Kitchen mistake - what to do??

[sereneswan]

Ok, this is going to make me sound like an utter idiot, but....

We bought a wreck 3 years ago and finished renovating last year. We didn't live in for the first year, and the kitchen was the first thing we did. We were in a rush to get things moving quickly to minimise the time spent paying rent as well as mortgage. It was the first time we'd done anything like it. DH and I couldn't agree on kitchen style (I wanted white shaker, belfast sink and pale wooden counter, he wanted oak). I (for the one and only time in my life!) acquiesced and agreed to oak (I quite liked it, but it wasn't my favourite), and we both agreed on slate floor and black granite counter.

Only problem, neither of us had paid much attention to the fact that our kitchen is the darkest room in the house. 3 years on I HATE it, it's like living in a cave, it sucks out every last little bit of light there is, and clashes with rest of house which is light and airy and quite pale. DH isn't very keen either. The kitchen would be okay in another room/house but IS VILE IN MINE!! It's a kitchen diner and we spend most of our time in there, so it's really getting to me.

So, what could we do? We've already painted walls as pale as poss. Changing floor is not an option, it goes through into our extension and we both love it(even though it contributes to the gloom).

1. Paint it white? Does this actually work well? What about the insides of the cupboards and all the fiddly bits round oven etc?
   
   
2. I don't want black floor, black counter and white cabinets (just not my taste), so I'd then really want to replace the worktop. Does anyone have experience of getting granite/marble on the cheap? We've agreed we'd prefer really pale grey marble-y (DH refuses to countenance wood even though half the price - thinks it's not hygenic). Can an existing granite counter be removed without damage to cabinets?
   
   
3. Would it be safer to get all new cabinets as cheap as poss and essentially re-do the whole kitchen and call it a really expensive mistake? DH actually suggested this (v extravagant for him) as worried painting would be a disaster, waste of money and not worth trying (we'd get it professionally done).
   
   Any wise suggestions / similar experience? WWYD? We have a few k we could spend but obviously want to keep it to a min.

[fresh]

Where did the kitchen come from? If it's somewhere like B&Q you could just change the doors (I've just done this for our utility room, and the units were around 8 years old). In fact wherever the cabinets came from you should be able to get replacement doors from anywhere - just check the hinge holes are in the same place.

Painting the doors is probably best done by professionals to get a really good finish, but again it can be done. We had an oak kitchen and had the chance to add more cupboards, so had both the oak and the new ones painted cream. It's fiddly though.

Solid granite will never be cheap, but I have seen a sort of granite 'overcoat' which can be put over existing worktops. No idea what it looks like though!

[ThreadWatcher]

I would replace the doors and the worktop in a style that fits with the floor (as Im assuming that the floor would be more annoying to replace than anything else)

You could probably sell the worktop and the doors on gumtree or similar.

Not that I actually know what Im talking about!
I feel your pain - the kitchen is the obvious room to get sorted first and it must be really really arghhhhhhh to realise you havent done it the way you want it!

[Flatbread]

What about using annie's paints or F&B on the cabinets? You could go for a pale green and that might play off well against the floor and counters.

I don't think it is hard to paint. A bit faffy, but very doable as a diy.

[kickassangel]

So you currently have real oak cabinets and granite work surface? It would be horrible to change that. Is there any way you can get an extra window put in, or open up a wall to let in light from another room? Might actually be cheaper than replacing granite.

Oak shouldn't be dark though, it should be a pale golden color

[kickassangel]

Or put in lights on the under side of wall cabinets above the work surface. Little led ones . Minimal work and would make the granite all sparkly underneath

[Fizzylemonade]

Have a flip through loads of kitchen brochures to see what they put with the granite worktops, and see if anything takes your fancy rather than having to replace the worktop as well.

Like fresh says where did it come from? Could you not just replace the doors (if you use another company's doors check the hinge holes, we had to re-drill them all)

Annie Sloan paints don't require priming at all but give a very matt look, have a look on youtube, lots of people using them.

You can have doors etc sprayed, companies come and take them all away, paint them and bring them back, they also paint the cabinet fronts to match.

Are your cabinets colour matched to the doors? Or are they just white inside?

[Pannacotta]

WHy not paint the doors and then take a view about the wortops as you may find it looks ok.
Is there an option to replace some of the worktop, perhaps keep the granite around the sink but have wood elsewhere so it looks intentional?

Instead of white for the doors, how about a mid colour, along these lines?
www.benchmarxjoinery.co.uk/?pageId=8&hierarchy=Kitchens&category=13&subCategory=3&products=true

Btw, I think you would be ok to re-do the doors etc but do get someone in to do it, who knows what he/she is doing.
Might be worth getting them spray painted.

[minipie]

Painting would work absolutely fine. I would get a professional to do it if you want a decent finish and don't want to spend ages yourself on it.

this page lists painters who specialise in this, but I'm sure most good decorators would do a good job. Use oil based eggshell for a durable finish.

I would go for a pale colour that isn't white. Will look less stark against a black worktop. Paint & Paper Library does lots of pale neutrals, available in oil eggshell.

Maybe you could leave some cabinets unpainted so as to show off the wood? (eg if you have an island, leave that, or if there are a couple of tall units, you could leave those unpainted as a feature iyswim).

[Pannacotta]

Sorry just realised that I have just repeated what several other people have already said (didnt read thread properly), but perhaps that is no bad thing...

[noddyholder]

I would look locally for someone to professionally spray and lacqeur the doors white and then try and sell the worktop and re do in wood. If you don't want to lose granite maybe use granite transformations and go for a pale stone 'cover up' I know what you mean about oak and black granite I think it is horribly dark and masculine and over used Good luck I have had a fair few mind changes myself over the years I just can't live with a mistake however expensive

[Yorkpud]

Like others have said why not just paint the doors - I am sure that would make all the difference. You could go for cream or pale blue to lighten things up. See what it looks like as your surfaces would probably be fine with that combination.

[discrete]

I would definitely try painting it a nice pale non-white colour. That sage green that was linked to above is lovely and works well with black worktops.

[Pannacotta]

HAve been looking on Google to see if I can find a pic to show you of mid tone doors with dark worktop and fllor and found this, which looks pretty good IMO
<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=painted+kitchen+slate+floor&hl=en&biw=1441&bih=678&tbm=isch&tbnid=Ppr_CU_2IsqtrM:&imgrefurl=www.quickscottage.com/&docid=6SQw5EIkdmrsjM&imgurl=www.quickscottage.com/images/kitchen.jpg&w=448&h=336&ei=9PPUT-KYNYrF0QXNktn7Aw&zoom=1" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=painted+kitchen+slate+floor&hl=en&biw=1441&bih=678&tbm=isch&tbnid=Ppr_CU_2IsqtrM:&imgrefurl=www.quickscottage.com/&docid=6SQw5EIkdmrsjM&imgurl=www.quickscottage.com/images/kitchen.jpg&w=448&h=336&ei=9PPUT-KYNYrF0QXNktn7Aw&zoom=1

[noddyholder]

That farrow and ball colour is everywhere and you may tire of it.

[Pannacotta]

And another here
<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=kit+stone&hl=en&biw=1441&bih=678&tbm=isch&tbnid=LZFmuAvCqsvrIM:&imgrefurl=www.thomsonlocal.com/Kit%2520Stone%2520Kitchens%2520%2526amp%3B%2520Interiors/1625680780000144027/companyinfo.html&docid=HXe6kp577rzWIM&imgurl=images.thomsonlocal.com/tlc/adcentre/06eecee4-4498-42dd-91b8-06a33daa08b4.jpg&w=398&h=600&ei=dfTUT9uEIoPA0QWjh_H4Aw&zoom=1" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=kit+stone&hl=en&biw=1441&bih=678&tbm=isch&tbnid=LZFmuAvCqsvrIM:&imgrefurl=www.thomsonlocal.com/Kit%2520Stone%2520Kitchens%2520%2526amp%3B%2520Interiors/1625680780000144027/companyinfo.html&docid=HXe6kp577rzWIM&imgurl=images.thomsonlocal.com/tlc/adcentre/06eecee4-4498-42dd-91b8-06a33daa08b4.jpg&w=398&h=600&ei=dfTUT9uEIoPA0QWjh_H4Aw&zoom=1

[Iggly]

Paint or replace doors and get a new worktop. Something like Kashmir white is supposed to be nice? Or I'd get new doors.

[happyAvocado]

what is the lighting like in your kitchen?

Maybe look into changing it for something bright and bold

how about lighting under cupboards, just above the floor - I guess you could dig out christmas lights if white to see effect it's making
another lot could be fixed under cupboards with the idea of more light falling onto the worktops - but make sure that the light is cold, or you would cook food stored in your cupboards (yes, they get warm - I had to stop using mines)

[MarySA]

I have heard of some companies who come and take all the doors off, take them away and 'dip' them in paint. This is supposed to give a better finish. I think it's not cheap though. If you want more light I'd definitely go for a cream colour.

[justasecond]

Painting kitchen doors is definatley do-able although quite time consuming to get a good finish. I think keep the worktop, painting the cabinets will make all the difference. I recommend Little Greene oil eggshell for the job if you diy. I you are going to get them done proffessionally It costs around £30 per door, or so I was told recently but the finish will be different to handpainted.

[seb1]

Some ideas here

[kickassangel]

Please don't paint over real wood. Even if done well it will look crap in comparison. Unless you had the wood stained then it shouldn't be that dark. Painting over it is like those crapola 60 minute make overs.

Find some way of getting more light in there, then it will actually be lighter rather than a dark room with light paint in it.

[noddyholder]

If you have it professionally sprayed it is just like any other painted wood kitchen. Agree 60 min makeover style DIY is a no no.i have had the local car sprayers do a few and they look great

[fresh]

And if you use a decorator who has experience (ours used to paint Mark Wilkinson kitchens) then the finish will be great. Agree that it feels weird painting over oak but if you don't like the finish then you've either got to get rid of them or paint them.

[sereneswan]

Thanks for suggestions. In answer to a few questions:

Lighting - we have lots of bright spots on ceiling and under cabinet lights too. It's blinding at night when the lights are on, problem is in daylight - either have to have lights on (which I hate) or live in gloom.

Re replacing doors - I'm sure this would be easy as cabinets are only a fews years old from Magnet so I'm sure it would easy to find doors to fit. Problem with this is then we would have white doors but oak plinth, end panels, carcasses, cornicy bits etc etc erc. Would that not look wierd?

Re opening up room to more natural light -there is a small amount of wall (about the size of one wall unit) that could be opened up however it would mean losing one cupboard which would be a struggle, re-doing windows which would be v expensive. Not sure how much effect it would have either - we'd already got French doors and one window. I also don't think I can deal with any demolition work having just got everything done!! I know it may sound illogical but I would also just prefer a light kitchen in a dark room, than a dark kitchen in a light room IYSWIM. Our attic bedroom only has a small window but the room is all white and is gorgeous even in low light. Plus part of my problem with it is that the whole feel of it jars so much with the rest of the house, and more light in the room wouldn't solve that.

Re the shade of the oak - it's not the palest oak there is as it's a sort of country oak style rather than sleek modern oak. With the dark floor and worktop though the effect is v dark and gloomy, and the wood does absorb a LOT more light than a white surface. We stuck white paper all over it to test the effect!

Have found a few companies who specialise in kitchen re-spraying - am investigating!

[Pannacotta]

I'd just get it all painted rather than changing doors, that way all the trims you mention can be brought it in together. I think the difference it will make will be huge.

Pale blue-grey could look stunning with the slate/granite.

Btw, have you tried using just the under unit lights in the day? That is a subtle way of adding light by day, rather than using the spots, where the light source is much more obvious and therefore "artificial".