Hey Mike! You know, from the SOUNDS of it, you might be able to keep those cabinets wood, especially since you have warm wood trim for it to tie into (that could be the saving grace). As for new hardware, YES, this can be a great way to shift things, although even though you can only see a slit, I’d be inclined to do the hinges as well. I suppose at some point you could consider a subway tile backsplash that ties in well with your walls and countertop – this can be a great update and even a DIY if you’re so inclined!

ABSOLUTELY. Some people like to fill the grain, but I don’t mind KNOWING they’re solid wood cabinets! I just wouldn’t use a super high sheen which will OVER expose the grain. Satin finish is much nicer and softer ;).

I have oak cabinets in good condition and want to paint. Is it ok to paint over wood grain without using filler to hide it.

Another question I have about painting cabinets, is do you use a brush, if so what type, quality, etc. or do you use a spray application with the paints you suggested?

Hi Blaise! You know, if you aren’t happy with them, I don’t see why you shouldn’t try something new and yes, the gray could cut things back a bit for you. Just make sure to do it first on the interior of a door or a ‘non-important’ door, just in case you don’t love the effect :).

Hi JoAnn, in my experience, if they’re prepped well and painted properly and allowed to cure, you should only expect the odd chip over the first few years as things get hit on the edges too hard. We’re 2 years in and have only 2 chips, one of them is where we haul the garbage can out and one is where we load our plates in and always hit them on the edge of the cabinets ;). Generally, if there isn’t a lot of sun on them, stained cabinets hold up longer, but that’s not to say that painted cabinets hold up POORLY :).

Hi Charlene, thank you! Well, it can depend on the angle of the camera for sure as you’re more likely to see the grain when the light hits the cabinet. Some paints also level a little nicer than others, so I do lean towards a quality paint, just to help out with that a bit and NEVER do a semi or high-gloss finish!

First of all, this is the best site I have found for before and after pics of painting cabinets. Your advice is very helpful, especially the point about why staining arched cabinets wouldn’t produce a good result.. The question I have is on your statement in reference to heavily grained cabinets. You said that the heavy grain will show through but your before and after pics don’t show any grain, unless the pics aren’t close enough to the cabinet to show the grain. Were the pics you have not close enough to show the grain or did you do extra prep work on them as you mentioned in the post in reference to other painters?
Thank you so much for your expertise,
Charlene

Hi Angela, I’ve had a LOT OF LUCK with Benjamin Moore Advance in the Pearl finish. I’ve painted many pieces/cabinets over the years with MUCH success!

Oooo, I’m intrigued…you should send me photos to kylie@kylieminteriors.ca I’d love to get my eyeballs on them!

Oh! I had this situation as well! My cabinets were arched-style with exposed hinges, and they were rock-solid. I painted the uppers SW Pure White and the lower cabinets I gel-stained fairly dark, to better relate to our new ginger-coloured wood flooring. (I was aiming for the lower cabinets to be a couple shades darker than the flooring. I overshot, and they’re quite dark, but they do look nice with the floors now, which the very yellow golden oak stain did not.) I picked oil-rubbed bronze hardware for both the top and bottoms.

About the hinges: I was able to replace the old brass door hinges with new ones of the same brand (Amerock, in my case). I bought white hinges for the uppers and oil-rubbed bronze hinges for the dark-stained lower cabinet doors. It cost about $60 to buy the new ones. The hinges are *much* more subtle now. The dark hinges on the dark-stained wood almost completely disappear, and the white hinges on the white paint look fine.

If I paint my bathroom cabinets grey, then I might choose silver or nickel hinges for the camouflage effect.

I looked into changing the hinges to the hidden style, but it would have been a massive amount of work, far more expense, and what would have been the point? My cupboards still have that arch style, so they’re never going to look current. That’s ok. It’s not the style I would pick, but they’re good quality, they suit the house, and with the paint and gel stain and hardware, I am really happy with how the whole thing looks.

Hi Pam! I believe that was BM November Rain, a soft gray with green in it – so pretty! As for the wood, that is one of my faves as it has kind of a diluted orange-brown look. While there’s a bit of yellow in there, overall, it’s really nice and muted. I hope that helps with your own space!

Ooo, that’s tough. I mean, it would depend on the granite, but I DO know that a backsplash can make a MASSIVE DIFFERENCE in a room and is more affordable than both painting cabinet or new granite! Subway tile is a popular choice, I’ve seen many kitchen saved by it!

But, if I had to choose between painting cabinets and granite?? Ooo, I’d probably go for the countertop…it’s close though. Again, depends on the granite.

Well, some painters will do some SERIOUS prep to eliminate the grain, using filler and then sanding them, but it can be costly for the labour. I’ve done a lot of oak cabinets with a heavier grain and yes, you can see it. But, it’s a matter of weighing off whether you are willing to have that if it means brightening your space or if you don’t love the grain idea and would rather keep them as-is. Using a satin finish instead of a semi-gloss can also help the texture quite down a bit :).

Ooo, it sounds like I’d be painting those bad boys! Not much you can do about the hinges, but if you choose a medium or darker colour, they can blend in a bit more vs white :).

I know, in the ideal world we’d all get a fabulous new kitchen! But, I also know that saving up for a new kitchen would be a total luxury for some homeowners based on other priorities and budget needs, whereas painting cabinets can be a great way to refresh a space for a fraction. Sure, it won’t look brand new, but that’s okay as it can also give a homeowner a great sense of pride and a fresh new look until they’re ready for a larger investment! And yes, I love Ikea cabinets too, I’ve seen some great kitchens done this way – they’re an awesome way to get a beautiful kitchen on a tighter budget (as long as you have someone handy to install them – Tim tried them in our last home and they were a bugger!).
Anyway, thanks for your note Tanya!
~Kylie

Thanks Deedra, they do look so great! But so do your cabinets 😉

Good to hear! Often, the BONES are fabulous, it’s just the stain that’s killing the look. Well done!

Oooo, I think that was either Panda White or White Duck…

Depends on the layout of your home. Some people take a lower cabinet and have it refit for the microwave or put it in the larger pantry!