I love all the comments. I’ve looked up toning and that seems like it might work. We chose hickory because we kept a lot of cabinets that were already there. They seem to be honey and a little yellowed. The first pic is the display...more random dark and light. The second picture is why we are keeping from the old kitchen.

You are there to see if a match is possible....in theory there are many new challenges with the existing cabinets..the condition?...the finish on the old and the new....the tone?....the style?....are all the old cabs on top or mixed top and bottom?.....this is a project rife with potential challenges and problems...it all depends on how picky you are about the result....

Has anyone tried to “tone” cabinets? I am wondering if I can tone the stripes down and then tone the whole thing a little to make them a little darker.

The clearcoat finish has to be removed down to bare wood before you can stain the wood. A tinted toner topcoat over the existing will wear unevenly and give you splotches as it wears off.

Since you have the cabinets and your cabinet supplier doesn’t seem to be sympathetic, I’d talk to him about finishing the cabinets with a stain. Maybe tell him, in a nice and understanding way, that the display he showed you looked nothing like what you were delivered and while you understand that hickory is a very inconsistent wood you would really appreciate him staining the cabinets for you at no additional cost. I’d also ask for some pieces of the wood with samples of stain colors on them so you will know what to expect. This isn’t too much to ask. A stain and a clear coat will definitely help them out. Good luck!

That’s a great idea to ask the supplier about staining...thank you

I located a website that sells hickory veneer, so this will let the cabinets' grain look book-matched. Think about this as an alternative.
Hickory Veneer

What world divorced from reality do some of you live in? Refinishing those cabinets is extremely labor intensive will cost almost as much, or more, as buying new. Anyone that asks a cabinet maker to do that will be told to pound sand. Veneer only works on slab doors or slab center panels.

1. This is hickory

2. The sample cabinetry has aged...hickory will fade a snick as it ages

3. Every tree is different and those STRONG striations are from a different tree than the display cabinets

4. Trying to keep existing cabinetry is tricky especially if you are leaving the wood exposed. For this reason, designers will tell you to paint everything if you are mixing old and new.

Sorry but I don't see an easy/cheap way out. If these are raw, I seriously suggest you start thinking about painting - everything.

Sophie Wheeler remarked "What world divorced from reality do some of you live in?"

Thank you for your gracious remarks, but this century women really roll up their dainty sleeves and can actually do this kind of work. We aren't helpless unthinking weaklings anymore.

What? When did Sophie say anything about women specifically? Bit of a stretch on your interpretation there...

Hello Bri- reread the conversation please.

goluscombe- this is what she wrote:

What world divorced from reality do some of you live in? Refinishing those cabinets is extremely labor intensive will cost almost as much, or more, as buying new. Anyone that asks a cabinet maker to do that will be told to pound sand. Veneer only works on slab doors or slab center panels.

where does it say women are helpless or can't do the work? she's talking about getting the cab guy (or gal) to do and stating that because of the work involved, it's cheaper or more cost effective, to buy new. Of course a man or woman could do the work. but why bother when it's cheaper to replace them?

I have read the whole conversation and see nothing sexist in Sophie Wheeler's remarks. Blunt but true.

Hi Beth, there is no consideration of refinishing the job by yourself; just rushing off to a cabinetmaker, and at a substantial cost. Perhaps she thinks women are incapable of doing this work, otherwise why is saying that we will throw money at the problem by having someone else do the work. What world divorced from reality does Wheeler live in if she thinks a woman is going to rush off and dump money at a cabinetmaker and not do the work herself.

Some women, including myself, are capable of this work amongst cabinet installations and other "substantial cost" work, and it is the height of rudeness for Wheeler to label comments as "divorced from reality". What this tells me is that Wheeler might live in a finger-pointing world, and may be skill-less. Well, that is the way it could be for that generation she is from. Women these days have more skills than in the old days, and we do things like installing our own kitchens. Blunt but true.

well, yes, I get what you mean, but I don't think she thinks that. And the OP in this case is a male. He's the one asking. In no way did I take her statement to mean that he/she couldn't refinish the cabinets on their own. Not everyone is adept at refinishing wood. I do it and It's a lot of work. Not everyone is up for it, male or female.

What a weird take on Sophie's comment goluscombe. No intelligent or knowledgeable ie "thinking" women or man would attempt to sand, stain and refinish cabinets. Sophie's right on the mark here. Sell the cabinets and buy new. The result will look better, cost less, and maybe the second time around get a kitchen designers help.

Can you look into having new doors and cabinet fronts made that look more like the display? If you are not keeping your backsplash and get a solid color countertop they might grow on you .....

goluscombe Don't make a 75 year old curmudgeon shame you.

Repost from another thread, but pertinent here. Now go fix me a sandwich.

_____________

Not that I have to share, but at one time or another, I could do all of the below. I’m also smart enough to pay for better results than I could achieve when it was important. As you pointed out, when hundreds of thousands of dollars are on the line, it might be important. And at 75, I don’t do as much as I used to. I drink, and I know things.

I can:

Change a flat tire and put the new one on the rim and seat it properly. Balance it too.

Change my oil and filter.

Pull a transmission and rebuild it.

Pull a dent.

Mix and pour concrete.

Frame a wall. Own the framing nailer and commercial sized compressor to run it.

Swing up and seat a truss—with help.

Shingle a barn roof or a house with asphalt shingles. Own the roofing nailer too.

Run a Ditchwitch and Plumb all of the exterior faucets and a good deal of the interior. Soldering copper too. Not just glueing PVC.

Replace a light fixture or ceiling fan.

Run a new outlet from another outlet. That’s it on electrical. Too much risk to get wrong.

Can beans and taters, salsa, and whatever extra happened in the garden that year.

Make my own jelly and preserves.

Sun dry tomatoes.

Make my own jerky. Got the Excalibur.

Butcher a deer. Not prettily, but it can happen.

Grill a steak. Bic lighter and I’m done.

Graft a rose. Used to grow my own Fortuniana for it too until a bit too cold winter happened.

Give a halfass haircut in a pinch. Not on me though.

Design and sew my own clothes.

Piece and quilt a decent bedspread.

Crochet an Afghan.

Knit a sweater.

Embroider a pair of jeans or a jacket.

Bedazzle. Yes, I’m that old.

Hand draw a scale diagram.

Use various software to do the same.

Lay a brick wall with a string level, and know how to make and use the water level for the long runs.

Bale lespedeza and get it in the barn the smart way.

Run a bobcat without too much damage of person and property.

Make muscadine wine. Drink plenty of it too.

Solder silver jewelry. Can’t wear it though, so I quit that.

Refinish furniture. That’s why I hate the chalk paint crowd.

Faux finish a ceiling or wall. As in faux bois or malachite, or shagreen, or marble. Not popcorn. Although I can run a popcorn hopper too.

And run a cellulose hopper for the guy in the attic placing it.

Flash a window properly. No mean skill, because about half the contractors out there can’t seem to do it.

Sew up a gash in a cow or sheep.

Give shots and sew up a wound. On an animal only. People have too much drama.

Thers about a zillion other things that I can do less well too. But, things I can do well and get paid for is a smaller list. As it is with anyone. No one is ever gonna hire me to work in a tire shop. And these days, I don’t DIY that any more.

I know my limitations on what I can halfass if I have enough time, and don’t care so much about the end result. You don’t. Halfassing the design for a couple of hundred thousand dollar build is just not the way to go when you just don’t have a good sense of scale and spatial relations.

Good for you Wheeler. Now if you can do all those things, you can give politeness a try. You can muster that darlin; especially since you have been on this earth long enough to know better. After all, it takes work to be polite. It takes no work to remain a bully. And I trust you are a hard worker Wheeler.

Go Sophie!!

goluscombe,,,people in glass houses,,,,,, So, this is your quote from above:

What this tells me is that Wheeler might live in a finger-pointing world, and may be skill-less. Well, that is the way it could be for that generation she is from. Women these days have more skills than in the old days, and we do things like installing our own kitchens. Blunt but true.

After all, it takes work to be polite. It takes no work to remain a bully.

this would be a good time for you to be polite and offer up an apology for prejudging what she can do,,,You made an egregious assumption based on her advice to the OP about his cabinets. It was extremely far-fetched, the way you read into it. almost sounds like you have a bit of chip taking up residence on that deltoid of yours.

Dear Beth, this would be a good time for you to offer an apology. Just what do you think set this off? Did someone call someone else 'divorced from reality'. Geesh....talking about assumptions.

well, in all fairness, I don't think she specifically said that to one person. she said, "what-yada-yada- do some of you live in,",,,, Not a direct insult to OP or any one else. anyhoo,,,don't care either way. it's just when you make an effort to point out faults at someone and say how they should act, and then you yourself are doing the very same,,,I think the word is hypocrisy, pot calling kettle black, the glass house saying,,,,you get it. I think you took the whole statement way out of context and just ran with it. you have quite a few of us looking sideways at you because of how you read into it.

Again, whatever. don't care anymore. have a good night.

Beth, so you don't think that Wheeler specifically leveled this at my comment because you think that questioning "my reality" wasn't leveled at me. And then you throw out hypocrispy because, what? what? Because I am annoyed given the rudeness. Just because society has accepted a certain level of rudeness, we don't have to. Whatever; your life

Thank you, everyone...I think I have some good ideas regarding my hickory cabinets. The company is beginning the process by replacing 5 of my choice of drawer fronts. They will be replacing more if I feel the need. Part of the process it is to wait until I have the countertop installed to see how it looks complete. What's important is that they are working with me...whew!

I'm sorry there has been some conflict in this string. Everyone has their own right to say what they feel...we all also have the ability to "respond" or ignore...the actual word "responsibility" contains the "ability to respond". Remember we all see things through our own personal experiences which none of us can actually "know" or change for someone else. It's important to hear others and decide if it is important enough to pick that battle to fight. Thanks again for all of the pro input - it definitely helped! Brian

goluscombe,,,at you? no. did you read the other comments above you? they were advising op to refinish and stain, OP asked about toning, then said he would check w/the guy about staining them. you came to the party w/your veneer comment and shortly after Sophie made her comment. you never mention staining and Sophie never said anything about redoing the veneer. So, to answer your question, no, I don't think it was intended for you. But, if you want to know, just ask her. I'm sure she'd tell you if it was for you or for the general people out there that suggested completely refinishing all those cabinets.

great Brian. be sure to post some pics. I'd like to see how they turn out. Did you pick out a countertop?

This one time, my mom made a list of things she can do and a list of things my dad can do and posted them on the fridge. Hers filled up an 8x11 paper, front and back. His had three things on it. One was cut wood, I don't remember the other two. I thought my dad was going to rupture himself laughing.

Good times.

We did pick out a countertop. It's a quartz slate gray countertop. The finish is matte or 'leather.' It looks great in my mind. We are scheduled for install in 5/15. I will post pictures when it's complete. If I had any learning from this whole design experience, it would be to design with a Pro or contractor first. We have had to have several things redone because we had not thought out the details & thought we could design ourselves. The issues were in the details; measurements, electrical, lighting & of course the cabinets. It is looking a lot like this design. I used an inexpensive design program to create this rendering...it is far from perfect and exact (there is even an accidental floating plant!)

By trade, I am a portrait photographer and ready for this to be completed! Thanks again for all the help! Brian

This a picture of the kitchen island waiting for countertops...picture reads blue more than it looks. The run of hickory cabinets will be on the far right wall. Also, waiting for install of trim & internal doors.

It’s going to be beautiful!

In this light, airy space, the character filled hickory will be stunning, especially if they can get it toned down to you liking! The countertops sound beautiful in combination with all your other choices. Can’t wait to see the photos!

I LOVE natural hickory. We have natural hickory floors and a kitchen table.
Over time it will not look so drastic. It definitely blends together and the super light wood will darken/yellow up some. I wouldn't paint it. If you really hate it you could stain. But I would just give it time.

Thank you Teddy!

very cool brian. It's going to look great. (personally I think walnut cabs would have fit better w/your design element, but maybe the hickory will work)

Brian, how far along are you in this project?

He's in a pool, pond, lake, ocean! Lol it's a near holiday and too hot! Unless you are drinking a vino and counting boring back splash dilemmas while you sit in the shade awaiting a second glass.

Thats where Brisn is I'm sure:)

(Brisn) You must be well past your second glass? hahahahaha Nah, done packing for vacation tomorrow-watching Netlfix in the ac, avoiding the 100 degree/100% humidity agonizing death that is the outside, pondering hickory and qso cabinets. Plenty of beverages are awaiting us this next week, however!

Its going to be beautiful

We have the same dilema....The cabinets came in candy cane stripped, predictible and repetative. Nothing like any of the samples or pix. Vertical repetativr pattern on drawers...We are returning for a FULL refund. I say in this day and age ANY cabinet builder or mfg, if not a local, should be able to send pix of the wood considered for

That pattern is very predictable and it's nothing like 95% of the images that are on the net or for that matter that one is shown in showrooms. Was wondering is that a veneered plywood panel?

The cabinets came in candy cane stripped

So no request was made for the cabinets to be book-matched. That would explain it.

Brian: can you post an update of your kitchen? It looks like you solved the problem.

my cabinets are Hickory with a honey colored stain, but i'd go for a more modern warm stain. with age if you use a oil based poly they will yellow.

Linda, those cabinets are red oak, not hickory

We built our house. We picked hickory cabinets. The paper work all says hickory. They are Haas Cabinets. my floors are hickory too.

Linda, I hear ya, I'm just going off what I see of the graining on these upper cabs, and the paneling side of the island

Red Oak

Looks very similar to the Federal model under your Haas

but maybe you got the Hickory heartwood?

The Haas cabinet company must have used this type of hickory. Your cabinets and their selection under this wood are very nice

A walk down Sophie memory lane...😊

http://www.aremarkablekitchenstore.com/Gallery/haas/03.htm these are my kitchen cabinets. they are hickory.