How and when to refresh kitchen cabinets...

One of the most frequent questions I am asked by clients is “Do we REALLY need to replace our cabinets”? When updating a kitchen or a bathroom, your biggest investments will be: Cabinets, Appliances, countertops, tile, plumbing. Literally in that order, most expensive to least expensive. That is why the cabinet question is so popular-it is a big investment. I know pinterest and instagram is full of “after” photos of painted cabinets but few really dig into the nitty gritty.

So here are the broad questions to ask yourself:

-Are they quality construction?

Are they solid wood and NOT particle board with vinyl laminate? Not just the door fronts, but look inside the cabinets. Are the drawer boxes solid? If yes, move onto the next question….

-Should they be painted?

Some styles do not look good painted. European slab styles (flat front, no door detail) are hit or miss when painted and really look best painted in a factory. Most of the time they look best in a modern gloss or beautiful walnut.Likely not the paint you are thinking of. Shaker or semi traditional styles tend to look great painted. Do not brush them. Have them sprayed! No, you do not need to spray the interiors unless they are ugly. So if you cabinets CAN be painted, move onto the next question….

-Is the layout and functionality what works for me?

Do you have enough storage? Seating? Drawers? Pantry space? Will the appliances you want fit into the existing dimensions? If the answer is yes to all of the above (and about 70% of the time, it is a no for a kitchen and a yes for a bathroom), move on to the next question….

-How long will I live in this home?

If you will be in your home forever and want/can afford new cabinets, do it. If you will be in your home for 2-10 years and you have said yes to all of the above-spend a little more and have the cabinets sprayed. We try to avoid having them painted with a brush whenever possible. Ask (require) references or see the work in person. You will likely see ROI when you someday sell your home. At least you will if we worked together and I chose the colors and finishes.

mls photo on left, photo by darren setlow photography on right

The kitchen above did NOT need new cabinets. The previous homeowners had worked with high quality builders and cabinetmakers and this kitchen was gorgeous and functional. However the marble countertops were damaged beyond repair and the new homeowners wanted to personalize just a bit. We did a matte (called suede) quartz by Silestone called Desert Silver. Just one portion of the cabinets were painted blue-see why below. We carried the color over to a small bit of backsplash from Sonoma Tile (also a matte finish). Very small changes in terms of lineal foot changes, but big impact.

Left: Photo by Darren Setlow Right: MLS photos

The former homeowners two toned their countertops and they were absolutely beautiful (MLS photos don’t do it justice), but since the marble was being replaced, have two different cabinet colors AND two different countertops didn’t make sense. So we used the same countertops throughout the kitchen and added the oval room blue by farrow and ball.

99% of the time you need to replace your sink when you replace your countertops. We chose elkay sinks and paired with my favorite faucet collection by Brizo called the litze.

My goal was to not disturb the flow of the traditional architecture of the home while still honoring my clients’ vision for their refresh.

To see more of this project, click here

I have more examples of when (and when not to) paint your kitchen cabinets, but will use those examples in future blog posts. Construction season in Maine is in full swing so I am short and time and sleep…but really want to thank the lovely Maine team who actually do the heavy lifting and make my design come to life:

Herb Clarke of Chameleon Coatings (incredible fine finishes and painting company)

Fisher Custom Carpentry

Morningstar Stone + Tile

Old Port Speciality Tile