Yes

Yes

A hat trick! Yes!

I'm going to be a little different here and say yup.

Unless they're ash :)

I did it think of ash ... I thought maybe walnut?

Nope. Nobody was using ash when these were built. And definitely not walnut--but perhaps a "walnut" stain.

(They are quite nice, by the way.)

maybe elm.

Thanks, Fori. The stain is mahogany general finish gel.

They are very nice. Would you be willing to share more pics of the kitchen? A friend has something similar and she wants to paint, but maybe after seeing yours she will change her mind.

Here is a before

Even as a fan of green laminate, I have to say that your renovation looks great. :)

heh, the floor also had green and orange vinyl, and the soffit had paper wall with green leaves and daisies, and the kitchen door was painted the same green as the counters. The counters were not that bad, just not for this kitchen. I could see them in a modern kitchen. But this is 100+ year colonial, so I think the marble fits much better :) ... and I love marble.

You did a beautiful job. And yes, I like the marble much better too.

It looks great! Really good job. Did you use any GF sealer (the High Performance or their oil based sealer?). I think it posting these pics will really be an inspiration for many who want to paint their cabs but may find a refresh using a gel stain a much better alternative. The new hardware and lighting also update the space nicely along with the countertops. Enjoy!

Thanks. Yes, I used oil based GF. I did this 5 years ago and it is holding nicely.

Agree with everybody above. Wonderful example of using GF gel stain to highlight the good and create a charming, individual, and classy kitchen.

Oic57, what technique did you use to achieve this look with the gel stain? You did a great job!

I followed these steps, which I learned here and in YouTube:

1) clean with tsp

2) light sanding with a sponge

3) clean with mineral oil, make sure there is no dust left.

4) apply gel with old T-shirt, like shining shoes, following the grain direction, a very thin layer (USE GLOVES!!)

5) immediately clean, following the grain, with clean t shirt

6) let it dry. It was spring time, and since the layers were thin, if I applied very early in the morning, I could do a second pass in the early evening.

7) repeat 4 to 6, until achieved the desired depth of color. I think I did 5 or 6 layers. It is best to add a little each time, rather than trying to save time by applying thicker layers.

8) finish by doing steps 4 to 6 a couple of times with clear gel.

It took me a couple of weeks to do the whole kitchen, but it is not hard. I did remove the hardware ( actually I changed all of it, except the hinges), and did the doors still hanging ( be careful not to stain the hinges, use painters tape). When I was done, I removed them to do the frames ( I did not do the interior of the boxes). Make sure you mark which door is which, so it easier to hang them back. Install new handles and pulls. Having a little electric screw driver was really helpful.

i started by doing the inside of a door to get confidence... I was really scared of screwing things, but that first trial was enough to see that it would work :)

Hope this helps!

It is a darling kitchen and I think it's oak.

Really lovely job! I also have an oak kitchen, though I did not gel stain the cabinets. I am happy to hear that it went well for you as people ask about it, and I don't know whether to recommend or not - now I can show them your example. I've bookmarked this thread.

In the past marble was put on the tops of oak washstands - its a good combo. I did not use marble because I did not think it would survive my family, but I used a quartz with similar colors.

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~110720042

jhmarie, I also like your kitchen! I think too often in GW we see advise of don't do anything until you can save enough for a complete gut job or at least complete new cabinets. I believe that in many instances, a few small changes and modest budget can also have an impactful effect.

If you search for gel stain and oak here, you will find lots of very inspiring examples.

Here is one of my all time favorites, with General Finishes Brown Mahogany, incl. pictures and very detailed instructions:

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/3061990/finished-kitchen-with-gel-stain?n=37

I know. That is exactly how I found out about GF gel staining and I am very grateful to GW to introduce me to it. Yet, usually when somebody comes with questions regarding oak arched kitchens, the most common advise is "dont do anything until you can do it right, and start over". See for example the post cabinet hardware started today.

Thank you oic57:)

I really like the feel of your kitchen. Mine is rather vintage - on purpose - but I think yours has a vibe that would appeal to those looking for a good mix of older and newer - not an easy task to pull off!

I try to keep some bookmarks of older, refreshed kitchens to show others with similar cabinet. Sometimes it is hard to tell in a picture if the cabinets are good solid wood ones or veneer showing some chips - in which case new doors maybe a thought if the layout is good. Often the older kitchens have at least a good layout.

I refinished (the old fashion way) some of my original 1970's kitchen cabinets - which had been in the garage for many years, for a basement kitchenette. When working on them, I discovered the doors were veneer, and only one came out reasonable well - so I had to get a little creative:)

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~65270573

This is another one I keep bookmarked:

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/finally-finished-with-kitchen-updating-dsvw-vd~4512247