St. Petersburg Kitchen — Cherry to White, Nothing Else Touched

This is the clearest example we have of what cabinet painting actually changes.

Look at the two photos and almost nothing is different except the cabinets. The granite counters are the same. The mosaic tile backsplash is the same, right down to the decorative inserts. The built-in refrigerator, the range, the dishwasher, the wrought iron pendants, the hardwood floors — all the same, all still there. The walls were repainted, and beyond that the room is untouched.

Only the cabinets changed, from cherry to white. And the room is unrecognisable.

That is the argument for painting over replacement in a single image pair. A full remodel would have meant tearing out granite that was in good condition, losing a backsplash that still looked right, and paying to put back things that were never the problem. The cabinets were the only thing dating this kitchen, so the cabinets were the only thing that needed to change.

The photos are taken from the same position, so what you are comparing is the work rather than the angle.