IMO - no question - paint! I think it would look beautiful!

You have a very nice kitchen! I would paint. I painted my stained oak cabinets several years ago and have loved them!
Got for it!!!

What color is on your kitchen walls now??

Paint!! Paintpaintpaint. You'll love it and never look back.

I know you didn't ask, but your floor is SO PURTY and I think green on your walls would pull the floor together better with your brown-toned granite. But maybe that's just me, I kind of have issues with brown for some reason, so never mind... :)

Anyhoo, your kitchen is going to look awesome with white cabinets, I can't wait to see it when you are finished!

If you have the time and patience go for it. You have to be willing to work with oil based though.

I would get new hardware too. Something not uber modern. But, clean looking and fresh. I love at Lowe's their special order. You can do some really cool things.

I agree, Paint!!

Paint would look great, but would avoid oil-based top coat, especially in white. It will yellow over time. Recommend you search/ask in Paint forum, the pro guys there have lots of suggestions for cab paint, and there are many posts covering proper prep, etc.

Ilovepink, I definitely have the time and patience to work with oil based paint. I also am getting new hardware. If you look closely in the picture I have a black knob on one cabinet and a black pull on one of the drawers. I think that is what I am going with. I just LOVE that look.

My problem now is what color white. I don't want a bright white, it will not "go" with the granite. I painted a sample of the Cloud White and I think it is to white. I am about to head to Sherwin Williams and get more swatches.

I would also suggest you ask about painting cabinets on the Kitchen Forum. Alot of people have done that there and can give you tips. I remember reading about that subject a lot when I remodeled my kitchen.

BTW, I love your backsplash. What kind of tile is it?
Good luck.
Clare

Have you considered a distressed black?

(And I do love the suggestion about switching from the golds to a green scheme. It would be beautiful with your floors)

As someone else mentioned, oil-based white paint will yellow over time.

By any chance have you considered sanding them down and using a gel stain to give them a deep rich color like your wood floors? I sure hate to see pretty wood cabinets covered up with paint when they are soooo expensive to buy these days. To me, unpainted cabinets have a much richer look than painted cabinets. But I know I'm in the minority on this because painted cabinets are very popular :)

What about glasing them with cream paint before trying the all out paint job? BTW, I painted with a pale cream oil-based paint and never had any yellowing.
Diane

I found that the paint forum people are very knowledgeable. It's definitely a good idea to go over to the kitchen forum because they know everything about this topic!

There are two issues: the first is that there is currently a finish on the cabinets which will most likely have to be stripped off before you paint; the second is that oak is grainy and once the cabinets are painted you will mostly likely still be able to see the grain unless you use some kind of product to even out the grain. Unless, of course, you want the grain to show.

Even if you decide to re-stain the cabinets, you will have to do something about the finish first before applying the stain.

I guess you don't need anymore "prodding" but I'll say it anyway...YES, by all means PAINT those cabinets! You've got all the elements of an updated kitchen but those 80's cabs aren't letting your kitchen shine like it could. I can say this cause I too have 80's oak cabs with my 2002 kitchen remodel :o Hopefully in the next couple of years we'll be refacing them.
Monica

I tried the gel stain and it really shows the graining which I didn't like. I don't mind the grain showing through the paint but it really showed up with a darker stain. Plus, the floor is dark and I thought that the kitchen would look so dark with a darker stain.

Whenever I see a kitchen with the white cabinets it really catches my eye. I guess that is the look that I love.

I am going to try it out first on the laundry room cabinets and see what I think. You cannot see the laundry room from the kitchen so it will be ok. I still have the issue with what color white.

I went to Sherwin Williams and they had a book showing all the whites. I really like Alabaster. Has anyone used that on their cabinets?

Clare, I am sorry that I didn't answer your question about the backsplash tile. The backsplash was done before I bought the house. I have seen the same tile at Home Depot, a tumbled marble.

I'll chime in - those cabinets would look FABULOUS painted white! Wish I could help you with a color.

Lauraa,
I have seen kitchen cabinets painted BM OC-25 cloud Cover and they were very nice.

They would look great white. I have tobacco road walls and I chose a creamy white, a few shades darker than my white trim. Even a white that's very creamy gives the "white cabinet" look. I had my cabinet maker color-match a Decora cabinet I liked. I know what you mean, they always catch my eye too!

I would definately paint the cabinets but i'm not sure white will go with the gold in the granite and green in the slate floors. cherry cabinets would look great so why not try to paint in a dark brown or espresso color. if it makes the room too dark you can always paint them again!

I would think a pretty creamy white and then a bit of antiquing to tie them with the stone and countertop. I don't see a truer white in there - I think you will lose the warmth of the space.

It might also be fun to do the area where the stove is in a mossy green with the same antiquing, since it is a separate area. Kind of like a separate cabinet was used to house that cooking space. That would bring some green up onto the middle level of the room, off the floor.

Mimi, I actually think about your kitchen every time I think of painting my cabinets. I LOVE your kitchen.

Les, I actually found a kitchen on hgtv.com on the rate my space secion and they had painted white cabinets and then black around the stove area, only on the top cabinets, and everyone on there hated it. I thought it looked pretty darn good.

Decisions, decisions. I just started sanding the cabinet doors from the laundry room. I have 10 doors and 2 drawers in the laundry room. I just need to pick out a white. My great paint guy told me to bring a sample of my granite and he would help me. I actually found a sample of it in one of my cabinets, YEAH!!! He off hand suggested Vanilla Bean.

Will post pictures once I get some primer on.

I agree... Paint! With all the pretty patterns & colors on the walls and the flooring, the grains of the wood compete with that and I think if you simplify the cabinets with paint to give them a clean look it will really pull the space together & make it more inviting.
Someone spent some $ on all the details!

I definitely agree that you should paint. BTW, I love all of your talavera pieces. Beautiful ceramics.

lauraa - What color is on your walls now? I love Tobacco Road, but I think your current wall color is perfect with your granite.

Laurie

I am echoing msrose about your current wall color. What is it, because it is gorgeous! I can see creamy white and light coffee glaze with those walls. Very pretty. Go for it! Cloud White seems to be a favorite of Candace Olsen's. There was a kitchen on here in another thread recently with Cloud White cabs and walls and trim. Gorgeous kitchen. Love the knobs and pulls you've chosen too!

Oh yes, paint them. It will take your breath away when you are finished!

Cloud White looked to white. I am going to continue sanding and then I will need to prime.

The color is Cafe Au Lait (I think), I couldn't find the card. I found it at Lowe's. The kitchen was originally an ugly red and just did not look good. I tried to find a color that would go with the cabinets and the granite.

I will probably go by my paint place with my granite sample and get my paint guy to help me. I will keep everyone up to date.

I would paint the wall first, just might make the cabinets pop. That would be a lot easier than painting the cabinets.

Oh yes!! I would paint them in a heartbeat!
You might consider taking the doors somewhere to be professionally sprayed - cabinet maker or auto body shop.

I have used SW Antique white on cabs before - nice & creamy.

Your kitchen is very pretty.

Smiles:)

I've also been thinking that a creamy color would look better, but then I noticed that your molding is white. Just wondering if anyone can comment on if that's okay or does the trim need to be the same color as the cabinets?

Laurie

Ooo, could call, Laurie! Her trim doesn't match her cabinets now... but I would think it might look "off" if her cabinets are a different white or cream than her trim.

I have also thought about the trim being a different white. My trim is painted a bright white through out the house. I should know, I am the one that painted it last summer after moving in!!!!!!

After looking at pictures of different kitchens, I found one by BamaSpice (I love her kitchen) and her cabinets are a different color than her trim and it looks good. Hmmmmm, maybe I can find a link to her kitchen.

I am still considering Alabaster. I have started in my laundry room and out of 12 doors (though I had 10), I have primed 4 of them. They look realy good even if it is just primer.

The trim in my house is Cloud White (which looks really white to me). Our cabinets are painted a Restoration Hardware color called Buttermilk. It is more creamy colored. I think it looks fine to have creamy off-white cabinets and white trim through out the house. Think of your cabinets like furniture. I've seen this look in many homes and it always looks lovely to me.
HTH

Paint!

Agree that a sagey green on your walls will tie together your backsplash and floor.

Clean your cabinets with TSP, then prime with Xim. It is a great primer and if done properly (one coat of primer, two finish coats) you will not have "bleeding" of the grain through the paint.

I've seen many "designer" kitchens that have a "brighter, white" on the trim than the creamier white on the cabinets. It looks great and to me sets it a part from being all matchy mathching. GO FOR IT:) Grab a kitchen magazine or a new home plans magazine and you'll be sure to see some of the same!

I found a link to Bamaspice's kitchen. I love her kitchen also. I've seen pictures of it severals times before and never even noticed the trim was a different color.

Laurie

Here is a link that might be useful: Bamaspice's kitchen

I wanted to post a picture of my granite close up. I really think that I am going to go with SW Alabaster.

I went to my paint store and got a quart of Alabaster. My neighbor and I decided that was the right color.

So, I have put one coat on. Here are some pictures.

{{!gwi}}

Looks great!

I think it's going to look great and you're going to love it. You can always use some type of grain filler if you don't want the grain lines showing through.

lauraa--can you give us an update on your project??