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Show me your darker oak cabinets-not espresso

12 years ago

I have the dreaded oak cabinets. I want to change the colour from that orange-y honey stain, but I'm not interested in the super dark espresso stain. My kitchen tends to be on the dark side, and I don't think it would work.

I have a new table and chairs. They have a reddish walnut stain, and I would like the cabinets to match. I can live with the grain-it doesn't bother me, and we aren't planning on selling any time soon anyhow. The doors are a simple raised panel design (no arches), so that's a plus.

Also, for anyone who has used General Finishes gel stain- does it work on the fake woodgrain melamine end panels?

Thanks

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Comments (8)

colorfast
12 years ago
mapletex, I would also post this over on the Paint Forum too. I know, you're interested in stain, not paint, but those folks may have some insights on this too. They were very helpful on a prior project I did. Good luck!
kclv
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks, colorfast. I'll do that.
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I don't have oak floors or cherry cabinets, but maybe some help. Try posting this question over on the main kitchen Forum. Much busier there and you will likely get more responses. This Forum is more for chatting and is less trafficked. Also look in the finished kitchens. Starpooh set it up to be searchable, so you should be able to pull up any kitchens with that combo. Good luck! Here is a link that might be useful: finished kitchens
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I wasn't sure whether you were adding uppers, an island, a different wall or what when you said you were adding cabinets, so wasn't thinking that you were going to be putting them side-by-side and would need to extend countertop. Since the manufacturer is probably still making your cabinets, it definitely would be less $$ to just add to them - any differences in color from light/aging on old cabinets should blend in after a while. Just curious - did you buy this house recently and inherit the cabinets, or did you build/reno 4 years ago and choose the current cabinets yourself? If you got a really good price for the house then maybe you're not as concerned with replacing newer cabinets and doing all maple. You could always use older cabinets in laundry or maybe even bath (some people like higher vanities), sell them on CL or donate them to Habitat or something. if you're adding a lot of cabinets (like almost as many as are there already) then do what you like, no sense spending a lot to add to something you're not crazy about.
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We installed new 3" white oak planks throughout the main part of the house. The stain is a custom mix of 75% Jacobean and 25% Coffee Black. (I was told Coffee Black was the equivalent of Minwax Special Walnut.) I showed my floor guys a couple of pictures of what I wanted, specifically Nini's gorgeous floors, and we worked from there. I wanted the floors to be dark enough to be rich and yummy, but not so dark that every strand of cat hair and crumb would scream at me. I brought a couple of drawers from some of my QS oak antiques to make sure the floor wasn't too matchy-matchy. We ended up with the same formulation as Nini's. Edited to add that I didn't want any red or yellow undertones in my floor. Just a nice, pleasing, rich brown color. My floors are finished in Bona waterborne, which my flooring company swears by. This post was edited by breezygirl on Sun, May 5, 13 at 17:33
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roarah
12 years ago
I sanded and refinished my solid oak cabs. I used regular stain in a red mahgony so darker than you would like to do. This was almost 8 years ago and we are starting to plan our next kitchen now so It does look a bit dated. I have north west exposure so not a really bright room. I am always hesitant to post my kitchen on GW because it does not compare to the kitchens I usually see posted here but I will say I have enjoyed my kitchen much more after I changed out the honey color finish for this very dark one.
kclv
Original Author
12 years ago
Thank you roarah. That is similar to the colour I was looking for. Your kitchen looks fine to me. I just want an update without spending a lot of money.
Kay Harden
12 years ago
I love the little bit I can see of your kitchen. What is the countertop, if I may ask? I would love to see more of your kitchen.
roarah
12 years ago
Thanks maple and kay. Kay the counters are 7 year old polished( all they offered in my area then) Carrara marble. They have never stained and have etches only I seem to see. My kitchen is small and has 5 doors to other rooms:( and is very hard to photograph this is not a great pic but it shows the wood more. I can not wait for our redo. I will salvage my counters but might have them honed and i have not decided on my next cabs I think walnut or mahagony tho with all lower drawers. And we will rome at least on doorway when we do it.
Kay Harden
12 years ago
Wow. I love this one. Can I have it, hee hee? Maybe it is hard to cook in? I can't tell that, but I absolutely love the look.
lazydaisynot
12 years ago
Gosh I think it's really pretty, too. But dang. I thought I won the prize for most doors in my kitchen -- tied with you at five.

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