The question of darker wood versus painted cabinets is a common one these days. If your kitchen cabinets are solid but dated and dark, a fresh coat of paint can go a long way toward transforming the space without draining your bank account. However, depending on the overall design of your kitchen and the style of your home, the degree of popularity for painting wood kitchen cabinets ranges quite a bit. Here are a few things to ponder to help you along with your decision:
1. Cabinet Style –wood can be beautiful, but consider the style of your wood kitchen cabinets and if they complement the kitchen design, as well as the overall aesthetic of your home. Painting them may bring about a more cohesive design throughout the whole space, which would be more appealing to you and better in the long run especially if you plan on selling your home in the future.
2. Budget – if you move forward with painting the wood kitchen cabinets, will you be doing this yourself or will you hire a professional? If you really want to paint, you need to make sure the cabinets end up looking as good or better than the current cabinets. It’s a lot of work to do them yourself, so make sure you’re ready for it. If not, consider your budget for hiring a professional so the job is done right.
3. Consult a realtor – in many parts of the country, wood cabinets are a selling point in homes. Look at listings of similar homes in your area and see how the kitchen description is worded. You can also reach out to a local realtor to get their
4. Choose color carefully – as important it is to have the cabinets painted properly, you want to make sure you choose the right color. There are literally hundreds of “white” paint options. Remember, lighting plays a strong role in how paint will look in the final space. Perhaps you should consider taping a paint swatch on the front of each cabinet and live with it for a couple of days.
While all of these points should be taken into consideration, the most important question to ask really is “What is the kitchen’s role in your family’s life?” Is it truly the heart of your home? Do you use this space to entertain? Are you one who cooks often? If you’re the one that will be spending a lot of time in this space, you should love it.
