If your custom cabinet maker cannot provide you with front end samples of the finishes that you want, then you should not choose them as your cabinet maker. It is not a DIY finish job to get this look. And it is a 100% cost upcharge, because of the complexity.

We are going through a builder and the cabinet company they are using doesn’t do the staining from what I understand. I have been trying to research and have found it to be quite complicated. It’s too late to change so trying to find the answer.

Don’t set yourself up for disappontment. They won’t have the skills to do the finish that you want. Even a plain waterborne clear coat will change the color of the wood. That plain clear, with the color altered by it, is likely doable for them. If that is not a doable color for you, your best bet is to choose an opaque color. Paint them.

What you can’t do is tell them what to do. You’d be responsible for the outcome. And it would not be a good one.

I had white oak cabinets done by a custom cabinet maker.

I don’t understand why the person who is staining the cabinets isn’t providing you with samples of stains for your approval. My cabinet people kept bringing over samples on miniature doors until I liked one. I had provided them with pictures and descriptions but luckily I was able to find a stained chair that had the tones I wanted and they duplicated it. I then initialed it to comform that it was the stain I had selected.

I would have very concerned about their competence if they wanted me to tell them how to achieve that result. Knowing about stains would seem to be basic skill set for any competent wood worker.

I guess I’m hoping to keep it close to the natural color of the wood