if you like it. it isn't something I'd want - might have been a time I would have tho.

What is the style you will be aiming for? That is a very rustic look. In fact I thought it was the "before" picture until I read your post. It is fine if you are after that look... but I might suggest not sanding off the corners and limiting the glaze to just the panel edges, so that it looks broken in but not necessarily worn out.

Just my opinion, though! The distressed paint would not fit in my kitchen, but that doesn't mean it isn't right for yours.

I agree that it looks distressed. I had to re-read your post to understand this is an 'after' picture.

Is your inspiration a "distressed" rustic look?

I agree with the others. If you are going for rustic, then they look great! I always picture cabinets like that in a mountain ski retreat or a home with tons of wood and older touches throughout the home.
And I certainly can appreciate the time and love that goes into doing cabinets yourself. I'm stripping and restaining mine right now.

I find it a little more distressed than it to my taste but it definitely has that very rustic feel if that is what you are looking for. If you are asking for an opinion, I would do 50% less distressing on the door to make it look better in my eyes if you are going for that rustic or shabby chic look but this is just my humble opinion.

Thanks everyone. This is helpful. I was worried it was too rustic too. I will go 50% less and I can always add more. I really don't want it to look like old broken furniture.

I like it. I may not be understanding the process correctly, so I have a little concern about longevity with open wood where the sand through took place. Are you going to top coat them or something?

I searched a little bit and I will go for more of this look. Less is more.

Here is a link that might be useful: Glazed door sample

You did a really gorgeous job, seriously, kudos to your painting skill! But yes, it is quite a rustic look. Something makes me want to say it would look better in a slightly warmer off-white/cream color -- the contrast between the starker white and the distressing is perhaps a little harsh? The sample door you linked above is definitely creamier than the one you've done, and it seems to fit the glazing a bit better.
Do you have any leeway in the choice of color?

I think you did a great job - it looks really good. I would echo the concern about sanding it back and not sealing it. Always good to hold back when finishing something - looking at one door won't be the same as the whole kitchen. I don't think it is too far but I don't tend to like a very polished look in a kitchen - seems counter intuitive to the function of the space.

The first thing I thought of was, "Wow! That's oak?"

I like the distressed look but agree that the cream may need to have more color to stand up against that glaze. Either tone down the little specks of glaze, ie just glaze the edge profile of the door, or use a lighter toned glaze. Otherwise I think it looks great. I don't think I would have ever thought that was oak, and if that is what you are trying to accomplish, kudos to you!

I actually think it came out great for its genre. You could take a little less paint off, but that is splitting hairs. If you seal it after it is distressed, it will be fine.
I am less thrilled with the knob. If you used a softer color hardware, it would look more relaxed. The contrast works against the look.

Thanks. I appreciate all the comments. I still have until Tues to make the final decisions. I am having the cabinets professionally painted.... but I will glaze. I haven't bought the paint yet, so I can go creamier. I was also thinking of going for a lighter color on the glaze. I am mixing my own so I can lighten up on that color, for a more subtle effect. Rustic really isn't what I am going for. I think nicely aged is more the effect I want. I also will look at more knobs. Thanks so much everyone.

I agree with the others (less distressing/sanding). However, you did an awesome job painting. I considered having my oak cabs painted, but adding new doors and trim isn't very expensive for the updated look I'll get.

Please understand that I am not a fan of glazing so my comment is coming from that perspective. But the shading on the outermost profile doesn't look aged to me, it looks dirty and I just want to fire up the steam cleaner and get out the TSP just to clean it off!

To me truly aged surfaces look less like accumulated dirt and more like evidence of paint film failure, i.e crazing and fine lines. Possibly a smidge of worn-off paint or knots bleeding through, but never, ever, dirt and fly specks. I think our foremothers would have hooted at the typical glazed cabinetry of today. If there wasn't enough cash money to buy the ingredients for new paint, they would have boiled water and strong lye soap and had at the surfaces to get them clean. Otherwise their peers would have judged them to be shiftless housekeepers.

OTOH, I have to say that you have done a superlative job at capturing the typical aged/worn look that I've seen in cabinet showrooms. You are very, very good at it.

Maybe you could get the old look you want, w/o the artificial decorative effects by carefully choosing a paint color that suggests natural aging (yellowing due to the oxidizing of the carrier and a general fading out of the weaker, more fugitive blue shades) of paint colors that predate non-chemical dyes. You might also experiment with using heat or steam to partially degrade the uppermost paint layer to imitate (premature, in this case) paint film failure. Then top coat to protect the finish, IYKWIM.

But keep in mind, my comments reflect my own taste, not necessarily yours, and it's your kitchen. But I agree with the other posters that the door as you have so skillfully painted it looks extremely rustic (think cowboy seasonal cabin) more than simply old.

I hope my comments aren't distressing to you, but hopefully helpful in trying to capture the look you want.

L.

No offense taken by any of the comments. I should have stated that I didn't really paint the outer edge (not the flat part, but the curved edge of the cabinet, so that is why that looks particularly crappy.. lol. I am very appreciative of all the comments.... I was not sure I could live with how rustic the cabinet turned out and I was being a bit influenced by what I have seen in showrooms, but I wasn't sure that it was something I could live with. So I am very happy that I posted before doing the whole kitchen. I am currently painting half the cabinet door with a more subdued look. Thanks everyone! Thanks for the painting compliments (guess my high school oil painting lessons have come in handy). I will post an updated photo tomorrow.

Here's the new less rustic painting. Just a creamier paint with a little glaze and a little gentle rub off of paint. The updated cabinet door part is on the right the old is on the left.

Yes! I like that much better... looks good!

MUCH MUCH better!!!

Much better! I now like it very much! I have that rubbed out look in my bedroom furniture since I have the Durham Maple Furniture with the Sand White Finish that is distressed and my doors look more like your newly painted doors. Love it! I can't wait to see more of the kitchen. I am glad you asked for honest opinions and it really paid off.

P.S. What paint color did you use on the creamier painted door? What color glaze did you use? I really like how it turned out. Your first try was learning what to do and then you did not like something about the door and it was a great idea to ask us. The 2nd try is perfection.

I really like it. I think its much better. Good luck with your project.

I liked the first one; but upon seeing your second pix, agree that the NEW side of the door is much better!!!

You're doing a great job of painting those doors, BTW!

jody

Great work-like them both actually, but would change the knob to white porcelin or a faceted crystal, or let's say NOT a dark metal-too heavy. I'm seeing a light country cottage look. Maybe even the oversized wood knobs that come in different woods and finishes.

Thanks everyone! You all have been so very helpful. I am going to have to work on the knobs, but that is easy to test with sample knobs once the kitchen is done. I am using a cream color called Windswept and Roasted coffee beans with glaze both from Benjamin Moore. The island will be painted brown over beadboard wallpaper. Pics to follow this week. Yay!

Here is my kitchen before:

fantastic second go - what a huge difference! Impressive work, really. You'll love your space so much more for the work you put in + your obvious skill.

And,
I agree with the thought that a knob with a little less contrast would be nice.

I love the second look! Good luck!

I agree the second go is MUCH better! Good luck with this project. Can't wait to see the afters.

What did you use to fill the oak grain? I can't see any grain showing through on the door at all.

Painting begins tomorrow. I didn't use fill for the grain, but I did use primer and two coats regular BM paint. It was present a little on the left sample. For my second sample, I primed again and another coat of BM paint. It was not present at all. My painter is using an even better primer and two coats of aura paint. I am ok with a tiny bit of grain. I used two coats of aura paint and no primer on an oak wall unit and ended up with a teeny tiny bit of grain. I will let you know how it goes.

Wow, you are talented! I liked the first version but really love the second. Great job!!! Can't wait to see more pics as your kitchen transformation continues! :)