Since the original builder’s finish, my kitchen has undergone a series of updates. We started with green basic laminate countertops, oak cabinets, and three-inch solid oak floor planks, which were hand-finished with a matte oak finish.
Once the color green was chosen, the same laminate was placed on the oak cabinet countertops of the main bath. The guest bathroom sink had a black imitation quartz countertop. I have started a refresh on both bathrooms, which you can see on these links: main bath and guest bath.
Every year, online home decor enthusiasts tout different “looks.” A few years ago, I upgraded the green laminate countertops and went with a very popular gold/brown granite stone. My other options were black or white marble. I feared the white marble would stain and the black would be too dark. The brown/gold granite combination looked best with the oak floor and cabinetry, and I was pleased with the finished aesthetic.
I began living part of the year in Ireland and Ohio about twelve years ago. I noticed that nearly all homes in Ireland had white-painted wood trims and doors, and the kitchen and bath cabinetry were also painted a white gloss.
The kitchen in the Ohio condo is quite dark. There is only one window on that entire side of the house, which is over the kitchen sink. The end of that side of the home has doors that open into the three-season room, with a dining area between the kitchen and the three-season room. There is no window in the dining area wall. This layout makes for a dark space.
The condo’s three-season room is finished with white wood trim and doors. I decided to upgrade my kitchen and lighten it by installing pot lights in the ceiling and refinishing the solid oak cabinet with white refacing.
One of my neighbors had her kitchen redone with cabinet refacing. The white cabinets and trim brightened up the space significantly. I loved the look so much that I called the company she used and booked a refacing.
A company comes and removes all the fronts of your cabinets and drawers. I used American Wood Reface. Their website states: Cabinet refacing is a replacement of the cabinet “skins”—removing the cabinet doors and drawer fronts but leaving the framework of your cabinets (known as the “cabinet box”) intact. A color laminate is applied to the outside trims of the old cabinets. All new hinges and hardware are then used, making it appear that all new cabinets are installed.
It has been a good few years since the refacing, and I have not had any problems with the veneer or chipping the new wood refaces.
The white color brightens up the room.
It is not as expensive as all-new cabinets, but it is costly. To abate some of the cost, I retained the granite countertops. The countertops are still in excellent condition, and I still have the oak wood floors, so they blend nicely.
I read that granite is a bit passe now. The Spruce website suggested three ways to upgrade a granite countertop without blowing your budget, so I thought I’d give it a go. I do not intend to remove my gold/brown flecked countertops, but I thought this idea dressed up the kitchen for spring.
The author suggested changing cabinet colors, using wild wallpaper, or adding decor to the countertops. She especially mentioned using a table runner on the counter. I liked that idea and decided to incorporate it with my spring houseplants.
I love it- what do you think?
