For years I've been debating if I should
paint my kitchen cabinets.
I keep going back and forth.
I just don't LOVE my cabinets. I look at them and think, "HELLO 1985!"
My husband doesn't want me too. He says that they are in good shape and really doesn't look as awful as I think. And just because the wood color isn't in style means we should paint them to go with the current trend.
Sigh.
Then a little more about my upbringing...
For generations my family has been the furniture business. I remember growing up friends would ask if my house gets new furniture every other year or so.
Surprisingly no.
My parents knew what to look for in furniture. They would save and go for the high quality solid wood stuff. And then get it for a good deal since they sold it (and only if no interested buyers were wanting it too).
My siblings and I had the same bedroom sets all our lives growing up. The dining room table is over 30 years old and rock solid wood. (I'm actually inheriting it when my parents move to a smaller retirement home!)
Anyway I told my family some of my ideas with my cabinets and they just CRINGED!
"Never paint real wood!!!" they would say.
"Painting wood is just a trend. Trends don't last very long. Your cabinets are oak. Oak is a classic and will be back in style before you know it."
Sigh.
I know they're right. So I don't really think I could really bring myself to do it.
Unless you can convince me otherwise.
I do love looking at other bloggers that had the guts to just paint theirs.
Then I would just dream about what I could do with my kitchen.
So many ideas I have...
I thought this look may be doable for my kitchen.
What do you think?
Are you for painting wood or against it?
Should I paint mine?
Have you, or would you, paint yours?
Linking to...
Paint it paint it paint it!! :) they would look great white - and it would open up the space so much - I say do it!
ReplyDeletePAINT THEM! Just because they're oak doesn't make them any more "precious". Your kitchen is dark and painting them would add so much more light. I like the ideas that you have written down :) Go for it!!!
ReplyDeleteI painted mine but they were worn '50's pine...... if they had been oak, I wouldn't have painted them :) Just my 2 cents. A white wash maybe?
ReplyDeletePaint them! If at some later stage brown bare ugly wood comes back into fashion (about 2511) then some enthusiastic renovator can sand them back whilst cursing you all the way through. Until then, you can have a lovely sparkling light place in which to kitchenise...
ReplyDeleteI am sooo in love with you ideas!! Very impressed at all of your ideas. Only thing I would do is NOT knock out your pantry but re-locate it! They are soooooo very expensive and have so much storage!! If you could paint it, or not and at least put it in he garage or basement for storage! I bought one for our home and it was the inexpensive but good kind with roll out drawers and it cost 1800.00!!!!! RE-PURPOSE THAT PANTRY! Lol. I would absolutely paint! They don't look as bad as I think you may feel they do. Even changing the hardware would make a nice change. Good luck and keep us updated.
ReplyDeleteI say don't paint them! I have oak cabinets. My mom (who is a designer) and I talked about painting them. Then she told me about a house in their subdivision (they lived there for 30 years) with beautiful maple cabinets. Next owners painted them, then the NEXT owners stripped them back down.
ReplyDeleteI think if you update the light fixture, tile or breadboard the back splash, and get stainless appliances when your current appliances die you will be happier. Also, I'd consider putting in some type of granite or silestone counter tops. Then you could expand the bar side then with just a larger overhang with a leg or corbel under it. Also, I think if you throw down a washable floor rug in front of the pantry area it will break up all the wood.
My vote would be to paint them. You would enjoy your space so much more if it brings a smile to your face and even though they are oak it is unfortunately not a high end look so if you were to ever sell it is doubtful that someone would even want the oak. My family never wants to paint any wood and as a result their whole house looks dated and feels tired. Just my two cents but life is short and you should have fun!
ReplyDeletePaint! Life is too short too not do what would make you happy. You have a vision that not everyone else understands until "After".
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I had this same conversation a couple hours ago. I'm all for it! He doesn't want me too because oak ..blah blah. It's just so ugly lol I want white ones!
ReplyDeletePaint them! We have painted wood cabinets & we LOVE them! White is classic & is the perfect neutral background to do so many things with. It will truly lighten up & update your space. Go for it, girl!
ReplyDeleteI would paint them.
ReplyDeleteI know how families are though when it comes to oak. My husband thinks oak is sacred and that it's a sin to paint it no matter how ugly it is. That's why we came up with a compromise, which might work for you.
I made a deal with my husband that I would only paint some of the cabinets. You see it in the magazines all the time where some of the cabinets are painted and others are left natural. I think it really gives kitchens a custom look.
I painted the upper cabinets white and put a darker glaze over the lower cabinets to freshen their look. I love our kitchen now. It's so bright and pleasant. Plus, since I kept the lower cabinets oak, it has a fresh country look that isn't matchy-matchy.
Honestly, it's your home and you have to live there, therefore despite what your family thinks, it's up to you and your husband. My home came with similar kitchen cupboards, but mine were the ugly 80's orange oak. We did paint them white and never regretted it. Not only will painting them white brighten up your kitchen, it will also modernize it and make it look current. White cupboards are NOT a trend, they're timeless and you'll love it!!!!
ReplyDeletePerhaps show your husband some before and afters you find online of kitchen that have gone from dark to white, it's quite the difference and NOT a bad thing!!!!
Heather Heather Heather, you know where I stand on this because I married your BROTHER who thinks like someone from the furniture business and I have yet to crack him. I want to paint mine more than any other reno in my house. I am working on ways to convince him. Here is the thing.....painted cabinets may or may not just be a trend and wood oak cabinets may or may not come back in but when and if it does A) you will no longer live in that house and B) I guarantee it wont come back in that 80's style and look. Your cabinets are not nearly as bad as mine but still they are outdated and as someone else said in an earlier comment, life is too short to not make your house YOUR home!!! Anyhow, I could go on and on, if you do decide to do it, figure out a way I can convince your brother to do it too!
ReplyDeleteOh and I just did the beadboard backsplash in my kitchen, it really helps to lighten things up, but in my case it just made me notice my ugly cabinets more. The more I update the walls, backsplash, floor, and other things, the more my ugly brown cabinets stand out. I'll post pics and tutorial on my blog as soon as I get the trim up!
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain! One of the reasons we bought this house is the solid oak cabinetry in the big kitchen. I would LOVE a white kitchen but can't bear to paint this gorgeous classic wood grain, so I've added lots of bright red to punch it up. Don't even start me on my dark dark, solid walnut bedroom set!
ReplyDeletePaint paint paint. Painted cabinets are classic too! Just begin while he's at work and then it's too late (not like I've ever done that lol) I just painted my oak cabinets a few weeks ago and I am soooo incredibly happy that I did.
ReplyDeleteYou can check out mine if you want. I have the steps outlined too, it was easier then I thought it would be. If I were you they would get painted this weekend. You won't regret it I promise, and you're husband will come around once he is awe struck about the new beauty that is your kitchen. Do it. He will be at work today right?
Paint them ! I painted mine recently and I love them ! You can look at mine http://www.bargainfun.net/2011/10/kitchen-cabinets-before-after.html
ReplyDeleteIt made my my kitchen so much brighter.
If you can convince hubby, then paint them. Your ideas are great. I inherited painted cabinets and personally I find keeping them clean a PIA. I have no sticky fingered kids around to smudge them up either, I have just discovered my husband and I are sloppy cooks. i am always wiping them clean. I even find dust/dirt in the inset ledges and corners. We live in deep south Texas and we love fresh air so the blowing air is helping the dust along. But they do look nice when clean! We live in an older mobile home in a 55+park and I'd say 3/4 of the homeowners have updated their kitchens with white or cream paint. Good Luck.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely paint them!! I've started painting mine (also oak)...in small bits at a time...and already it has made such a difference. White cabinets are a timeless look. You won't regret it. And just think of all the blogging material it will give you. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Heather, I say paint them also. They can be changed back, but just imagine the pleasure a new looking kitchen will bring you, not to mention how much lighter and brighter your home will be. Old school says don't paint real wood, but why be unhappy. Merry Christmas. I have recently found your blog and am now following you, and will visit often. Please stop by my blog and perhaps you would like to follow me also. Have a wonderful day. Hugs, Chris
ReplyDeletehttp://chelencarter-retiredandlovingit.blogspot.com/
I bet with new paint,hardware, appliances, counter tops and removing the big pantry type cabinets and putting the buffet there like you want, you could really brighten up the place and you would love your cabinets, or be perfectly happy with how they look. If the color bugs you that much, I would sand and re-stain them. I think the color is actually really nice, and will be "in" forever. It might be fun however to add bead board to where you want to put the open shelving at your seating area. A bright fresh color down there will again, brighten the kitchen, without painting over the beautiful cabinets. I really think that by updating the rest of the kitchen, your cabinets will really shine, and you will end up loving the results. Sadly, counter tops are way more expensive to replace than painting, but sometimes good things are worth waiting for.
ReplyDeleteI say - PAINT!!! "Never paint wood" is an outdated sweeping generalization, usually espoused by people of limited creativity and vision. I think one of the reason for this old addage is that it used to be very difficult and damaging to the wood to "unpaint" it later. Now there are easy, gentle strippers just in case you change your mind later. Go for it!
ReplyDeleteI always thought keep wood natural, then we moved to a house with painted cabinets and love them! I have a lovely green on mine. I don't think you can go wrong with crisp white . You will love how large it will make your space feel!
ReplyDeleteIt will also make your wood floors pop.
PAINT!!
Okay ... My mom is living in the house that belonged to my great grandmother .... real wood cabinets that I adore ... maple I think. A couple years ago she announced she was painting them and I freaked out. I hate to admit it ... but she was RIGHT! The kitchen does look much better! So .... PAINT AWAY!
ReplyDeleteTotally go for it. With the age of these cabinets, they are ready for a redo..something updated. You will love them. I am a retired painting contractor and painted many cabinets in my time. Use Bullseye 123 a Zinnzer product (primer) first..a couple coats is good. No sanding necessary. And top coat with your favorite latex paint. It will look fantastic. I see you referring to butcher block, my daughter just put those in as new counter tops...she got them at Ikea.
ReplyDeleteI love natural wood and my house is full of it but I love white in baths and kitchens...so crisp and clean looking. Good luck!
I just finished Cabinet Transformations by "Rustoleum" Our once oak cabinets are now a dark brown/black. I am glad I did!!! $150 and NO Sanding!!! RUN to Lowes ASAP!Dont wait another day.
ReplyDeleteI say paint! There is nothing like crisp clean white cabinets in a kitchen. We just redid our 1990 kitchen. The cabinets were already white but the paint had yellowed over the last 20 years. We sanded them down to bare wood and repainted them white! My husband, who usually could not care less about decorating, looked at the kitchen a few days ago and said "Damn our kitchen looks great!!! You did good Anne!" :)
ReplyDeleteI see most are saying to paint. I think they look really nice. I'm from the old school of "never paint wood". My brother is a cabient maker and would kill me if I did that. Mine are from 1976. I did change out the handles once. I think I'll paint them like you did.My countertop is also butcher block and needs to be changed. I've thought about the Rustoleum kit.
ReplyDeleteI am in the same situation and am pondering what to do also--getting very close to doing the rustoleum. I have grandkids (boys) and don't think the white will work...After seeing this blog--I think I am going to do it! I love new projects! So I say go for it!
ReplyDeleteWe painted ours white and I love it! And did you see how we spray-painted our fridge black? All appliances can be spray-painted (with an epoxy-based paint). It's your house, and whatever makes you happy and puts you in a good mood makes you a better mom. I vote for paint!
ReplyDeleteI think wood looks good, whether painted or not. Hehehe. I think your cabinets look fine too. Your kitchen is gorgeous. I wonder what your decision will be. Hehehe.
ReplyDeleteI would put in the cupboards above the fridge, replace the counter top with one that extends and has a more rounded finish for the breakfast bar, then paint everything white. It does feel kindof sacriligious to paint over beautiful oak and I do believe natural oak will come back into fashion but probably not for another 20 years...you can strip it back then if you want. Anyway thays my two cents worth.
ReplyDeleteI just painted mine and they look beautiful , if your husband won't let you paint add color with accessories
ReplyDeletepaint paint paint paint!!!! I believe in youuuuu :D
ReplyDelete