Comments on: How to Update Oak or Wood Cabinets WITHOUT a Drop of Paint (PART 2)

By: KylieMawdsley

KylieMawdsley — Sun, 14 May 2023 01:15:01 +0000

In reply to Adrienne Crawford. Well thank you for the comment - you're most welcome!

By: Adrienne Crawford

Adrienne Crawford — Thu, 11 May 2023 12:49:34 +0000

I never knew that updating the hardware of oak cabinets could make such a big difference. Thanks for the great suggestion!

By: KylieMawdsley

KylieMawdsley — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 15:51:41 +0000

In reply to Denise.

Hi Denise! It actually depends on your countertop/backsplash/flooring combo for your island colour! These are what you’ll want to tie in into. And while lighter colours can ‘sometimes’ work, it’s usually best to go darker, into the darker greens, greiges or navy blues! Check out SW Urbane Bronze, Cyberspace and Gauntlet Gray – see if any of those work with your finishes!

By: Denise

Denise — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 03:10:01 +0000

Loved your article and all the beautiful pictures with oak cabinets. I am thinking about painting the island. My cabinets are a red oak. What color should I go with for the island? Should I used one of the wall colors you suggested or do you think they are too light and won’t ground it. I will be changing the floor tiles and counter soon so I can tie it in.

By: Lori Quinn

Lori Quinn — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 04:44:07 +0000

I spent a lot of time on your (fantastic!) website, looking for an inexpensive way to improve my oak kitchen. I had no idea that the existing pale green wall color was actually accentuating the honey oak cabinet color. After watching your videos, I decided to paint the walls Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist — a beautiful neutral color. Big improvement!

By: Vibhuti

Vibhuti — Sun, 15 May 2022 00:01:54 +0000

That was a very interesting read and the one I was looking for. I have been wanting to save my kitchen oak cabinets. They surely look beautifully but don’t look modern at all. And the kitchen being the heart of every house I really want to update them without painting them. I also have a ugly blue colour laminate counter top and I am struggling to find budget friendly ways to update it or already change the colour. Is there any simple DIY project there.

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Sat, 02 Apr 2022 17:21:31 +0000

In reply to D.B. would love to see a picture

By: Light Or Dark Countertops With Oak Cabinets - Which To Choose? - Answered Queries

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 09:45:51 +0000

[…] to Kyle M. Interiors, using copper finishes for your cabinet and sink hardware can also modernize oak cabinets, as they […]

By: KylieMawdsley

KylieMawdsley — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 00:34:14 +0000

In reply to Lory Olson.

I LOVE to hear this, Lory, and would sooooo love to see it all done – if you’re so inclined ;). My email is kylie@kylieminteriors.ca If not, I TOTALLy get it though and I’m just so happy for you 🙂

By: Lory Olson

Lory Olson — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 00:01:13 +0000

Took your advice and painted some of our cabs, not all. Uppers white, lowers remaining knotty alder. Added hardware in champagne finish , diff faucet and replaced corian counters with quartz. We gave our mullet island a trim, and painted her a deep rich navy (SW naval). The dated arch in the uppers almost disappears with paint (SW alabaster). Thanks for all of the inspo!

By: Char

Char — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 21:16:48 +0000

Hi! My husband inherited his parents log cabin and so persuaded me to move from my beautifully sleek minimalist home in the UK to this wooden woody yellowy pine place that makes me feel like I’m stepping inside a Swedish sauna everytime I come home. The kitchen cabinets are (of course) wood. The walls are logs, the ceiling is wood panel and anything that’s not wood is still somehow, well…wooden. My husband thinks it’s amazing, all it really needs is a a deer head.
But I don’t even know where to start. I hate it. We can’t afford to replace the kitchen cabinets. They’re solid but UGLY. I’d never seen hinges on the outside of a kitchen cabinet before I moved to the USA. I didn’t even realize that cabinets had hinges to be honest…
I wondered what you would do with an 80’s log cabin and an ugly ass kitchen (with hinges) that wouldn’t involve painting all the logs white ( I can dream…) or moving house? Save me!

By: KylieMawdsley

KylieMawdsley — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 17:21:33 +0000

In reply to Peggy. Hi Peggy, I just LOVE the look of wood cabinets with white countertops. Warm gray makes me NERVOUS, it would depend on the one. As for white, if you do one with details/veining, find a bit of a warm veining. If you have access to Omnia quartz, check out Monterey :).

By: KylieMawdsley

KylieMawdsley — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 16:57:33 +0000

In reply to Anne.

Wow, Anne, this is JUST the type of email I love to get – and you know, I would SO love to see some photos (if you’re so inclined, if not, i TOTALLY understand). kylie@kylieminteriors.ca I don’t have NEARLY enough photos of beautiful wood kitchens with updates to show my readers :).

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 00:38:15 +0000

I really appreciated this post! We retired and downsized to a smaller home. The kitchen was from the late 80’s or early 90’s. The cabinets are honey oak in the cathedral style, the countertops were tourquoise laminate, and the appliances were very old and black. I used so many of your ideas to give my kitchen a refresh, as the cabinets were in excellent condition. We put in a warm, white quartz countertop, marble subway tiles, new stainless appliances, oil rubbed bronze hardware, a patterned kitchen runner and updated lighting in a beautiful seaglass to reflect the feel of this coastal home. It now has a welcoming coastal, farmhouse feel! I love my kitchen now! Thanks for the advice!

By: Peggy

Peggy — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 20:01:52 +0000

Kylie, love reading about stained real wood cabinets. I have shaker style birch cabinets stained in what I would call a fruitwood. They are from 2008 and in very good shape. But hating the dark granite and beige diamond backsplash. What color quartz would give a warm blend with cabinets? I love white quartz or white with gray, but is that too cold or stark for the stained cabinets?

By: Jill

Jill — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 13:34:40 +0000

In reply to KylieMawdsley. Thank you so much Kylie! I will rethink this. I hear wallpaper is coming back. Would something like that textured that goes with colonial maple stain or maybe just a painted focal wall?

By: KylieMawdsley

KylieMawdsley — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 16:56:10 +0000

In reply to Jill.

Hi Jill! Well, no matter what you do, I’d stay away from the chair rail (I mean, I haven’t seen your home, so this is just my general advice) as they can really date a space. White chair rails are 90s and wood ones harken a bit to the 80s. As for the crown, it can depend on how high your cabinets are, but I worry about it putting a bit of a cap on the room or weighing it down. As for the flooring, try one or two tones lighter, but make SURE you pick up the same brown tones – don’t add yellow/gray/orange/red to the mix!

By: Jill

Jill — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 14:29:36 +0000

Kylie, Love your website! Very helpful in many ways.
I have medium oak kitchen cabinets (early american stain color) and colonial maple stained trim throughout the house. What are your thoughts on adding crown modeling to a kitchen for an updated look versus chair rail?
I see many wood look floors in kitchens with oak cabinets. I have a dark kitchen, thinking all that brown wouldn’t help. Do you have any ideas for a lighter type flooring that would bring an updated look? Thanks for any thoughts you may have. 🙂

By: Peggy McGimsey

Peggy McGimsey — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 02:37:43 +0000

I have a fairly large kitchen with lots of solid honey oak Shaker-style cabinets. The island is 12 feet long and has honey oak cabinets on both sides (the gas cooktop is in the island). There are 7 doors and 3 windows in the room that are all dark wood with dark wood trim. Additionally, the crown molding is dark wood. I don’t want to paint the cabinets but want to update the room. I’m thinking I can get a lighter and updated feel by lightening up the walls, doors, and trim. Do you think this is an acceptable first step? Any advice is most welcomed!
Thanks!!

By: KylieMawdsley

KylieMawdsley — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 22:17:44 +0000

In reply to Lynn Gerard. Thank you so much Lynn!

By: Lynn Gerard

Lynn Gerard — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 13:25:13 +0000

Your kitchen is beautiful! Love your sink and cabinets.

By: KylieMawdsley

KylieMawdsley — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 22:14:24 +0000

In reply to Jen. Hi Jen, I believe that was BM Powell Buff :).

By: Jen

Jen — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 22:07:00 +0000

What is the wall color in the picture with the bench?
Thanks!

By: KylieMawdsley

KylieMawdsley — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 18:34:39 +0000

In reply to Carol Theis.

Hi Carol! I definitely wouldn’t, it will definitely date it – I would stick to ALLLL wood with black hardware 🙂

By: Carol Theis

Carol Theis — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 01:47:04 +0000

Thank you for some ideas. My cabinets are exactly like Julia Blanner’s. What are your thoughts of adding cabinet black crown mounding with an oak inset, cabinet light rail in black and then black hardware? Counter tops would also have some black to tie all together. Your thoughts. Thanks.

By: KylieMawdsley

KylieMawdsley — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 02:35:21 +0000

In reply to Janet Lopez.

Hi Janet! When it comes to the island, it’s more about what’s on your floor, backsplash, countertop – those are what will call the shots! If you’d like me to take a look, I do have an E-design package specifically for cabinets! Otherwise, I’m 100% guessing and wouldn’t even know where to start for you! https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/product-category/interior-paint-palettes/
~Kylie

By: KylieMawdsley

KylieMawdsley — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 02:34:01 +0000

In reply to Kristin Engebretson. Sweet, I love notes like this - thank you Kristin, I'm glad it turned out and I bet it was a FRACTION of the cost!

By: Kristin Engebretson

Kristin Engebretson — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 02:18:54 +0000

We have allot of counter space and could not afford to replace it so we chose to do a counter paint kit and absolutely love it. It was very easy. There are a few downsides though, the first being that it’s inconvenient not to be able to use your counter space for several days. You do have to be very careful not to set anything hot on it because it will take the finish off (we found that out the hard way). We do have a few nicks here and there after only a year but they are very easy to touch up.

By: Janet Lopez

Janet Lopez — Mon, 01 Oct 2018 17:51:48 +0000

Kylie, love this website! I have a love/hate relationship with all the oak in my home and especially the kitchen. I’m happy to know there is an expert who supports painting the island. I have been color paralyzed for 2 years for this makeover. What color suggestions do you have for painting it?

By: Barb

Barb — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 01:02:49 +0000

Hi thank you for the ideas. I too have solid oak cathedral cabinets that we remodeled and installed in 1993 . There is a beautiful stain I saw that is light grayish color that allows the grain to show by Minwax. I think I’m going to sand down the sheen on my cabinets and stain them. It will be pretty I think, and add the knobs and pulls. Modern update without painting them a solid color. I love solid wood!

By: KylieMawdsley

KylieMawdsley — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 03:26:56 +0000

In reply to Kelly. Kelly, thank you for letting me know that my advice is working :) I love to hear feedback like that!

By: Kelly

Kelly — Wed, 20 Jun 2018 18:48:54 +0000

*Love * The glass idea–thx for external links! Totally going to do this!

By: Julie Blanner

Julie Blanner — Mon, 07 May 2018 13:08:23 +0000

Thank you for sharing!

By: Debbie

Debbie — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 16:21:03 +0000

In reply to Donna. I agree totally I have the same cabinet you talk about and we paid a pretty penny for them, I think I may and try to incorporate a few glass doors on the top cabinets. Doors with a semi-frost design and then update my hardware.

By: Endi Strang

Endi Strang — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 15:24:11 +0000

Give me solid honey oak cabinets over fake wood, particle board or plastic thermofoil any day. You can stain them. Paint them, put in glass doors or leave them as they are now. A solid real wood cabinet stands the test of time…u like most others. Look for quality even if you just admire it as a base to work from.

By: Donna

Donna — Tue, 26 Dec 2017 05:04:19 +0000

Can I start by saying that I’m a fan of my oak cabinets. They are made of solid wood and plywood…no particle board, no thin and cheap veneer! After thirty years they look as good as new, and stainless steel appliances and an off-white quartz countertop have brought them into the new century nicely. I love the mix of old and new! And I love the warm tone of the wood, I just can’t imagine painting it! Here’s the thing, if you chase kitchen trends, you will always be unhappy because, like clothing trends, they always change. Remember when everyone had to have cherry cabinets with darke granite counters? Exactly!

By: KylieMawdsley

KylieMawdsley — Sun, 22 Oct 2017 17:46:35 +0000

In reply to Kathy. Wahoo, that's what I like to hear Kathy - thank you!

By: Kathy

Kathy — Sun, 22 Oct 2017 14:13:06 +0000

Thank you! I thought I was doomed to wake up each morning and walk into my new home’s oak cabinet kitchen which I dislike to depression. You have given me so many useful ideas. I’m having fun incorporating most of your recommendations.

By: KylieMawdsley

KylieMawdsley — Sun, 08 Oct 2017 00:06:00 +0000

In reply to D.B.

Well, I’m thinking that if you just use a quality primer and paint that should do the trick! It actually takes some work to fill in the grain on oak (which is why most people don’t do it). You’ll also want to make sure that you use the same sheen level as you have on your other cabinets as the sheen can affect how the grain looks as well. Take one of the doors that is a bit more hidden and do a trial run (or go to a building recycling store and get a few doors to play with). This way you can get a feel for how things will look when they’re all done without getting too far ahead of yourself!
~Kylie

By: D.B

D.B — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 18:45:55 +0000

I have replaced my upper cabinets with oak cottage white-the oak grain can be seen. I want to match my island which is oak/grain with antique white. But I want the grain of the oak to show through like my other cabinets. How do I do that?

By: Emily @ www.emilyhoneycutt.com

Emily @ www.emilyhoneycutt.com — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 16:48:04 +0000

Thank you so much for these fantastic ideas! My family and I are house hunting right now and practically every house we look at has my least favorite kitchen design – oak cabinets with tile countertops! Ugh! I didn’t know what to do until I came across your site. Thank you again for giving me hope!