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Show Me your Beadboard Cabinets

marthavila
15 years ago

Like everything else with this remodel now under major redesign, I've begun toying with the idea of changing out my cabinetry altogether. As such, I'm now considering moving from rather plain raised panels to beadboard for my door/drawer fronts. Would those of you who have chosen this style, please post photos of your cabinetry? And, whether or not you have such cabinets, can the informed among us please offer some advice on this style of cabinetry? I'm interested in knowing whether beadbord presents more of a cleaning challenge, expands and warps more easily. Any special appreciation for the style? Any regrets? Things like that.

TIA!

Comments (29)

  • berf
    15 years ago

    I have cherry beadboard and I love the look and am reusing them in my remodel as well--BUT I'm mixing in some flat panel this time because my one regret is that they are very hard to clean in a working kitchen. I have a small space, lots of cooking, two kids and a dog--all the usuall stuff and I have to say that scrubbing out the guck from the beaded board is a pain in the you know what. Just my experience. I love them enough to keep what i have but if I had an ulimited budget I'd probably choose something different and mix in the beadboard more sparingly.

    Kindly,
    B

  • bluekitobsessed
    15 years ago

    I started off wanting all white, all beadboard, but I worried about the cleanliness factor. My KD also said that beadboard is very busy visually. I am having some beadboard on the island and above the range hood.

    It's hard to keep beadboard from not saying "cottage."

    As for wood, I think you would want a denser wood with less obvious grain (maple or cherry, not oak) so that the woodgrain and the beading aren't fighting each other for visual dominance. Several of the HD type cabinet co's use thermofoil for their white beadboard, which they say is easy to keep clean, but I didn't like the almost-plastic look of it.

  • marthavila
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks for this information. I never planned to have beadboard cabs in my kitchen. In fact, my current cabs are Ikea Lidingo (white with raised panels) and, all along, I have been gearing my design more towards that of a basic "period" kitchen, with a farmhouse sink, soapstone countertops, Aga range, etc. However, I am now at one of those pivotal crossroads in the remodel/redesign process where I must toss nearly half of the cabs I already have and order a bunch of new ones to accommodate the redesign. With that much of my investment up for grabs, I'm now also stopping to consider whether I should forge ahead with my original choice of cabinetry or toss it before the redesign is actually executed. And, Bluekit, since I've always had a love for distinctly farmhouse/cottage style kitchens, that's what led me to start considering beadboard at this point in my process. :)

    It is so helpful that you have both confirmed my lurking suspicions about beadboard's cleaning challenges and potential for visual "busyness." To be certain, I had not intended to take a super dramatic leap into beadboard territory by facing every drawer and door front with it but your advice surely convinces me to use it sparingly -- if I go that route at all.

    And, if anyone else has comments on this topic, or photos, I would love to see them!

  • berf
    15 years ago

    Just dug up this one photo I have of my existing kitchen on the computer right now--it doesn't show most of the cabinets, but some of them at least...
    {{!gwi}}

  • fran1523
    15 years ago

    Here's a pic of my beadboard cabinets. I had these doors made for my existing cabinets. The kitchens only been in use for a few months so it's hard to say what the maintenance will be like. I guess I will just wash them down a couple times a year with a sponge and warm soapy water.

  • marthavila
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks for posting those photos! Berf, I can see why you will be keeping yours on the remodel. Fran, yours are lovely as well. Here's another question, especially for those of you with the stained wood cabs -- have you had any experience with expansion or contractio of the beaded panels due to weather/climate conditions?

  • ketinmd
    15 years ago

    I love beadboard, but also worried about it being busy. So I decided to mix it in. My island is beadboard, and the cabinets are basically shaker with some flatfront drawers thrown in. Here's a photo from the latter phase of construction.

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

  • berf
    15 years ago

    Nope--no expansion/contraction problems with the beadboard panels. I will also say, we have beadboard wainscoting we put in our upstairs bathroom and that was just the basic panels you can buy at HD--and even in the tiny space with all the moisture--it's been 9 years and no problems. We did caulk and paint in that case, though.

  • bluekitobsessed
    15 years ago

    Ketinmd, I really, really love, love, love your mix of beadboard and Shaker! I'm doing something similar and hope it turns out looking so nice. Ditto fran & berf. I don't like fussy but I don't like sleek modern, and beadboard says farm/cottage without being excessively fussy or cutesy. Good luck marthavila!

  • acountryfarm
    15 years ago

    I have beadboard/shaker style cabs with slab drawers. Some of the very large drawers on the seat benches etc are beadboard as well. I have beadboard wainscot on in my current kitchen and it is no harder to clean than anything else. I do love the look. Here are pics of new home, although they are not painted yet















  • mygar
    15 years ago

    acountryfarm.....Beautiful!

  • marthavila
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    OMG, Acountryfarm and Ketinmd-- that's exactly "the blended look" of cottage/farmhouse/period I've been trying to imagine applied to my own kitchen. Simply fabulous! Acountryfarm -- what color are you going to paint the cabs? I can't wait to see your kitchen when it's finished!

  • awm03
    15 years ago

    Here's my beadboard kitchen -- in oak, no less. I'm puzzled about the comments of gunk in the beadboard. My cabinets are far away enough from the cooking area that they don't get gunk splashed on them. In fact, even my window backsplash rarely gets anything splashed on it. Do you all fry a lot of greasy foods on high heat or something? I do have both a downdraft & an overhead vent, & use whichever system is most effective for whatever is cooking (& occasionally use both at the same time).

    And for occasional spills on to lower cabinets, those get wiped up right away. The cabs aren't dust collectors either . And I do look for dust! On the whole, my experience is that they do not get dirtier or even dirty faster than regular cabs. Maybe because the stain is dark or because the other kitchen design elements are plain, the design doesn't come off as busy. I love the look and would do it again if I had the chance.

    Here is a link that might be useful: oak beadboard kitchen

  • berf
    15 years ago

    Hi awm03-
    Your kitchen is beautiful-I particularly love your tile! You are right, I cook a lot with high heat and fry fish a lot too! Regrettably my kitchen and equipment were not built for that--so while I ventilate as best I can I am looking forward to the remodel with a serious hood. I suspect not everyone would have this problem, especially with adequate ventilation. I have the added "benefit" haha of the backyard door with all the mud, dog tracks and kid splashing coming right on through...sigh.

  • acountryfarm
    15 years ago

    marthavila-
    Thank you! The cabs under the black honed granite will be painted white , it's actually dover white. The island & 2 baking centers will be black, they obviously are the marble topped pieces. I have quite a bit of black furniture so think this will really tie it all together.
    Your right, its that perfect blend of cottage, farmhouse, period that I was looking for as well. My house is very large and I get comments daily that it seems so inviting & cozy for such a large house, thats what I love. I spent hours & hours and days & days going over every detail to get to this point.
    We have had a horrible build experience with money stolen, builders going bankrupt and now our newest builder just not there (ever). I am sure in the end I will forget, but getting to that point has caused many tears and stress.
    This is our 3rd year, I can't wait.

  • mygar
    15 years ago

    awm03, how wide is your base cabinet to the left of sink? What do you use it for? I love your pull-out cutting boards.

  • jen4268
    15 years ago

    This is the small kitchen (really used as more of a bar area) in our guest house. We used beadboard in the cabinets and as the backsplash.

  • awm03
    15 years ago

    mygar, the cabinet is 20.5 inches, if I measured correctly. Colandars, strainers, cheese grater, paper towels, a food processor, & canning lids go there. The 2 pull-out cutting boards offer wonderful work flexibility.

    jen4268 -- Ohhh! What a beautiful kitchen! I love how the wood surrounds you. The beaded backsplash is great as are the colors, textures & angles. The picture above the sink is a wonderful touch. Beautiful door knob too! (I've been looking at replacement doors & hardware for 5 weeks now. Can't decide.)

  • jen4268
    15 years ago

    Thanks awm03- the guest house really functions as more of a "mens den" most of the time- my husband hangs out there and watches golf and entertains. That's why there is so much wood, masculine finishes etc. I wanted it to feel like you were in a "club" bar area.

  • mygar
    15 years ago

    Thanks, awm03. I am going to have a corner sink with a 21" base cabinet to the left so it is very interesting to see if for real (also beadboard).

  • cpang74
    15 years ago

    My island is beadboard.

    Here is a link that might be useful: My beadboard Island

  • marthavila
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Wow. It's nice to see so many different ways that beadboard can be integrated into the kitchen. IMHO, all of your kitchens look great!

    Jen, I'm especially impressed by your application. With beadboard everything, your kitchen does not look too "busy" at all. Quite the opposite. And, you have definitely achieved the "serious" feeling of a hunting lodge or "men's den" here.

    Awm03- I not only dig your kitchen but your Milkshake as well! Very interesting mix there with those beadboard cabs stainless steel countertops. I like it!

    Cpang_- Your kitchen tells me we have some shared design tastes what with your white cabs, farmhouse sink, yellow walls, and distressed finish on the island. Also, what I like most about your use of beadboard is that it makes for both a surface and color contrast with the rest of your cabinetry. And you distressed it as well! (If I change my cabinets completely, I am giving strong consideration to having them painted with a distressed antique finish). I only wish I could see the beadboard detailing on your island a bit better.

  • dixiechick_07
    15 years ago

    All of the beadboard applications are awesome. I am trying to convince DH (or at this point dh) that the island would look good surrounded by beadboard. We actually took some down off the walls and it is probably original to the house. It is individual 3" beaded boards. I think I will strip a couple of pieces to see how it turns out. Seeing all of the beautiful beadboard cabinets makes me want to use it even more. Thanks for all the posts. It is great to see what others have done.

    acountryfarm - what color is the darker color in your kitchen and on your pillars???? Also, the lighter color is beautiful with it. I would like to know that color too. I have to paint a Butler's Pantry and love the dusty clay color.

  • awm03
    15 years ago

    Thanks so much, marthavila. I'm really enjoying the dark wood & stainless counters combo after having white kitchens for years. Our kitty Milkshake doesn't do a good job of staying off the counters, so it's a good thing stainless counters are easy to sanitize!

  • msrose
    15 years ago

    acountryfarm - I'm curious about your pretty floors. Are they travertine?

    Laurie

  • acountryfarm
    15 years ago

    dixiechick 07-

    Well I hate to spoil it for you, but the dusty clay color is just unpainted wood. Everything will be painted white. We are in prep stage right now. The yellow is RH's Butter. I love that color and most of my house is that, except our boy's bedrooms. Thank you for the compliments.

  • acountryfarm
    15 years ago

    msrose-
    I will say they are even more beautiful in person. I am feeling like that was the best decision I made. I did pay quite a bit more than I wanted to. Dh said "go with what you love" . I really love these floors.

    They are called Philadelphia Series Light, it is an antiqued tumbled travertine. Here is a close-up





  • msrose
    15 years ago

    acountryfarm - Thank you for the close-ups. I thought it was travertine, but I don't think I've ever seen it with the swirls of color in it like that. They're gorgeous!

    Laurie

  • hgerman
    15 years ago

    Yep, they're great on cabinets, walls and even backsplash.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Beadboard wainscoting