Fresh Doors Give This Kitchen’s Dated Wood Cabinets a Whole New Look

Wooden kitchen cabinets, especially orange-y oak ones, can be controversial. Some people replace them entirely, some people paint over them, and some people find a way to make them look chic on their own. DIYer Jill Carter (@timeonourhandsblog) calls the cabinets that once graced her mobile home’s kitchen “neon orange.”

“I knew I wanted to change the cabinets as soon as I saw them, but I think that feeling really set in when I had to face the cabinets first thing every morning when I woke up and walked into the kitchen to get my breakfast,” Jill says. “The doors had detailed trim around the edges to make them look like a raised panel cabinet door. They caught every speck of dirt and dust on and in their crevices and curves. They were difficult to clean and keep clean.”

Jill says she thought about painting the cabinets, but she did like the look of some wood cabinetry — just not in the shade she had. She ultimately settled on a more natural, warm-looking wooden finish. And best yet, she used the framework of the old cabinets for the new look.