The kitchen looks so much bigger! The glass cabinets are such a beautiful focal point now. Your kitchen reminded me of this gorgeous kitchen - adding a link in case you've never seen it. Great job!

mostly-finished-kitchen-pics

So pretty!

What a beautiful transformation! Love the glass cabinets and the color palette!

Carolina Kitchen & Bath: Thank YOU!! You were one of the people who gave feedback on this kitchen and your ideas for it when I posted on here about it, over a year ago. Glad you think it turned out well! :)

bouncy5: I agree, I really don't think I'd like this kitchen as much if it didn't have those cathedral uppers - they add a nice bit of detail. And since it's a pretty traditional look, it works! Thanks! :)

salonva: I love the lighting in those cabinets because you can't see any bulbs anywhere! They're lit via[LED light strips[(https://www.houzz.com/products/pro-line-2835-100w-led-strip-light-daylight-white-prvw-vr~57455793), which are just about as thin as paper, and are neatly tucked behind the front panels of the cabinet.

We installed a dimmer switch beneath the cabinets (a single switch to control them all), which was a really great idea because I'm always adjusting the brightness of that light depending upon how light or dark it happens to be in the kitchen. Those lights can get quite bright!

wilson853: Thank you so much! I'd never seen that kitchen, but it sure is gorgeous - it is done in the style we love, so I think we've succeeded! And I agree, it really does feel so much bigger now!

abb_ann: My husband can't wait to make this change - he can't stand the island size and shape. Will be happening sometime in the future!

Kendrah: Thanks! We hoped we wouldn't end up making this into a space only we love... but then realized it doesn't matter if it did turn out that way, because it's OUR space. :)

Looks great! Enjoy your new kitchen.

Stunning! Very well done :)

Great projec! Love the new look and think of the money you saved not buying new cabinet.

Very nice! I love the painted cabinets, which make the whole space so much brighter. Just goes to show--even a budget makeover can be a huge improvement, if one has a vision. :)

felizlady: Thank you very much for your kind words! It was quite a project for us to take on and do on our own, took about 6 months to complete from conception to "done," even though it's clearly not a huge project for anyone who knows what they're doing lol... but it was definitely a labor of love and well worth the effort. <3

jbtanyderi: Thanks for your tip, I agree! In fact, we have a runner at our other place that will work great in this kitchen. I'll just have to find a rug that will coordinate for the eating area.

They do make a rug that's the right size for that space in the exact same pattern as the runner, but I realize matching rugs is a designer no-no. Right?

Any thoughts on how to find a coordinating rug that won't clash with the runner and the rest of the space? I'll add photos of the neighboring rooms to which the kitchen is open, as well.

For now, below is a mockup with the runner I'll be bringing in.

Any thoughts on rug designs that will work in the eating space (under table/chairs), anyone? :)

Thanks again!

Thanks, cranberri99! I'll post pics with rugs in. :)

You did a great job. It is very pretty. The best part is that you love it.

WOW!!!! It turned out great!!! Congrats on a job well done. :)

The open shelving instead of the cabinet was a great idea!

Window Treats Inc.: Thanks, I agree with you - hubby was against it initially, but it really opened up the room and all you really see is windows there now. Besides, that old cabinet was awkwardly designed, with tiny shelves on its side. I'll need to post better pics!

Part of the reason I wanted it gone, is because the cabinets were all too low for me to get my Kitchen Aid under them. Now, it's got a great home. ;)

I am amazed at what you did w/o touching the floor plan!! I love the trim added to the tops of the cabinets to give them the look of to the ceiling cabinets. I think that is such a finished look. Would you be willing to give us the construction details, an idea of your budget, did you do it yourselves, what parts were not DIY etc.? If you lose the island will you keep with the double oven/separate cook top or just switch to a range?

Awesome renovation! I agree - adding glass to those center cabinets made a world of difference. And painting the cabinets completely transformed them!

Very nice! I like crystal anywhere, so no complaints on that from me.

While it's true that folks who follow trends would tell you the cathedral arch is out, I've seen several new kitchens where people who don't follow trends have put them in just because they like them.

Got the rugs in! They really do add a lot to the room:

I also thought I'd add pics of other angles of this room... this is the full view of the left side:

And here's more of the right side, you can really see the difference those shelves made here (as opposed to an awkward cabinet)...

Here's the before and after of the eat-in area (before is off the real estate listing; photo was taken with some sort of a fish eye lens that made the windows look wider than they are):

And one final BEFORE (as we had just started to take it apart; bummer that I don't have pics of more angles). I didn't realize just how dark it was in there before we added the chandeliers, got rid of that cabinet, and placed glass with lighting into the other top cabinets. I'm sure changing the color scheme helped, too.

arcy_gw: I'll be back to answer your questions! Thanks very much for your kind words! :)

arcy_gw... Okay, back with some info you asked about. :)

We DIY'd the entire thing, from design to execution.

Painting kitchen cabinets isn't for the faint of heart; it took me several MONTHS to finish. I've refinished wooden furniture many times, and have repainted my parents' kitchen previously, so have plenty of experience where this type of thing is concerned; it's not an undertaking I would recommend to someone who has no idea how to properly paint.

This involved extensive sanding, lots of priming (3 coats), then painting (3 coats), then topcoat (4 - because it's the kitchen and I wasn't about to skimp) - all with sanding and cleaning in between. It's a large kitchen, so took quite a bit of paint/materials... about $400 worth, including wall paint (guesstimating on the high side).

All the crown work was done by the hubby (he's not a finish carpenter, but likes playing with wood and found it easy to follow my directions). Probably another $200 worth of wood went into that.

Shelves in place of the pulled off cabinet - $150 for unfinished shelves and pipe holders; we stained and top coated them ourselves.

Pulls and hinges - about $400 for that (overestimating).

We spent about $500 on things you can't see -- various organizing systems for inside the cabinets, convenient trash pull out, spice organizers, pots and pans pullout organizers, etc... all VERY well worth it!

Chandeliers were very inexpensive - two smaller ones were $130 each, the larger one was $110 (weird that it was cheaper, I know; it was on sale and took me all day to assemble the pieces) - all three are leaded crystal and we love the amber color of them.

Glass for the three cabinets came to a total of $125, including 3 door inserts and 5 shelves (local small glass shop; I told him he needs to raise his prices!).

So, grand total is under $2200.

We've had all it intact for just over a year now, and it's held up extremely well - no touch ups needed! And we both cook daily/extensively; there is dough rolled and pots boiling and bread baking almost every day.

We also have three dogs who chase each other through that kitchen daily, and 2 seniors who bang pots and pans (and knives!) into those doors constantly - so far, no issues at all. I love having white doors so I can clean up messes instantly (I use white vinegar, everything wipes right off); I clean the chandeliers every few months, been easy for me to do as well.

Overall, not a single regret - we love everything about it. :)

The one thing we still want to do, is change the island to a larger, rectangular one (there's space for it)... and either put a huge hood over that cooktop for venting, or move it altogether. Not sure where we'd move it, we haven't thought that far ahead. There's currently a pop up downdraft vent there, and with the volume of cooking we do, we could use more efficient ventilation.

Hope that answers your questions. If I missed anything, please let me know. :)

I'm so INSPIRED by your updates! we are moving to a dated kitchen with cathedral uppers as well and that is my least favorite cabinetry style. I've been thinking about painting them and I realize it's not quick but I'm up for the task. I think paint really improved the look of those cabinets in your kitchen--great job!!!

Incredible update! The kitchen is beautiful! Love the cream color cabinets. The chandelier is perfect! The lighter color palette really makes the kitchen look a lot brighter and bigger! Congrats

Stecki Construction: Thank you very much! :)

melle_sacto: Thank you! I felt the same way you did before we painted ours, and now, I actually am glad that the uppers are cathedral style, because that adds a nice bit of detail to them and makes them just a little different from the millions of white shaker cabinet kitchens out there these days. ;)

You do have the option of replacing just the uppers, too - cabinet doors themselves aren't too pricey and there are many options online (just do a quick search). You can price them out if you know the measurements and number of doors you'd need. But again, don't be too quick to dismiss the idea of that style.

If you decide to paint, my best advice is to hire an experienced pro (not just a painter, but a kitchen cabinet painter) if you can at all do so! You want it done right, which can be very difficult to do on your own (not to mention endlessly time consuming and incredibly arduous).

If you do end up choosing to do it yourself, do research, and experiment on a smaller project first (maybe a small bath) - you want to know exactly what you're getting yourself into. Put lots of time into prep, and don't rush it. Either way, good luck and I'd love to see your before/after! :)

Thank you for sharing your pictures. We are considering an update to our kitchen and I've been struggling with what to do. I have Ubatuba granite countertops which I love and my cabinets are solid oak (honey color). After replacing a couple of appliances to black stainless steel it became clear that we needed to refresh our kitchen. My husband wants to paint but I was so concerned that once I started I couldn't go back. I've been purchasing backsplash samples in the hopes that would do what I want but that's not the case. Your original cabinet color is very similar to mine and my granite is also very dark so now I feel much better after seeing your pictures. Do you have any hints to share on how to tackle the project? Neither of us are afraid of taking on a project and my husband has an excellent eye and attention to detail so I'm not concerned there.

Your kitchen is gorgeous and you too have an eye for design. I can only hope my kitchen ends up half as elegant as yours :-)

what color did you use for the cabinets? It doesn't appear to be a stark white.

You did a fabulous job! And I’m so impressed with budget!!

JimnDawn: We have the Black Pearl granite, so ours is similar to yours - and we loved it ever since we saw it! The look of black and white really does have a classic, timeless appeal - to me, at least.

And the contrast you'll get by bringing in the white against it will be worth the effort, or at least it has been, for us. The only way I really see disliking the idea of painting, is if you dislike painted cabinets - that's where this is a personal choice.

Our kitchen felt dark, dreary, and really lacked contrast before (and we both craved it in that room). Now it feels light, open, and like an entirely new space. It has personality (even though it feels as though everyone is painting their kitchen white these days, ours has a unique feel to it that's entirely ours, and it's got LOTS more flavor than it did before, when it was all wood).

Even a year later, I still enjoy seeing it every morning and cooking in it... it feels custom to us, even though the layout hasn't changed a bit!

I do think that, because painting a kitchen is such an undertaking, you have to be prepared for it. I hated our old color scheme so much, I really couldn't wait to tear at it. I remember telling my husband that even if it took me a year to paint all the doors, I'd still much prefer the simply primed base cabinets to the orangey maple/oak ones we had in there. And I DID!

My best advice, is to REALLY know what you're doing with painting, if you intend to do it yourself. I've seen some awful paint jobs, and you don't want to have to worry about constant touch ups or paint peeling or cracking - do extensive research, do extensive prep, and practice someplace else before you tackle your kitchen. Ideally, hire a pro if you can.

I'd love to see a pic of your kitchen; very curious to see how your counters look compared to ours (I googled Ubatuba, and what I see is really beautiful!). :)

Wonderful Job! Love the glass inserts on the 3 cabinet doors. Nice Updates.

I actually have a thread started and I'm getting good feedback but would love to hear your feedback as well.

JimnDawn: I didn't look up your thread, but I'd be willing to bet there are people telling you not to paint. If not, it'll come - just wait for it lol!

Ultimately, it depends on the look you like. If you don't want to paint the wood, you can still make lots of changes in your kitchen - the soffit over uppers should be made to blend into the cabinet tops (another reason for painting, because that's one way to really blend them all in).

I'd get concealed hinges, update the hardware to something you love, paint the kitchen to contrast with the cabinets (if you intend to keep the cabinets you have now, I'd possibly go for a very pale green because that color compliments oak).

Also, the cabinets over your peninsula would bother me, so I'd remove those if at all possible. And I place glass into the four cabinets around that window (don't forget to remove the wavy piece over it, forgot what it's called).

I'd paint the dining room, too... a lighter color (maybe same color as kitchen, keep it all light and it'll open up the space more imo).

I personally also don't like fans... anywhere, really. I realize this is a personal preference, I mean, I have crystal in my kitchen (3 times over lol) -- but I like a bit of bling! I think you should find a light fixture you really love and replace that fan. I'd also do 3 pendants over the peninsula once those uppers are gone.

With additional lighting added to those 4 (now glass) cabinets, you'd end up with lots more light in the kitchen. It would have a much more open feel between the uppers gone and the glass installed, plus the lighter paint.

And all of this doesn't even have to entail painting the cabinets, by the way! Though I personally would definitely paint! I love white (cream, not stark white). I think the cream looks so much better with those countertops, too.

Another thing we considered, was doing a blue or a black island (painting the cabinets a different color). Another thing for you to think about, will add more interest (especially if you do a color there).

I'm NOT a pro! But those are my thoughts. Good luck and I hope they help. :)

I love your kitchen. What color paint are your cabinets and walls. Seems warmer than stark white....beautiful!!!

Jimndawn, I don’t know how to get to your thread. But to add to what anomaly said..I would for sure paint your cabinets a white, just not stark white, Ben Moore’s Dove white is nice..and also remove the cabinets beside the window as they make the windo look closed in, replace with open shelving. If you cannot change hinges, take a look at your overall home style and look at exposed hinges on Houzz and you will see some nice examples of exposed hinges and hardware. Your kitchen has great potential for an inexpensive update. it helps others if you post pictures of rooms in your house that you love so we all get your style.

I agree with what Sandra Martin said - and maybe you can post photos of kitchens you like so others can have an idea of your style (doesn't have to be in this thread, you can post them in your own thread). We all have such different taste, and possibilities are endless! :)

Looks great!

Bright and modern, great upgrade!

Sorry, missed the paint question, A T: Walls are Behr Opal Cream, lightened to 50%. Doors are a cream (GF Antique White), here's a swatch - as you can see, it's far from pure white:

Fantastic transformation! The cream cabinets look great! Overall, the kitchen looks fabulous!