I would install a medium wood stained floor in the brown family like dark walnut so it does not have red or golden undertones with that brown granite....I would paint cabinets in a soft neutral.....look at Benjamin Moore Pale Oak...

I am not sure I like the backsplash with either picture...Could you put the same backsplash but in white instead of brown?

Dan what overall style are you going for? You could add some long modern bronze or nickel handles onto the cabinets it would look great!

congratulations looks like a very nice home!

I am not against painting cabinets, and in fact, have my own painted. Not white) However, your oak cabinets look to be in excellent condition, and are really very nice. Stained cabinets are coming back now. When someone has cabinets in the condition yours are in, I would never paint them. Your kitchen looks very nice the way it is, with the exception of the floor. Also, I am pretty darn tired of all the white cabinets people have and all the kitchens that look exactly alike. I am also not fond of your wall color. There is a definite lack of any type of color in your kitchen. Although, I do know you can add color with accessories. I do like the darker floor posted above. It would look very nice with your kitchen, just the way it is now.

I like the idea of soft white, or the Pale Oak color.

you could try the dune white (or one of the darker grays) for cabs, and any of these other colors for walls.

the 4" piece counter and the backsplash need to go. photo shop those out of the pic and do a solid, larger subway tile.

wood flooring looks good.

if you want to spruce up the peninsula face, don't do stone (too busy) do some nice trim work and paint.

some others w/your counter and painted off white cabs

white is not dated. if you use a semi-gloss paint of a good quality, wiping it down to clean is not a problem. And yes, the grain will show through the paint,,,not a big deal. make sure whomever paints your cabinets preps very well and uses and oil base primer,,,sand before and after applications.

I think a bright white will look to harsh with the brown granite and backsplash..it will look like an after thought....you need to pull it together as if you picked the granite and backsplash not sure you would have white cabinets? If not a soft beige or tan please do not do bright white...yes some grain will show and it actually looks very nice....

agree,,no bright whites. get samples and bring them home to try

Do medium hardwood floors, they are easier to decorate and look cleaner longer. I like the cabinets painted white, it freshens up the space. Are you open to redoing the backsplash? Removing the busy tile will go a long way towards refreshing this space

The cabinets are very nice. Don't paint.

The counters are OK.

The backsplash is awful.

Painting cabinets as a dyi project can go terribly wrong and may leave you with cabinets that peel, discolor and need re-painted every few years. Getting them professionally painted can be expensive.

Your cabinets are in good condition and don't really need to be updated. Oak has been around for centuries and will still be around in another century. The issue is
that the oak cabinets are sticking out like a sore thumb against the current colors. There is nothing else with orange tones in the room and nothing else that is a true contrast to the orange - everything else is kind of a green brown.

Pick a backsplash that pulls in the gold tones of the wood, paint the walls a soft green or go bold and make your cabinets pop against a charcoal wall or a bold blue/green.

It isn't the cabinets, it is the cabinets with all of the other colors that is not working.

Play with different shades of purples, blues and grays until you find something that works with both your counters and your cabinets.

good point about cost,,,,were you going to DIY these? (I have the perfect link if you are). hiring out would be over 4K for a pro. for that money I'd replace the granite and the backsplash and get cabinet hardware. that alone will make a big difference in looks.

Hard to tell from a pic but I am pretty sure those cabinets are maple. At least maple paints up better than oak.

I would change the backsplash first - sorry. Also, backsplash is best not installed on top of a 4" splash.

If you paint, make sure that you spray paint. That being said, there are companies that will come in and do that for you. One of the services you an hire through Home Depot too.

Flannel Guy DIY - Youtube

another vote for leaving the cabinets alone and changing the backsplash.

You could sand them and just re stain the maple cabinets in darker stain but don’t leave them that golden tone with that brown granite and backsplash just doesn’t work....

@Beth, could you still post your suggested link? I painted my kitchen cabinets, but still have some bathrooms to do and would like to read how others prepare/paint. Thanks.

Another vote for changing only the backsplash, including removing the 4" strip of granite. I also don't like where the backsplash ends on the right, although I'm not sure how it should be done.

I find your backsplash too busy so I would replace it with something lighter and less busy, like these Antique White Elongated Hexagon tile and paint your cabinets Dove White. Let that Baltic Brown granite create the contrast. I'm sure the combination will look lovely. For flooring, choose some nice dark wood look porcelain tile, like Woodstone in Mahogany

with the 3" granite strip removed, you should end the backsplash even with the upper cabinet.

Jeardt Hammel

" please don't do the white it is already dated. next look at the granite and look for the lightest"

Oh please. White has been a popular kitchen cabinet color for as long as I have been alive. It's not going anywhere.

OP - lose the backsplash - whether you paint, or not. This is a basic simple guide to painting cabinets.

https://www.doityourself.com/forum/painting-staining-all-interior-exterior-surfaces/292098-ideal-cabinet-repaint.html

You could sand them and just re stain the maple cabinets in darker stain

Trying to stain maple is opening a big ole can of worms. Doesn't accept stain well or evenly and the parts of the maple that sorta' accept the stain go terribly blotchy.

I don't want anyone thinking that you can just trot off to a home improvement store, pick up a can of Minwax oil stain and achieve good, or even acceptable results trying to stain maple.

I tried. Once.

There are ways, with dyes, I think, but I have no experience with dye staining.

Aurora Tee

https://www.evolutionofstyleblog.com/2012/01/how-to-paint-your-kitchen-cabinets-like.html

I think you would be better off to remove the busy tile splash and just go with the 4 inch granite already there. It would solve the problem on the right side where the cabinets end. And change the floor.

White dated??? My parents ‘ houses always have had white kitchen cabinets, “Smallbone” English as I recall , as have all of mine through the years. Yes, they happen to be very popular now , but they are still classic.

Those look like Maple cabinets to me too. I agree with many of the others in that I'd focus on the backsplash and new counters. If new granite or quartz is not in the budget, I'd even consider laminate. There's absolutely nothing wrong with laminate. It's hardwearing, affordable, and can look great. And can be a great "stop gap" counter.

Here's a picture of a newly renovated kitchen with natural maple cabinets that's light and bright and would look right at home in your space - medium stained oak floors as well. I got this picture from Maria Killam's site. Maria is a well known color expert who developed and teaches a system for understanding the undertones of colors and selecting the right colors for your space. This is her sister's kitchen which she recently designed. Google "maria killam sister kitchen" to read more and see bigger pictures.

"If new granite or quartz is not in the budget, I'd even consider laminate. There's absolutely nothing wrong with laminate. It's hardwearing, affordable, and can look great."

Totally agree! I've see some amazing laminates lately. I have a new respect for it.

missenigma mentioned Maria Killam and she that triggered the thought for me that selection of your kitchen cabinets, flooring and overall design should not be done independently of the rest of your home.

As an end result, you want your kitchen colors and finishes to be in harmony with the colors and finishes in the rest of your home. Additionally, the updates and upgrades you decide on have to match your budget. The third consideration is how long you need to live with the decisions you make. (How long until you sell your home or how long until you will be able to afford additional updates and upgrades).

Additional information on the style and colors in the rest of your home and overall budget considerations could give us the information needed to provide better advice.

Why not trying replacing the flooring with the same you have throughout the rest of the house and getting rid of the backsplash? Then adding hardware to the cabinets. If you wanted to add another backsplash, remove the 4" one that is already there, most of the time you don't put in two backsplashes anyway.

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My mom stained her oak cabinets and it made the whole kitchen look brand new. Or you could paint them white. Can you switch out the backsplash? I would do white or stained cabinets and something fresh on the backsplash. And wood or wood tile floors.

Emily, the cabinets are maple, not oak. Oak readily accepts stain. Maple does not.

Another thing you might want to consider is having someone come in and leather or hone the granite. I also agree that you should remove either the granite backsplash or the tile and get a new floor. I like the slate look you put in one of your mockups. If you paint the cabinets go with an off white rather than a pure white but I would try my best to change other elements and leave the cabinets as they are.