marthavila,

It sounds like you will have a wonderful kitchen when you're done.

We just built our home this past summer, and we have glazed cabinets in the kitchen. They are antique white with a brown glaze. I wondered if I might tire of the glazed look, or if they could go go out of style. We learned that the glaze can be applied lightly or more heavily. The degree to which it will show depends on the style of the cabinets - if there are raised panels and ridges, the glaze catches on those areas. If the cabinets are smooth, there aren't a lot of places for it to sit in. We asked to have our cabinets glazed lightly with a deep brown glaze. It is subtle, and it looks great. The glaze shows most in the areas on the sides of our cabinets that are bead board. Because the glaze was applied in such a way as to age or give the cabinets a bit more character, I don't think I will tire of it soon. I think it's a classic look that adds more depth to painted surfaces.

As for the appliance colors, we wrestled with that decision also, and we ended up going with bisque appliances. I am SO glad we did. They blend perfectly with the antique white and glazed cabinets. They recede into the background, as you noted, and are not focal points in the room, allowing the other elements - backsplash, floors, cabinets, island, and countertops to come to life. I'm not a fan of stainless steel appliances, especially in spaces with historic influences.

As for your question about whether or not you can glaze the Ikea cabinets, I don't know. Hopefully someone else will come along who can answer that.

Best wishes on your project,

Jan

Thanks so much for responding to my post, Jan! By any chance, can you share some photos of your glazed cabs and bisque appliances? I'd love to see how they work with each other. Also, do you have any wall or window trim? If so, what color is it?

Btw, I must say that your response has motivated me to to press on with checking out the glazed cabs options. As the owner of an old house (1901), I truly want this kitchen reno to be one that is respectful of its age. Thanks again!

This is a bump to re-ask the question. Forget about the technical part, i.e. whether or not I can glaze Ikea Lidingo cabs. Can any of you share your opinions on glazed white cabs in general? Do you have them? Do you like them? Have photos? Any challenges in color coordination with with appliances and white wall trim?

Decorator Forum people,I know you rock! I've been seeing your responses to so many other similar questions. Won't you please join Jan in Wisconsin in sharing some of your sage advice with me? :)

TIA

Do you have a photo of the cabinets (even better a photo of the kitchen)? I tried looking at them on the Ikea site and couldn't really get a good view.

Certainly glazing the cabinets would give them a more aged, country feel which would be appropriate to an older home. I happen to love glazed cabinets. I think what I really love about glazing, though, is it's ability to transform older, wood cabinets that have nice detailing. I especially love it when someone paints and glazes an older set of cabinets rather than tearing out and starting with new cabinets. Glaze looks best when it has nooks and crannies to settle into, IMO.

I'm not sure how successful you would be at glazing these cabinets, however. I think in order for to achieve the look I imagine you're after, you'd have to first completely paint the cabinets (after preparing/priming the cabinets to accept the paint). I think in order to do it right, it's going to be a lot of work.

I would suggest that you order the smallest cabinet door you could from Ikea and practice on that. Also, check with others on the paint forum and kitchen forum. Don't mean to be too negative, but I'd hate to see you do anything to brand new cabinets that you might end up being really disappointed with!

Marthavila,

Here are some pictures of our kitchen and dining area. From a distance, you can see how the bisque appliances (range, dishwasher, refrigerator, and microwave) blend with the cabinets. My cabinets were painted antique white (not bright white) to begin with, however, and then glazed over lightly with a brown glaze. I'm afraid the glazing doesn't show up well in these pictures. It shows most in the beaded board areas on the sides of the cabinets. Our woodwork is painted BM Vanilla Ice Cream.

Jan

Jan: That kitchen is fabulous! Truly, it could be an inspiration kitchen for me! As a matter of fact, in answer to both you and Teeda, my cabs have raised panels. Very similar to yours. I even have the same hardware! Your red paint is similar to that of my dining room; the yellow of your hallway looks close to what I'm thinking of for my kitchen. And, the backsplash is close as well. Talk about being on the same page. Thanks so much for sharing!

Teeda: By looking at Jan's cabs, you are essentially looking at mine. Thank you making some excellent points about how the glazing is likely to look best on old, distressed wood cabs. There is no way my Ikea cabs-- much as I love them-- even remotely look like that. In any event, I'm not planning on trying to do the glazing myself. Just trying to research options and get opinions. This way, when it comes time to execute the design, colorwise, I can know whether my cabs will be pure white or glazed. Thanks!

Martha, with raised panels like Jan's glazing would look nice! (I couldn't make out the details on the Ikea site). Hopefully you'll find out that this technique will be possible. There are many great products out there now.

I came across this kitchen with glazed cabinets on Rate My Space. It's a little darker, but still looks great.

Jan, your kitchen is gorgeous! I love the color combinations and clean lines.

Here is a link that might be useful: glazed cabinets

Martha, with raised panels like Jan's glazing would look nice! (I couldn't make out the details on the Ikea site). Hopefully you'll find out that this technique will be possible. There are many great products out there now.

I came across this kitchen with glazed cabinets on Rate My Space. It's a little darker, but still looks great.

Jan, your kitchen is gorgeous! I love the color combinations and clean lines.

Here is a link that might be useful: glazed cabinets

Thanks again, Teeda. I'm leaning heavily towards going for it. My guess is that a good professional finish painter will be able to tell me whether or not my Ikea cabs will be good candidates for the glazing process or not.

And, Jan, I must repeat my love for your kitchen! You really should really think about posting your photos of it to the kitchen forum as well as to Starpooh on the Finished Kitchens Blog (see link below). In case you don't know, the latter place is a related, fave spot of the kitchen forum crowd, the purpose of which is to provide a showcase of great kitchens that have primarily been created by Gardenweb people.

Here is a link that might be useful: Finished Kitchens Blog

Wow, Jan! Your kitchen is gorgeous! You did a fabulous job. You're making me re-think my kitchen. What color is the red paint, please?

~~

Marthavila, you can get a latex glaze. Then if you start on one cabinet and you don't like what you see, you can wipe it off with a damp sponge right away. I think you'll like it though. Good luck and please post pics.

The glaze I used was from a local paint store, latex, and was "chocolate."

Marthavila, would you mind sharing your pictures of the Lidingo cabinets? DH and I were chatting just this morning of re-doing our kitchen with Ikea, and we both like the Lidingo door. I'm worried it would be too much white - but I like the bright walls in Jan's kitchen.

OMG, yanj. I was hoping no one else would return to asking me to post photos! I would much rather give you all a verbal description of where I'm hoping to go rather than share the awful, stark reality, in photos, of where I am stuck! LOL! That said, here are just a couple photos of my base drawers and pantry surround on one side of a small, NYC galley-style kitchen (the opposite wall has glass uppers with non-Lidingo doors). Keep in mind that what you see here will be uninstalled and reconfigured. (Ok, enough disclaimers):

Nothing to disclaim!! I like them - and I like the soft wall color and warm flooring. I also like your idea of glazing them - it would warm them up. Your countertop choice would also make a difference. We put them in our pantry (Lidingo drawers and then built our own shelves) over a year ago. They've held up remarkably well - and I love the fact I can load up the drawers with my pyrex without any bending in the drawers. They really are amazing. We have saltillo floors, so it's also a nice contrast. Our walls are a stark white, so that would have to change.

What kind of counters do you want to put in? Have you seen kmcg's kitchen on the Ikeafans website? She has exactly what you're describing - and it's beautiful! She didn't glaze the cabinets, though - just left them as is.

Well, thanks yanj, for letting me exhale now. LOL!

BTW, I do love my drawers! Getting to my pots and pans has never been easier. Plus, they have those great blu motion glides installed on them (which Ikea sells for a song). Really happy with that aspect of my redesign overall. My counters are going to be Green Mountain Original soapstone. It's a dark grey stone which becomes black when oil treated. It has occasional, dramatic white veining with some goldish/rust inclusions that are not typically seen in soapstone. It should definitely play well in my dream kitchen. :)

I have not seen Kmcg's kitchen on Ikeafans. Thanks for the tip. I've got to get over there to check it out! BTW, I had posted my glazing question over there as well. Although no one knew for sure how the Lidi cabs would take to glazing, I someone posted an excellent YouTube video on how to glaze cabs in general. It's under the "Glazing Lidingo Cabs?" post in the "Got Questions" section.

BTW, I agree with you changing your white walls to a color if you go with the Lidi cabs. :)

Marthavila - Thanks for the link. I am a total decorating novice and an accountant by trade, so this scene is intimidating to me. I will check it out, and if brave enough, I will post pictures over there. I will keep you posted.

Oceanna - The color in the kitchen is SW Flower Pot, which looks a bit more brickish red in real life.

I'm hoping to make the rest of my house as beautiful as the kitchen has turned out.

Jan

Jan, I think you're on a roll, girl! Thanks for the paint color. Your kitchen is picture perfect and you should be proud to post it anywhere.