Skip Full Renos: There's A Smarter Way To Update A Kitchen With Dark Cherry Cabinets

Is your kitchen feeling like a cave? Dark cherry cabinets will do that to a room, especially if the countertops are also dark. Sure, the dark, smooth-grained wood had its moment in the '90s, often thought of as a high-end kitchen upgrade. And cherry is still an option, but modern designs lean into lighter wood options. If your existing cherry cabinets are feeling a little dated but you're not ready for a full kitchen reno, you might be tempted to pick up a paintbrush and change the look yourself. But the truth is, you don't need paint to refresh dated cabinets. White countertops and fresh lighting might be all you need.

Lots of little things affect how your cherry cabinets actually look, so you can change those elements to update the dark wood. There are certain wall paint colors that go beautifully with cherry cabinets, for example. But another culprit that could be making your kitchen look too dark and dated is the countertop color. Moody countertops add to the effect of the dark wood. Replacing countertops is a big (and often expensive) job, but it's much cheaper than replacing everything in your kitchen. It's a good option if you like the style of your cabinets but want to brighten the kitchen.

Lighting is another factor in how the room appears. Fresh, modern LED lights update the look of the cherry finish. It can make an even bigger impact if your current kitchen lighting has that yellow tone to it. That's why you want crisp LEDs to brighten the room in general and present the cherry wood in a better light.

While there are plenty of ways to instantly transform your outdated kitchen cabinets by making changes to them directly, this idea focuses on toning down the dark cherry finish with the colors that surround it. In particular, changing dark countertops to a white material can completely transform the look of the cabinets. It makes sense because the countertops make up such a large amount of surface space in your kitchen. White invites a clean, bright, modern look into the room and contrasts with the dark cabinets. Suddenly, the room isn't just a wall of dark color from floor to ceiling, and that can transform it into a space where you want to spend time.

When it comes to countertop materials, that often depends on your budget. If you want to match the luxury feel of cherry wood, granite, and engineered quartz often work well. When considering stone options, look for subtle gray veining if you want a little patterning on your countertops. Avoid prominent veining that might compete with the wood.

Updating the lighting to improve your cherry cabinets can be as simple as installing LED under-cabinet lights. They don't have to be hardwired — there are plenty of battery-powered under-cabinet light options to flood your countertops with room-brightening light. The light wash also helps emphasize the new white countertops you installed. And since those white countertops reflect light around the room, the combination makes the kitchen (and those dark cherry cabinets) look brighter.