Our neighbor paints cabinets for a living, and I asked one time what he would charge just to paint our drawer front and doors.  $100 each.

Yeah...not going to happen.lol

I have no idea if his price is normal, but he has constant work, so it must not be too far off.  We do live in a hcol area though.

What is the style of your house?

Traditional?  I might go white

Contemporary?  Dark brown or black

Modern? Perhaps Grey (if it goes with the tile)

Funky? A fun color

Definitely traditional.  I was thinking maybe white on the outside and black on the island?  I'm not sure if I should vary the color...

*Kingston*:

Definitely traditional.  I was thinking maybe white on the outside and black on the island?  I'm not sure if I should vary the color...

I love two-tone kitchens.   We have considered painting our upper cabinets light and our lower cabinets dark.  We don't have an island...otherwise we would probably paint it the way that you are considering.

I think white & a black island would be nice!

This kitchen looks very much like your colors (tile & counters), has hardwood and a similar type light fixture. 

 

Another:

If you want some color the island might also be a small pop, that is easily re-paintable if you didn't like it.  Not sure what your favorite colors are but I could see a beautiful brick red island and white cabinets. 

 

Oh and by brick red I mean a rich brownish red.

I'm not too helpful since I like them just the way they are right now.  But I do like the white cabinets w/ black island idea. 

TacoriLover:

I'm not too helpful since I like them just the way they are right now.  But I do like the white cabinets w/ black island idea. 

I agree with this 100%. I think those cabinets are very pretty and especially since they are only 3 years old.

I'm also not a fan of white cabinets. I know that's against the norm on this board. But if you do decide to go with white paint, I love the two-tone idea of the white and black. 

I love the two-tone with the dark island.

I also think they're very pretty as-is.  Having lived with painted cabinets, I can tell you the finish is never as good as one from a factory, so you'd be undoing something lovely and well-done.

I think the problem with the kitchen is the wood cabinets + wood bar stools + wood flooring.  I'd install tile flooring (or even lay down rugs if the flooring doesn't have a neat stopping place) and put in black bar stools in a heartbeat before I'd paint those cabinets.  (No, I am not a wood lover - I am merely someone who dislikes seeing well-done things turned undone.)

TarHeels&Rebels:

I also think they're very pretty as-is.  Having lived with painted cabinets, I can tell you the finish is never as good as one from a factory, so you'd be undoing something lovely and well-done.

I think the problem with the kitchen is the wood cabinets + wood bar stools + wood flooring.  I'd install tile flooring (or even lay down rugs if the flooring doesn't have a neat stopping place) and put in black bar stools in a heartbeat before I'd paint those cabinets.  (No, I am not a wood lover - I am merely someone who dislikes seeing well-done things turned undone.)

 

I totally agree. I even pictured ballard stools before I realized your link was clicky!

 

I think the room needs contrast but I wouldn't paint those lovely cabinets. 

TarHeels&Rebels:

I also think they're very pretty as-is.  Having lived with painted cabinets, I can tell you the finish is never as good as one from a factory, so you'd be undoing something lovely and well-done.

I think the problem with the kitchen is the wood cabinets + wood bar stools + wood flooring.  I'd install tile flooring (or even lay down rugs if the flooring doesn't have a neat stopping place) and put in black bar stools in a heartbeat before I'd paint those cabinets.  (No, I am not a wood lover - I am merely someone who dislikes seeing well-done things turned undone.)

 

This 100%.  I love your cabinets.  You say you haven't been happy with them since they were installed.  What were they before? What is your exact problem with them?

I am a believer that you should only paint cabinets when they are in harsh need of something (old, discolored, etc.) 

I'm a big fan of these barstools: http://www.ifurn.com/powell_502-431_1.html

 

I think it is interesting that people think you should keep the finish because nothing is wrong with it.   By that logic, everyone should have to live with all kinds of things that they don't like....that makes no sense to me.  If you don't like it, then you don't like it. period.  Life is too short to live with things that you really are not happy with and can change.  Sometimes a change like that can enrich your life, even if it doesn't make sense to someone else.

I know when I am unhappy in my kitchen, I don't cook as much as I would if I loved it and enjoyed spending time there....I just cook and get out as fast as possible.  That is how I feel about the kitchen in this house, especially the counter.  Maybe that is why it is always cluttered...so we don't have to look at it. ;)

I just feel like sometimes people feel that the only way to make a room better is by completely changing something big.  Doing little things can make this place what she wants.  The way I read her post was that she changed the cabinets 3 years ago and hasn't liked them the whole time.  Then why choose them?

It might be the overall effect of the room and the only thing that changed was the cabinets.  Doesn't mean she has to paint them to fix it. 

 

I'm sure its different prices in your area but my cousin lives in MN and got a quote for 1200 to do his kitchen cabinets. His kitchen is nearly as many cabinets though either.

The problem as I see it is that you have too much "wood" look in the kitchen.  Have you considered changing the flooring instead? 

White to off white cabinets with a colored island would be lovely if you keep the same floor.

My kitchen had the same too much wood look and I did light grey cabinets and stained the island dark.

I think if you don't like your cabinets change them.  Mine were in good shape too, lots of people gave me a hard time about painting "nice wood cabinets' but I love how bright it looks now and the cabinets don't run together with the floor.

Here's my kitchen before

and after

shananagins:

I think if you don't like your cabinets change them.  Mine were in good shape too, lots of people gave me a hard time about painting "nice wood cabinets' but I love how bright it looks now and the cabinets don't run together with the floor.

This.  I see both points the pp's have made.  I had alot of people that thought I was crazy for painting my cabinets that were in excellent shape and solid wood but the more I looked at the cabinets the more I didn't like them. 

shananagins:

My kitchen had the same too much wood look and I did light grey cabinets and stained the island dark.

I think if you don't like your cabinets change them.  Mine were in good shape too, lots of people gave me a hard time about painting "nice wood cabinets' but I love how bright it looks now and the cabinets don't run together with the floor.

Here's my kitchen before

and after

I like this kitchen a lot. I do like it how it is though. You could have just the island stained dark which would look really nice.

Our house was new construction.  We really love the wood floors so taking them out is definitely not an option.  We do have a big black table opposite the table because I agree that there's too much wood!  Black bar stools would help but I don't think it would solve my problem.  I just feel it's dark and closed in there.  We don't get a lot of natural light in there either.