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jrh413

1987 and Oak is everywhere. we need help!

17 days ago

I do not want to replace the cabinets and the granite is staying put. What type of stain and/or paint have you seen some successfully on this amount of oak?

Comments (17)

  • PRO
    17 days ago

    The easiest path is to refinish the floors.

    Take your direction from the dining room set.





  • 17 days ago
    last modified: 17 days ago

    I feel your pain. I recently painted my oak kitchen cabinets. The cabinets, from 1983, are well-made, and I was happy with the arrangement. I used the many-step process offered by professional painter, Kayla Payne. It was a lot of work, but I live alone and could afford to take my time. Many here will advise you to not waste the expense of having them professionally painted and replace instead. However, I finally pulled the trigger and painted mine last year. So glad I did. The other option of having them professionally sprayed is expensive but also definitely worth considering.


    https://www.paintedbykaylapayne.com/how-to-paint-oak-cabinets/#:~:text=Step%201:%20Take%20before%20photos,where%20the%20hinges%20go%20too.

  • 17 days ago
    last modified: 17 days ago

    the floor remains the uncomfortably orange element no matter what you do to the golden oak. I would echo what BEV suggested and at least consider refinishing the flooring. I think long term the very orange floor is not a good element. the golden oak cabinets are just fine in my opinion until the time for a full renovation. sage green is a shade if youre going to proceed w painting the cabinets, but you have green counters ....that wont necessarily work. Then you have to consider white to off white area for paint ...results in floor becoming even more attention grabbing..not especially in the right way.

  • 17 days ago

    I would redo the flooring. The trim and cabinets I would leave. Not a single thing wrong with oak cabinets and oak trim. It stands up well and will last almost forever. I would redo the floors and leave the rest.

  • 17 days ago

    Yes, for certain, the floor is coming out, wall and cabinet paint is a must, with new knobs and pulls.
    We are open to darker bases and lighter uppers.

  • 17 days ago

    I like the advice on looking for honey oak kitchens.
    There are actually some attractive combos out here.
    We are definitely redoing floors, wall paint, the light light well in the ceiling and maybe with an new backsplash and more coordinated colors on paint and flooring that we’re doing anyway, we’d avoid what is going to be an expensive refinish.

  • 17 days ago
    last modified: 17 days ago

    I'll be the outlier:

    --Replace the countertops with patterned white surface that's affordable for you and off white subway tile backsplash. These will bounce light upwards and bring out the warmth of the cabinets. Add nickel hardware and undercabinet lighting.

    Forest Retreat Kitchen · More Info


    --Refinish but don't restain the wood floors. They're warm and attractive. You can add a kitchen floor cloth or kitchen rug.

    Terracotta, Sky Printed Polyester Loren Area Rug by Loloi, 2'6"x7'6" · More Info


    --Paint your kitchen table top a glossy cream white instead of your cabinets. Leave the legs in wood finish. Replace picnic benches with cream wood chairs instead.

  • PRO
    17 days ago

    I don't think the problem is either the floor or the cabinet color. It's the combination--they don't work well together. Either paint the cabinets or redo the floors. If you redo the floors, use a medium toned neutral brown that would complement the cabinets or have solid oak floors installed, stained on site, to match your oak cabinets.

    Floors and cabinets matched in color:

    Kitchen of the Week: The Making of an Arts & Crafts Kitchen · More Info



    Contrasting cabinets and flooring:

    Craftsman Kitchen · More Info

    Here are some useful articles on pairing wood floors with honey oak cabinets:

    https://www.homestratosphere.com/kitchens-with-light-and-honey-wood-floors/

    https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/how-to-update-golden-or-honey-oak-cabinets/


  • 17 days ago
    last modified: 17 days ago

    Have you just moved in or have you been thinking about this for a while?

    Some points:

    1- you can order new doors to go over the fridge. This is a common style. Look in a drawer to see if the brand label is there. Even if you don't know the brand, you can order matching new doors from several online sites or through a contractor. Then the doors can be custom stained to match the existing cabinets. It is worth doing.

    2. Add a good exhaust fan over your gas stove. Broan/Nutone makes good quality exhaust fans.

    3. Using two colors for upper and lower cabinets was a trend that has faded fast.

  • PRO
    17 days ago

    THat light box needs to go and what are you doing with the floors ? IMO you do the floors and leave the cabinets as they are . IMO the floors are red and not attractive so do those first then see about the cabinets

  • 17 days ago

    I like this article on picking wood finishes that coordinate with one another. Your flooring, as stated previously, is very red and doesn't work well with the oak cabinets. Two woods that clash - change one or the other, no need to change both.

    https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/how-to-mix-match-and-coordinate-wood-stains-undertones/

  • 16 days ago

    I’ll be the weirdo and say that I like your cabinets and your floor. Super warm, homey, inviting.

    Not the trendy colors of the moment, but those change and it is pointless to chase them, you just enrich the kitchen-industrial complex. Wait and warm tones will come back, people will be moaning about their cold grey kitchens and admiring yours.

    As mentioned upthread, a carefully chosen rug could mute the floor a bit; myself I’d probably go for a big tatami.

  • 16 days ago
    last modified: 16 days ago

    A fantastic william morris wallpaper would be pretty great in the large opening where your Gather print is

    FWIW I’d be tempted to fix the lighting, replace the vertical blind with bamboo blind, replace grey counter stools with faux leather, replace the dining furniture with somethjng more comfortable (could totally see upholstered dining chairs in green rather than benches) then re-assess need for larger changes

  • 16 days ago

    From what I can tell from the pics you posted, you have Costa Esmeralda granite. Anyone who'd rip that out is a d*mn fool as far as I'm concerned. It's gorgeous, highly coveted, and quite expensive. It's an easy color to work with (green + wood = happiest marriage there is), and pretty much bulletproof to boot.


    I don't love the cabinets but they do look pretty good with the granite. I agree the major issue here is the floor -- it's bossy and a hard color to work with. If it's in your budget, refinish the floor in a neutral mid-toned brown (Provencial and Dark Walnut are good starting points, particularly Provencial); look how good your brown table looks against the cabinets. Stay away from anything too light or gray in tone for floors.



  • 16 days ago

    Here’s an inspiration image for you of my favorite oak kitchen. These colors, the orange, soft white, the green of the backsplash, all pair really well with a lighter and medium stained oak.


    The kitchen in my beach cottage was tiny compared to yours, and I DIYed the paint. Just be aware, it’s a heck of an undertaking.

  • 16 days ago

    Also, I get that you want to keep the counters, but consider replacing the backsplash, at least on the range wall, with somethi (anything) else. It’s not very attractive, nor is the gaping hole over your refrigerator. If you are considering staining cabinets, now would be the time to get an upper cabinet that fits that space. Good luck!

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