See How 20-Year-Old Maple Kitchen Cabinets Got a Bold, Earthy Makeover

If you spend a lot of time in your kitchen, it only makes sense that you’d want that space to feel happy and relaxing. At least, that’s how Meezan, who owns an apartment in Chicago, felt. 

Meezan always dreamed of a green kitchen, and when she moved into her home, the kitchen had maple cabinets and hadn’t been updated in 20 years, she estimates — it could have been even longer! Immediately, she set out to make her dream a reality. 

“I think the first green kitchen I saw was Dakota Johnson’s in her Architectural Digest video,” Meezan says, noting this is where she drew her inspiration from, (similar to this stunning Johnson-inspired room). “I loved how it was such a bold color for a kitchen but still serene enough for a space we spend most of our time in!” 

But finding the right shade of green ended up being the trickiest part of the process. “I originally had a color that leaned more olive, and then the night before the cabinets were being stripped, sanded, and painted, I couldn’t sleep,” she says. “I felt that the cabinet color needed a bit more of a blue tone — that’s how I found Sherwin-Williams’ Agate Green, and it ended up being perfect. It’s a different green in every lighting.” 

While Meezan worked with professionals to paint the cabinets, she upgraded the door handles herself to an antique gold option, which makes “all the difference.” The green cupboards are also complemented by Sherwin-Williams’ Windswept Canyon, which is a warm orange, almost terracotta, color. The entire kitchen upgrade took only about a week. 

The kitchen island’s shape was another unique part of the kitchen. Initially, Meezan wasn’t sure how she felt about it — it’s a rectangle on one end and rounded on the other. She considered cutting off the rounded part, but over time, she decided she appreciated it as a breakfast table of sorts. And yet again, putting the same green paint on the bottom helped it become the star of the show. 

“I just adore the green color — it’s really my dream come true,” Meezan shares. “Something about making a green smoothie or morning matcha in the space just brings me joy. It’s the little things!” To see more of Meezan’s wonderful home, visit the full house tour on Apartment Therapy. 

This post oriignally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: Before & After: Boring 20-Year-Old Maple Cabinets Get a Bold Green Makeover (It’s So Earthy!)