Looks like a nice kitchen! What about a grayish stain? Those seem really popular these days and are very neutral. Just an idea! 😀

Please don’t paint those beautiful cabinets. Bring some of that blue. color in your dining space onto your counter. Swap out the white canisters for some with color. You can put a framed picture leaning against the backsplash to break up the white. Your kitchen is a blank canvas. Adding a bowl of lemons or apples or a cookbook will also bring in color.

I agree your kitchen cabinets are quite beautiful. I wonder about the backsplash, though. It creates a focal point because it is so white. How about bringing home some updated colors to try that would pull from your granite? Adding a large rug in a neutral color (again, pulled from the granite), then some “pop” from towels and accessories might help you like the cabinets better. If you do decide to paint, I’d recommend a professional painter. That is a lot of work. Again, use the granite as a color guide. Your backsplash should be a background color, not a dominant one. Good luck!

The kitchen is already updated to 2020.

Maybe an interesting chandelier on a dimmer.

Thanks, the quality is great but I just prefer more modern and brighter. Maybe a gray stain would work. I will definitely use a pro!

Gosh, there is nothing wrong with your kitchen. You even have a very nice, neutral backsplash that appears to coordinate beautifully with your counters. Your granite looks exactly like mine. I loved it when it went in 10 years ago, but now I feel it's dated, so I understand what you are saying. And I have medium toned cherry cabinets. My saving grace is that I went with a simple soft white tiled backsplash so it feels like my counters are the only thing I wish I could change.
As far as painting your cabinets, that is a tough call. I've seen some amazing transformations with that, but the risk is introducing the inevitable wear and paint chips.
If you do decide to paint, I would never say white cabinets are on their way out. White kitchens have been around forever(ish)! However, I think a softer, off white like SW Alabaster would look great with your granite.

“What about a grayish stain? Those seem really popular these days and are very neutral.”

That’s the problem, gray is trendy, and is already on the way out. And, actually, it’s not quite neutral, as it difficult to pair up with. Have you seen the many posts here, on finding materials to coordinate with grey floors or cabinets?

Also, take note that she is not changing the floors. Gray cabs in no way, will look well with her floors.

She could’ve made a better choice in backsplash. The stark white, with no contrast in grout, doesn’t quite cut it with the counters.

Actually, the biggest sore thumb, is the exposed, free standing fridge. Can you enclose it?

The granite is lovely, btw.

A gray stain would look terrible with your floors. If you absolutely want to change something, change the countertops to a warm white quartz, and leave the cabinets alone. They are a nice maple, not dated oak. You could just try a large rug in the kitchen, which will break up all the wood.

Your kitchen is timeless and current! it looks perfect as is. If you don’t like the orange and you want a change, I would paint it to match the lightest color in your counters. most people want your kitchen after their renovation though, so you’re in great shape!

I would dump your money into new counters- something in a solid color like soapstone or Corian. And rug on the floor. With those two updates, you will break up the sea of brown.

And some updated cabinet hardware for a couple hundred bucks. Voila. Updated kitchen.

darker stain?

Clairmont - Plum Blossom · More Info

you don’t need to do anything though

It’s all in the details.

https://www.lampsplus.com/products/possini-euro-sphaira-40-inch-wide-chrome-led-ceiling-light__9j450.html

Yes don’t underestimate the power of lights or pulls

You could do modern pulls in brass or black and a coordinating light (use the one hole from your knob and drill another for the new vertical pulls).

or white uppers?

From your pictures - it looks like the lights in your kitchen are not helping - they seem to be quite yellow. Replacing them with cooler/bluer lights will brighten the space and not emphasize the wood tones. Also maybe a white-ish runner/rug to help cover some of the wood tones

Consider this very quick & dirty photoshop that minimizes the yellow tones + a rug.

I think a darker stain would be fabulous. I know how you feel about the color of your cabinets and I wouldn't have a problem staining or painting. Right now there is no contrast between your floor and the cabinets. The problem with painting is: What Color ?? I think a dark or espresso stain would coordinate very well with your floor, backsplash and countertop.

In my area, staining is more expensive than painting; it's more labor intensive. (Just a tip o' the hat to the tightwad, lol.)

I think it looks nice. Maybe update counter but I like your backsplash. and then add a runner or rug to give some contrast

let me just mention that painting or heaven forbid, staining, would cost more than getting new countertops. The cost for a pro to paint that kitchen (correctly) would be in the 5K region.

All of you mentioning a new stain to those cabs have obviously never stained cabinets! Do you have any idea how much work (ie, cost) that would be? (and if anyone says 'Rustoleum cabinet transformation" I'll scream.

Everything needs to be removed and taken back to the shop where the wood is completely stripped to bare wood. all need to be sanded (by hand because of all the detail work, an orbital wouldn't work) and smoothed. then a new stain color applied. after it's dried, a touch up sanding for any raised spots. Then a spray lacquer top coat, usually 2-3 coats. Please raise you hand if you understand time=money !!

Even though painting requires the same basic steps, you don't need to completely strip the wood. They will sand to remove any gloss and smooth out the finish, then prime, sand agin, then paint.

You will need a pro cabinet painter for these, not a house painter. If you get a bid for $2500, I guarantee you that they will not properly prep and prime before painting. 75% of the work is prepping and priming. That's what costs the money. If you skip this step your cabinets will peel and chip within 6 months.

Basically what I'm saying, is that your 'mr tightwad' (your words, not mine) may not be aware of the cost associated w/painting these cabs. ( and forget doing a new stain. if you want to keep the 'wood look', then just keep them as is and change out your granite/splash)

forget the gray look. your floors are yellow oak color. you're going to have to work with it unless you plan on redoing all of floor stain!

What you could try first is new lighting. 4000K temp bulbs will lessen that yellow look.

New hardware. get some handles for those tall cabinet doors. the tiny knobs look out of proportion.

I don't mind your tile splash, but agree a new cab color would make it pop more.

as an example, this Iron Ore color on the bottom, w/a white on top, would look nice w/your floors/counterotp

horrible photo shop, but you get the idea

here is Graystone. you'd have to get samples to see how it looks w/the floors

If you countertop has the grays/warmer tones to it, any of these colors should work

Can you post a pic of your granite so we can see the colors?

Btw, I had similar stained cabinets for 14 years. I was so tired of them I couldn't stand it. I had mine painted. (had everything else redone too) So I completely understand when you say you want something brighter and fresher

Mine were all sanded, primed, sanded again and sprayed w/a cat lacquer. (I did have new doo/drawer fronts though. long story, but design wise it was easier to go w/all new fronts. and it was only another 2K to do so. they are all solid maple)

similar cab style to yours, before/after

Only the cabs were painted (along w/higher crown) color used was chantilly lace.

White cabinets are classic. I would have them professionally painted a creamy white.

That said, it’s a lovely kitchen, in great shape. As mentioned, many would leave it. But, you live there.

I personally am not a fan of wood tone cabinets and wood floors. It’s difficult to get the two to look good together with feeling all surrounded by wood.

I love how Beth’s turned out.

“Help to bring this Kitchen to 2020!”

A “grayish stain” would bring this Kitchen to 2015.

Definitely upgrade the lighting as mentioned above. That will really help. Change knobs to knobs a bit larger that are stainless or some finish with gleam, not black knobs or antiqued knobs. It would modernize the look to replace base cabinet knobs with pulls, but not sure you can get the holes of the pulls lined up with the existing knob holes and in the correct place on the doors, and if not, then you are opening a can of worms with pulls.

I would leave the rest alone. Love the counters. Please, not another “cream faux-marble-look Quartz” for this space.

Thanks for all the great suggestions! I will definitely hire a pro for any thing I have done to the cabinets. Here's a close up of the granite.

Never would I recommend DIY staining of cabinets. As I said, it's more expensive than painting. But stain holds up better (except for the original stain job on my fairly new cabinets). I'm having mine painted (soon.....). If we were staying here forever, I'd have gone with the more intense, more time in the house, more dust and 2000 more dollars and done stain to try to get to my original pick.

Years ago my husband and I would have tackled painting these ourselves, but not now. I don't know where you are but my metro DC price, work to be done by an excellent and highly recommended contractor, was - oh gee it's been since February that we last met about this - $7k range. I have an L run of cabinetry, not at all a huge kitchen, and a large island.

I like your granite; are there bits of black? That could be stunning for your cabinets, with that countertop and your backsplash. My granite is crema bordeaux, with very little bordeaux, and black cabinets.

You could start by getting some samples in some of these. Based on your granite, any of these will work. The brightest white of the bunch is Simply White and Oxford White, both of which look great on cabinets. The others are a bit warmer, creamier whites.

5K would be the lowest end to get those painted. I had some carpentry modifications w/my job, so I can't give you a quote just for painting. if I had to guess, I'd say it was in the 7K range. I have 66 handles on my cabinetry if that gives you an idea of how many I had to have painted. I also have a large island.

I did Wrought Iron on my island, and the perimeter was done in Simply White (although they went a shade brighter when they converted it to lacquer)

Here’s my two cents. As the others have said it is a lovely kitchen but what isn’t working is the cabinet and floor colors together. They do not compliment each other. The photo shows, maybe in person it’s different, they are very similar in color -with an orange undertone- but don’t match. One of them needs to be changed. Since the cabinets are so nice and wood is coming back in I might consider re-staining the floor. You could further update the look by getting an movable island painted the color of the walls in the adjacent area and update any light fixtures and cabinet hardware.

How about black hardware and a black or dark backsplash, it would look beautiful with those cabinets and wouldn’t be very much work, or very expensive. You have black in your appliances, that is what made me suggest that. I agree, everybody has white or grey, and while they will always be classic, a beautiful wood cabinet will as well, and you won’t have the same as everybody else. You can’t open a magazine or any decorating forum without white or grey. I prefer to be different. Good luck.

I notice that you mentioned being careful about colors because of resale concerns. Are you considering putting your house on the market soon? If so, I would not put one more $ into that kitchen! Seriously, it is a beautifully neutral palette that most buyers will feel lucky to find as they are searching.

I agree with sapphire!!

Thought I would share the after pics!

Looks beautiful!

nice job Alycia! looks great. What color did you end up using on the cabinets? Did you do them or was it a pro cabinet painter?

one last thing. change out your bulbs under the cabinets to 4000K temp. right now they're very warm and cast a yellow hue. Switch them out to a 4000K (daylight) bulbs (and your ceiling bulbs too) and see what diff it makes.

white on top leave bottoms as is. that's seems like the way to go with floors

Thanks Beth. I definitely hired a professional! They did an amazing job. Color is high tide white. They just finished today so I’ll swap lights out soon

can't believe the diff! The wood wasn't horrible, but the white just makes everything look newer and brighter!

You did a great job and love the blue!

Look fabulous! Whatever the paint job cost you, it was well worth it! The kitchen looks new and fresh. Enjoy it!

Love the white; light, fresh, and works with the floors. Beautiful!

I sighed with contentment seeing the after. It’s lovely.