I really like white for bathrooms - it looks so clean and fresh. I grew up in a house with a painted white vanity in the bathroom. But it was painted with a brush, so when the time came, we just repainted it. It would be hard to touch up something with a sprayed finish. Perhaps the better question is which finish would be more durable? The stained and varnished wood is tough to touch up, too. White actually shows alot less dirt than black does IMO. However, a light or mid-toned wood would probably still hide more than white.

i did honey stained maple in our last kitchen (stainless appliances) but i really didn't like it at all when it was installed. the color was too close to the floor. they looked too similar. just something else to think about... good luck!

I have always loved white cabinets but I also have always loved maple stained cherry or natural cherry cabinets. I have always loved the shaker look. Due to no window over my sink in the kitchen and not a lot of light, I want my kitchen to be bright and cheery so I finally decided to go with white cabinets. So far I am learning towards Shiloh's Polar White as I find it the perfect white as it is not too white but not too creamy. I had a golden oak bedroom set but in 2007 when the platform bed fell apart, I bought Durham Solid Maple Bedroom furniture with a Wesley Allan Headboard. I love the Sand White washed out finish. I love how bright and happy my small bedroom is. Well it is small for a Master Bedroom but still a decent size for me.

I had a horrible experience with a General Finish paint several years ago. Their customer service was rude, told me their product was wonderful, and it was my own fault. And then took the product off the market within a year. Stuff I've used of theirs that wasn't utter garbage wasn't fantastic. So, I'm skeptical when anyone raves about their gel stain. The Rustoleum includes all the products you need for every technique, even if you don't need them for the look you're going for. That makes them really expensive if you don't need all the products. I have used BM Advance paint on cabinets and furniture (and doors and trim) and been very happy at a fraction of what the Rustoleum stuff costs. The caveat though is that it takes a LONG time for the paint to cure fully. Like, several weeks. It'll be dry to the touch in a few hours, but it can scratch off if you bump it before it's fully cured.