Old Brown Kitchen Cabinets Get Painted Butter Yellow, Giving the Room a Custom-Built Look
Orange-brown wood cabinets, yellow-green countertops, and a white electric stove gave this compact kitchen an older appearance. The upper cabinets stopped short of the ceiling, leaving exposed wall space around the range hood, while metal shelves occupied a narrow section beside the back door. The existing layout provided storage, but the mismatched finishes made the room look dated.
Portland homeowner Chelsea Harris, who shares her renovation projects at @chelsea__harris, transformed the kitchen with butter-yellow cabinetry, vertical wall paneling, and dark wood countertops. The new finish extends across the cabinet fronts, walls, and range hood enclosure, giving the existing kitchen a built-in appearance without replacing its entire layout.
Brown Cabinets and Green Countertops Filled the Original Kitchen
Wood cabinets with flat-panel doors occupied the walls around the white Whirlpool stove. The upper cabinets had a brown varnished finish, while the lower cabinets sat beneath yellow-green countertops with matching short backsplashes.
A stainless-steel range hood remained exposed beneath the cabinet above the stove. Cream walls, a dark floor, and the original electrical outlets completed the older kitchen.
Metal Shelves Occupied the Space Beside the Back Door
The narrow wall between the counter and back door held three metal shelves beneath a two-door wall cabinet.
The shelving brackets extended from the wall, with the lowest shelf positioned close to the floor. A window to the left and a glass-panel door to the right limited the space available for storage.
Butter-Yellow Paneling Changed the Stove Wall
The finished stove wall now has vertical paneling extending from the countertop to the upper cabinetry. Matching panels cover the range hood enclosure and continue toward the ceiling, concealing the gaps that were visible before the renovation.
Butter-yellow paint covers the surrounding cabinet frames, while dark wood counters replace the green surfaces. A stainless-steel range with a black glass cooking surface takes the place of the old coil-burner stove.
A metal rail beneath the upper cabinets provides hooks for utensils, strainers, and cutting boards.
Open Wooden Shelves Replaced the Metal Storage
The corner beside the back door received painted wooden shelves supported by diagonal brackets. Their pale yellow finish matches the vertical paneling behind them.
Glass storage jars, a wooden recipe box, and a trailing plant occupy the shelves. Below them, a wall-mounted knife rack keeps blades above the counter, leaving space for a toaster, produce bowl, and other kitchen items.
Cabinet Trim and Wall Details Received Matching Paint
The side of a tall cabinet shows how the butter-yellow finish extends across the raised trim, door frame, and adjacent paneling.
A metal towel rack hangs beside the doorway, while small ventilation holes remain visible on the cabinet door. The matching paint connects these separate surfaces without removing their original details.
Open Shelves Hold Dishes and Cookbooks
Another section of the kitchen has three painted shelves mounted against vertical paneling with angled wooden supports.
Bowls, plates, mugs, and serving dishes occupy the open storage. A small lamp, cookbooks, and a trailing plant fill the lower shelf, while larger plates stand on a wooden display rack above.
The arrangement provides accessible storage without adding another enclosed wall cabinet.
The Before-and-After Shows the Change From Brown to Yellow
The comparison shows the original stove wall with brown cabinets, exposed range hood, and green countertops beside the finished kitchen.
Vertical paneling now joins the upper cabinets to the ceiling, while the dark wood counter and stainless-steel range replace the older finishes. The original cabinet positions remain recognizable, despite the changes to their appearance.
Dark Wood Counters and Wall Hooks Complete the Kitchen
A view toward the back door shows the finished lower cabinets beneath a wood countertop, with brass-colored cup pulls and knobs replacing the plain hardware.
Vertical paneling covers the lower portion of the wall, with hooks holding a red apron, produce bag, dish towel, and metal colander. The upper wall remains white, separating the painted woodwork from the ceiling.
The renovation retains much of the kitchen’s original arrangement while using matching paint, paneling, and trim to create the appearance of cabinetry made for the space.
Would you have painted the original wood cabinets butter yellow or chosen a different color?
Images and project details courtesy of @chelsea__harris.