apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

the closets will seem more like part of the room if you do paint them white. start with a primer/sealer like BIN which will prevent any of the oils in the wood from seeping out onto your paint. then, paint over the primer/sealer with an oil-based paint.

swap out the old hinges and hardware with some cool modern silver or brushed silver hardware.

if these closets are solid wood, then i would say the wood is pickled oak. which means the wood is stained with a white pigment and then sealed. if you paint then sand, prime, and paint, fine sand, and paint again. the oak grain may show but thats the nature of the wood it has a big grain, as compared to mahogany with it's tight grain and smooth finish, you might consider giving the cabinets a beat up shabby chic painted finish, since oak lends itself to a country look, and you won't have to worry about a perfect painted finish.

Have you tried giving them a good scrubbing first? The discoloration could be cigarette smoke, transfer dirt, etc. Be cautious if you decide to sand before painting -- the existing paint may contain lead.

beyond gently cleaning I would leave them and use sliding panels or other drapery covering. I know my nan quietly freaked whenever I made changes to my childhood room during the time I lived there again.

ooops. yeah... sanding before priming and between coats of paint is necessary.