How to Lighten Cherry Wood Kitchen Cabinets Clean your cabinets thoroughly. Bleach your cabinets using “A/B” bleaches sold in most paint and hardware stores. Strip off the finish on your cabinets. Paint your cabinets to lighten them up. Consider painting the kitchen a lighter color, adding more lights or adding a skylight or window. Click to see full answer. Similarly one may ask, can you lighten dark cabinets?You can change the color of your stained oak cabinets, but it will require time and effort. The only way to properly lighten the wood is to remove the lacquer, sand off the dark stain and replace it with a lighter color of stain.Additionally, how do you lighten cherry wood furniture? Powdered Chlorine Bleach Chlorine bleach is best for dye-based stain lightening, and will not remove the natural color from wood. Mix the powder with water according to directions printed on the package. Apply it directly to the wood and wait 24 hours. If it’s not light enough, repeat the application. People also ask, what paint color looks best with cherry cabinets? Whites with warm undertones, such as creams or light tans, work well with cherry cabinets. If you need a bit more color, go for pastels with cool undertones, such as pale gray or light blue. The lighter, cooler undertones pick up the lighter shades in the grain of your cabinets, which brightens the wood.Can you change the color of cherry cabinets?A color change typically involves a shift to a deeper or richer wood stain. This is an ideal choice for cabinets with a golden oak or whitewash finish, which can be shifted to a cherry, walnut, or espresso tone. Even a slight color change can have a dramatic effect on the overall appearance and feel of your kitchen.