or cracks in the paint, and they're all wood. I wouldn't call them shabby chic at all...these are the butlers pantry...which hadn't been painted in at least 30 years (the balance of the house hadn't either) and maybe it was older, but the paint finish was great and they weren't wonky at all.

They were obviously custom (since that's all they had in 1914) but still, they were in great shape. This kind of knocks the theory of the need for MDF in the doors IMO :)

Here is a close-up of the granite....
...

About the cracks in the paint... Igloochic got me thinking... I wonder if it has to do with Latex paint vs. oil based paints? I'm not sure if Laxex paint was around back then.

Actually, alkyd paint cracks more easily than latex because it cures harder and doesn't have as much elasticity. My guess on Igloo's is that the wood was thoroughly acclimated to the house before it was painted. Having cabinets painted on site might be better for that reason, but that has it's own drawbacks. I have painted cabinets in my bathrooms and TV room and none of them have cracks in the finish; the oldest is 7 yrs and most recent 4 yrs.

I don't think white cabinets are a mistake long-term, to answer your question. I think if the finish is good quality, they will hold up, and that goes for stained wood, factory painted, or cabs you paint yourself. In my last house we had WWII-era solid wood cabinets, built in place, that had been painted numerous times over the years. We painted them white when we moved in and they held up great, except for one drawer that had some kind of water damage; the paint blistered and split. Now, they were a plain slab door, very ordinary and common to the time they were built, so there was no splitting around any joints. I would say, if you are getting painted cabinets, maybe stick with a simpler door style. As someone has said, cleanup was super easy, I loved being able to spray them down with 409 or whatever. I love white cabinets (crap, am now second-guessing my choice of cabs for new kitchen.... )!

My father has had painted white cabinets in his kitchen since 1965 and they have held up really well. I don't think they have been repainted more than once (during a whole house repainting about 10 years ago) and they look the same as they always have, ie. no chips, peeling, cracks.

Igloochic, I'm pretty sure those are NOT 93 year old cabinets. The reason I'm pretty sure on that is that in your top photograph, on the glass doored upper cabinet on the left hand side, you can see the pre-drilled holes for shelf pins drilled all the way up and down the cabinet. Furthermore, these holes appear to be perfectly uniformly positioned, relative to each other, all along the height of the cabinet. This is, to the best of my knowledge, not a concept used in furniture making 93 years ago.

First, I don't believe that the use of shelf pins (inserted into the holes) was in existence at that time - shelves used to be attached to the cabinet sides with some sort of wooden bracket that was screwed into the sides (making moving shelves either somewhat unsightly or a somewhat bigger deal that it is now).

Secondly, as I understand it, the pre-drilled columns of holes is a post-WWII concept that emerged in Europe and I have no idea when it was adopted in the US. The holes are (now) spaced to some sort of standardized canons of furniture-making. I don't believe you see these in old furniture or in older cabinets.

If I am wrong, I'd love to be edified, but such is my understanding. There are a few other things that make me doubt that the cabinetry is not only not 93 years old, but isn't even half that old but this is the pre-drilled column of holes is the most definitive. It is very lovely though!

Mindstorm, you make me smile! My original kitchen cabinets were built in place & it killed me to be force to duplicate them rather than salvage them. One issue that came up with the cabinetmaker was this issue of shelves & holes. I insisted on wood and rigid shelves with original-old-glass upper cabinets. I don't know how often people move their shelves but 2 years later I am still happy with my shelf spacing. As you say, the original cabinets were held in place with wooden brackets underneath & had never been moved in 92 years. Sturdy enough to support more weight than I can imagine having in a kitchen.

Maybe parts of that lovely kitchen are older than others. Igloochic, are you checking in to update us?

melleigh_2008 / OP: Love my white cabinets! I've lived with old painted cupboards in 3 homes over the past 30 years. I have seen separation at seams on occasion but this does not bother me as much as giving up paint would bother me. It's also wonderful to see a kitchen refreshed with paint on occasion. Glad you decided to go for it!

athome,
My feelings are so split on the predrilled holes front that I feel quite schizophrenic discussing it. Frankly, I do appreciate the flexibility of the predrilled. Not that I have ever moved mine since the installation - whether of the kitchen or of any bookshelves I installed - BUT when first moving into my kitchen, I moved each shelf MANY times trying to figure out how much space I wanted on each shelf and what I wanted to store on it OR how many shelves I wanted for that matter. After that first day of many many many repositions, they have never budged.

So, I do appreciate the flexibility. BUT - as you say - I really don't like to see the predrilled holes. Even expensive "custom" cabinetry and furniture these days comes with the predrilled holes and IMO sort of evens the "apparent quality" field because the upmarket and downmarket furniture starts to look more and more the same. :-) (Not trying to be a snob about it, but can't seem to help myself. I've rewritten the previous sentence about 5 times to try to sound less elitist).

The butlers pantry I posted, and the cold room (for baking) and the original cabinets that had been removed from the kitchen, all were the same. They were all original to the house (we have the plans and the layouts for the house). Even the cabinets in the bedrooms (built in) and the sewing room were the same as these. There were no major alterations to the house aside from paint and an ugly new kitchen (those cabinets were in the carriage house). The holes for the shelves may have been part of what they describe as a "minor alteration" in the 50's but the actual cabinets were original. (You'd have to see the countertops...it's obvious they haven't changed anything out there for almost a hundred years).

The cabinets for the kitchen, which were in storage did have fixed shelves, but the wood was the same (counter tops) as well as the marble (which is on the counter in the cold room). SO that might answer the question of an update, but the cabinets themselves were definately original.

The linen cabinets also had movable shelfs. I need to pull out the plans when we get back from vacation because I think it says "adjustable" on the design....I caught that because I was going to use those rooms for sewing and wanted tighter spacing.

There were many many many items in this home that you don't see elsewhere. Things like pull out shelves (on wood rods that slide against each other) Warming cabinet, unique bell system for the servents etc.

If we get to purchase it (she still can't find an agent!) we'll have to do deeper research on those pins I guess.

Oh and the paint had to be oil based. In the 50's they didn't use latex for cabinets (if they even had latex then)

Well now you have me thinking...and researching. Mindstorm I'm finding adjustable peg system shelving dating to 1910 in amoires and I also know the library in this house (from looking at the picture) has the same pegs...are you 100% sure that your dates are right?

I am thinking of another amoire I used to own that had a metal peg system shelf support as well...it was early 1900's...probably before 1920...I used to use it as a bar.

Igloochic, No, I'm not definitively certain because I'm happy to say I wasn't around pre-WWII (or even pre- any wars that weren't Gulf war or later). ;-) I have asked the most knowledgeable person I know on all things Victorian and otherwise older furniture to please weigh in here so that somebody learned in the area can opine.

That said, all the "older" pieces of furniture I've ever seen which haven't had fixed brackets and fixed shelving have had the brackets affixed to the cabinet sides (sort of like oven racks) that the shelves could be slid in and out on - I'll dig up some pics of antiques and post so you can see what I mean.

I've always understood the pin & predrilled hole system for adjustable shelving to have been introduced with the standardized template which was part of all the standardization adopted post-WWII during the massive reconstruction happening in Europe. Much of all this standardization was to enable rapid production to meet the huge demand at that time - none of the centuries old custom methods which, while artisanal and all, took eons to complete.

As I said, if this is incorrect, I'd love to be edified. I hope Rococogurl or jon or one of the other furniture and woodworkers will pipe up - they actually do know what they're talking about.

I've lived in houses with pre WWII construction, including kitchens. The older wood cabinets I've seen -- even as late as the 1950s -- have had fixed shelves or shelves that adjust by a system of notched wood braces inside.

Cabinets older than 20-30 years usually have multiple layers of paint (often high gloss with lead) and those don't appear to in the photo -- but it's a photo and judging age from photos can be tricky at best.

Slab front drawers are an older style and the way some of them protrude slightly in one photo indicates age. Drawers tend to shift and stick out slightly over time.

Perhaps one area of kitchen cabinets was refitted somehow? The configuration could well be the same as the original plans so age may be assumed.

In any event, white kitchens to me are like little black dresses. They never go out of style. The issue of painted cabinets showing cracks over time is valid. I have painted cabinets and was told that they would likely have cracks -- it is normal. I don't mind but I like patina and go for something old vs something new.

Anyone who minds might consider a cabinet that is mdf with a coated front rather than a wood cabinet that's actually painted.

I'm late chiming in here, but Crown Point Cabinets paint their cabinet pieces before assembling, so when they shift or crack (along joined parts, anyway) you still see only white. They are such beautiful cabinets, I wish I could afford them.

Here's a picture of New Venetian Gold - very similar to St. Cecilia - I really like it with our off-white cabinets. BTW, I've not had any problems with the painted cabs and really like the look. The salesperson told us that the factory finished painted cabs hold up longer than those painted on site because they do a number of coats and 'bake' them between coats. I don't know if that's right or not, but the paint has sure held up, with grandchildren bumps and all.

We've lived in 2 homes with built in bookcases in the living rooms - one built in 1905, the other in 1918. Both have had adjustable shelves with holes and pegs and I believe them to be original. I wouldn't be at all surprised if pantry cabinets were adjustable back then, too. Both of our homes were in the Twin Cities.

I, but the lines at the joints are the least of your problems! If your cabinets have panels, ours are inset paint will crack in corners, peel away at the vertical mounding lines and chip everywhere! Omega does not stand behind their "lifetime" warranty and you can't paint over the areas where raw wood is exposed. So if you want white, get a white stain or you will have to spend 15,000+ every 5-7 years! They failed to have us sign the paper work regarding this, so we were totally unaware of this happening. They did, however offer to replace 3 of the 14 doors at their expense! Lucky us! If you want white just paint over your old ones and save yourself $15-$20 K. We are talking to a lawyer!

It's all about the quality. A good quality cabinet that was well painted at the factory should not have these problems.

megtorgerson1, you dug up a NINE+ year old thread...not sure why.

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