I wouldn't paint them either and I'm a huge white kitchen fan. I just prefer a factory finish. Agree with JK....redo the floors and countertops.....and the backsplash.

@User@The Kitchen Place Many thanks for your quick response and feedback! Really appreciate it! Any suggestions on what type of tile.? Don't think we can change the countertops or backsplash. We need to focus on basement, but this kitchen tile has to go. It's cracking.

I like the wood-look tile., but not sure it will go with house. We have nice medium brown hardwood floors throughout house. The tile will also go down the little hallway shown. I see so many houses with hardwood in the kitchen. I totally don't understand that... It doesn't seem like a smart idea since water can easily be spilled on a kitchen floor. Thx again!

Changing the countertops would be money down the drain. Besides, it’s incredibly wasteful to trash a non-renewable resource for, really, no good reason. As for painting the wood, which is a completely renewable resource, while you probably won’t recoup any of the money spent there either, you would get the pleasure of having white cabinets, which you find to be soothing, so there is that value. But it will cost thousands to do it right, and, at the end of the day, you'll still have the same kitchen. Your countertops are beautiful, btw.

Some things that would actually add value to the kitchen and/or improve the functionality?

• Better lighting (undercabinet and recessed)
• Maybe a bigger sink and a new faucet
• Adding pullout storage to the lower cabinets
• Upgrading door hinges and drawer slides
• Counterdepth fridge

If you changed nothing else, I do think those cabinets would look better white, but note that good quality painting is not cheap. or if you DIY it, it's a ton of work with all the sanding and priming involved. no shortcuts if you want to avoid chipping.

but I agree with others, this kitchen would look way better if you kept the cabinets as-is and changed the backsplash and floor. maybe the countertops too, but they're not so bad.

I wouldnt paint them, they look very nice. If you planned on hiring a painter, it will be in the thousands to get them professionally painted. If you were going to do them yourself, the prep is extensive, to get a decent job where they wont peel and look bad a short time later. They need to be cleaned very well, they need to be sanded very well, and then wiped down again, and then primed with a bonding sealing type primer, and then finally 2 -3 coats of paint that is meant for cabinets. There is cure time between each coat. There is also a period of cure time, once they are done so that you dont end up with a damaged finish.

I agree to let the cabinets be. I’m not a fan of wood look tile, but I’m rarely a fan of [anything]-look. Choose a product you really like and go with it. If you want tile, choose a large format porcelain tile. I’m a fan of tile in kitchens, and it would be fine to run it down the hallway.

hardwood in a kitchen is not as impractical as it used to be. I'm guessing due to advancements in how the wood is treated / sealed. just be sure to wipe up spills and don't let them sit. or go ahead and get tile, but not wood look. it will clash next to your real hardwoods.

Better lighting would help a whole lot. Wood floors are a classic.

A quality paint job on the cabinets is going to cost WAY more than a new backsplash (and counters, depending on the material). Changing the floor tile, backsplash and paint color will transform the space beautifully and give you the best bang for your buck. I am not a fan of the counters myself but they would be the last thing I'd change if budget was an issue.