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Home Decorating Design Dilemma Kitchens

I’m trying to decide on kitchen cabinets. Stained, painted or both?

last year

last modified: last year

I like the look of cream cabinets with white oak or maybe maple but I’m really concerned with the durability of the painted cabinets. In previous homes my stained cabinets seem to hold up better/longer than my painted. I even thought about doing a light or natural stain on rift cut white oak for perimeter and then doing a darker stain for the island. Cabinets are such an investment I don’t want to make a huge mistake. This is a new build and our forever home so I want it to be beautiful but durability is super important. The back of our house has floor to ceiling windows but no actual windows in the kitchen. It’s open to the other rooms though. I’m working with a custom cabinet maker. Can you please share your experience with painted verses stained? I’m down to the wire on my decision making. Thanks in advance for your help.

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Comments (3)

littlebug Zone 5 Missouri
last year
last modified: last year
It’s a highly personal decision. Determining factors should include your plans for flooring, walls, countertop, backsplash, appliances, and last but not least, personal preference. There’s really not a good way to offer advice in a vacuum like this.

I will (hopefully) never have painted cabinets in my home as I have vivid memories of helping my mother paint hers when I was young. I thought it made them look cheap, and they always chipped. But that’s just me.
Cindy thanked littlebug Zone 5 Missouri
wannaknow2
last year
I’ve read that painted does’t hold up as well as wood (I think I’ve even read it on cabinet maker’s websites); also that wood has been making a come back.

That said, littlebug is right, it’s highly personal. No matter what you are thinking about, research, research, research and choose the best quality you can afford, especially since this is your forever home. You want to be happy with your choice down the road.

Be encouraged: you are already on the right track, knowing you want and need quality as an investment and that you’d prefer to do only once!
Cindy thanked wannaknow2
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Lyn Nielson
last year
Painted, if done professionally will hold up just as well as stained.

I would paint the island base a fun color.

I personally think Oak has been done... time for something new.
Cindy thanked Lyn Nielson

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