I personally think that it would be easier to update/change backsplash then to go through the hassle of painting cabinets. I think if you were to change that the cabinets would look updated.

I was just at a kitchen place today and they had maple with light glazing just like yours and it was paired with a gorgeous soft teal blue backsplash it reminded me of the beach.

I would at least price out some new counter and backsplash.....corian with the 4inch backsplash and the tumbled stone looks really dated and the cabinets have a timelessness if you change the hardware and look at granite or quartz and perhaps one of the newer mosaics or even a 4 by 4 tile.

Wow, it's so funny how we all see things differently! The Corian countertop is my least favorite thing in the room. Is it really beige or is the color in the photo off? The tumbled stone backsplash is my favorite thing and although the cabinets aren't my color, either, they're pretty.

I think if you changed the countertop to a deep - or bright - color, whether in Corian or granite, it would change the entire kitchen. The dullest thing in your kitchen is that countertop. And it's probably the easiest thing of all to change.

It's tough to know what it looks like in real life, but on my monitor, the backsplash and cabinets seem to have a slightly pinkish tone while the counter reads more greenish.

I agree with nosoccermom. I see pinkish undertones in the tile and cabinets, but golden-greenish-grey undertones in the corian - two different color families. I think that is why it's hard to imagine a cabinet color that will tie in the backspash with the corian - because there IS no color that will do this well. The corian carries warm undertones, whereas the tile and cabinets are cool undertones. Of the three elements, the corian is the odd man out.

i agree with the others that replacing the counter would make the most impact. i personally like a contrast between counter and cabinets. possibly a much darker counter would give a darker hue to the existing bs and cabs. are the cabs in solid condition? if yes then maybe a dark granite or soapstone kind of look? there are so many gorgeous choices out there and counter material has really come down in price of late.

I could be wrong here but I am sensing that perhaps the reason the original poster inquired about keeping the backsplash/counters and painting cabinets is to keep the cost down. Paint is the cheapest way to update, after all. I find it very hard to tell what kind of undertones there are with that photo. I actually like the color of those cabinets, but if Libbyrap wants to change the color, either a cream paint or gel stain darker would be the easiest. Not that either is an easy job for sure but less work than stripping and restaining. I'd get a few paint samples in creamy white shades, once you figure out what kind of undertones the counters and tiles have (hopefully they have the same undertone!) and then choose creams with the proper undertone. Paint a 12 inch or larger piece of cardboard with your sample paint and see how it looks with the counters and backsplash. Or if you go with gelstain, a lot of people like the general finishes java shade and there are a lot of photos on the site done in java, so you can see what it looks like on a finished kitchen.

As someone who is about to clean and paint a bunch of cabinets, I can say unequivocally that I'd much rather replace a counter! Time and energy have worth, sometimes more than money. :)

Since you asked about changing the cabinet color and not about switching the counter or back splash, I would personally go with a darker stain like walnut.
I think it would help the earth tones in the back splash really pop. Also, I would get new pulls.

I agree a darker stain would look great!

A lot of people rave about the General Finishes gel stains. I haven't used it yet, still can't make up my mind if I want to paint or gel stain my oak bath cabinets. I agree with the other posts, darker would look nice. A lot of java gel stain photos on GW, although its very dark, but they do sell other shades too. Although its hard to find photos of finished cabinets in anything other than java. Yes, tomatofreak, you are so right about the work vs. spending on new counter tops, but often when you first buy a house, funds are very tight and you have to go with the budget plan, which usually means DIY work. Our first house we stripped down all the cabinets and restained them. A ton of work, but we couldn't afford anything more. Libbyrap is asking about changing the cabinet color only, which leads me to think that for whatever reason, the backsplash and counters must stay for now.

Agree with others, I would change the countertop. Some of the new laminate (inexpensive) countertops look great.

However, if you really want to do the cabinets instead - also agree, a java color would work best.

This post was edited by mdln on Sat, Jun 7, 14 at 21:52

Libbyrap????

What color is your flooring? If it's dark, then I'd go with a lighter paint color. If light, then I'd go with the Java gel stain. Painting will be more work than the General Finishes gel stain. I've done the gel stain on a couple small projects and it's relatively easy to do, but it's very dark. If you don't have a lot of natural or overhead lighting it could make for a pretty dark room.