Advice needed: I’m planning to paint my cabinets to white and replacing counter tops to Luna pearl white granite, and also planning to increase the island by 1/ 2 foot from both sides. What do you think of my plan or if you have any other suggestions please share.
by deveshkp
14 Comments
If your island is going to be bigger, then you may want to look at different options for island lighting. I know there’s websites that give suggestions on lighting based on island size.
Any plans for faucet changes?
All that white can be a bit boring. Maybe a two tone paint Jon? White cabinets on top, navy or hunter on bottom?
The cabinet stain is very nice. I wouldn’t paint those.
I agree, but if you search lunar pearl it’s not complete white. This is how it looks like [https://images.app.goo.gl/aWEcR2j8pMNzxURz5](https://images.app.goo.gl/aWEcR2j8pMNzxURz5)
Since you are painting the cabinets, this is the time to add a crown molding on the cabinets.
Also I like the two tone idea
Uppers/lowers
Or island/rest of kitchen
Darker color on the bottom usually
Crown molding to the top of cabinets, extend overhang to accommodate bar stools. Also you can move the microwave into the pantry and install an actual vent hood, that’s probably the best decision I made in my kitchen as the microwave is no longer right in my face while Im cooking on the stovetop which I do every day. I hardly use the microwave so having it in the pantry closet is great.
[deleted]
If it’s in your budget, I’d add a second row of cabinets on top to bring the cabinets up to the ceiling, which is a more modern look.
Replace the lights. They’re undersized, too high, and very dated looking. Consider something with some visual weight and interest to it. Like nautical fresnel lens inspired pendants or larger schoolhouse lights. Match the lighting finish to the hardware and faucet.
Replace the sink with a single bowl under mount, and replace the faucet. What’s there now is very builder grade, and you can do way better. Get a faucet with a higher spout and a more interesting design.
Choose your hardware carefully. You’re going to have a lot of light colors. I’d choose polished nickel personally, but matte black is still pretty trendy and would tie into the granite well.
Measure your clearance before you increase the island size. I’d add a 12-15” overhang to the back side of the island for seating.
Add a tile backsplash. Do not add a 4” granite backsplash, spend the money to get a proper tiled backsplash. It will look 10x better and it’s easier to clean.
Box in the area above the cabinets and trim it out with crown molding. You’ll be shocked how much better and higher end it looks to have the cabinets run straight to the ceiling.
I sell houses for a living. It’s all a good plan except for the Luna pearl. Way way too busy. I think Caledonia would look a lot better and it’s the same price.
1. New faucet and sink.
2. Remove cabinet above stove and replace with a good quality hood that looks nice.
3. Backsplash – I’d skip tile. I think it’s harder to clean with all the grout and can look dated pretty quickly. Pick something smooth and washable, like glass, stainless steel, marble. I personally like [something like this.](https://www.glassartdesign.com/2019/12/the-pros-to-adding-a-glass-backsplash/) See also [these options](https://www.bhg.com/kitchen/backsplash/kitchen-backsplash-ideas/) such as numbers 11, 13, 20, 27, 35.
4. Please measure the gaps and maybe put a templet over your current island to make sure you have enough walking around space. It looks like it might be a bit tight. But if you have enough space, go for it.
5. I personally like the wood cabinets but I can’t see them up close so they might be in bad enough shape that painting would be good. I think white uppers would be nice with a darker color on the base cabinets. You might consider adding handles or knobs.
6. Re: crown molding. Unless it fits the style of your house and is found elsewhere in your house, I’d vote no. It can be a little tricky to get the cuts right and get it installed neatly. Extending the cabinets to the ceiling for extra storage would be nice, if it’s affordable.
7. What you selected for your counter tops looks good in the photo – seems fairly light and neutral.
8. Update the pendants and consider under counter lighting, it adds a lot for low cost.
You don’t say what this kitchen is for, and that might affect your calculations. If you are renting it out, go inexpensive and easily replaceable on stuff. If you are flipping, you probably need to go with the most current trends. If it is for yourself, consider how you cook – a lot or just using a microwave, messy or tidy, solo or with others. This is why things like how much moving around space, how much storage and where things are kept, and how easy it is to clean up factor into what I talked about above. Good luck!
When painting your cabinets, make sure to throughly clean/degrease them and take the doors and hinges off. Sand off ALL the stain, vacuum up and dust and clean again, make sure to use a primer, and don’t skimp on the paint quality. Allow substantial time between coats, definitely makes a difference. I personally usually used super fine grit sand paper between coats and then cleaned up and applied the next coat. I’ve painted about 5 different sets of cabinets.
Add upper cabinets or a 5” crown or both! Adding light rail molding makes a difference too. Pedestal legs on either end of the extended island. That’s a nice layout and the cabinets look decent. I think with minor touches and paint it will look great. One word of caution. Don’t go changing everything because you can. Sometimes less is more! Post some pictures afterwards. I want to see this one
I second the under countertop lighting mentioned previously. We did strip led lighting around ours though our overhang was the bare minimum 1.5” which made fitting the leds REALLY tough to fit up. If you’ve got a deeper overhang it should be less of a pain. Is there a crawl space that will allow you to feed power up to the island too?
I would also recommend under-cabinet lighting too!
Good luck!