Cabinet Refinishing · May 2020
Kitchen oak cabinets painted white uppers with dark green lowers
Kitchen oak cabinets painted white uppers with dark green lowers. These are before, in-progress and after photos from the job, taken May 2020. This cabinet refinishing project was done by Larry Gaytos and the My Personal Painter crew. We are based in Florence, Kentucky, and our work is covered by a 2-year touch-up warranty.
Before and After Photos
Oak Kitchen Cabinets Painted Cream Uppers With Deep Green Lower Cabinets
This kitchen sits under a vaulted ceiling with an oak ledge rail above the wall cabinets. The before photos show honey oak cabinets with cathedral arch doors, a tall oak pantry, black granite counters and a peninsula wrapped in woodgrain panels with a few dings. The in-progress photos show the doors off and the shelves still stocked, brown paper over the counters and range, and a stepladder in the middle of the room. Another shot shows the peninsula end panel masked with green and blue tape, while plastic sheets hang behind it and paper covers the floor. In the finished kitchen, the upper cabinets are a warm cream white with the arched panels still crisp. The base cabinets, the tall pantry and the peninsula are a deep green with a slate gray cast. Brushed brass knobs and pulls stand out on the dark green. A white plank-look backsplash now sits behind the range, and the black granite ties the two colors together.
How We Painted These Oak Cabinets Two Colors
- Doors came off and were labeled by location. The open shelves stayed stocked, and we covered the counters and the range with brown paper to protect them from dust.
- Plastic sheeting went up around the kitchen and paper went down over the floors. Tape sealed every edge so dust and overspray stayed inside the work area.
- Every oak surface was cleaned to cut grease, then sanded. The peninsula’s woodgrain panels got the same treatment, since slick surfaces need extra scuffing.
- We filled dings in the peninsula panels and old hardware holes that would not be reused, then sanded the patches smooth and flush.
- A bonding primer went on all the cabinets. Then the uppers got two coats of cream white and the lowers, pantry and peninsula got two coats of deep green.
- After the finish cured, we hung the doors back on, adjusted the hinges so the gaps lined up, and installed the brushed brass hardware.
Paint Colors Similar to This Cream and Deep Green Kitchen
These nearby colors echo the cream uppers and deep green-gray lowers in this kitchen, but none is the exact paint on these cabinets.
Sherwin-Williams Alabaster SW 7008
A warm, creamy white close to the upper cabinets here. It keeps arched oak doors soft and pairs well with brass hardware.
Sherwin-Williams Cyberspace SW 7076
A very dark gray with a cool cast. It is a nearby option for deep lower cabinets like these if you want less green and more charcoal.
Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore SW 7069
A soft black charcoal that works on base cabinets and a pantry. It sits beside black granite and brass pulls much like the deep green here.
Questions About Painting Lower Cabinets a Dark Color
Can you paint the woodgrain panels on a kitchen peninsula?
Usually, yes. Many peninsula and island panels are a printed laminate or veneer. They need cleaning, careful scuffing and a bonding primer made for slick surfaces. With that prep, paint can match the rest of the cabinets so the peninsula no longer looks like a separate piece.
Do dark lower cabinets show scratches more?
Dark colors can show light scuffs, especially near the toe kick and around handles. A durable cabinet finish and enough cure time help a lot. Small touch-ups are easy with leftover paint. Many homeowners find dark lowers hide everyday dirt better than white base cabinets do.
Do you have to empty my cabinets before painting?
Not always. When the doors come off, the shelves can often stay stocked, as in this kitchen. We cover the contents and work around them. If the cabinet interiors are being painted, though, those shelves do need to be cleared first.
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