I have never heard of anyone painting oak unless they had no choice — e.g., it was an old honey oak kitchen they hated. I’ve always understood that oak was for stain only, and painted cabs were generally alder or maple. Perhaps I am under the wrong impression. But i couldn’t live with that open grain option on the left. YMMV. Good luck and enjoy the new kitchen

Oak is heavily grained. Consequently, it is usually stained, and not usualy thought of as the wood one chooses to have painted, unless you really have to as @MizLizzie said. I think your pic of the oak door on the left looks bad.

I would choose the maple for sure. It’s a much cleaner, more updated look.

Oak is the worst possible choice to paint. It’s craters and valleys show through the paint like the fake woodgrain fiberglass doors. Maple is smoother and better, but you will have movement cracks at the stiles and rails, and gapping of the panel in winter. Wood moves around a lot over the course of the seasons. MDF is the gold standard for painted casework. It is far smoother and more stable. You won't get those movement cracks.

I know this post is from a few years ago, but I'm just wondering what you ended up choosing Joy M? I'm hoping you went with the painted oak and can tell me what you think and how it's held up. I have been searching for some advice because I feel the exact same way you did about maple - it looks pretty plastic like and boring to me. We are renovating our kitchen and doing a dark navy rustic kitchen - I happen to love to see the grain of the wood, even through the paint, which is why I'm leaning toward the painted quartersawn oak option, it also gives off a more rustic, vintage vibe in my opinion, which is def what we're going for. Modern is not my thing. Almost no companies do a dark navy stain for wood, so that's why we are doing a blue paint. In any case, I'd be curious to hear what you chose!

@hendri23 I choose the painted maple. The painted oak looked like it needed another coat of paint. I don't regret choosing the painted maple. The oak island gives the kitchen warmth. I do however regret not doing a custom range hood. We have a stainless range hood and it's pretty boring.