Adding Brightness to a Kitchen with Dark-Stained Cabinets

Adding brightness to a kitchen with dark-stained cabinets. A row or two of kitchen cabinets with a dark stain can make the whole room feel dark. Staining presents a cool look at first, but many people do not want to live day after day with a dark kitchen.

There are two ways to approach the problem of too-dark cabinets:

1. Change the color/shade of the cabinets
2. Brighten up other parts of the kitchen with different methods

Our pros at Franklin Painting of Farmington, CT, would like to share a few tips and more in-depth details on these two ways to brighten up a kitchen that has dark-stained cabinets.

Adding Brightness to a Kitchen with Dark-Stained Cabinets

Bleach The Cabinets

Special wood-bleaching products are available to strip some of the shade off stained wood. After removing the hardware, you will apply the bleaching solution and then monitor it to see how much lighter it is making the cabinet surfaces.

Leaving the product on for the optimal amount of time should produce cabinetry that is lighter in shade while retaining the beautiful wood grain.

Paint The Cabinets

If having the natural wood grain visible in your kitchen cabinets is not important, you can paint them. But before you jump into the job, consider the primary and secondary colors already in your kitchen and imagine how various new cabinet colors would blend.

A light, airy color for cabinetry – varieties from the yellow, blue and green color families, for example – often works well and contrasts attractively with a kitchen’s overall color scheme.

Lighter-Colored Countertops

What color are your countertops? If they are dark like the cabinetry, you might consider replacing them with white or off-white countertops to brighten up the entire room. This will help your kitchen feel more light and bright, creating a beautiful contrast with the dark cabinets.

Lights Under The Cabinets

Shadows made by cabinets can add areas of darkness to a kitchen. By placing lights beneath the cabinets, you will banish the shadows and bring more light to the room.

Light-colored Backsplash Tiles

Adding a section of light-colored backsplash tiles to your sink area is a simple yet highly effective way to brighten up a dark kitchen. These tiles reflect both natural and artificial light, helping to create a more open and airy feel. In addition to their visual impact, backsplash tiles are also easy to clean and maintain, making them both a stylish and practical upgrade for any kitchen.

Consider The Walls

If your kitchen walls are on the dark side, painting them a neutral, lighter shade may perfectly offset the darkness of the cabinetry. Some people find that painting just one wall – often the wall opposite the cabinets – is enough to make the kitchen brighter.

Consider The Floor

Dark kitchen flooring material coupled with dark-stained cabinets will produce a seriously dark environment. Consider a new floor with light-colored tiles or linoleum. These floors are beautiful and easy to clean, and can instantly enhance the brightness of the kitchen.

Add A Window

If space allows, adding an additional window to the kitchen will usher in a whole lot of light from the outside. If you can’t add a window, look at the ones you have: are they covered with heavy, light-blocking curtains? If so, consider lighter curtains that can be pulled way back to let in more light.

Expert Painting And Color Solutions For Your Connecticut Kitchen

If you have decided to paint your dark cabinetry, our professionals at Franklin Painting can do the job in a way that not only brightens up your kitchen but also brightens up your smile at the glowing, smooth result. We paint interiors and exteriors too.

Speak with a Connecticut painting expert by phone or reach out with our contact form.