I quite like the wood, but, yeah it may be a bit much. What if you paint just the uppers a creamy white and leave the lower cabinets wood?

I love it as it is.

On the one hand, I see what you are saying about the wood overload. On the other hand, all the wood is so lovely that I think it would be a shame to paint over it. What do you think about a smaller change that might re-balance the room without requiring you to paint everything? For example, if you paint the island white and replace your island stools with white stools, that will give your eye a visual break from the wood without changing too much.

I don't know how old that fridge is, but I am not a huge fan of the way they did the paneling on it. If you plan on replacing it soon with a stainless steel fridge, that will also help break up the wood.

I do like it as is, but if you really want to change something consider painting only the island.

Maybe different seating for the island with a pop of color will draw your eye, co ordinate with a more colorful rug and accents.

I would absolutely despise cooking on the island, with no venting. Rather than spend more than $200 on changing this kitchen, I would start saving money for a remodel that deals with the cooktop issue.

Meanwhile, a SS fridge and new chairs would break up the wood.

I would never paint those gorgeous cabinets. I think the suggestions for including color are great. Try painting the stools instead as a start.

Can't tell what the area behind the stools is, but perhaps a large runner there, or area rug would break up the floor a bit and give some softness and color.

Change out the fridge to stainless, and the microwave, maybe paint the walls. change the bar stools. go for a more exciting runner and pop the item on the counter an in the glass cabinets. perhaps change the backslash.

I think you could go a long way by removing the beams. The size of the span doesn't compute with the beam size. And the low ceiling height makes larger beams unlikely. Switching the micro to stainless will be inexpensive. I wouldn't paint the cabs.

I like it as it is apart from the wood front fridge

Remove the beams (assuming they are faux), or paint them a slightly darker shade of the ceiling color. They look unconvincing, and make the ceiling seem lower and darker. Then re-evaluate the rest of the space.

I agree with the majority here not to paint anything else except maybe the island.

I like it and I would got with it and do a deeper color on the walls.

My kitchen was very similar, but I also had very dark counters and backsplash. I thought about painting or restaining a lighter color, but when you looked deeper, beyond the pretty internet photo, the cabinet boxes and the drawer glides/hardware were of inferior quality. It didn't make sense to "put lipstick on the pig".

I lived with it for 8 years, which also meant I felt less guilt about ditching the high end appliances too. My layout was close to perfect with only one thing (fridge too close to a corner) that needed to be fixed in the remodel. Most people here would have told me to keep the old kitchen, if all they did was look at a photo.

You have barely moved in. Live with it for a year and then decide if you just want to refresh what you have, or wait for a full remodel. I would have to remodel your kitchen because of the layout.

Make some changes with pops of color & live with it for awhile, but I would not paint the cupboards myself..

Your wood is good - might be boring if regular doors were stained. The beams seem to add something, like a roof pergola, more interesting.

JJ, try getting other stools that aren't 'brown'. Try some of the easier fixes first to see if that helps.

I'd also recommend an actual color on the walls for a bit of contrast. Ditto w/that white panel door.

just want to show you how beautiful the wood looks next to blues, sages, cream tones, warm grays, etc.

Or, you could paint the ceiling (between the beams) a lighter version of whatever you choose for the walls. Wales gray looks like it would go w/your rug.

Sage would be nice. And black would look gorgeous. black island, maybe the pantries in black.

warm golden yellow

any of these colors would look great on your walls or ceiling.

Boxwood green looks great w/walnut floors and your cab color.

You could always paint the beams if you still think there is too much wood.

Annkh the cooktop may have a downdraft vent behind it, it is hard to tell from the photo. We have a downdraft in our kitchen for our cooktop island and it works (and looks) great.

OP, some easy ways to add color:

• Le Creuset dutch oven on cooktop (bright color, not muted)
• New area rug
• New bar stools
• Fruit bowl

Perhaps stain the island a darker color.

Looking again at some suggestions, what about painting the island and perhaps the stand alone cabinets on either side of the doorway to match? That green cabinet Beth posted is gorgeous and if the other fixes don't work for you, before I'd paint all the cabinets, I'd try painting in increments.

I also really like the wood and wouldn't paint the cabinets. I would switch out the appliances to all stainless and paint out the wood ceiling beams. If budget allows, I would also change the countertop to something that better compliments the cabinetry.

I agree with several of your suggestions. I'm surprised that not one person is pro painting, though! Anybody that thinks we should just go for it? :)

I think there are several reasons many of us are not pro-painting.

#1, the cabinets look beautiful and high-quality, at least in your photos.

#2, a painted-on-site finish is going to be nowhere near as durable (seriously much less durable) than the current finish or a off-site conversion varnish finish.

If you plan on replacing all the cabinets in a few years, sure, go for it. If the cabinets are in much worse shape (or much lower quality) than the photos show and you're just trying to eek out a couple more year out of them before replacing them, sure, go for it. But if you are planning to keep those cabinets for the long haul, painting them, especially on-site, is not going to result in a long-lived finish and they are likely going to look cheap and beaten up in an unacceptably short period of time for the effort and expense involved. Proper painting required A LOT OF PREP, and it needs to be done properly. And the finish is never going to be close to as durable as what you have not or what would be produced by an off-site conversion varnish finish (which you can't get on the boxes since they'd have to stay).

I wouldn't "go for it" except for painting the island as others have suggested. Cream would be a good choice:

Add undercabinet lighting if you don't have it already. Also cream chairs, not wood.

Paint the beams, not the cabinets

I don't care for painting lovely wood. But it's a personal preference. I also caution against painting the island as I feel that it's something of a passing trend...

In other words, your kitchen as is is perfect and will last indefinitely. Paint the island and you've given it an end date.

However, I do understand that not everyone is into longevity as much as I am.

Congratulations on your new home!

Those look to be very fine cabinets. I would not paint anything, not even the island. Site-painting is OK for moderate cabinets. You would be better served to pull those out and sell them rather than paint them. You will see a huge improvement when that refrigerator is gone. I’m not a fan of the beams, but if you are, you should keep them. To lift the eye, I second the idea of painting the ceiling a pale color, perhaps ice blue, and add a couple of quite long, pale blue runners along either side of the island. I might go so far as to wallpaper around that exit door with a white paper with a very open, ice-blue geometric pattern. I love your barstools, but something in a coordinating upholstery would go along way to toning down the wood — especially when combined with all these other elements. Right now, there really isn’t anything to draw the eye within the space. So you see . . . just wood. Congratulations on your home, and what is going to be a beautiful kitchen.

Cherry is a wood which never dates.It gets richer with time. if you did manage to paint it successfully, what you are suggesting would date long before the beautiful cherry.

I agree with above suggestions especially not to paint. I personally do not like the divided glass doors that are there currently. I would change those out and get rid of the grids and maybe add more glass fronts to other cabs. the ones to the right of the sink seem appropriate. looks lovely good luck

Your kitchen is beautiful. Classic and timeless. Don’t paint any of the wood.

You may want to have cabinets cleaned and polished by a pro if that is necessary. But no paint...the barstools aren’t adding anything to your decor. You may want to replace them.

I wouldn't paint the cabinets either. Your kitchen is very warm with all the wood, which is a nice change for so many cold and sterile kitchens that seem to be popular the last 10 years. I especially like that the trim around your doors is white.

I'm glad you're getting a new refrigerator as I don't care for paneled ones, so once that is installed, it will make a huge difference. If you want to change it up and bring in some more color, consider painting your doors (not cabinet) a different color. A friend of mine painted her pantry door and the door leading to her garage blue and it looks awesome. And if she ever tires of it, it's easy to repaint, unlike cabinets.

If you want less wood, you might consider removing the center panels of the upper doors and installing glass. That's easy and inexpensive. I'd put in a patterned class that disguises the contents while opening up the space. I don't care for clear glass, as you have on the left cabinets.

Wood has movement and character and visual interest. Paint has none. If you paint them, they might as well be cheap MDF boxes from Home Depot. You'll have lowered the value of your home.

And others are right in saying that the paint won't wear as well as the finish that's on them.

I agree with others who said changing the fridge would make a huge difference.

I had gorgeous cherry wood cabinets in my bathrooms in my condo. The new owner came in and painted them in both bathrooms. They look terrible and she had a professional do the work. Your cabinets are beautiful

JJRush are you South African ? (Safari suit reference). Or was this fashion ubiquitous in the States as well ?

I got wooded out in my last home so I know the feeling. I think yo could start with the 2 free standing tall cabs flanking a door. See how you like it. If you do you could go on. It doesn't matter what other people like, just what you do.

I agree not to paint. Replacing the panelled fridge will break things up a bit as would adding accessories and chairs in a different finish or color. ( not wood or baskets). Let more of your clean backsplash show and even consider different bulbs to the lights to give things a brighter tone. Im not sure how it would work with the beams but I’d love to see a great light fixture over the island and sink

I like the idea of color on the walls and maybe the ceiling. I like the contrast of the white countertops and trim. I wouldn't paint the cabinets, either.

Another thought if you are doing stainless refrigerator maybe replace the hardware on cabinets to match.

I think you have a beautiful kitchen and I really like the beams. New paint and perhaps some upholstered counter stools would be where I might start.