Painted Wood Kitchen Cabinets: Before & After Photos

UPDATE IDEAS FOR YOUR CABINETS: Real Homes, Real Budgets

Are you undecided about whether to keep your cabinets stained or paint them? It’s not an easy call. 

To get you going, I’ve put together a collection of before-and-after photos showing painted wood kitchen cabinets! However, if you think WOOD is really good, I have your perfect blog post linked at the end of this one, but why not peruse some pretty spaces as you scroll down?

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By the way, if you want to paint your cabinets and aren’t sure which color(s) is best, I have an awesome Online Cabinet Paint Color package.

This way, I can spend some personal time with your space, helping your kitchen look its best on whatever budget you have—I can even help you decide whether to keep your cabinets wood or paint them!

Now, let’s get you INSPIRED!

IDEA 1: MAPLE OR CHERRY (RED) STAINED WOOD CABINETS

MAPLE, HIDDEN HINGES, ARCHED CABINET DOOR

Between the blue walls, outdated granite countertop from the early 2000s, and the tile floor, the cabinets in this next kitchen were fighting for their lives. Thankfully, the arch on the cabinet door is modest, and there aren’t any exposed hinges, making it a solid contender for paint.

Now, my client could’ve slapped a fresh coat of paint on the walls (a lighter, simpler neutral), and things would have looked drastically different, but she wanted a bigger change, and I was game to give it to her…

She chose the perfect counter stools and new light fixtures for this space.

To save on the budget, we kept the beige tile floor and the original Santa Cecilia granite countertop, giving the room a new look with fresh cabinets and wall paint.

And please understand that I can’t give ALL the colors away, Online Color Consulting is how I support my family! I offer as much helpful content as possible, with over 550+ BLOG POSTS for you to learn from (type one or two words into my SEARCH and see what comes up!).

I disclose the color choices on over 85% of my projects! 

Ideas to Update Older Granite Countertops

IDEA 2: CHERRY (RED) STAINED WOOD CABINETS

CHERRY, HIDDEN HINGES, RAISED PANEL DOOR

This kitchen was fun. I asked my Instagram followers whether they’d keep these wood cabinets stained or painted, and there were mixed results—almost 50/50!

Some loved the wood-on-wood look, while others felt overwhelmed by the strength of the stain compared to the floor. Others thought painting JUST the island was all this kitchen needed.

Do you want to know what I THINK?

If the stain/grain of these cabinets and wood floor were more modest, I bet this kitchen would still be stained, but it sure as heck isn’t now!

6 Signs Your Wood Cabinets Might Be Outdated

Notice how wicked pretty the wood floor looks—it can finally breathe and has a paint color to play with! And while I would throw an accent color on that pantry door (maybe a dark greige), overall, the space looks awesome. By the way, we kept the island stained wood – I’m not a complete heathen when it comes to painting wood.

Check it out; I made the pantry door a gorgeous shade of greige on my computer to show you how pretty it could look – sometimes, the little details say a lot!

Ideas to Update Your 2000s Home: 6-PART SERIES

IDEA 3: PAINTED OAK CABINETS & ISLAND

My next Online Color Consulting client hired me to help them finish their budget-friendly kitchen update. They’d already clad the island with board and batten, which is a great addition to this space, and wanted the perfect color as they were over the oak…

After, this kitchen has a new lease on life with a gorgeous, medium-depth green paint color, popular, white quartz countertop, and it WILL get a new backsplash…

We didn’t want to lose any of this home’s charm, so we kept the wood trim and solid oak doors, which are glorious and play well with the flooring. 

The Best Medium-Depth & Darker Green Paint Colors

IDEA 4: OAK CABINETS & AN OPEN BULKHEAD

OAK, CATHEDRAL/ARCH CABINET DOOR, HIDDEN HINGES, TRAVERTINE BACKSPLASH

This oak kitchen has an arched door profile and flat front drawers, making it a trickier update. On the other hand, it has no exposed hinges, which is a huge win. Sadly, I don’t have a great ‘before’ shot as it was a Realtor’s photo (I’m not allowed to use them), but I have a snippet of another area in this kitchen…

Let’s consider some of the challenges…

• travertine tile backsplash – I love them, but they aren’t everyone’s cup o’ tea (I could do without the patterned tile behind the stove)
• warm, beige-toned tile floor and beige Corian countertop – beige finishes like these can be tricky, although interior trends are warm again!
• strong orange-stain/golden oak finish on the cabinets
• reasonably strong grain

And mostly because of the strength of the orange stain, this kitchen is better off with a few coats of paint…

The Best Blue Paint Colors for Cabinets & Islands

Notice how they filled the bulkhead to give the cabinets a custom, full-height look. Also, check out the island in the wicked gorgeous Benjamin Moore Ocean Floor!

IDEA 5: AN OUTDATED OAK, GRANITE, & TRAVERTINE KITCHEN

OAK, ARCHED/CATHEDRAL DOOR, HIDDEN HINGES, RED-ORANGE STAIN

In this next kitchen, the granite countertop and backsplash were circa the early 2000s, but they’re still doing the job the homeowner wanted them to do. However, these finishes didn’t work well with the strong red-orange stain on the cabinets. We also have that darn arched top to consider, which means it’s drinking painting time!

Many of my clients dream of white kitchen cabinets; however…

White ain’t always right based on existing finishes.

In this case, our next step is the lovely world of off-white paint colors like this…

With the newly painted cabinets, the backsplash and countertop look more updated, and the whole space has a new, brighter lease on life!

Ideas to Update Your 1990s Home

IDEA 6: MAPLE CABINETS WITH CATHEDRAL TOP

MAPLE, ORANGE STAIN, EXPOSED HINGES (MINOR), ARCHED TOP

This kitchen is one of my faves. Before, it certainly had charm, but the floor was updated, and the new color doesn’t jibe with the orange-brown stain of the cabinets – LET’S PAINT THOSE BAD BOYS!

If you want to see more of her loveliness – CHECK THIS OUT!

I love homes with heart and personality. It’s even better when they’re updated on a budget, and this one exceeds all my hopes and dreams.

The green gray paint color on the lower cabinets adds personality and grounds the space, while the white upper cabinets connect with the modern, white quartz countertop and new backsplash—so good. My client also did a gorgeous job with her lightly layered accents.

As fun as new builds are, it’s the ‘work with whatcha gots’ that really float my boat.’

The upper cabinets in the above kitchen are painted Benjamin Moore White Dove, one of my favorite white paint colors. Get this color and MORE with Samplize peel-and-stick paint samples!

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF WHITE DOVE! 

IDEA 7: A DARK & GLOOMY MAPLE KITCHEN UPDATE

MAPLE, RED-ORANGE STAIN, DARK, HIDDEN HINGES, DECORATIVE DOORS

This one was a beast. While it had some great bones, this kitchen was drowning in the visual weight of the cabinets. They were pretty, but with older granite countertops, orange tile floor, and backsplash tile, this kitchen was gasping for air.

I bet that if the stain on these cabinets had been less strong AND the homeowner had a (very) healthy budget, we might’ve kept them. Instead, we could’ve updated the tile floor, countertop, and backsplash to work with rather than against the cabinets.

6 Budget-Friendly Kitchen Update Ideas

However, budget dictates this kind of thing; in this case, IT WAS PAINTIN’ TIME!

Painting wood kitchen cabinets is not for the faint of heart – it’s a huge job that requires loads of prep. However, it’s worth the effort when it turns out like this – I friggin’ love this kitchen now!

Fresh and bright, yet soft and homey. Notice how the terra cotta-look tile floor, older granite countertops, and travertine backsplash aren’t fighting with each other as much – they’re finally at home, and I bet the homeowners are too.

WHAT ARE MY FAVORITE RECOMMENDED CABINET PAINTS?

I love Benjamin Moore INSLX and Sherwin Williams Emerald for cabinets, trims, and doors.

As for the finish, I always recommend satin sheen – washable, but not so shiny that it reflects your face at you, nor like an eggshell, which ISN’T washable enough for cabinets (unless you do a product like Benjamin Moore ScuffX, which is badass, by the way, but I still don’t love lower sheens on cabinets).

NEXT PROJECT!

IDEA 8: PASTY PEACH-TONED MAPLE CABINETS

MAPLE, RECESSED DOOR/DECORATIVE SHAKER, HIDDEN HINGES

It looks like this kitchen had great bones, right? Sure, but it didn’t have any energy. Whomp whomp whaaaaamp. There’s no contrast or interest, and the cabinets clashed with the wood flooring.

There are a few things to notice in the above kitchen:

• The gorgeous granite countertop suddenly came to life with a cabinet color it can PLAY with!

• The new glass front cabinets (although I could never do them in my home, I don’t like this much visual clutter).

• She kept the same cabinet hardware, as it’s still the perfect choice for this space (cabinet hardware update ideas).

• The removal of the microwave oven and addition of a new range hood.

• The covering up of the dated-looking, open-shelving side of the island.

IDEA 9: MAPLE, BROWN, & BORING

MAPLE CABINETS, SHAKER DOOR, HIDDEN HINGES, BUTT-UGLY HARDWARE

Wooooof. This kitchen had great cabinets surrounded by a hot mess of finishes…

After, it’s like a whole new kitchen…on a budget!

See this kitchen’s before and after photos HERE – it’s our PREVIOUS HOME (2014). 

The fresh paint color, hardware, backsplash, and AFFORDABLE laminate countertop are game-changers for this kitchen, adding to the home’s resale and emotional value!

Now, for those who might want to keep their wood cabinets, I have a blog post for you!

Updating a Kitchen With Wood Cabinets: REAL HOMES, REAL BUDGETS

And while I have dozens more kitchens to show you, hopefully, the above before and afters give you the inspiration you need to get started on YOUR kitchen makeover!

IS PAINTING WOOD CABINETS A GOOD IDEA?

Heck yes. If you’re over your wood cabinets and ready for a change, wood cabinets are awesome. 

• If you paint your cabinets a light color, it will lighten and brighten your kitchen. If you paint them a color like blue or green, you get instant personality. 
• You can improve the resale value of your home if the wood stain/grain isn’t trendy. Remember, JUST BECAUSE IT’S WOOD DOESN’T MEAN IT’S GOOD! 
• If you have a ton of wood finishes and their stain colors either blend or clash, painting your cabinets can update your space and let your other wood finishes shine. 
• Of course, painted wood cabinets won’t last forever – heck, I’ve seen any number of wood-stained cabinets beaten to heck, too (I currently have some in my bathroom). However, with the right prep and quality paint, painted cabinets can look gorgeous for many years (lived experience). 

WILL PAINTED WOOD CABINETS DEVALUE A HOME?

While it can depend on the wood, grain, and stain, AS WELL AS current trends, painted wood cabinets tend to add value to a home.

Of course, wood lovers will argue, and they can fill their lil’ wood boots (or clogs, might be more the point) with all the wood they want. 

However, for mass appeal, the right color adds value over outdated grain and stain. 

READ MORE

6 Questions to Ask Before Painting Your Kitchen Cabinets White

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing White Paint Colors

Should You Paint Your Cabinets or Keep Them Stained?

The Best Paint Colors for Kitchen Island & Bathroom Vanities

Get the Color Consulting Expert that Designers Hire. 

Originally written in 2023 – basic updates in 2025