I have red birch cabinets and love them. They're natural, not stained, and no they haven't darkened with time (over 8 years). I have Blue Pearl granite and a Blue Pearl (tiled) backsplash. You can see pictures in the Finished Kitchens Blog.

I love naturally colored birch! It has to be one of the prettiest underrated woods out there. I love how it looks when the light hits it.

No help I know :)

Red Birch is beautiful. Here are a few links. I wish I
had pictures of older red birch but only images of red
birch newly installed.
~bp

Will red birch change color?
http://www.thathomesite.com/forums/load/wood/msg0515201725344.html?3

Natural Red Birch Cabs - pics or ideas?
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg06221205754.html

FYI Birch wood
http://www.thebestcabinetsite.com/woods/birch-kitchen-cabinets/

Birch is typically a cheaper cost product then maple. The grain pattern is pretty much the same. Most of your cabinet makers in the semi custom and custom do not offer it. Aristokraft offers it in a few styles. A lot of Imported cabinets are birch instead of maple. I have never understood why more semi custom companies do not offer it. Armstrong had a few birch doorstyles a few years ago. If you can find a bruce dealer you would get the best price.

I do not think Birch changes colors as rule of thumb over time Cherry is the only wood that will darken over time no matter what you do of the wood types most cabinets are made out of.

We also built our cabinets from red birch after being inspired by weissman's kitchen.
I hand picked each board for the project.

I tried 10 different finishes that I could apply easily on my own. Settled with an oil based polyurethane. It gives the red birch an amber tinge which I like.
After 4 years I can say that there is no change in color.

A client of mine in a neighborhood with high end houses used red birch for her kitchen cabinets for the kitchen renovation and her kitchen is beautiful. I love the grain in red birch since there is some grain but it is not too busy. The above kitchens with the red birch cabinets are beautiful.

Sparklekitty, I love your granite and the choices you made for your kitchen.

Pharaoh, love the cabinet color from the coating that you chose.

I really like red birch wood and almost used it for a floor with no stain and then I even thought of using a reddish stain on it. But the products I loved needed to be glued down and I wanted a floating floor.

I have select red birch floors - finished on site - which I left natural...no stain, only a polyurethene sealer. I put them throughout the house, except for the bathrooms. They've been down for 5+ years, and haven't changed color. Love these floors, the beautiful grain and color variation. They would look lovely in cabs.

At the moment, these are all Armstrong offers for birch cabinets. New spec book is coming I think next month, so maybe there'll be more.

I've heard people complain that birch is not much better than a soft wood. Not sure, I looked it up on the hardness scale and didn't think it was to far behind maple.

I believe it takes stain better than maple. I refinished a maple guitar once, and make speaker cabinets out of birch plywood. Both were clearcoated, so I can't offer any opinion on the subject. I will say that nitrocellulose lacquer is a bit on the flammable side... Next time I do a guitar I'm using something acrylic.

Here is a link that might be useful: Armstrong Birch Door Styles

I knew from the beginning I wanted birch cabinets for my kitchen. But I was concerned about the change in color as time went on. My cabinet guy suggested white birch and we actually ended up mixing a custom stain because I got on a real gray kick...

Here's the result

I love the birch wood grain, can't wait to get it all finished.
I might add that my cabinet maker uses a new conversion varnish that has some UV protection in it to help guard against sun damage.

Nancy
~my pulls were delivered Saturday

Thanks everyone for your input. So many choices ....

Red birch is gorgeous whether its on floors or cabinets. I have one room flooring in red birch and we love it so much we're doing the whole house, including the kitchen.

My dilemma: wood or painted cabinets. I feel like painted will enhance the RB floor - allowing the floor to be a star. But worry that painted will be a fad - i know, i know, they've been in kitchens forever.

Beth, what did you do for kitchen cabinets? Anyone have suggestions on a wood that won't clash with RB? or anyone want to support a painted cabinet? :)