SFGate

feeny In the photo you posted your cabinets look very dark--not medium at all. i would not paint brand new cherry cabinets. It seems like a terrible waste, and the painted finish will never be as durable as keeping the cherry. It looks like your countertops and backsplash are both light, which is a good choice for lightening the effect (and bringing in contrast) for the kitchen as a whole. Have you had the cabinets long? It might just take you awhile to get used to them. I think they look lovely.

Jayme Hobbs If they are new I would look at changing wall color first to see if that helped make them "appear" darker...

Lia Thank you for your responses:) The kitchen is only 6 months old. It seems where ever i turn i see beautiful white cabinets. Its driving me crazy! Any ideas on wall color? thank you so much for your responses. i greatly appreciate them!!!!!

Jayme Hobbs Ok..now where r our color specialist designers??? I hate to make the wrong suggestions..but wonder if a lighter wall color will make them appear darker? I also like the cabinets.

Engrav's Decorating Maybe you could change the crown molding at the tops of the cabinets to a lighter color to give more contrast and make the cabinets look darker than they are. Anytime you add a light color next to a darker color it adds depth of color.

wildfan I like the cabinets myself, but I prefer stained to painted. They appear dark to me and not at all medium. Would you consider painting the island?

Lia Hello! the Island is dark chocolate color. Do you think I should paint it white?

keltietaylor I think you should paint them. Your cabinets are already beautiful, but in white (or a soft off white) would be spectacular. Note of caution (in case you need it) ....painting cabinets is a huge labour intensive task that requires a tremendous amount of prep work to be successful and look good. That being said, if done correctly it is worth it in the end.

Lia thank you!

Jayme Hobbs If u do paint the island light..it likely would help the darker cabinets seem darker!

gillianlf I would not paint anything, the island being the one possible exception. You have beautiful light counter tops that would not look so great if they had no contrast with the cabinets.

gillianlf You might also enjoy the wood more if you put down some lighter colored runners on the floor ideally machine washable.

wildfan Search "dark cabinets white island" under photos and see what you think. I like the look.

Lia Hello wildfan-- They are stunning. Do you also think I should just paint the island?

flgrandma Agree with those who posted doing light wall colors. Your cabinets are beautiful and brand new.

designideas4me Stuck with cherry? I should be so lucky! Can I buy them?

Of The Essence Designs Not sure where you are located but would be glad to help or could possibly refer someone to you. We specialize in painting cabinets and use a professional line of products that are extremely durable. You can see a before and after on my page. I know it can be very difficult when you had something in mind and it looks different then expected. What type of style do you have in the space? Changing the island could be a really good option.

Ingrained woodworking Inc If you decide to paint, have them sprayed by a professional with a lacquer base paint. It will have a nicer quality sheen and depth to it and be more durable. I personally couldn't bring myself to do it though. Island maybe. I love cherry. By the way, cherry continues to darken over time. You will be surprised. Put a piece of painters tape on the cherry for a week then peel it off to see how much the rest darkened.

designideas4me Ok so I am deciding what cabinets to buy........should I assume from this post that its not worth it to buy solid wood and appriciate or envy the grain and quality of wood when so many people on houzz are wanting to paint cabinets ? I dont get it. When I saw cherry kraftmaid in the store I thought it was gorgeous. Do people care more about "whats in" than having quality wood? I am just trying to decide what to do myself. Not judging you.. even if you are crazy.............lol........just kidding.

designideas4me I recently had estimates to spray laquar paint and for 25 cabinets in my kitchen it was 3500-4500. Not inexpensive.

Lia @ Of The Essence Designs thank you for your help. I live In North Carolina. Great job on the off white kitchen...

Lia Hi designideas4me. Well i always "loved" cherry and actually hated white. i thought it looked cheap as my parents always had the cheap quality ones. After i picked and signed the contract to the cherry cabs I started to notice the gorgeous white cabs. They are everywhere. every tv commercial everywhere! On the supermarket line, doctors office Everywhere!!! all over houzz! yes this is driving me and my husband crazy (ok im driving him crazy)

Lia My cabinets are from the company Quality Cabinets, manchester cherry brandy with liquorice glaze

sjkingston Wait! Don't do anything for a year. Cherry is a wood that naturally darkens over time with exposure to light. The process takes up to a year. A light ginger stain can darken to a medium brown and a brown stain will darken significantly over the day it is installed Paint the wall if you want, but if you liked what you saw in the showroom, give it 12 months to come to its final true color. The showroom samples have been exposed to light for a year or more. If they had stained to the final color now, it would be too dark in a year.

wildfan Yes, if you want a change and liked the look I would suggest painting the island. It is a small change with a big impact. As others have stated, do your research and make sure it is done the right way. I would be very hesitant to paint all those beautiful cabinets. Especially since you have only lived there six months. Give them some time to grow on you. There must have been a reason you picked them in the first place. If you paint them there is no turning back. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Lia Wildfan- thank you for your kindness!

Lia sjkingston-- thank you so very much! I hope you are correct! So wait 12 more months?!

ruthmand Please do not paint them. Real wood finish will look bette rover time, paint will scratch and mar. Your cabinets are beautiful. Just because you see white cabinets everywhere is not a good reason to paint yours. Actually, it should tell you that they are way overdone and will be replaced by some other trend soon. Your wood is timeless. Stop looking and enjoy your kitchen. Get a couple of colorful rugs, repaint walls if you think that will help. The molding does look a bit heavy but that may just be the angle of your photo. However, that is something you can change easily.

Ingrained woodworking Inc Agree with sjkingston

Of The Essence Designs I am in NC too!

sjkingston Just read your last comment. cherry Brandy with a licorice glaze does sound like it should be a mahogany color. Have you taken a small drawer back to the showroom to see if they actually used the right color stain and glaze?

Lia ruthmand-- thank you so much! I appreciate your advice-- greatly:)

Lia sjkingston-- I did not go back to the showroom. Even if i did, i am quite certain they wouldnt do anything about it..

lparides Add glass in some of the cabinets and they will feel lighter.

Ironwood Builders Whatever you do, do not paint a part of the cabinets and leave another part stained Cherry. The cabinets are an architectural statement and painting just the crown mouldiing will discombobulate the statement. If you must have white and feel it is worth the investment, paint the island, give that cherry time!

designideas4me cherry Brandy with a licorice glaze

yummy................... The names of these colors make me hungry.

Lia Ironwood Builders-- I appreciate your input. thanks!

R K Don't change them. Try other things like new handles, different color walls, tile, etc.

Lia I do plan to change the tile! Any ideas!!!!

R K Honestly, it's hard to make out the current tile in that small photo. What's there now?

Lia Hi again- the tile that is there is stone then by the cook top its small stone and a copper glass.

pud07 I think you'd be crazy to paint those beautiful cabinets. I'd suggest you paint the island off white and enjoy such beauty! Good luck with whatever you choose to do :-)

susiepollard Please don't paint your cabinets! Mine were custom made 8 years ago. Birch with a walnut stain, shaker style. I changed the paint color on the walls three times before I was satisfied. Decor on top of cabinets will also make you love them more. It gives them a warmer, homier feel. Try baskets of different sizes and textures. A few potted plants too

anitajoyce I agree with Jamye hobbs about painting the walls instead of the cabinets. Plus, you just got those cabinets. I suggest that you NOT paint them. They are very nice cabinets!

mmilos Look great to me, even dark mahogany-ish. Cherry darkens with age.

dianahb I would never in a million years paint cherry cabinets. You obviously know how expensive cherry wood is-- and it's really a beautiful warm wood. We put cherry cabinets in our kitchen 16 years ago, and they still look absolutely beautiful. A beautiful wood like cherry will never look dated, either.. They absolutely will darken over time, too-- if you wanted them darker-- just wait about a year.

ccwatters As others have stated, they will darken with age. My girlfriend put in cherry very similar to yours. A few years later, her kids broke one of the doors. She ordered the same finish from the same place, but when it arrived it was so much lighter. It took almost 2 years for it to catch up in color depth to the rest of the cabinets. Keep the beautiful cabinets you loved from the beginning, your color is just aging right now (like fine wine ;).
Maybe try a different color on the walls to bring out the richness of the cherry. Try a couple sample colors on posterboards, and hold up on different walls at different times of the day. I would give Benjamin Moore's Revere Pewter a look, it's a gorgeous neutral. Maybe BM Manchester Tan if the Revere Pewter is not warm enough for you.

jasumara Love the cabinets. You might try changing the lighting. Sometimes a different wattage or type of bulb can create a totally different feel in the room.

boysaboys I say do not paint those cabinets. They are elegant and classic. What is the color on the wall, it looks greenish. Go with a BM muslin as an example. The top of the cabinets need some classy baskets in different shaps and sizes. No plants ! A couple of throw rugs would soften the look. Accessorize this kitchen - that is all that is needed.

eagledzines It is suggested that showroom samples are changed out at the end of a year BECAUSE the color changes. Most don't do it that often. It's expensive, so they wait for 3 or even 4 years.
THE COLOR WILL DARKEN IF YOU JUST GIVE IT TIME!!
Wait to do anything for another year. If you still hate it then paint the island and wait another year. If you still hate it, go ahead and paint it.

Interiors International, Inc. Your not "Crazy" just impulsive. They are beautiful cabinets and with the right staging and wall color they will look great.

Amy Thompson They are beautiful! We are putting in dark cherry cabinets right now- with the right contrast there is nothing prettier- white will just be a fad when they are all old and yellow : )

jackiepitts Don't you dare paint those cabinets! I have cherry and they are timeless! Mine are 22 years and still look great! Add some accessories, maybe even an oriental, colorful rug, small lamp, etc. yours are beautiful!

Darzy Another vote to NOT paint.

onthefence Yet another vote for not painting.

I'm wondering too what kind of lighting you have in the kitchen? I'm wondering if a change in light bulbs would make the cabinets appear darker.

sjkingston I have a similar kitchen with medium brown cherry cabinets and a green countertop and walls. While I wanted lighter cherry like my last kitchen, i was afraid of the color variation in Kraftmaid doors so went a bit darker. Like you I had regrets, but my wood loving husband is in hog heaven. Is it "in" now? No, but it is "us," and white cabinets show every spec of dust and splatters. In yours, I'd consider painting the island in an off white with a hint of glaze to match the color of the backsplash tile (it looks like it's already painted). Then find some art and accessories to personalize it and see if you enjoy it more.

Karen Dorris, interior Designs Don't be concerned about trends in cabinet colours, good cabinets in this finish are classic. Wall color Benjamin Moore. Cc90. It has a softness to it but enough saturation of colour to balance. The slight green undertone is perfect to compliment the cabinet colour and make the contrast awesome between the walls and cabinets. Don't paint the cabinets. It's not durable. My prediction: this colour will be next on trend.....because trends run opposites. White was in, then dark, then light, then red........classic is classic.

lydiamuir You could go half and half, white and cherry. Like these photos below. I think definitely lightening your green walls would make difference also. Is your bench top green? Maybe even lightening up with accessories (pots, fruit bowls, et) you place strategically in your kitchen.

mindamine Cherry will darken over time naturally by a few shades. I would wait a at least six months. They could still age up to two years.

lparides Paint only the upper ones that is a very rich look.

mobwife i would agree with changing the island to an off white glazed, i really can't see your island, but you may be able to add some trim to dress it up. Take your picture and add paint chips to see which one you like, the color of your walls will change as the day goes on, the walls look different in the morning, afternoon, evening, etc.. You can get larger chips to add to your wall to see if you like the color. Add some color above your cabinets with accessories. If you are ever going to sell your home, not everyone likes painted cabinets. I do not think that you made a mistake, add color to your kitchen, it looks very bare, bring in items you really like to soften your cabinets, but not too many so that it looks cluttered. you could also add some hardware. I can't really see what is above your cooktop, but you could add color there also. I also do not know what the surrounding areas are like in your house, it is really hard to say what colors to use without seeing the attached areas.

Red Ridge Wine Cellars The crown and some of the visible parts of the cabinet boxes appear darker by several shades than the doors. If thats true then the finishing was flawed from the get go. Natural cherry has a warm pinkish/orangey hue to it and darkens to a rich medium dark redish brown. A medium dark stain should have been more consistent I think.
If you decide you can't live with it you can take them to a cabinet shop, have them sand them and re-stain to a darker tone and re-clear them or have them chemically stripped and if the natural cherry is light enough for you then have them left natural with a clear coat. Doing it that way will save money and maybe keep wood lovers and you happy?

All the best with your project.

Red Ridge Millwork & Design Ltd.
greg@redridgewinecellars.com
http://www.redridgemillwork.com
http://www.allreclaimedwoodfurniture.com

klhudym Of the essence designs..we are moving into a home with light oak cabinets, I would either like to get new cabinets (which my husband strongly disapproves of) or somehow darken them! Any ideas on how I go about staining or do you think it's best to paint them? Help!!

sam0705 I like the idea of painting the island white and adding a white subway backsplash. I think it will brighten thing up and bring some white in - best of both worlds.
I would not paint though I like a white kitchen and don't think it's a fad. I think most of the suggestions to paint cabinets white apply when they are old and dingy.

Lia Thank you sam0705

kat349 Hi You could always change the doors and sell the doors you have as it wouldn't be too expensive that way Good Luck

kat349 Or maybe someone here could always swap doors with you as I think kitchen doors are standard sizes aren't they ???

mobwife There are many different size cabinet doors, hinge placement could be different also, so could the hinges themselves. Not only are the widths different, but also the heights, not to mention the styles of the doors. So it would be hard to also sell the cabinet doors. Your doors are stained dark, cherry is not really a dark wood. Look on wood websites and you will see cherry is much lighter, most people stain cherry dark and it gets darker with age once stained.

I would paint the island an offwhite with a glaze on it (as mentioned above). White would be too stark if you are leaving the other cabinets cherry. You could also put some fun knobs and pulls on your cabinets. You could also put corbels and fluted wood trim on your island to make it a real focal point to your kitchen. You could also change the countertop on your island, so you have a little bit of an overhang to add your corbels and maybe even legs. .

calikym Don't even think about painting those! Nooooo.......

flgrandma Rather than continue with the paint - don't paint dialogue, why don't you send some additional photos of your kitchen? There may be some other reasons besides the color of the cabinets that the kitchen doesn't look good and you're not seeing it because of the focus on the color of the cabinets. There are really knowledgeable people on the Houzz discussions who can help you.

hparks74 I haven't read all the comments but if you would like to make them look less of a light red, paint your walls a cool green. Green tones red. Like a cool sage or delta green by porter paints. They are beautiful.

hparks74 You could also have some etched or frosted glass added to a few uppers

mobwife I like Oregano Spice from Home Depot. I painted my nook that color, looks beautiful. Depends on whether you get any reflection from outside, i get a reflection from my pool.

Ingrained woodworking Inc Changing doors is an option but like someone posted earlier, hinge placement, and size does vary from one manufacturer to another. best bet is to discuss that idea and get an estimate from the kitchen dealer/designer you originally worked with. the manufacturer will have all the doors sizes on record already.

dianahb Do send some additional photos of the kitchen; that is a good idea.

Also, when we put in our cherry kitchen cabinets (16 years ago), we did have the upper cabinets made with glass panels instead of solid wood. I think that really lightens everything a lot (though I'm not sure that's what you're wanting)-- but I think you'd get a different feel for them if some were glass-fronted.

Seriously-- I think one of the reasons you're seeing so many white cabinets, is that not everyone can afford cherry cabinets. I'm sure they're more expensive now than they were when we put them in. Cherry, at this point, is probably one of the more expensive hardwoods out there. Places aren't going to put in a bunch of cherry cabinets for potential customers to drool over, and then be told how prohibitively expensive they probably are. Better for these places to put in white cabinets (most likely not real wood) that most people can afford, than put in something they can't. And doctor's offices have white cabinets? No surprise there.

There is so little out there these days that is solid wood like that. Those cabinets will never become dated. Change other things around it ( the tile, lighting, wall color, etc) that might change the look of the cabinets to a look you prefer-- but never paint them. You'll regret that.

cait1204 I'm not sure how much light your kitchen gets, but I too have cherry cabinets and I painted my kitchen Sherwin Williams Serious Gray; a dark gray with blue undertones. The paint color made my cabinets look beautiful and rich. I have had so many compliments on both the paint color, and the cabinets. However, if you don't have a lot of natural light in your kitchen, the dark paint and the dark cabinets may make the room feel cave like.

dolorado I just inherited an ultra dark kitchen. Looked into painting the cabinets. Rustoleum has products to do the job. However, the steps are extremely labor intensive. See their video. I refinish furniture as a hobby, and even I found the work a little daunting. Good luck. (I'm sticking with my dark cabinets for the time being). http://cabinets.rustoleumtransformations.com

marshadraskovich I would paint the island and add some glass to some of the upper cabinets. What do you have for a backsplash? White subway tiles would add the lighter look you desire.

Deborah Butler, Brickwood Builders This is an interesting thread. On the pro portion of the Houzz site (that only the pros can participate in), there is a recent thread and all of the designers are saying they are so tired of seeing white kitchens and wish the trend would die down.

I would not paint the cabinets. We used similarly colored cabinets in a master bath with Brazilain Orchid granite (from the OHM granite warehouse in Greensboro, NC) and it was stunning. We picked up a light beige tone for the walls from the tile for the wall colors.

If you decide you want to paint the island and you are anywhere close to Greensboro, I can give you some references for refinishers.

marshadraskovich Change the hardware to something brighter, like stainless.

judyjean2012 Can you replace a few top doors with glass inserts and focus on a bright interior either with paint i.e. yellow? or bright colored china? this might take away from the color and add interest for you.

eireannach Ignore the wood purists. This is your home. You need to be happy with your kitchen. It's a pity you are disappointed though. I would wait a while longer to see if the colour changes as other have suggested. With the light coloured counter I would personally be slow to paint the island or the base units. I recently saw a two tone kitchen with dark base units and white wall units and it looked lovely. Maybe you'd like something similar. This photo is from What Emily Does.

dianahb Honestly, I am still confused/unsure if Lia wants them darker, or lighter, or painted white-- or exactly what. And I think that's the problem. If the reader here is confused, then Lia probably is as well.

I have no idea what the issue is, but you have so many options-- that do not include painting those amazing cabinets.

(1) Replace upper door panels with some glass.
(2) As someone mentioned above, see about having the stain removed and then just put a clear coat on these. Cherry is a relatively light warm reddish wood that ages (and darkens) beautifully with time.
(3) As is, I think this is a lovely kitchen, and I like -- too-- what looks like wood floors. It all has a really warm feeling.
(4) Add more and different lighting.

Again, real hardwoods are timeless. If, however, you plan on painting them-- please try to sell them instead. Don't ruin them for someone else by painting over them. Just sell them; get yourself some MDF composite type cabinets, already painted white. I'm sure Home Depot or some other home chain store sells them at a reasonable price. And then, you know, your kitchen can look like everybody else's.

jrolo Painting is a mistake!! change the island (sell it) get a new one with a ligt color for contrast.

bluenan Have you thought about lightening the floor to contrast with the cabinets and lighten the room. Here are some examples of painted wood floors to consider.

carrd12 If you bought a Lexus and realized you didn't like the color, would you paint it? Do NOT paint a brand new cabinet. I'm sure there are plenty of ways to accent it so that you fall in love with the color you chose.

Cancork Floor Inc. Lightening the floors and "waiting" for the cabinets to darken will certainly save your sanity, in the long run. I think what you are find is: the chocolate is the "darkness" you were looking for...but the cherry wood isn't living up to it...yet. The floors are also VERY close in depth of colour, but are not a match in tone. They have some orange in them...where as the cherry is quite red/brown. I'm seeing (from the single photo it is very hard) some clashes of colour. I'm wondering if some of this clashing is causing some discontent...added to the disappointment in the cab colour.

I would love to see a "tone-on-tone" floor+cabs+island. Perhaps by lightening the flooring, your not-dark-enough cabs will appear darker...without loosing the beautiful wood look.

guszie Ask your self the question as you walk into your kitchen"do i love this?" if not definately paint them a 'slightly creamy white with a 30% sheen.and yes believe it or not ,i am a man.*)

trudels We had a pro painter come in and paint my mother in law oak cupboards, she had used oil on them previously, so maybe thats the reason, but they looked good for the 1st year, and then they started to show wear, dirt and grease from cooking didn't wipe off the paint is lifting near the sink area and they look awful. Make sure who ever does it knows what they're doing. I like the idea of changing the wall color 1st. But I feel your pain. What a disapointment not to be thrilled with your new cupboards.

karebear1 Your cabinets are really nice and brand new! Love what Sam said about just changing the island to off white but then you need to definitely lighten your back splash( off white matte subway) and add glass to door panels ( maybe main 4) and keep dishes in there light, fun and organized. Your cabinets need some sparkle with new knobs and handles, and a lighter paint colour on walls.. Easy fixes are knobs, adding glass to cabinets and painting walls. Try it and live with the beautiful cherry cabinets for at least a year. The best thing I ever did was to hold off on ordering new doors for 3 years to make sure it was perfect. I am not a professional but am in love with my kitchen so I feel for you.

dorisandcraig You are crazy! This kitchen is gorgeous

Jean Tuck im thinking all cupboards shoule be one color and since new cupboards are dark stay with that color and keep counters all same for continuity,ceiling /windows /doors white trim and backsplasy something in gold colored if thats in the counter top, because thats where i would pull that color for backsplash.

curacaoblue I think painting cabinets is a option for people on a tight budget who have very old cabinets. It does not make sense to paint brand new high end real wood cabinets. They will not look good. You will hate these painted much more than you think you hate them now. Fwiw they are very nice and I am not a wood worshipper.

eagledzines Sunlight is what darkens Cherry. This room looks rather dark although maybe you took the picture with the drapes closed or at night. If you want to try to darken them, give them as much sunlight as you can. The reason they would look like Mahogany (or what most people think of when they think of Mahogany) is that they had time to sit and darken in the showroom. So if you liked them in the showroom, just be patient and wait for nature to take it's course. They will darken.

Dee Gould Im so sorry this has come about...they really are beautiful...i know every one says live with them but really you should give it a bit longer...you just may come to love them...maybe what you need is differnt wall paint...your countertops appear to be light good starting point, now go lighter with everything else.

mobwife You have gotten a lot of advice. Read what everyone has written, but it is up to you and your husband, do what you want to do, just take your time in deciding. Enjoy you have to live there and you may not want to do what the designers want but remember, everything comes back in style. Do you want to impress yourself or your guests. We are designing a new house and my kitchen will have the offwhite with the glaze and the island will be dark, probably mahogany because i happen to like that combination. By the way I am a designer also. I design with the clients taste in mind, not their friends or visitors.