Rows of white cabinets filled both sides of this long kitchen, but replacing them wasn’t part of the remodel. Reddit user u/Andrameda69 kept the existing cabinetry and used deep green paint to change the feature that covered the most wall space.
White countertops, wood-look flooring, a black faucet, updated appliances, under-cabinet lighting, and a green mosaic backsplash followed. The cabinet color set the direction, while the other changes replaced the brown finishes that had surrounded the white doors.
White Cabinets Filled Both Sides of the Kitchen
White raised-panel cabinets originally ran from the sink wall to the cooking side, with another bank surrounding the refrigerator. Black pulls and hinges created contrast across the doors, while dark brown countertops and a brown backsplash formed bands between the upper and lower cabinets.
Large brown floor tiles continued through the kitchen and into the dining area. The short peninsula beside the dishwasher already provided extra counter space, so the remodel could work with the existing cabinet footprint rather than rebuild it.
Floor Tile Came Out While the Cabinets Stayed
During the remodel, the white cabinet boxes, doors, and peninsula remained in position as work moved to the surfaces around them. The brown tile floor was removed, clearing the way for wood-look planks that run through the finished kitchen.
Keeping the cabinets also preserved the sink beneath the window, dishwasher beside the peninsula, range on the opposite wall, and refrigerator near the dining area.
Deep Green Paint Changed the Existing Cabinetry
Once painted, the same raised-panel doors read much differently. Deep green covers the upper cabinets, base cabinets, drawers, and peninsula, while black hardware stands out against the new color.
White counters replaced the dark brown surfaces and introduced a light break between the green cabinets. At this stage, two leaf-pattern backsplash samples sat against the wall near the window, one green and one white. The homeowner was still deciding which direction to take.
Green Leaf Tile Took the Color Across the Walls
The finished backsplash follows the bolder option. Small green leaf-shaped tiles cover the wall behind the sink and range, extending the cabinet color into the narrow spaces between the counters and uppers.
Under-cabinet LED strips light the tile from above, a feature the homeowner had planned while choosing the backsplash. Around the sink window, the mosaic continues above the upper cabinets’ lower edge instead of stopping at counter height.
White Counters Separate the Green Cabinet Runs
With the work lights on, the contrast between the main finishes becomes clear. Deep green occupies most of the vertical surfaces, while the white countertops form a light band through both sides of the room.
Wood-look plank flooring replaces the former brown tile and runs without the grid of large grout joints seen in the original kitchen. Stainless steel remains at the refrigerator, dishwasher, range, and hood, while black cabinet pulls and the black sink faucet repeat the darker accents.
Existing Cabinets Became the Base for the Remodel
From the refrigerator end, the retained layout is easy to trace. The peninsula still projects from the sink run, the range remains opposite it, and the upper cabinets continue toward the ceiling. Paint changed how those existing pieces register without requiring a new cabinet configuration.
From the refrigerator end, the retained layout is easy to trace. The peninsula still projects from the sink run, the range remains opposite it, and the upper cabinets continue along both sides. Paint changed the feature that occupies most of the room without requiring a new cabinet configuration.
The green backsplash may take the color one step too far. Since the cabinets already cover so much of the kitchen, the white leaf-pattern tile considered during the remodel could have broken up the green and connected with the new countertops. Keeping the pattern while changing its color would also have allowed the cabinet paint to remain the main feature.
The cabinets were worth keeping, but would you have recognized them as the same ones without seeing the before photo?
Image credits go to reddit user u/Andrameda69 .