apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Do it! IT WILL LOOK GREAT!

I agree and nice counter tops no grout!

Why not black instead? It might blend in better with the bevels on your cabinet doors and make your countertops and appliances really pop.

well, you've already stated that you feel your cabinets are out of date so you have the following options:

1. have out of date cabinets and possibly update them in the future by either replacing them or at least replacing the doors.

2. up date them by painting them white, which then could lead to the following results:
2.a. you like them white
2.b. you don't like them white and update them by either replacing them or at least replacing the doors.

I say paint 'em white and see if you like them.

Why plain white? There are so many other interesting colors that you could choose - like Dark Brown, Dark Grey, Tomato Red (like your chairs), Apple Green, Prussian Blue...

...you could even choose one of these colors and add a dark stain to "antique" the cabinets by rubbing the stain into the grooves and ridges...

...you could even paint the lower cabinets one color and the uppers another.

You have the opportunity to do something special here - White isn't special.

DO it! then paint the back wall be a bright color. Painting the cabinets white will make the appliances blend into the background, which will make the space look clean.

Yes yes yes! Paint them white! AND, add some interesting fixtures to the doors to bring color and charm into the kitchen.

Paint them white, BUT only if you plan to paint that back vaulted wall a color, and the other wall a color.

Totally agree with bepsf on this one. If you're going to do the work of painting, paint them something wonderful.

Paint the cabinets white because it will blend with the appliances better. I think a rich color on the walls will be a better way to add interest. That way, if you decide you don't like the color, at least all you have to paint is a couple of walls and you don't have to go through all the work of painting the cabinets again... or replacing them.

Do it! BUT I bet once you do you will want to paint the walls to add some additional contrast and interest. But do it, it can only improve how you feel about what you've got!

I have white counters also and painted my wood cabinets white and I lOVE it! I painted all the exposed wall in a sage green to break up the white and got these knobs in "Circo" "kiwi". Good luck!

http://www.carolbeachknobs.com/colored_resin.html

ps- I LOVE your dining room light fixture!

I'll be the one to say it... DON'T PAINT THEM WHITE. With that style of door, you'll get a country look, not modern.

Assuming modern is what you're going for, check out IKEA doors, which are well made and quite reasonable.

Just a thought.

Ok... I think I should have refined my question a bit more before I submitted! If go ahead and paint them white -- do I match the bright white counter tops or the off-white walls? I'm afraid that the off-white and bright whites clash.

I appreciate the suggestions to go with some color, but with my open floor plan and vibrant textiles in other places, four different "rooms" would have to work with whatever bright color I used. The opposite wall used to be chinese red, by the way... I got over it after about 5 years and used that color in the chairs instead. :-)

Ultimately I want to update my kitchen cabinets completely, but that's about 18 to 24 months away still.

Modtramp, that's a great suggestion. It didn't occur to me that I could paint the cabinets white and then replace the doors with something without the bevel. It's that "country" look I'm afraid of.

Whenever I want to visualize a color change I turn to Photoshop. Here's a quick 'n dirty version of your cabinets in white.

If you like white but you're not sure if it will clash with off-white, that means you haven't selected a color palette, let alone a style or effect. Identify what impression you're trying to make with the kitchen design before you decide what colors will get you there.

Don't waste your time hemming and hawing over a specific color for one item until you know what kind of change you're trying to affect. Pick a style, a color palette, or even something as vague as a "mood" before you get yourself tied up in knots over a specific color.

For what it's worth, there have been some other great suggestions here about how to exploit the white countertops and the geometry of the walls. White cabinets are not your only option.

I spent about 2 minutes photoshopping one of your pics for you, hope this helps. Maybe you can find someone to do your other photos to visualize better.
Your photoshopped white kitchen

Wow , i just wasted my time doing that. Ha. I didnt realize someone did it just before me. Much better photoshop job also. Good luck with your kitchen. I think the stark white will not go with your countertops and walls, so if you dont change those than I wouldnt do it. Accessories could bring it together though I suppose.

Hey Kim! I REALLY hate to be one of these long posts, because if its not short and sweet no one reads them! lol...but I couldnt resist.
I wish I could send you photo's of my kitchen redo...
I had that similar splash of chinese red too. Your pictures remind me sooo much of my kitchen with the exception that mine is a galley.
I had off colored shade of white countertops (just old)and a different shade of white on the cabinets and another shade of white on the walls...at the time I could not go to extreme lengths, until I had the money to completely remodel the kitchen, I just wanted a QUICK fix to freshen it up.
So I painted the cabinets on the bottom a beautiful greyish green that matched the dominant shade in my adjacent living room, so that I did not have competing whites
(NOT that different shades of white cant or isnt beautiful, but when ONE of them is DINGY STAINED DIRTY white laminate Countertops, (well you get the picture)
anyway...I THINK I get what you are thinking about...and if your whites are crisp and clean and not worn and weary
go ALL WHITE!
just be careful, because white is complicated...
If they are not all crisp clean white...I would try finding a middle ground... until the big redo.

Oh!!! to answer your Question match the white with the BRIGHT WHITE on the countertops and backsplash!

Ok..I am looking like a crazy person here with SO many posts, but I skipped over modtramp's post...and that REALLY is a GREAT point. However, the cabinets are never going to look modern with that style, white or natural...so If you paint them white and then add some inexpensive but MODERN hardware, you would be more likely to achieve the look that you want until you have the opportunity to remodel.
Just my opinion. ;0)

I vote for white. White cabinets are classic.

Black or grey cabinets are also a very interesting idea.

I have an have an all white kitchen (white tiled floor, walls, countertop, and cabinets). MY cabinets are an offwhite and the doors are white. Doesn't look strak, doesn't look off... but adds that needed depth.

The Photoshopped images some of the other commenters helpful posted made it look like white was not the best idea. With the walls and the appliances, it looks like too many shades of white/cream, which detracts from both the cabinets and the other elements of the room. If you're going to paint them, go with a color that complements the other spaces that open onto the kitchen -- maybe dark brown? And if the color you choose doesn't work, you could always paint over it -- black would hide the cabinets' '80s-ness until you decided to replace them.

I like the idea of matte black or dark brown cabinets with a splash of color on the wall behind the stove.

i vote for new doors. don't waste time painting them. save your money and effort and get what you really want later.

Turn the cabinet doors around and you'll have a nice, flat front on your cabinets.


For five bucks/year you can upload your pics to the Behr Color Smart site and "paint" to your heart's content :-)

http://www.behr.com/behrx/workbook/index.jsp

If that were my kitchen I'd paint the dividing wall and the island base a bright color, like turquoise or lime, first. I think that would look punchy with the wood cabinets.

If you are thinking of doing a complete kitchen reno in 18 to 24 months anyway, I wouldn't waste the time, money and energy on painting the cabinets now.

Instead, I would focus on getting a really well-designed kitchen plan (we used an independent kitchen designer with and interior design background (read: space planner) and are thrilled with the results).

Part of the research could include finding a place that will re-use your cabinets and appliances so that they are not just thrown out, but re-used and recycled.

And then check magazines and kitchen design stores to get thoroughly prepped.

Having spent time in Scandinavia this summer, I am completely in the white and natural camp!

I say paint em and offset the "traditional" look by adding some modern hardware or adding some modern touches in the kitchen. It will look great!

for some reason I'm thinking chocolate brown. You could put new doors on them and restain the rest.
That is so cool that people photoshopped your kitchen for you.

yes, a classic white will appeal to anyone if your house ever ends up on the market too.

I love all the feedback, thank you!

* New doors may be hard after all -- I measured my doors. They are all odd sizes and only a few coressponded to readily available doors.

* I realized after studying the photos for a bit that the pantry door (next to fridge) is white. DUH. It doesn't look too bad, but there's the evidence that the payff from changing to white may not be worth the effort.

* I hadn't considered choco-brown because I don't want to turn the small space into a cave. But! Choco-brown frames with frosted glass panels may be perfect.

* Good advice to start thinking about space planning. Even if I don't change the layout (I think my kitchen is very functional), getting the measurements, making some style decisions, and making the list of what elements I'd need is probably the best use of my time. An Ikea kitchen overhaul may be the right move.