My upper cabinets have a semi transparent white stain from Medallion Cabinets, the Coastal collection. It's called White Sand and is an eggshell color. I think its been five years maybe and they still look great. We ended up with a stain because our lowers were quartersawn white oak and my DH wanted the same wood.

Thanks barncatz. Do you have a picture you could upload?

Sure, the sunlight isn't helping but here goes. I'm sure Medallion has some photos online. I wouldn't say the quartersawn oak is the optimal wood choice, but as I said, DH really wanted the grain consistency.

Those look great. I think a grainy wood would work well?

Trying to show finish.

The grain really shows. The only issue is that the oak can turn a leetle pinky in certain light. But they're so easy to keep clean and obviously no chipping, so I really like the look.

Over time Maple and Red Oak- the two most common woods done this way, each can get very pink.

Many
brands have discontinued these finishes, in part because of the color
change, in part due to difficulty maintaining consistent color to begin
with.

I've done a number of these almost all in Rift Cut White
Oak slab doors, both natural wood and architectural veneer. White Oak
turns a little less pink than other woods.

I typically don't
have a white white done- rather a slightly greenish white- which helps
to neutralize the pink. I have one upcoming in a white oak frame and panel door (client has sample
though so no pic) Supposed to be ordered soon.

exactly what that was

Thanks Mark. Not sure if I'd be happy if it turned a bit pink so maybe this isn't the look for me. Hmmm.

Hi Cpartist. I have Schuler cabinets (same as medallion). Mine are the painted white icing. I noticed they had the white stain on wood called "cottage white sheer". I wondered myself about it. Here are a couple pictures. I was thinking it might be nice for my cabin kitchen because it looks kind of beach cottage style to me. I decided that the painted white is definitely too high maintainence for a rental. I'm constantly cleaning mine. But, I'd be super upset if it later turned pink on me! So I'd don't think I would chance it, unless you could see some samples that were pretty old and held the white color. I do like it in these photos though. It's hard to tell, but the second picture is the cottage white sheer on the island and back stove wall with a grey sheer stain on the side cabs.

Mine haven't changed or "turned" pink in the 5 or 6 years since install. I notice the pink undertone in certain lighting. Medallion offered a "Sheer" as well as "White Sand" and since I definitely wanted as opaque as possible, we chose the "White Sand" stain.

They really are low maintenance, rebunky. I wipe them down if I notice something has landed on them.

Our range died, so the domino effect has set in, new countertops and backsplash. I'm looking at a gray tile that has a (to me anyway) pink undertone, so it must not bother me.

Final Countertop and Backsplash · More Info

I like the white stained cabinets. I'm planning to make my uppers white stained using the Rubio Monocoat. I have been testing their product on boards and working on just the right combo for colorations and I'm so completely hyped about the way the wood "feels" to my hand, and how it cleans. It's fresh looking, like white paint, but not as heavy feeling. I think it gives you the best of both worlds: white and fresh while still allowing the natural to subtly show.

Go for it!!

Thank you everyone. I keep going back and forth. I've narrowed it down to white painted perimeter with a dark island, or white stained perimeter with a dark island, or quarter sawn oak with maybe a painted island. Too many choices and partly I have to consider the busy quartzite I have already chosen.