Oak Cabinets Turned Black and Open Shelves Replaced Upper Cabinets for a Sharper Kitchen Update
Older kitchens often already have strong layouts, generous storage, and durable cabinet boxes. The problem usually comes from the surface finishes. Orange oak doors, beige tile, laminate counters, and bulky upper cabinets can make the entire room feel stuck in an early-2000s builder-grade look. This kitchen update shared by Reddit user u/Openat5am focused on changing contrast instead of rebuilding the footprint. The original oak cabinets were painted using Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black, several upper cabinets were removed for open shelving, and white hexagon backsplash tile was added to brighten the walls. u/Openat5am The biggest shift came from visual separation. Before the remodel, nearly every surface blended into the same brown and beige palette. After the update, the darker cabinetry started framing the room while the backsplash and open shelving introduced more light, texture, and negative space. Orange Oak Cabinets Covered Nearly Every Surface u/Openat5am The original ki...