What color were you trying to acheive? Yes, this has some red, but I don't think it looks bad. You've done a good job with the stain, and your floors and counters don't clash.

If it really bothers you, you might consider doing one coat of a stain that's a different color to diminish the red you don't want to see.

Excuse the mess in my kitchen (the kids just ate and I have staining/painting stuff everywhere)

This is pretty much what the color looks like when I look at it from across the room.

How often do you take a pic of your kitchen? If you say it looks ok with the naked eye then I'd say you're fine.
Couple of comments/questions : Were the cabinets in your bathrooms the same oak as in your kitchen? Differences in lighting will definitely be a factor in how colour is portrayed in a room. I remember you asking about this and although my monitor shows your counters as coming across as green I think you said that they are not. Your counters in your bathrooms are white. The differences in the counters will also affect how your cabinets are perceived to the eye.
Red and green are complementary colours and so will make the other appear brighter. One should take the lead and the other the accent. In this case (according to my monitor) you have both taking a big junk of colour-space in your room and making both more of the colour than they actually are. i.e. the red is redder and the green is greener.

However if you say it looks good to the naked eye and you like it then stay with it.

You posted your new pics while I was typing. So what colour is your wall - green as well? maybe I need to get my monitor colour-calibrated. Are they staying the greenish?

If it looks as nice to your eye as it does to mine, why care what it looks like in photos?

If they only look red in photos, don't fret. I think they look amazingly good! The red is unnoticeable in your "stepped back" pic.

I'll bet countless people will be gel-staining oak bath vanities this weekend, after seeing your photos. They look really, really good. The kitchen is going to look just as good!

And I agree, avoid green paints if you want to de-emphasize the red.

You know the whole taking the picture thing is funny. I don't like how my new granite looks in pictures. It looks like everything I hate about my particular granite - Santa Cecilia, so I don't know if I will ever post pics of my finished kitchen (if it ever gets finished!) But in person, it is gorgeous,dark and rich looking, and everything I wanted.

I think your cabs look great even in your pictures, especially the last one. Such an improvement, just lovely, dark and rich. I guess it is easy for me to say, but I am impressed with the transformation!

I love the way it looks! Reminds me of cherry.

Here is a link that might be useful: stained cherry kitchens

Did I miss it? What color stain is that? I've been thinking about painting our oak vanity red, but maybe your stain would be a better idea.

First, why does it matters if the red comes out in pics? (Unless your kitchen is being used for a movie or photo shoot. :)) If you like it the way it is, don't worry about the red. However, if the red tones bother you, try going over it with General Antique Walnut--it looks like about the depth of color you have now but without the red. That should tone down the red and bring out the deep brown more.

I think your kitchen looks great, BTW! You've done an amazing job of transforming your kitchen! Hang in there, you're doing fine!

blfenton
My paint is really not green. It does have some green tone in it, but it is really more beige. Its called Oat Straw from Behr. That is really interesting though. I never thought about if the tones in my paint were helping the "red" along. But obviously I am not thinking clearly right now. lol I am sorta freaking :P

dianalo
You know its weird about the pics, because my cabinets before I stained them, always looked better in pics than they did in real life. So this is a real change up for me.

shanghaimom

Thanks so much! I think my vanities look really good too.
I wonder if I should go with a color that is a bit more grey or yellow??

colorado_mom
LOL I am so glad you said that about your granite. lol I wonder if your computer is making your granite look different? Color off?

natal
Oh thanks! Some of those are really red too and they look nice.
flwrs_n_co
You know I do have a tiny can of general finishes Antique walnut stain...
Thanks for posting everyone. I know I rarely post here but I am so glad that this site exists. I think I have been looking at these wood doors for TOO long this week.

Your kitchen cabinets look totally fabulous!

The red tone in the stain makes your counters look almost charcoal grey-it's going to be rich and lovely when you're done.

Did you do much sanding of the cabinets before staining? How many coats of stain do you recommend? Lastly (or second to lastly), you do a final coat in poly? Has your bathroom cabinet held up well?

See... you've motivated me to do something with our oak kitchen cabinets.

And what color did you use?

I think it looks great. I don't think you need to go darker, though.

I think it looks great.
I love that dark wood color. It seems like the color is perfect and if the red weren't deep in there, it might be too cool and a little dead.

Maybe just let go of how it looks w a flash and embrace that it look great IRL.
You can always photoshop the warm flash cast out for your unveiling pics ;0)

I wish my kitchen got that kind of light. I will have to photoshop some nice natural light INTO mine!

I think it looks fantastic, red or not. I don't see the red like you do but it looks very nice and modern!

Thanks everyone! I was feeling pretty bad about the red this morning. I went to bed worrying about it and woke up worrying about it. I feel a lot better about it now and I am going to keep on with it.

I have been putting on really thin coats so it feels like it is taking forever, which is another part of my anxiety.

I am going to weigh in with the people who like it. I think it looks like cherry too, and I personally like that, but maybe its not your thing. Maybe it's just such a big change from what you had that you need a few days to get used to it. I don't like the way the color of my kitchen walls looks in photographs, though I like it very much in every day life. So, I wouldn't worry about the red in the pictures. Could you consider painting your walls and go for a whole new look top to bottom? Just a thought.

Beautiful. Finish it up cuz it's going to be wonderful.

Natal, she says she used General Finishes Brown Mahogany.

I need to ask: what's so wrong with red? I love red undertones, especially in kitchens. I think your cabinets are gorgeous and inspirational.

Is there some reason you really dislike red?

I LOVE IT.

Kadydid, I remember you old post and I may even have
been the one that noted the red. Forgive me. Please
oh please forgive my stupid remark. I am so
wrong to suggest that this color gel stain would be too
red. It really looks great. (Note link below)

Honestly, it looks fantastic. Yes there is a slight red
tinge but any stain is going to have a base color to it.
Red is far more pleasing than you realize. Cherry
Chocolate comes to mind and I love chocolate. It matches
perfectly the warm golden floors. Of course the cute dog
adds to the picture.

Once you put everything back and your kitchen is finished
you are going to be so proud of yourself. It really
is fantastic. I am not sure how much you spent on this
update but it looks wonderful. I think you just need some
support. And you have it from me. I am inspired to do my
bathroom too.

Now remind me which stain did you use?

~boxerpups

Here is a link that might be useful: Would my kitchen be too dark if I gel stained my oak?

Circus, thank you!!!

It is strange how the color of some things don't photo well. My cabinets are cream and my floor is slightly deeper cream. In real life they look great - in all lights. In pictures the cabinets look white and the floor looks very yellow/orange. They don't even match well in the photos, and I got tired of saying "My floor is not that yellow"

Have you tried taking your pictures without using a flash? It's probably the flash that is making your cabinets look red. (Kind of like red eye in people).

By the way, I love the way your kitchen looks.

You will be okay!!! Every coat makes them darker and richer. IF you are really not liking the red undertone -which is the orange of the oak showing through the stain- you could do a light coat of the java to cool them down a bit or add a couple teaspoons of it to the stain you are using now. I did that with a mahogany to deepen it.

It is a beautiful change and when you are finished your kitchen will be stunning with all worries over and a huge smile of satisfaction on your face!!! =)

Katydid- I think you are doing a brilliant job! It looks great (said the girl who just put in cherry stained maple cabinets and kept her light grey-Dusk-Corian counters to keep thebudget in check!) Can I ask what your floor is? I need a floor yet with my similar looking kitchen and like the contrast. Thank you! I really admire your stick-to-it-iveness. That amount of staining cannot be easy with the kids underfoot. I think you are feeling project build-up remorse. I get it all the time. We redid the basement on a budget (No joke- soup to nuts for under a thousand dollars)then got stuck on carpet. Looked around and found something we thought we'd like and then after it was installed I just felt the biggest let down. I had to live with it and adjust my expectations a bit because I think you just get to a point where you put so much time, work and effort into a project that you think- subconsciously, I suppose) that your life will be magically transformed. And it's not, It's infinitely improved, but not exactly as life changing as you thought, and you know what? That's ok. I guarantee you it is all worth it in the end. You have done a great job! Now relax, get some wine (or gin or whatever your guilty pleasure is) and enjoy the fruits of your labor!

If the last picture is a true representation then I think the color looks fantastic. It looks amazing with your stainless. It's going to look like a brand new kitchen. Well done!!!

I think it looks beautiful and very elegant with your gray countertops. I agree with blfenton that the current wall paint color doesn't work so well with it. I don't know what colors you have adjacent, but in the pic with the coffee pot where you can see the soffit, the color in the background to the left looks like a midtone silvery blue and I noticed how much nicer that color looks next to the cabinet color.

I love it!

Thank you all so much for your nice comments. I put on one more somewhat heavier coat on the bottoms and they're not coming out as red. Thankfully!! I feel better about the whole thing. And I might change the paint. I wont talk to hubby about that one until he recovers from this project though LOL

boxerpups

Thanks so much, it was really red though, so you were right. lol I used the Brown mahogany from General Finishes.

never_ending

Is that why it is so red? That dreaded orangy oak coming back to bite my butt!! lol I really hated that orange. REALLY.

debbie1031

How cool that you were able to get new cabinets and keep your counters!! What a saver!!

We bought our laminate floor from Home Depot. I think it was Dupont. I am not sure I would buy this same floor again though.

And I am SO getting a glass of wine! lol

Did you use a foam brush or did you use a cloth? It looks like you got a great finish! It looks wonderful--like a brand new kitchen:)

kadydid--they look great!

I know I can did out my directions I have buried somewhere, but if I wanted to do a vanity like your first photo...how long would it take? DH on business trip til Saturday, wonder if I can add this to my marathon home makeover while he is away. (painting mbr right now, maybe the bathroom later today...)

Congrats of your kitchen project! Isn't it great saving the cabinets you have?

beekeeperswife, My first vanity I used Minwax, Mahogany. It seemed like it took a LOT longer for the minwax gel stain to dry than it did the General finishes Gel stain to finish. It also doesn't go on as nice as general finishes so I had to put on many coats to get it even. You might be able to get it done in a week if its pretty dry in your area.

I found that I could do a couple of coats of general finishes in a day. It dried and was not at all tacky. You could probably get a similar look with Java general finishes and it would more than likely go a lot faster.

elle3, I actually used both and I had some tiny paint brushes too because I have so many nooks and crannies. For the most part I used a sock.

Thanks so much!!

Hi kady...

It looks really good! Don't fret! Thank you for posting pics of your vanities because you are making me want to do my master bath oaks that look a mess...

I just recently finished gel-staining my china cabinet and some dining room chairs with GF Java...It is a superior product compared to Minwax.

I wanted to say that when I did my cabinet and chairs I was going for a really dark look, so I foam brushed it on in thin coats, and didn't wipe off the excess(as it seems most people do)...I'm pretty happy with the results.

I was curious...do you wipe off after applying? Your work looks amazing!

Thanks!!

KA:)

If you want to make it more brown, use the General Finishes "Java" color instead of the brown mahogany. At this point a coat of the java will tone down the reddish hue, but also make it darker generally.
Casey

kitchenaddict,
On my minwax project I actually used a very good quality foam roller lol I feel ashamed for even saying that, but I did. It didn't wipe on very well for me. I tried to wipe it for a bit, but it was not working well so used a small white roller with very small pores that you could barely see.

On my general finishes project I wiped it on, but I did really light coats of it, so I only wiped off the excess, usually around the edges. The times where I did go to heavy I did wipe it off more. I am pretty sure I did more coats than others who have done gel stain projects on this site, because they were light coats.

I also washed my stuff with TSP which I don't think most people do. But I used to oil my cabinets in an attempt to make them look fresher (when they were the golden oak color) and I didn't want to take a chance with not getting that oil out before I started staining because the gel will not stick to areas that have oil.

Enjoyed the pics your cabinet transformation! Was thinking of painting our cabs but think a dark stain great idea!

You may have thought of this, but I think I would but glass doors on your cabinets that are open in the pictures. They have some really cool glass inserts now that really dress up the cabs and keep in more light in the room!

Hi again kady..

Thanks for your response. I re-read what I wrote and I didn't mean to sound snooty about the minwax product...In fact your minwax vanity looks realy good! I just found GF to be really easy to work with, and minwax not so much...

Your kitchen looks really great..nice backsplash and counters and now nicely updated cabs..good for you!

KA:)

Kady, on my suggestion I helped a friend go over her oak cabinets with the Java stain. It took two painted coats for the oak to go away so I imagine your light coats are just taking longer! You will be fine and once again... hooray for the amazing power of gel stain! =)

Unless your eyes have flash installed, go with the original Gel stain. What you see day after day is what matters, not what cheap cell-phone flash shows.

You can blend colors. About 1/3 Java mixed well into the brown mahogany will strengthen the brown.

kitchenaddict, Oh no, I am very snooty about minwax. The color was good but its not as good as GF.

never_ending, LOL Thanks, your name reminds me of my project...never ending :P

pcrossen, OMG I wanted to get some glass cabinet doors! I'll probably wait until the kids go back to school, but I think that is a really good idea. I have thought about that more than a few times and then today I looked at the HGTV green dream home and saw that they had counters same color as mine, dark brown cabinets (less red) and a few frosted doors. It just confirmed to me how good it would look!!

looks so great ! Very clean and serene!
Hope you're loving it!

kady, it looks great.

Quick question...the ends of your cabinets...are they laminate or wood? If laminate how did you do the stain on them? Same method? Did it take the gel stain?

Thanks!
bee

Some of the laminate was better quality than others and yes I did them all the same exact way. The really cheap stuff (that is on the backside of my peninsula) didn't stain as nice as the better laminate. But the stuff on the front and sides did really well with the stain.

Would love to see final pics! How do you like it...after 5 years? I think it looks great!

Mahogany naturally has red in it. Which is why you see it in your pictures. The Java would have given you a true deep brown stain. General Finishes has an even darker color than Java (it's called espresso) but it's almost black.