Painted Kitchen Cabinet Update (Maple)
Wood cabinets, laminate, & quartz
UPDATE: This is our previous home (bought in 2016); we’ve since moved.
When we bought our home two years ago, I knew the kitchen was not long for this world. Sure, other people thought it was just fine – the cabinets had wood doors; what can be bad about that, right?
Just because it’s wood doesn’t mean it’s good ~moi
Are they good because they’re wood? Sure, and they’ll still BE wood…under three coats of GLORIOUS WHITE PAINT!
This was our kitchen before – it had decent bones, just not our style…
A few of its good bones included…
- some solid wood pieces
- hidden hinges
- crown molding (on the top of the cabinets) and valance (the part that hides the under-cabinet lighting)
- a good general layout with a working triangle – of course, I could’ve used more cabinets, but can’t we all?
Now, let’s talk about the challenges…
- the cabinet frames and side gables were NOT solid wood and had faded to a soft pinkish color
- the doors around the sink area needed some serious KLC
- the handles and knobs were SUPER bush league and needed a major update; what you see there aren’t handles; it’s a metal plate (like construction style, not pretty), that the old owner drilled a handle into for some straaaange reason
- the backsplash had ye ole racing stripe – great for NASCAR, not for my kitchen
- the over the range microwave was clunky and unattractive
This kitchen needed an update but had to be on a BUDGET.
But first, I had to pick the right color. Benjamin Moore’s White Dove is, hands down, my favorite shade of white. However, when painting kitchen cabinets, it’s not about choosing the white that YOU love; it’s about choosing the white that your kitchen NEEDS. White Dove wasn’t warm enough for my chosen finishes – I needed more warmth.
Drum roll, please (or just tap your fingers lightly on your wine glass…)
Ultimately, I chose a more traditional white paint color – Benjamin Moore Cloud White. This white was popular in the early 2000s because of its increased warmth (and suited many finishes popular in that first decade). Cloud White’s creamier warmth made it the PERFECT color for our cabinets.
And yes, the light fixtures are super fugly. I was on a budget, and I had to wait for another day.
The walls needed a fresh coat of paint (or three). I wanted a color with a bit more personality—no white on white for me. I chose Benjamin Moore Steel Wool, a WICKED pretty mid-tone charcoal gray with violet-blue hues.
OUR KITCHEN UPDATE – THE GUTS N’ THE GLORY
The previous island was 3×5; while it worked, we had the floor space to extend it by an extra 18″. This meant it would need some extra support (unlike my chest, which needs minimal, at best, #TMI); here are the details…
- We extended the island by 18″ on the end to have three stools instead of two. I scooped up the stools secondhand—FIVE of them! This made the island space look much larger and more proportional to the room without remotely infringing on any pathways.
- My friend and craftsman, Christian, made an island base/support for us out of reclaimed wood—MAD love.
- To save money, I chose a quartz counter for the island and an affordable laminate countertop for the rest of the space. While not all patterns coordinate (in fact, there are few), I’m happy with the combo I came up with.
Do you want to see what the island looked like before? Trust me, you don’t, but I’ll show you anyway…
YES, this happens when you don’t properly prep your cabinets by sanding and priming them. It’s like putting latex over oil-based paint – THE PAINT WON’T STICK and will peel off! I’ll also say that it was not me, nor anyone I know (certainly not professionals), who did this…SACRILEGE!
With some prep work and the right type of paint, this is what the cabinets SHOULD have looked like…
How to Update Your 1990’s Kitchen
HOW TO PREP CABINETS FOR PAINT
- Take the hardware off. If you’re putting a different size handle or knob on, fill the old holes with wood filler and drill new ones NOW (not after you paint).
- Clean with TSP (then wipe ALL TSP residue off).
- Sand the cabinets to remove the surface sheen (you don’t need to sand down to consistent bare wood). 120 grit can be a bit aggressive for some smooth cabinets, ESPECIALLY laminate ones, as you DON’T want to break through that top surface; I would start with 220 and see how it goes.)
- Wipe with a tack cloth to remove dust or residue from the sandpaper.
- Choose a quality, HIGH-ADHESION PRIMER (my painter and I love Benjamin Moore Stix).
- Invest in quality rollers and brushes – don’t mess with cheap stuff – it’ll show.
- Not all cabinet paints are created equal. Do your research and choose a high-quality paint that others trust and has a history of being FAB (Benjamin Moore INSLX and Sherwin Williams Emerald are amazeballs in my books.
Just remember, at the end of the day, they’re PAINTED cabinets – paint is not bullet-proof, and it will chip over time (even a factory finish.) This being said, I have wood, and it looks like shart after nine years, and I need to paint over it – NOTHING IS FOOL PROOF!
Delea of Details Painting in Nanaimo (Vancouver Island) did the prep and painting and did an AMAZING job (it’s many years later, and I still use her for every project). I don’t mind a good DIY project and tackled the cabinets in our last home, but they were oak, which is much more (ahem) forgiving for less than epic painters. I also had a lot more time on my hands. And while I’m a pretty good painter, I would NEVER tackle smooth maple cabinets on my own!
Delea took the drawers/doors away and sprayed them as smooth as a baby’s bum! The pieces that couldn’t be removed were hand-painted, and you can hardly tell the difference between her brushwork and the sprayed stuff – friggin’ genius!
Now let’s take a closer look at those lover-ly legs…
I wanted something simple and solid without too much decorative detail. The wood itself, with a light gray wash, is decorative enough!
I know, the ugly lights are distracting (insert GoFundMe HERE)
Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF STEEL WOOL
THE COUNTERTOPS (& WHY I CURSE THE QUARTZ)
We’re on a budget, and while I want everything to coordinate and look good, I HAVE to save money. As a happy medium, I chose Formica Soapstone Sequoia from the 180FX Collection for the perimeter counters (read a post about them HERE).
As for the island, I wanted a countertop with a durable finish, as this is where a lot of the prep is done (and art with kids). I chose a warm gray quartz countertop in a solid pattern. I’d never done this type of countertop before, and truth be told, I liked the laminate countertop WAY MORE!
Why?
While a lighter, simpler quartz will not show as much, this medium-depth one does—it shows everything—crumbs, shrapnel, cloth wipe marks—and drives me insane (er), but it looks good.
It looks good because I was careful to coordinate my laminate and quartz countertops. Both couldn’t have a busy pattern—one had to be more solid, and one could have visual interest. I went for visual interest on the perimeter counter and kept it simple on the island.
The New Era of Laminate Countertops and Why They Rock
(BTW, there is nothing affiliate going on here – I was not paid to write about this stuff nor given anything for free – insert sad face here). However, you know you’d get my honest opinion anyway.)
Again, choosing a laminate countertop instead of quartz saved THOUSANDS of dollars on ye ole budget, which left me some room to do other fun things—like buy wine!
This countertop mimics the look of a lighter, warmer soapstone and is wicked pretty! I love the textured but not shiny finish. Seriously, I can not wipe it for days (true story) and not see a thing.
THE UPDATED KITCHEN BACKSPLASH
I LOVE this backsplash—the color, the pattern, everything. My favorite Nanaimo tile installer, Brett Edwards (BE Tile), installed it — he did a great job. Because the cabinets weren’t entirely level, he had to hand-cut each perimeter tile—and he did it with a smile (and probably an inside voice that was full of four-letter words, but he still loved me anyway).
This backsplash is not just trendy with a wink of timelessness (you know how I feel about trends); it’s also RIGHT up my alley, as I find the hexagon one of the more timeless patterns. It’s not too soft, not too edgy—just right. I would love NOTHING MORE than to give you the name of the tile and where to buy it. Sadly, it was from Home Depot, and they no longer carry it.
Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF CLOUD WHITE
THE OVER THE RANGE MICROWAVE CHALLENGE
While often a necessary evil, there’s NOTHING pretty about these units. They’re clunky, too high, and add too much function to what should be a prettier focal point of the kitchen.
Where did the microwave go? We don’t have a pantry, but we did have a lower cabinet that we reworked to hold the microwave. And lo and behold, the kitchen is beautiful!
THE OPEN CONCEPT LAYOUT
Our main floor has an open-concept living room, dining room, and kitchen, so one thing ALWAYS relates to another. This is another reason (other than my OCD) why our dining room and living room both received makeovers in the last six months—we knew that the changes in the kitchen would be a huge shift for the entire space.
Before, our open layout area felt heavy and dark…
Now, it feels like a breath of fresh air!
Again, our lighting situation is in a bit of a transition (really, everything in our home is). There was nothing I could do about the pendants over the island. The original builder only put in 1 junction, so while in the ideal world, I would have two pendants hanging independently of each other WITHOUT a huge honkin’ track tying them together – it ain’t happenin’ this go round.
Read more: Our Painted Maple Cabinets – 2 Years Later…
Remember my blog post about ‘how to add light to a dark room?’ While this room is south-facing and has tons of light, it has about as much energy as me at 7 a.m. – nada. Reflective surfaces move light around a space, adding energy and life!
You might think I drank a few bottles of wine, snapped my fingers, and finished all this. Nope. Like many of my clients, this kind of stuff takes some serious coin, and I had to BUDGET! We did the countertops about a year ago, the backsplash and appliances six months ago, and the painting and general furnishings one month ago. I don’t mind taking my time if it means I’m making smart choices, and the end product will be SUPER fabulous AND affordable.
THE DINING ROOM/KITCHEN CONNECTION
Being an open-layout home, the dining room takes up important visual space. Here’s the transition between the kitchen and dining space…
So there it is – she’s done…well, until next month anyway (wink wink).
UPDATE: Want to know how well they held up?
Our Painted Maple Cabinets – 2 Years Later
READ MORE
The Ultimate Guide to Choosing White Paint Colors
How to Update Wood Cabinets WITHOUT a Drop of Paint!
SHOULD You Paint Your Wood Cabinets or Keep Them Stained?
NEED HELP?
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ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2016, UPDATED FOR GRAMMAR N’ STUFF IN 2023
Love, love, love!
I absolutely love that mirror! Can you tell me where you purchased it? Beautiful job on your kitchen. I painted my cabinets BM DEEP IN THOUGHT and it came out lovely. Thank you for sharing this remake!
Christine from Connecticut
Hi Christine, thank you! I know, it’s pretty wicked. It was actually from Home Sense, so of course it’s a total free for all as to where it came from!
And you should send me photos – I’d LOVE to see it!!
I love your new kitchen! Instead of Formica, I would like to use granite on my countertops. Which granite would be most similar to the Formica you selected? Thanks!
I love your work !,,,,.just a question …is the tile on your backsplash spot on with the cloud white painted cabinets. We moved to our new house and the backsplash is driving me nuts. (I don’t like it, too much going on in my view got blues greys and many more colours on the 1 by 2 tiles ) So when I saw your hexagon tiles it inspired me to ..maybe paint the existing 1 by 2 stone to Simply White ..I’ve painted the trim Simply White but the cabinets are from Ikea so they are more of the Benjamin Moore’s Paper Mache. OC25, which isn’t as nice as simply white) . Just curious if your whites are the same…..the counter is dark greyish with flecks in it and your photos really got me thinking maybe I can get a similar looking effect as your kitchen. Until I can change it to a subway tile… we moved in Nov 1st and the walls were painted a funny blue colour so I painted them Kendal Charcoal to get me through Christmas and then two days later I painted the kitchen Grey Owl instead to blend things better. Do you think I’m crazy lol. P.s. I worked at Benjamin Moore and I love the Advance Paint.
Hi Lisa! Nope, it’s not. The cabinets are brighter than the backsplash, but both have a similar warm base – so the undertones are in line with each other. Now without seeing photos it’s hard to tell, but personally, I would be inclined to go darker on the backsplash (like i did) with the brighter cabinets – not the other way around. Could you do it though? I think if the cabinets are close to Paper Mache though you might be able to get away with it, just because P.Mache won’t compete as much. My ONLY concern is that Simply White might make your cabinets/paint colour look MORE cool/gray than normal, simply because of the warmth (dash of yellow) in Simply White. And no, you’re NOT crazy at all, trust me, I go batty when I have to choose things for my OWN home, so I totally get it! (and I have MAD love for Advance – hands-down my fave cabinet paint!)
Kylie
You’re cabinets look amazing! I was wondering how well the finish is holding up and if you are experiencing any chipping? I also have maple cabinets in my kitchen, and I desperately want a white kitchen but I can’t seem to work up the courage to paint them. They are brand new cabinets, only a year old, that were installed by my home’s previous owners as they were trying to sell the house (which obviously worked because we jumped so fast on a house with a brand spanking new kitchen). I’m terrified of ruining them, or that they’ll look beautiful at first only to be a disaster after a year or two. Unfortunately, replacing them will probably never be in the budget. They really are nice cabinets, I just don’t like the wood color. Would I be out of my mind to paint them? My family thinks I’m insane for even considering doing this to brand new cabinets!
JENNNN! I am seriously JUST working on a blog post about it RIGHT NOW! I’m hoping to pull it all together in the next few days and send it out, so make sure you’ve subscribed!(but fyi, they’ve done REALLY well…)
Stay tuned!
~Kylie
Hello!
I got to your post because I’m looking for durability in a bathroom vanity..I got great advice, which, thank you so much, I wil heed.
Anyway, I just had to comment on the kitchen makeover.. By removing the small splash edge on your backsplash, it looks like you gained a foot in cabinet height..Is seems to add such a more open roomier space! I really like the makover.. so modern and updated.
Good idea w the microwave. When we moved to our present home, there was 1 cabinet w an outlet under it. Have no idea why, but I purchased a small microwave & put inside w hole for cord. Recently had cabinet removed. Kitchen looks 50% larger & had painter paint med. dark solid oak cabs. in white. My husband kept saying no. Once he saw them, he loved it. Our house will go on market in abt 6 weeks. Think I may do those cabs white too. Agree 100% about laminate, but will probably use quartz or marble in bathrooms. Loved your article!
Barbara (Upstate NY).
Hi Barbara, thank you so much for your comment! I do receive so many questions that sometimes it’s just darned nice to get some feedback and ‘personal experience’ stories!
~Kylie
Hello! Wasn’t sure how to jump
In but could you pls tell me where you got the dining room
chairs??
Hi Lisa, those are from Muse and Merchant!
What gloss finish did you use on these cabinets? Satin or semi-gloss? We are moving into a house with a NW facing kitchen (as best I can tell) and are having the cabinets painted white (professionally). I am considering a pure white, something like Behr Ultra Pure, with no undertones, but am unsure about the gloss. I am leaning toward a satin since I am going for such a pure white.
Hi Beth, I started out with semi-gloss, to see what it looked like, but I found it WAAAAY too glossy so went down to the Pearl finish (BM Advance). I absolutely LOVE it (it’s similar to Satin finish…)
Thank you so much for the information. I have refinished cabinets in my current home with the Rustoleum kit product and ended up using a satin top coat. I felt like that was probably enough shine too but your confirmation helps seal the decision for this next project.
By the way, loving your site. I am finding it so helpful as I plan a total interior paint job on a new home in another state (yikes!). Your LRV post has been incredibly helpful!
I am planning a kitchen makeover and your kitchen layout is very similar to mine. I love all your ideas! I want grey walls and white cabinets too. I love the Steel Wool but am wondering if you can suggest a lighter grey that would not clash for my hallway? I am afraid the Steel Wool will be too dark there. Also, I have Cloud White for cabinets and trim right now and would like a bit of a change. Do you think Simply White would work with Steel Wool?
Hi Danielle, I’m glad you love it! When it comes to personal questions I do need to refer to my E-design, this way I can spend some time with your question, rather than going through things quickly. I can then take a look at your photos/lighting/questionnaire/flooring/etc… and come up with good answers, otherwise I’m just crossing my fingers! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/product-category/exterior-paint-palettes/
~Kylie
I absolutely love that backslash! what is the material and can you tell me where you purchased it?
Hi Korey, thank you! That’s a porcelain tile and it was from Home Depot – although I don’t know if they have it anymore!
What color paint did you use in the kitchen and dining room? Looks like a blue…
Hi Rachel, that was BM Steel Wool. It’s a gray with a decent blue-purple undertone – if you look at a few other posts, you’ll see it in my entryway as well!
OOPS! After I posted my question to you I finally looked up the color of my new cabinets on the maker’s website. I’ve been calling them “honey oak” BUT they’re actually Quartersawn White Oak. My question is still…could they work with Soapstone Sequoia countertops?
Hi Paula, I’m a HUGE fan of Quartersawn White Oak and they can work with Soapstone Sequoia for a soft approach. Just get a big sample of the countertop as my ONLY hesitation is that the greige/taupe of the countertop could make your cabinets look a bit MORE yellow (depending on how they’ve aged/stain/etc…) Overall though, no big red flags!
Hello, Kylie. Love your site and your work. I was wondering how your Laminate countertop is working out, e.g.durability, staining, etc. Would you do it again? Thanks much.
Hi Ellen, it held up SUPER well. Like any laminate, I didn’t put a hot pot directly on it once it had been on the stove. I didn’t have ANY staining problems or areas where the finish was wearing off. I did choose a durable finish (honed), but I would imagine that after many years it could wear in areas that were consistently rubbed at. Short of being quartz/granite (which you pay 3-4X for) I’m super happy with the way it holds up! MOney well spent!
Kylie, your blog is AWESOME! Wondering what type of flooring is in this kitchen. The whole kitchen is beautiful. Thanks for your answer in advance.
Hi Betty, thank you! Well, it was a few years ago, but I do remember that it was a laminate flooring from Lowes that was the Mowahk brand!
Hi! I totally decided to get the Laminate Counter tops in the Soapstone Sequoia thanks to your help! I’m painting my cabinets White Dove and I am pondering my wall color. I love your site!
Kylie, I really love this kitchen. Could you tell me what color the ceiling and the trim are? Thanks!
Hi Barbara! It’s been a few years, but I’m positive that we used BM Cloud White! The ceiling is actually original and Cloud White seemed like a good match to it 🙂
Love this kitchen – I am getting ready to re-do mine! What paint colors were used on the walls and cabinets? I know my cabinets will be white, and I love these dark grey walls pictured. as it looks so crisp with the white cabinets.. My main concern is lighting, as my kitchen & dining area do not get a ton of natural light (2 north facing windows, 1 south facing window, and 1 small west facing window). I don;t want it to look too dark or make the space look smaller. Hoping to get a few samples of these colors so I can slap them on the wall and see… Thank you for your time! I love your blog and since I found it, I refer people to your site all the time. Your tips and recommendations are incredibly helpful and your style is amazing!
Hi Machele, thank you! The cabinets were BM Cloud White and the walls were BM Steel Wool, which is a crazy gorgeous colour!
About to paint our cabinets in cloud white – can you please post the link to your backsplash? Do you know if you can find it at a box store (Home Depot here in Canada?). Thanks!!
Hi Tanya! It was actually several years ago from Home Depot in Canada, but I’m not sure if they even carry it anymore! It was a porcelain hexagon…
Hi Kylie, Just purchased a 15yr old traditional home, because we only had one choice at the time. Fifteen years ago, if hardwoods were placed in homes, it seems to have been red oak. Now the red oak is orange. The kitchen has natural oak cabinets and that yellowy brown spotted granite with travertine backsplash. We can’t redo the entire house. If you had a budget, which I do, would you paint the kitchen cabinets and replace the granite and backsplash and live with the floors, OR, replace the floors and then eventually do something about the cabinets and granite? I’m thinking resale as well as livability. I’m enjoying your articles and videos! Thanks so much!
Oooo tough question. Well, the thing is, if you change the floors to something better and DON’T paint the cabinets in the near future, they will undoubtedly clash with each other as a more modern (not orange) floor will make the cabinets look even more dated. For that reason, I lean towards painting the cabinets, doing the backsplash, but only doing the countertop if you HAVE to. 🙂
Can you share details on the backsplash?
THank you
Hi Vonny, it was from Home Depot quite a few years ago and is no longer available, sadly…