Q: For more than a decade, we’ve lived in a rent-stabilized apartment in Forest Hills, Queens. In all this time, the landlord has never made any improvements to the apartment. As tenants, we’ve made minor improvements — painted the apartment twice, painted the trim, and replaced light fixtures and bathroom fixtures. When we moved in, the kitchen cabinets were brand-new. Although they’re in good condition, they look dated and we’d like to paint them white to improve the look and make a dark kitchen appear lighter. Can we do this, or would we get in trouble with the landlord?
A: Your lease probably includes a clause prohibiting you from making any alterations to your apartment. It may even go so far as to say that you cannot paint. But do not despair. You’re not going to get in trouble for painting the cabinets. Your landlord can only evict you for a substantial violation of the lease. If you took out a wall, for example, there would be a good claim against you. Painting the cabinets or swapping out shower heads? Not so much. These are cosmetic alterations that can easily be undone.
“No one would ever get thrown out of their apartment over painting cabinets,” said Samuel J. Himmelstein, a Manhattan lawyer who represents tenants. “It doesn’t cause any harm to the property.”
When you move out, you may need to repaint the cabinets or risk losing part of your security deposit. (When the time comes, ask the landlord if you should repaint them.) But for now, worry about painting the cabinets well. You’ll get the best results if you remove the cabinet doors. Number each door and its corresponding cabinet and hardware so you don’t get confused putting everything back. “When you’re reinstalling the kitchen, it’s a puzzle,” said Mike Mundwiller, field development manager at Benjamin Moore, who suggests drawing a map of the kitchen.
Clean, sand, vacuum and wipe the surface with a damp cloth before you prime and paint — a coat of paint will magnify any remaining fleck of dust or dirt, so do this step well. Use good quality brushes and rollers, too.
As for your color choice, white has been the overwhelming favorite for cabinetry for years, according to a 2019 Houzz report. So if you’re at all concerned about your landlord’s response to the change, at least you are choosing a safe and popular option that will likely improve the apartment.
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December 28, 2019 at 05:00PM
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