Painted Kitchen Cabinets

Just flip the cover of any home design magazine and you’ll find beautiful color selections for cabinets. It’s no wonder why three out of four kitchens feature painted cabinets over stained cabinets. We love color!  In addition, painted cabinets allow us to realize even the wildest of our kitchen-related interior design dreams.

Today, the most popular trending color choices for painted cabinets are the timeless classics: White and cream. Some other understated shades such as gray, blue & green that go well with almost any interior design style are also in the limelight.

What are The Benefits of Painted Cabinets?

In addition to their mesmerizing beauty and versatility, painted cabinets offer a wide range of other benefits, such as:

• There is a very large variety of standard color choices available from different cabinet companies,
• You can create a unique look by choosing a custom color that no one else has! In other words, you can create one-of-a-kind kitchen cabinets for your own kitchen,
• You will not see any knots or wood grain on the surface of the doors or drawer fronts, 
• Painted cabinets provide a sleek, clean design, with a smooth, flawless finish,
• Painted cabinets can often change the perception of the space. Lighter finishes create an open, airy feel which can be a great choice for a smaller kitchen. These colors will help you to make your kitchen look and feel larger than it is. Darker colors create a more intimate space, which works well in larger and wider kitchen spaces,
• Painted cabinets can match your existing furniture or other cabinetry in adjacent rooms. This detail can create a unified, cohesive look for your home and offer a more spacious and luxurious feel. 

Different Finishes

As we mentioned earlier, painted kitchen cabinets offer virtually endless possibilities: Darker colors, lighter colors, pastels, loud and bold choices, gloss, or semi-gloss finishes, flat or eggshell finishes and so, so many more!

Having an abundance of options may make you feel overwhelmed. Luckily, we are here to walk you through different options to make the decision process easier for you. Before making a commitment to a kitchen cabinet color and finish, first learn about the details of each option so that you can make an informed decision. All in all, kitchen renovation is not an easy and cheap task that you can undergo very often!

Moreover, consider the overall look and vibe you are going for: Bold, classic, understated, eclectic, modern, urban… After you make up your mind about the overall look, choosing the cabinet colors and finishes will be much, much easier.

Finally, consider the needs and particularities of your kitchen. For instance, smaller kitchens may feel cramped with darker cabinets, and kitchens that get ample daylight look significantly better with vivid and bold kitchen cabinets.

Below we listed some finish options and their strengths. Make sure that you bear in mind the durability, cost, and maintenance of these finish options while planning.

Semi-gloss

Semi-gloss finishes offer a fresh and modern look. Their radiant sheen creates an unmatched allure in the kitchen. Moreover, they withstand the test of time very well. Thus, they are one of the ideal options for high-traffic areas.

Semi-gloss finish is:

• The best option for kitchen cabinets,
• Shiny! It reflects light, thus offering a polished and rich look,
• Very, very durable. That is why they are often preferred by both homeowners and contractors,
• Washable! In other words, you can clean your semi-gloss finish cabinets with only a piece of cloth and water. Moreover, you don’t need to worry about water damage or maintenance processes like sealing or polishing.

Gloss

Gloss finishes offer a very shiny, eye-catching look that surely will impress your guests and visitors. If you are going for a modern or ultra-modern look, the gloss finish will surely complement your style and highlight the kitchen accessories you choose.

Gloss finish is:

• The most durable finish there is! If your kitchen is a very, very high traffic area or you don’t worry about how your cabinets will age, a gloss finish is the best option for you,
• Shiniest paint option. Since it reflects a lot of light, the gloss finish offers a very eye-catching and shiny look,
• Great for bold colors. Gloss finish highlights the best features of vivid, lively colors. If you want to make a statement with the color of your kitchen cabinets, you should consider a gloss finish,
• Has more of a “hard shell”. That is why it doesn’t require much maintenance.

Eggshell or Flat Finish

Offering a more somber look, an eggshell or flat finish reflects the least amount of light. If you like experimenting or want to create a muted, warm, and inviting kitchen, you should consider an eggshell finish. Yet we must mention that this finish option requires more maintenance than the others.

Eggshell (or flat) finish:

• Scuffs more easily. Hence it requires more care and maintenance,
• Is not as washable. You must use gentle cleaning products and be careful with water damage.

How to Clean Painted Kitchen Cabinets?

Everyday care:

Painted furniture is almost the easiest to keep clean. On a weekly basis, dust or wipe clean with a cloth dampened with water. Be sure not to leave water spots on the surface, as they'll dry and could leave permanent marks.

Special cleaning:

If your piece of painted furniture has stains on visible surfaces or nicks and scratches on it, you'll want to make whatever repairs you can. Gently sand down any mars, taking care not to damage more painted finish than you have to. Carefully glue and clamp any loose joints. Match the paint as best you can or select a new color of paint and restore the piece to near-perfect condition. Add an oil finish for the greatest protection.

Do Professionally Painted Kitchen Cabinets Hold Up?

Cabinet refinishing and painting was one of the most popular home improvement trends we noticed in 2022. Many of the homes in New England have cabinets with so much character that are in great shape, but they just need a bit of fixing up. When considering painting your cabinets versus replacing them, one major question you should ask is “How long will my painted cabinets last?”

With proper care for your cabinets, you can expect them to last 8-10 years. However, there are a few things that can drastically shorten this timeframe, leaving you needing them repainted 3-4 years later.