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[Mom2Dogs]

Sigh...I had my self convinced to paint my wood kitchen cupboards instead of having them cleaned up and restained.

We have an open concept family and living area.

The family room has a large fieldstone fireplace, that takes up 3/4 of the large wall.  It is a cozy room. I have lived 40 years in this house and have wanted to update the cabinets for several years.

I went to Sherwin Williams and purchased four of their stick on samples....nice size squares that help with color selection, they are really nice!

Fast forward, I am having second thoughts on painting...I am thinking it might make the kitchen look to contemporary.   I need to go with a light color, because our house is dark.  Thinking of paint in the kitchen sort of concerns me...like maybe to much of a change from a dark cabinet to a light cabinet.

Maybe I am overthinking it...I don't know.  Not that anyone can make that decision for me, I guess I am just venting on my inability to make a decision...it would be an expensive mistake.

Any advise or previous experience appreciated.

[ThinkingOutLoud]

If you could post picts of the 2 rooms that would help.

[Janey2]

Are you changing the cabinet handles? If so you can get very traditional handles and you will not have a modern  looking cabinet.. I don't think a color makes  a cabinet modern or not, it is the style of the doors.

[Marsha2003]

I had my kitchen cabinets painted white, but they are paint-grade wood anyway, not stain grade wood.  The architecture of my house is transitional, but my furnishings are traditional.  The cabinet door profile is a raised panel with no curves and I have simple ORB knobs.  I think the lighter color lightened up and refreshed the look of the kitchen, but I still dislike my dark and busy granite counter and backsplash.

As you said, only you can make the decision, but I wouldn't be concerned that white would be too contemporary necessarily.  A lot of cottage kitchens have white cabinets.

[On It]

The proper prep work prior to painting is crucial. The cabinets have got to be ready to accept the paint, or they will chip. I think TSP was what Lynette Jennings used.

I don't think painting them will look too contemporary. Watch the hardware. That might make the look too contemporary. I saw a vintage house done in navy blue cabinets, with a beautiful white backsplash, a white quartz countertop, and brass hardware and faucets. It was stunning and still fit the time period.

[Mom2Dogs]

The contractor cleans, primes, paints, and does a top coat for chipping.  Currently I do not have any hardware, so that would be something we would need to purchase.

I lean toward dark colors and would love to do a dark color but not in this house with the lack of windows and decent lighting.  The color would have to be light.  The opening to the right of the fireplace insert is a space for wood.  There is a small table sitting in front of the opening.

Attached are two photos, kitchen and family room...it is one large space

[Sooner]

@Mom2Dogs Sometimes things a lot lighter will make darker walls and furniture and floors look older than they are, or sort of worn.   Just something to think about, and coming from a hard lesson learned long ago.

I didn't know if you were saying "dark"as in not much light, or dark as in paint, flooring etc. 

[Mom2Dogs]

@Sooner   Dark, meaning not a lot of natural light in the house.

[ThinkingOutLoud]

ok - Looking at those 2 photos, I think painting the cabinets any of the colors from the fireplace would just blend and feel cohesive and not feel contemporary at all.

[Janey2]

Hard for me to see the color of the backsplash, but if it wold go I would paint the cabinets a cream or off white. Will blend in with the stone fireplace,