How are you feeling? I hope you're fine. And did you paint the cabinets??!! We need the update! :-)

The grain is beautiful, but I would paint them white as well. Perhaps even a distressed white to see some of the grain. I also like the suggestion of white uppers and perhaps darker (espresso-like) lowers.

Maybe you could sand and stain the cabinets a white oak that would lighten them several shades. You could leave the interiors the darker color for contrast and put glass inserts in some of the upper cabinets.

You are living in the house, so make it yours....ASAP. "What took Ya so long?"

I had custom maple cabinets that I loved in my old kitchen. When the house went up for sale, every prospective buyer said "Ugh" and they "HATED" the kitchen. We took down & donated a few cabinets (the long stack that closed off the kitchen) then, cleaned (TSP), primed and painted the rest of the cabinets a satin-finish cream color. Replacing a few upper wood doors with glass and new canned lighting transformed the entire kitchen, into a lovely place to gather. A grey granite counter-top installed with a coffee-colored tile back splash brought it from "Ugh" to "WOW"! Hard to believe it's the same floor plan. Now that we live with the beautiful updated colors, it is clear that the update could have been done years ago. When it goes on the market next year (we're downsizing), I'll miss it. Good luck!

You said " I am redoing my kitchen and would love a light airy look" and that says it all. People telling you to stain them darker are not considering what you want. If you want them lighter than paint them. It's unfortunate that they have that scalloped trim. It seems like most old houses got their kitchen redone in the 90's. If those were 100 year old oak it would be a different story

Paint them!!! They will still be wood, just way prettier!!!!!! Benjamin Moore Advance paint works great on cabinets!

Yes, it's an old post. However, one comment. I'm amazed a the number of so-called 'professionals' who thought those cabinets were oak.

They are not oak. The panels look like fir plywood. Frames and drawer fronts look like mixed woods. Some pine and maybe some oak & who knows what all else.

We just custom ordered an entertainment cabinet from an Amish store. My wife wanted it painted gray, rather than stained. It is walnut wood. Painting adds 10 to 20% over the cost of stained. Not everybody prefers a wood look. We have a number of wood pieces and the shades never match. I think my wife got it right.

@pstein15 You ordered a piece of furniture made of walnut and then had it painted?

Well. My wife did. We already had two different types of Stickley wood furniture, and an oak dining set in the open adjoining room. That makes 3 shades. I think a change to painted gray made a nice contrast. Especially so with our gray carpet and gray leather. The natural wood look can be overwhelming.