What would you do with this kitchen?

Kim Brisk Mello
by Kim Brisk Mello
I hate this kitchen with a passion. Can you please tell me what kind of cabinets these are or at least the best way to go about refinishing them. I hear painting is easier so I'm thinking of going back tHat route. I honestly haven't made up my mind white cabinets dark counter or dark cabinets light counters. I would like one of the easier less expensive ways to reface this counter without removing it. I've been thinking concrete or a colored epoxy. Any opinions, advice and steps on counter or cabinets would be greatly appreciated. maybe shortcuts that don't affect quality. Thank you in advance all h ok appreciated.
  8 answers
  • Vanessa Simmons Vanessa Simmons on Apr 02, 2017

    New coat of paint, white on top maybe a color on the bottom, sage or gray. Get rid of the tile counter tops go with something light. The new laminate is great, that is what I used in my kitchen and it looks like stone, saves money. More lighting, pendants over the peninsula. New tile backsplash, subway or some of the great new mosaics they have (just saw some beautiful ones at Home Depot today). Hide the trashcan, use a cabinet roll out for it.

  • BabyBoomerSC BabyBoomerSC on Apr 03, 2017

    I'd paint the cabinets a medium gray color. Heirloom Traditions Paint now offers a chalk paint just for cabinets, so painting them should be easy and you'd only need 2 coats to do them. No sanding or priming needed, just clean them first and you're good to go. I'd also find some nice cabinet hardware - they're the finishing touch and make your cabinets look finished.


    Countertops - you only have a couple of choices here.....remove them and cover with laminate (least expensive option). There are so many choices in laminate today and a lot look like granite or stone/marble. It's inexpensive and you can easily get Home Depot or Lowes to give you a quote if you measure what you have and provide it to them. Other alternative is to call a company like Granite Transformations where they'll just put a granite countertop right over your existing ones. That will be a great expense but you don't need to remove anything.


    I'd do a white subway tile with gray grout and update your lighting as well. Paint your kitchen walls and you're all set.

  • Kim Brisk Mello Kim Brisk Mello on Apr 03, 2017

    Thank you and I also hate my barrel out but there's really not much under cabinet space to hide one. Not only under the cabinet but just the fact that they are packed . I already I wish I had more cabinet space. I really don't want to remove the counters although it would probably be the cheapest. I was trying to do a do it yourself but no measuring no cutting just something to cover them. I was thinking a colored epoxy I just don't know if that's a hard project to tackle. I agree white cabinets new backsplash.

  • Nnettat Nnettat on Apr 04, 2017

    Of course, paint the cabinets if you don't replace them. DEGLOSS them before starting any painting. Gets all the dirt, grease, & any other coating (polyurethane or sealer) which could cause the paint to not stick, or flake off later. Remove the cabinet doors and drawers to paint. Some might even suggest doing a light sanding before starting but with a good deglosser (aka Liquid Sandpaper) and following the directions it has worked for me. (I asked for it at the local Lowe's since I didn't find it right away.)

    As for paint... Light cabinets on top with the dark on the bottom. Dark on the bottom helps anchor the room. (And since you have high ceilings, this helps the darker tile floor you have. A balance.) Besides, with dark bottom cabinets, it also minimizes the dishwasher looking like a black hole. Replace the hardware...your preference here. Do NOT, and I repeat, do NOT use a flat paint on the cabinets. Cleaning is worse than trying to get dirty hand prints off a wall and like the wall around a light switch, soon looks worn and needs repainting. Talk with the paint people and not at just one store. Some might just try to push the special of the week and/or the most expensive. (Price doesn't always make it the best.)

    Onto the next. Get rid of that breakfast bar. From the looks of it, it is a bar and nothing else. The table is right there. Go to Pinterest and search for "Kitchen Islands for small spaces." Lots of ideas and surely one to fit your budget. Only suggestion I make for your island is butcher block top, if budget can handle it. I have seen islands made from vintage chest of drawers, or such, on wheels. Most any of the small kitchen islands can or are on wheels so they can be moved to the areas of the kitchen as needed. Make sure the wheels are lockable so you don't have to chase it around while cutting things up on it. Does it need a breakfast bar? My opinion is no since the table is right there. You wanted more cabinet space and some can be acquired here.

    Next, get rid of those counters everywhere! I suggest a solid surface counter, if the budget can handle it. I'm not suggesting stone because there are other solid surface options. Take measurements and get an estimates on the different surfaces. Maybe the stone will fit into your budget but know what the pitfalls are with each surface. I suggest not going too dark since the floor, and possibly the bottom cabinets, will be dark. Sucks up too much light & brightness.

    Back splash... It looks like you might have subway tiles already. With a new counter, just be aware that the old tile spacing may not work. I don't suggest using a dark grout with white tiles. Your kitchen is small and will be too busy. This also would be the time to do any under cabinet lighting. They can easily be tied into the outlet boxes at this time. If they say they have to cut up your wall and all this extensive work, kick them out of your house. Just google "how to install under cabinet lighting." I think I saw a tutorial on 'This Old House' website. (There might be a tutorial here on hometalk. I'm sure there is something on YouTube also.) Know how it should be done even if you don't do it yourself.

    I'm not sure about the lighting above the cabinets, but that would fall into major redesign category for me. BUT show off the space above the stove. It'll draw the attention to the vaulted ceiling. Find something big and bold for that space. It doesn't have to fill the whole space. Just don't make it something wimpy but something easily cleaned, unless you like cleaning. If you are a season decorating person, it is a great place to do it.

    Ok. My long windedness is done. Hope you made it through it all. Mostly, I hope it helps.

  • Mary Mary on Apr 05, 2017

    You really should consider removing the tile counter tops. You will have to raise the sink or stove and it would look strange with a 3 1/2 " edge. As far as the cabinets, when you do decide on a color use an oil based paint. Latex will wash away, Urethane's last a long time and can take a good wiping down with a wet rag when necessary. I know gray is supposed to be the new great color but the shows that use them are already old and grey can get boring and drab and hospital . If you stripe your cabinets down to stain them remember the stain on the can and your doors may not come out exactly the same. The grittier the sand paper the darker the stain the finer the sand paper the lighter the stain. Then finish off with a couple of coats of urethane. Houzz.com has a ton of pictures of kitchens to help you choose. Faucetsdirect.com is great for fixtures and sinks and just a few days for delivery. Put discount pulls in search and there are several sites that have a less expensive ones and larger choices then the big box stores and fast delivery. Laminate counters have a large variety to choose from and you can get them with a bull nose or rounded and cut edges. If you are not pulling up your tile from the floor use that as a starting point for color ideas. The back splashes and counter tops and pulls make the kitchen. Good luck, hope to see pic's of the finished kitchen.

  • Pat Pat on Apr 05, 2017

    In answer to your trash can.....we have a small one under our kitchen sink and a big one in the laundry room and the basement.....when the under the sink one is full, it is emptied into the big one...out of sight.

  • J Elaine Baker J Elaine Baker on Apr 05, 2017

    Wow! Are they ever fast to do away with the tile counters! And the push to paint things grey is so boring. But I am a low-budget design freak. I would explore the NEWISH paints for ceramic finishes and choose something to give a blah room a pop of color. I like less noise visually and cutting boards cover the tile counters where work would be most often.

    Good strong white enamel paint on all the cabinets and a white metal face plate to hide the dishwasher. I do like the suggestion to remove the divider counter for a more mobile storage and Pinterest has several dresser conversions that look amazing.

    I am surprised at how much storage the metal bars from Ikea will allow when partnered with their metal cage hangers. And plate hangers can be both decorative and free up cabinet space as well. Have fun!

  • Nancy Flemming Nancy Flemming on Apr 06, 2017

    You can also concrete over existing tile with level quick a self leveling concrete, this can also be tinted as can the the sealer coat. If you DIY it is reasonable. Check out remodelaholic.com quick install concrete countertops. They had a kitchen cabinets and countertop almost same as yours their transformation looks awesome. Good luck and post photos when you are done.