Hi Glenda - to help with recommendations, what region are you in?

Thanks Luke. We live in Mona Vale on Sydney's Northern Beaches.

Antique White is a classic colour that won't date. It will be creamier than the fridge though.

To match the fridge I recall you use Classic White. These white's are standard kitchen colours.

I actually don't mind timber kitchens as I see so many white ones......

Timber isn't popular at the moment probably due to the cost of manufacture. Most kitchens use manufactured doors that are milled and finished 'on-masse' so that means they're cheaper! Hence they become 'popular'.........

A white Caesarstone (or comparable) bench top would look great and won't date.

Personally I would just change the door handles to something similar but stainless steel instead of the gold. I would then add white Caesarstone bench tops. I'd probably update the tap to something else as well. I'd keep the timber doors, etc. though!

Thanks jbantick. I was actually thinking of not using white. The kitchen receives the afternoon sun and is particularly bright and hot in summer. I would actually prefer something creamier. Replacing the bench tops and keeping the timber cupboards is definitely an option too.

Nougat from Caesarstone instead of white?

It will certainly keep the cost down! We can then splash out on the bench top and splash backs. We also need a new cooktop and rangehood.

Glenda - I think your timber cupboards look lovely, if they are in good condition, then I would keep them. Timber really needs so little maintenance. A trick I learned with timber is to get some Scandinavian Teak Oil (no idea why the Teak, but it works) and some steel wool and go over all the timber with it. The steel wool lifts the timber fibres and lets the oil soak in and it also gives the timber a good clean. The difference it can make is amazing and it is not a difficult nor time consuming job. You can also do the other timber in the room. I do my timber walls about every 5 years to keep them looking good.

I think a new cream or white benchtop will definitely update the kitchen the most. If you do replace the door knobs, you may have the problems I have with salt air that even pits and marks aluminium, so do be careful what you choose.

I fully understand your problems with the afternoon sun, I have this in my lounge room and reduced the impact of it with blue walls and a matching blue lounge. Looking your blue lounge I would suggest you paint your walls a very pale blue shade to tone with it. That cream colour would be making the room hotter.

Also look at a double blind for the window, one with a mesh blind and a thermal blind. The thermal blind will dramatically reduce the heat in the afternoon, while the mesh will give you privacy but still let the light in at other times. I can really recommend No Bull Blinds in Artarmon - excellent service. http://www.nobullblinds.com.au/

Keep the timber. It is really nice. I agree about updating the knobs, splashback and bench tops.

Sorry, but I think the room would be lifted hugely by painting out the timber. To my eye, the room looks extremely dated. Frankly, all that timber would make me depressed! If you like blue, you could paint all the cupboards in duck egg blue and replace the knobs with Hamptons style stainless steel pulls. In your photos the walls look to have a yellow undertone. Painting the walls with a very pale grey undertone would cool the room in the afternoon sun and would work with the duck egg blue. Also, I would paint the timber beam and post the same colour as the walls. A stone quartz-look bench top in grey tones would work with everything. Good luck!

Take off the cupboard doors and have them professionally sprayed offsite. Paint the carcasses yourself. I've had a bad experience with painting the insides, the smell wouldn't go. The benchtops are a bit dated.

Personally I am a huge fan of timber! To modernize your kitchen keeping the cabinets as natural timber, I would find some funky handles in a brass/metallic, and go for a gorgeous marble or stone counter-top. Potentially even go the extra mile to replace the tiles? I fell in love with some marble hexagon tiles and had to have them - they look fantastic with the wooden benchtop in my bathroom (couldn't stretch to them in the kitchen). Best of luck! Looking forward to seeing the outcome.

The timber with the visible knotholes appears very country style and there is a lot of yellow in the timber colour. To give a more contemporary feeling to the room, hiding the knotholes by professionally spray painting in a bit darker brown would work. For a different style door, replacing only door fronts and cabinet sides works well and is a less expensive option. Veneer strips are glued over the exposed parts of the cabinet boxes.
The hardware is also a very traditional country style so, updating to a sleeker nickel or steel would lift the appearance. This would complement your fridge handles, tapware, sink and the stainless appliances you currently have.
Your tile floors are a great neutral for any design style. Adding a quartz benchtop with lighter background colours and flecks of darker brown, greys would tie the darker cabinets, hardware and lighter flooring together. The timber edging on the countertops is a dated look. A laminate that mimics stone is less expensive and the patterns hide scratches, stains etc. Some companies create a thin stone or granite cover that goes right on top of your present countertop. Costs less, less mess and looks great. Another idea is to extend the countertop material up the wall as a backsplash. It is easier to clean stains, spills and gives a cohesive appearance.
If you are wanting a more contemporary design then, the timber beam and post either need to be removed, if not load-bearing , or at least paint them to match the walls and ceiling.
Good luck with all your decisions and most of all have fun.

My vote goes with leaving the beautiful wooden cabinetry and opting for a creamy marbled gloss laminate bench top, if you're on a tight budget, and updated knobs. I am planning a rebuild and have figured heart rimu veneer cabinetry, but the local kitchen manufacturers say this is top of the range, and irreplaceable, mainly due to the high cost. This is probably the main reason they encourage the painted/lacquered cupboards and say it's the most popular, but the timber is easiest to maintain. After 33 years, my kitchen still looks like new, compared with friends' kitchens.

Good luck.

We have a very similar kitchen in out 'new' house built in around 1992. I like it because it's solid. We had the same bench top but a slightly darker timber. We used Granite Transformations who used an approx 5mm engineered stone over the top of the existing bench top which was in good structural condition. We put in new sink, taps and appliances. We also replaced the splash back with white textured subway tiles. We have also replaced the door handles with ceramic handles. No company I spoke to was willing to spray the cupboards. If I did paint them I'd go a sage green, because I don't think the modern look would suit our house or the style of the cupboards. A poor quality kitchen is far worse than a 'dated' kitchen in my opinion.

Another big vote for keeping the timber cupboards (timber is just starting to be back in fashion btw). My vote would be to change the bench tops and if you get masses of light I'd be going black instead of white to suck a bit of the light up, change the splashback ...there are some amazing tiles around at the moment, handles, paint the walls and if you can manage it do something with the floor tiles-the floor will probably make the most difference.
Good luck and really looking forward to seeing the end result :)

I wouldn't change the timber cupboards either, they are lovely. But here are a couple of pics that show what a huge difference small changes can make ie handles and splashbacks etc and maybe shelving. Good luck with your project!

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/kristyn-renovation-project-214746

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/before-amp-after-a-one-step-at-a-time-kitchen-remodel-221389

I love the look of painted kitchen cupboards and they're very easy to do yourself, just time consuming. That said, you could transform the way they look now with new door handles, bench tops and splashbacks. We had our bench tops updated by Granite Transformations two weeks ago and they were brilliant. It was all done in one day and before they left they cleaned up every last bit of mess, inside and out. Plus, the kitchen looks great. I'd recommend them to anyone.

have you thought of lime washing the timber... give it that distressed, beachy feel

I have a similar dilemma in my kitchen but have been forbidden to paint the cabinets! However a new bench top and handles will do wonders and it is amazing what a different colour on the walls will do. I have 'handmade linen' by Dulux and it is actually greener than you would think but blends nicely with the darker timbers and highlights the beam that is just like yours. My dining room (where your blue sofa is) has 2 sliding doors so is full of light . So far the wall paint is all I have changed but the dream is still there (even if it is of a white timber kitchen lol!) The floor tiles look the same as mine too.

As suggested by others - keep the wood. I think the most 'dating' part of the kitchen is the wood surrounding the benchtops. By replacing the splashback, benchtops and handles, together with a new rangehood and cooktop you will have a brand new kitchen.

Caesarstone comes in some great colours. Don't know that I would go white though. Nougat or London Grey might be an option.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I am amazed at the response! I think we will go ahead and change the benchtops, replace the cooktop with stainless steel, a new rangehood, splashbacks and new door and drawer handles and possibly a new sink and taps. We will consider painting the beam and post and add a modern blind to the window. Then if we are still not happy, maybe we can rethink the painting of the cupboards? Actually, I like the timber, so if these changes work I will be more than happy to leave them as they are. Our floor tiles are relatively new and are throughout the entire downstairs area. Also, the wall paint we know is not the right tone (for the floor tiles) but is in good nick and will be remaining until we are ready to repaint. Rome wasn't built in a day but I will add photos when we start the process and you can follow our progress.

Thanks again

Glenda, you will probably find you won't have an option with the sink, I wanted to keep mine as it was a perfect size but no one could guarantee it would be removed undamaged. Check out Winning Appliances in Brookie - for your sink, taps and appliances, I got a great deal from them and fantastic service and after sales service. Sales people aren't on commission, so no push. Glad you are going to hasten slowly on this, the brain can only cope with so much. Good luck and looking forward to photos.

The cabinets look beautiful as is, would definitely change up the bench top as it does look dated.

Just be aware that when the bench top is removed they may unintentionally damage the cabinets. Just depending on what the bench top is adhered with.

If you were wanting to paint it a particular color try to fit it in with the rest of your home decor.

Chalk Paint Navy looks nice along with grey or two tone kitchen

Good Luck with your new look

Old Post

Yeah, wondered what she ended up doing. Hate never seeing the end result.

Hello Martha,

That's amazing. Recently, I have painted my full house with the help of House Painting company. I am very happy with their services and behaviour. You can contact them for advanced color combinations and professional work.