Having seen a lot of golden oak kitchens over the years, my impression is that it is a hard color to work with. The color is strong, and as a result it tends to fight against other colors. As a result, a lot of golden oak kitchens are all in various shades of neutrals. That can be a great look, but it has its own problems, especially if you don't have a good eye for the undertones in neutrals. If you pair the orangey golden oak with a pinky travertine and a gray with green undertones, it all goes south very quickly.

There was also the fact that raised panel golden oak cabinets, especially with the cathedral arch doors were EVERYWHERE for a really long time. And they tended to be associated with builder-grade kitchens, which brought in the snob factor.

One thing I didn't consciously process about the most common golden cabs until someone pointed it out is how shiny many of them are. Not exactly glossy, but almost.

I actually like natural oak cabinets, but I've never warmed up to the "honey" ones. I tend to like vivid colors, and it's hard to make them work with honey oak. The kitchen with the pops of turquoise works because the quantity of turquoise is small and it lets the orange be the boss (and also lightens everything with a dose of white). But if you tried to paint the walls turquoise (or a turquoise backsplash) I think it would just come off as clashing.

When I started my kitchen journey, I really loved the smoothness of maple. But, with no budget, I was picking up oak cabinets at reuse centers.

I spent a lot of time exploring grain fillers, because I knew I was going to paint. Not white, but I love painted kitchens.

I had this serious about face when I discovered how gorgeous weathered oak looked. That, and my success in recreating the look has me on a completely different course.

I've stripped (God bless Citristrip!) painted cabinets to weather them. I've taken the maple cabinets I was able to purchase occasionally, and weathered them. I'm now loving the different tones of the oak face frames on different banks of cabinets I've put together. I definitely stripped off the shine and used a matte varnish, but oh, the different oaks' textures are gorgeous.

Addressing the pink oak. Whitewashed, I think they called it. :)
I find if I use a gray stain on my raw oak, they turn pink. AWIK! However, a 2nd coat of my favorite Provincale or Jacobean brings them to that gorgeous grayed brown.

But, I only get that look with oak! Other woods are fine, but the grain of oak is incredible.

Oh - another thing I've seen done to give the ... inexpensive oak cabinets some heft, was to take a 1/4" (or whatever the depth of the back of the door inset is) piece of luan and adhere it to the back of the door. Another person just used heavier strips across the top and bottom of the back of the door's inset area. Really changed the entire feel of the cabinets!

Well, I am not sure now what color my cabinets are. They're supposed to be 'whitewashed' oak, but I thought they looked pinkish so I thought, OK, pickled oak. Not. They are much lighter than golden oak and have a warm tone. Gonna see if I can get a pic that is true to the color.

Sundance I keep looking at your kitchen and it is very nice. To paint those cabinets would be a shame. Maybe update by painting the wall color, new moulding above the cabinets, window treatment etc.

My kitchen was not "all that bad" but yet I envied those I saw online so decided to "just get new counters and a floor". The project was so stressful blending the old and the new, finding the right colors and materials, and worse yet a person we could trust to do the work. It cost wayyyy more than I had thought it would when going into it and at some points wished I had never started it.

To each his own but I would make some minor decorating updates and color changes for it to seem different to you and fresh and that may be all it needs.

Several posters have mentioned that paint should only be used to cover shoddy workmanship or materials. That has left me a little confused as to my cabinets. They are definitely the dreaded "builder grade" that everyone has mentioned. They feel like particle board with a veneer?? I don't know anything about cabinets.

So.... would my cabinets seem cheaper if I paint them or would paint help cover up less than quality materials? They are 7 years old and the previous owner seems to have kept them clean and treated them gently. I am now confident that I can make either look work. I feel like either direction I go, they will seem cheap or like I'm putting "lipstick on a pig". I don't want to be confused for an HGTVer who wants caviar on a ramen noodle budget!

I value all of your opinions and I've gotten a lot of good perspectives on "orange oak".

I'm not a fan of cheap oak cabinets, but I'm even less of a fan of painted cheap oak cabinets. I don't like the look of the grain showing through the paint. I don't like that you go through all that work and it will probably chip in a year or two. I don't think the typical oak door style works with paint, especially when it's an arched door. I don't like that the bottom cabs are seldom drawers, so it looks dated even with the white paint. I don't like how the over-fridge cabinets are too shallow regardless of paint. I don't like when people put expensive counter tops on cheap painted oak cabinets and lock themselves in for another X number of years to a poor layout. I think that's what I like least of all.

I think painted white cabinets is trying to make it into something it's never going to be--a modern white Shaker kitchen. But if someone is so depressed by living with an oak kitchen, I'd say paint it.

You noticed I used a lot of "I"s. That's because it's just my opinion, which means nothing. You may not like cats and vanilla bean ice cream. I love both.

" The first being that the look was overdone and often poorly executed with low end materials"

I agree with this. also that those old oak cabs had a terrible shine to them. I don't think yours look like that.

your kitchen is very nice. I know that doesn't help you if you aren't happy with it tho. I do like your island and table and the 2 together. the light wood on them gives a nice balance. One thing I would do (this is just my taste) is dry brush or wipe down the turquoise with black to blend in with the appliances. It looks more aqua to me on my screen - tho, much like a turquoise stone (I'm in the SW too). When I was much younger I often wore things that were the aqua color. As I got older I went more toward darker turquoise and even teal colors. Maybe it has something to do with age? lol!

If you have any of that paint leftover, you could do a test piece of wood to see if you like it without ruining the actual island. Taste on things like this is so personal.

In my kitchen folder I have a pic of cabinets that are a darker turquoise and look to be wiped down in blk or walnut. I love the look! even thought about painting my cabs like that - until I realized that just moving and unpacking exhausted me. I've been 'moving' and unpacking for 2 yrs now and I'm still not done with that. I don't even care what my cabs look like anymore. They look like a white washed something - more a hint of grey or blue than pink. They might not even be wood - but the insides of them are really nice - lol!

Keep us posted on what you end up doing.

Not everyone can afford to rip out and replace their old oak cabinets. I think here on GW, while offering great ideas and inspiration, some with large budgets to work with forget that others have limited means to work with and are therefore looking for cost effective solutions. Lots of people paint their oak cabinets, and if done right (proper prep,quality primer and paint) chipping should be minimal, I would hope. If its a DIY paint job, you have the extra paint for touch ups too. I wouldn't hire someone to paint my old cabinets, because that wouldn't be cost effective Sundance510's cabinets look pretty good from the photo, at least they are not cathedral doors. (Although I suspect these are due for a comeback soon) If she is willing to do the work involved in a paint job, I say go for it! I would not spend a lot on expensive counters though, since eventually she'll probably want to do a full out redo of the kitchen, so why spend a lot for the granite? Get a nice looking laminate, maybe an inexpensive subway tile for a backsplash and it will look great without breaking the bank.

I had golden oak builder grade cabinets and cheap oak furniture my whole life growing up and in all the places I lived at. I am tired of it.

My client has beautiful quality solid oak cabinets in her kitchen with granite counters and no soffit and her kitchen is so pretty. I think it depends on the quality of the cabinets, the color of them and the style of the cabinets to be beautiful or a reminder of the past that we are trying to update.

I had wanted cherry cabinets and when I found out the price of new cabinets, I wanted to paint my cabinets white. Then I started to see the cost involved due to my cabinets not being solid oak and having the sofit that I wanted to remove for an updated look and more storage. I am still in the middle of some major things going on in my life and then I am going to get back to my kitchen cabinets and floors and hope to get this done before the winter time.

If my cabinets were full overlay solid oak, I would refinish them, remove the soffit and put crown molding on top of them, change the counters and floors and since I have all stainless appliances, I would be happy with the look.

I have to flat out say I'd be offended if someone were to try to watch my (lack of) money for me. I don't think people "forget that others have limited means to work with and are therefore looking for cost effective solutions.

I also take offence and impatience by those who feel the need to disclaim or apologize for their make-overs. I refer to the thread about standing up and being proud of your work. I digress.

I also believe that no matter how much $$ you have leaking out your ears, no one wants to pay more than they need to, or feel they've been taken advantage of because someone, some workman, some contractor, some neighbor or some relative decides they know how much someone has to piss away. Yes, I chose that word on purpose.

I believe whole-heartedly that people here generously offer ideas. It's up to the reader to decide if it's within their budget, if they could make it work, if they could save for it, or if they just find the option butt-ugly or just not worth it.

We like what we like. We don't, what we don't. We're entitled to change our minds. We're entitled to choose vs. be told to make do.

Properly prepped cabinets don't chip unless you run something like hatchet, bicycle, or something with sharper corners into them. Normal usage will not chip a properly prepped, painted cabinet. And I'm here to tell you I am not easy on any I've painted.

Returning to the OP's thread title, I also find it interesting that these cabinets seem to illicit such strong feelings. They're just cabinets. If you can't live with them, do something about them, but they're just not worth the energy in the scope of all the things that could happen in your life.

"Not everyone can afford to rip out and replace their old oak cabinets. I think here on GW, while offering great ideas and inspiration, some with large budgets to work with forget that others have limited means to work with and are therefore looking for cost effective solutions."

I knew this argument would be coming, which is why I said it's only my opinion. It's my gut reaction when I see painted oak cabinets trying to be something they're not. I would keep the oak and work with it rather than paint it. Oak wood itself isn't cheap, but often the construction or layout of the kitchen makes it look cheap. Paint doesn't change that. "Cost effective solutions"--what problem does it solve? I know some people hate a dark kitchen, so painting solves that problem. I think a lot of the problem is it doesn't look like the kitchens you see on Houzz or in magazines. Then the paint goes on the oak, the granite and marble backsplashes go in, and the lantern lights with the dripping crystals get hung.

I had cheap oak cabinets for 10 years in this house and it never bothered me until I started reading on GW about "that ugly orange oak". I never saw it as orange, but after that, all I could see was orange.

Actually, may_flowers, I have no contention with your likes, dislikes and opinions at all.

I take issue with the idea that someone who may or may not have more money that the poster should temper their ideas or suggestions based upon what they assume the poster does or doesn't have.

That type of assumption by a replier would be presumptuous and rather condescending, just as an assumption by a poster that everyone has more (of anything) then they, insecure and unnecessary. Why should/would anyone give a darn? That element is not anyone else's business unless someone clearly states their budget and is looking for ideas therein.

It's give and take, IMHO. Give what you have in ideas, sources, eye candy, whatever, and take what speaks to you. Or what you can use. Or not.

Same thing with oak cabinets. If someone is so wrapped up in looking cheap, it's up to them to do something about it. Be it paint, tearing them out, or putting rose colored glasses on to change the color. Ideas are ideas.

Thank you CEFreeman for such a wonderful post that I must read often.

Often the first advice given here is to paint the oak. Not everyone has the ability to do the proper prep to make it look almost new. We should just remove the stigma of oak! Now I'm seeing where even oak floors are being labeled too yellow and orange.

This whole budget argument is just off-topic. Besides, we already had that argument when someone wanted to have a separate budget kitchen forum.

I definitely wasn't meaning to start an argument regarding luxury vs budget kitchens. While I certainly don't have a lot of money to work with, I am still looking for suggestions to making my kitchen the best it can be.

That being said, I know my kitchen with its current cabinets can never be anything more than builder grade particle board/plywood. I must be realistic. This is a starter home in a starter home neighborhood. Our house itself will never be more than that. At this price point (120k), I absolutely cannot justify a full kitchen reno, even if we could afford it. The kitchen is extremely functional, for which I am incredibly thankful.

I'm mainly trying to understand the strong reactions towards golden/orange oak. In about 5-7 years, we will sell the house... most likely to a newlywed couple or young family just like us. I don't want my kitchen to be a "deal-breaker" because of my orange oak. Now, don't get me wrong.... I DO NOT have a strong reaction toward the orange oak, which is why I want to understand it better. I would be happy with either look (painted vs not).

So, if you were shopping for a house at this price point, would you rather see builder grade orange oak or painted builder grade cabs? I know this is very personal and that everyone has their own opinions. Let me emphasize that these cabinets are in great shape, but are not high quality.

This post was edited by sundance510 on Sun, Jun 15, 14 at 13:43

If I was shopping for an older house, the first thing I'd be looking for in the kitchen is *flooring* that I can live with. Having replaced kitchen flooring, I know from experience how much work it is to update that. Unfortunately, I think that flooring is one of the elements that date most quickly too. Also, functional layout (including how the kitchen connects with other spaces).

As a buyer, I'd have in mind that cabinets can be restained, painted, refaced. That's assuming the cabinets are in good condition obviously (clean, no water damage, doors/drawers function). Counters can be redone in a day. Appliances are a snap to replace and I was amazed at how cheap high end appliances are on Craigslist in my area.

We are part of a homeowner's association of over 500 homes, built between the late 1980s and 2000. They sell from the high $200s to $500,000. Our street has young professionals in the high tech industry or that big athletic shoe manufacturer--good incomes but also raising a family, so lots of expenses. When I see a house go on the market, I look them up on Redfin, I am amazed that no updates have been done, whether they've lived here five years or ten years. Everything is the original Home Depot contractor pack quality. ALL of the kitchens are oak. Houses sell in 30 days, at asking price. However, these homes will have to be remodeled at some point, so I'm wondering when that cycle will start. Ours and one other are the only homes on our street with new kitchens.

I know your husband wants a new sink. That's a function issue. I'd replace the countertop with laminate if it's necessary to get him his sink. Put your money into things that you'll take with you when you move in five years--quality furniture, a good mattress, great pots and pans, etc.

It's not always about what one can afford but what is worth putting into a house. We had cheap builder-grade golden oak cabinets in our house and they looked cheap in person, no trim, and ugly plasticy end pieces. We don't have any windows in our kitchen and it was like a cave. The layout is okay, though, and the value of the home doesn't support investing a lot of money in the kitchen so painting was our best option, especially since it allowed us to easily have trim and upper and lower lighting added.

I'm guessing this is an issue for quite a few people...they want to freshen or update their kitchen but the layout is okay and putting in new cabinets would make the kitchen a huge over improvement for the neighborhood. Sometimes you just need a change!

I've seen gorgeous, high-quality golden oak cabinets (my mom has some beautiful ones, the door style is a bit dated but they are very nice, solid cabinets) and you really can't compare mine to those.

I don't understand people who find great homes in great neighborhoods and consider not buying it because it has the wrong counter or the wrong color cabinets. All that can be changed.

For me, what is most important in a kitchen is layout, counter space and light. Actually light comes first. If it works well and gets plenty of natural light, I can put up with a lot of things, including orange oak cabinets. Actually, and no offense intended, I'd rather have cheap orange oak cabinets than cheap java gel-stained oak cabinets.

"In about 5-7 years, we will sell the house... most likely to a newlywed couple or young family just like us. I don't want my kitchen to be a "deal-breaker" because of my orange oak."

Trust me; that will not be a deal-breaker. If you paint them and potential buyers *hate* the color - or the fact that they're painted - you will get the same reaction as you would if your home-shoppers hated the oak. You can't guess - or divine - what people want or like.

Your best bet is to keep what you have in squeaky clean, 100% functioning order. People will walk in and they may say nothing, but they'll be thinking, "I can change that." or "First thing I'll do is tear out that kitchen and put in ____ (fill in the blank). or "Gee, I love that kitchen!"

"Put your money into things that you'll take with you when you move in five years--quality furniture, a good mattress, great pots and pans, etc."

I agree with may_flowers. That, or take a fabulous vacation!

You asked, "So, if you were shopping for a house at this price point, would you rather see builder grade orange oak or painted builder grade cabs? I know this is very personal and that everyone has their own opinions. Let me emphasize that these cabinets are in great shape, but are not high quality."

Due to the real estate market crash and all our money being tied up in a Las Vegas house that we couldn't sell when we moved, we were buying in a price point similar to what your house sells for. When we were looking, I knew that I did NOT want a kitchen that someone had just redid or even "spruced up" because it would make me feel bad about wanting to redo it. So, when we were looking, the overall aesthetics and footprint to the kitchen really didn't matter to me. We knew when we were looking that we would be redoing the kitchen as soon as we could...which turned out to be a few years later. We put almost NO money into the old kitchen if it couldn't/wouldn't be reused when we redid the kitchen. But, if we were planning on selling within 5 years, we would have probably wound up putting in an IKEA kitchen...this being said, our kitchen was out of the 1960's-early 70s. Complete with an avocado range and non-vented hood. So, our kitchen would have been a preventative toward many looking to buy here. If it would have had a kitchen like what you have, we wouldn't redo.

If there area a few functional things that you can do relatively inexpensively and painlessly to make it more enjoyable to you during your time there, I would do it. A way to determine if it's "worth it", take the cost of whatever it is and divide it by the number of years you believe you will have it around to enjoy it...is it worth that cost to have it?

Certainly didn't mean to light a fuse on the issue of what people can afford! The ideas on this website are invaluable. The only thing is, when someone asks about painting their cabinets and gets suggestions to replace the cabinets, counters, etc it may be that they can't afford to do that, hence the painting idea. I think the reason people paint them is that they are unhappy with their current look, but cannot replace them at present. I love the amazing kitchens I see on this site, but practically, I know that many of them are out of my reach. But I do get inspiration and ideas as to things I could do in my own home, with my budget. Paint is the cheapest option, but gives a big bang for the buck. The original post wanted to know about painting her cabinets. There are a lot of painted oak cabinets pictured on this site, might be a good idea to look at some of them to get an idea of what it will look like. Most of the photos I've seen here on this site look really good, it transforms the look of their kitchens. It is a lot of work, as is any DIY kitchen project.

I don't see where anyone suggested she get new cabinets. The only time I would and have advocated for replacing cabinets instead of painting is when someone wants to put $4000 granite on 25 year old cabinets. At some point the boxes have lived their useful life. Or sometimes there are major layout issues which granite will lock them into. Sundance herself mentioned new counters so hubby could go to a single bowl sink. For builder grade oak, laminate is an appropriate budget counter choice.

I think there's a difference in how a DIY painted cabinet looks in a photo versus how the finish looks in real life. If you ever see a close-up, you can still see the nicks in the wood, and the finish is seldom smooth. Most people won't go through proper prep for all those kitchen cabinets. The steps have been listed here a few times--wow! There is a post in Home Dec right now about painting vanities. When you go to the blog someone linked to with a gray-painted vanity, it looks good at first. But the finish isn't great in the close-up. Is it worth adding a granite or quartz countertop? (She didn't, but people do in their kitchens).

Look at Tinker's cabinets. When she asked for help, no one suggested she replace them. We could see they were quality cabinets and well taken care of, even though they are 20 years old. So she put granite on them and they look great. Now imagine them with a DIY white paint job. Would her kitchen look as good as it does now?

I live in an area where many of the homes were built in the late 80s-early 90s. The kitchen cabinets are invariably oak.

My first kitchen, as a newlywed, had golden oak cathedral cabinets. They were builder-grade, tract home cabinets. The cabinets were in great shape. The drawers *really* sucked, but there weren't many of them. I had a white cast iron sink and white tile counters. I actually really liked to look of the counters but I couldn't wait for solid surface for ease of cleaning. The only thing I replaced/changed in that kitchen was the faucet. We lived there 4 years and sold it easily to another young couple. I think the house was built in the late 80s...

Our next house was a late 70s semi-custom with crappy oak cabinets. I ripped those babies out and put in cream cabinets so we wouldn't clash with the wood floors we ran everywhere, including the kitchen. I loved the tile counters in my hall bath so I meticulously painted those oak cabinets. I researched how to do it (on the painting forum, here) and I have not had a single chip, flake or blemish in 7 years of hard use (two rambunctious boys use that bathroom). I spent 40 hours prepping and painting those cabinets...one of the projects I'm most proud of. I painted them pale green on the outside and glossy pale yellow on the inside (it has Mexican painted flower tile. My husband called it Gepetto's workshop...)

I didn't hate my oak cabs in my first house, it was a starter home. I don't think you need to change them at all!!

I agree with a lot of other posters. Golden oak was/is everywhere and it can be hard to decorate around...

Proper prep is the key in any home improvement project. Its the most tedious part but will determine how good the finished job is. I agree that some paint jobs can look great from a distance, but close up you will see the little imperfections. But I do think, done well, it can look very good. Not as good as a factory finish, maybe, but still good. It is a lot of work though. I think Sundance510's cabinets look pretty good as they are, at least from her photo. It sounds like she wants white cabinets though. Tinker's kitchen looks fantastic, with her original oak cabinets so I do think you can work around them. However, if she really wants white, and is willing to do all the work involved, why not? But first, maybe get a sample door and prep and paint it, to see how much work is involved, and how good it looks. Its a big project. I know I myself have often jumped into a project without fully appreciating all the work involved to complete it. Honestly, though I don't think her kitchen is bad at all, yes, the honey oak is common and was definitely over done back in the day, but those cabinets still look good.

I just took an early morning look at your cabinets in the the first photo. Honestly, they aren't bad and with some updated hardware could serve you just fine for some time to come.

I know you didn't ask about the appliances, but I have to say. those big blocks of black are what I find really jarring. I know many people hate stainless appliances and love black, but I think they only emphasize the era of the oak cabinets. I think I'd want those gone before I considered doing anything to the cabinets.

I follow a blog of a really interesting lady out of MI, who sells a chalk paint product. It's very versatile, but the bottom line is it's not made for a factory finish. Someone wrote in and asked this:

"I have oak cabinets and donâÂÂt want to see any of the grain upon completion. I also donâÂÂt want to see any brush marks since I prefer professionally sprayed cabinet doors. Is there a way this can be accomplished?"

Now, IMHO, unless you want a somewhat imperfect finish, you'd better, probably go professional. I don't think many of us have the wherewithal to actually go through all the prep and grain filling steps. IOW, this chick is setting herself up for frustration with a one-coat product.

That said, it can be done.

Referring to the title of this post, I have no idea why there's such revulsion dedicated to oak, be it golden, yellowed varnished, or pickled. I think it's kind of a waste of energy to malign such a tried and true material. Oak is very dignified! Sure, it's been mistreated into some really weird finishes, but that's not the material's fault! :)

P.S. I beg to differ about the "whole budget topic" being off topic as it was introduced in reference to painting, replacing, living with -- or not -- oak cabinets. Now I do see where the topic has strayed from "the hate" to painting vs. not. As far as starting a separate forum? That's hardly the turn this thread has taken at all. Interestingly, may_flowers took hyny2's comment as reference to her post but I think may_flowers was the only one who did. T'wasn't 'bout may_flowers a'tall. Although I must say I find it interesting that may_flower's own view of her(?) cabinets, etc., was so influenced by online opinions -- or "the hate."

Who knows. I stand by my, "if you don't like it, change it." It's a shame if it becomes about what others think, vs. you, the one living with your own kitchen.

Why the hate? People have posted their reasons for the dislike of honey oak, and others are ok with it. My feeling is, if its my kitchen, and I like it, then who cares what other people think of it? What really matters is how you feel about your own kitchen. I personally think that Sundance's kitchen looks to be in good shape. I don't mind the black appliances either, I like black. True that you don't see too many new kitchens done in honey oak today, but back in the day, that was the most popular kitchen to have. Who knows, maybe in another 10 yrs everyone will want honey oak again, styles come and go.

Yes, the OP changed the topic from hating oak to whether she should paint them. Budget never entered the discussion until hpny thought my post of disliking most DIY painted cabinets meant I was advocating for her to break her budget and buy new cabinets. Instead, I was saying to embrace the oak and use appropriate finishes for the age and style of the cabinets.

Yes, it is interesting that I never noticed my oak cabinets being orange until it was mentioned on GW. I also never noticed my new vanity granite being "dog-barf patterned" until someone described some granites as such. We all have our likes and dislikes. I usually don't volunteer them unless the OP asks for opinions because it's bound to offend somebody.

Well, Sundance's original post said she has a love hate relationship with her cabinets. She also said she likes white cabinets, which is why I think the talk turned to painting them. She will find varying opinions as to what to do, embrace them as is, or paint them. I am still stuck on my indecision in regard to my honey oak bath cabinets, whether I should paint, gelstain, strip and restain, or leave them as is. Which is why they are still their original orangey color. I guess the questions for Sundance would be - Can you live with them as is? If you do decide to paint, are you able to do all the work involved in prepping and painting them? Will you be happy with the finished results? How much do you want to spend on it? Is hiring a good painter an option? On GW you will find beautiful examples of kitchens with oak cabinets painted, gel stained or left as is. Very creative and talented folks on this site to inspire you. Deciding which way to go is the hardest part sometimes.

hpny2, boy is that the truth. and maybe the greatest understatement in kitchen design! LOL!

I don't have an issue with oak cabinets. I do believe they go better in some homes. I like your cabinets and if I had them I would work with them

Let me just say this. Who really cares what GW-at-large thinks about YOUR home? I doubt that this community represents the majority of home buyers or taste makers. I painted my PICKLED OAK cabinets white. Then I decided that I wanted new doors and replaced them with white shaker cabinet doors. I even got crown installed. The doors and cabinets were sprayed by my painter. I am pleased as punch with my kitchen. I receive a lot of compliments from everyone that stops by.

Can you see the grain on the boxes? Yes. Do I care? Not really. My thoughts on folks not liking it or thinking that I am trying pass off my cabinets as anything but oak? Well. If it is that serious that I have a GW-approved kitchen then I can set up a gofundme.com page for "sponsorship" for my kitchen remodel. Just say the word and it is done.

Ultimately we all have to live a life that pleases us. You won't get 100 percent agreement and that's ok. Do what makes you happy!

My sister had her small-ish kitchen oak cabinets professionally painted (doors removed and sprayed offsite, bodies painted onsite) and it cost $1000. She is very happy with the results. But that's more than I paid for my cabinets (not including fronts though).

Divastyle, that's what I'm sayin'! All the darned time!
but I think I should have the gofundme page so I can entertain everyone with my thrift store finds.... LOL!

Feisty, while complimenting hero n her lovely cabinets, do you secretly think, "Man! What I could do with $1000!" I do sometimes, when I hear expenditures that I wouldn't choose. (How's that for PC?)

Y'all are cracking me up! Sorry I changed the topic at some point. The main point of this post was to delve into why some people have such a strong reaction to "orange" oak, using my kitchen as an example alongside another kitchen that *I* think looks quite nice. It is laughable to think that I need my kitchen to be GW approved or that it will ever be a "wow factor" in my house. My house didn't come with wow factors :)

I have always been partial to white kitchens. As I began to dip my toes into home design, I realized that orange oak was this horrible monstrosity that must be tended to immediately lest eyeballs are permanently damaged. Lo and behold, the house we bought has orange cabinets. But as I've lived with them, I don't find myself hating them (except those times I just wish I could live in a magazine... with a personal chef).

The main point of this thread was to investigate why some people have such a negative reaction to orange oak as well as the trend that demands everything be painted white. I am hoping some other young soul will stumble upon this thread when they feel like they're super weird and out of style for sort of liking the orange :) This thread has given me a lot of perspective about where I can make some little improvements to make my kitchen really cute.... not beautiful, but cute.... and I'm good with that. Thank you all!!!!

CEFreeman - totally :) . She has a generous budget and *very* different priorities than me. Her home is looking good though - a little uptight and "decorated" for my tastes ;)

I get the sense that it's fair game to express our hatred toward orange oak cabinets but it's not okay to say we don't like painted oak cabinets. Linelle hates java gel-stained cabinets and even that got a pass. ;)

I think oak was just overdone in everything for over a decade and people (mainly those growing up in the 80's) grew really tired of seeing it. It was used for kitchen cabs, flooring, furniture, car panels, even my old washer had fake oak.

I like oak. I think it has a place. I have oak floors and would like oak floors again. It is a hard wood and the grain pattern hides minor flaws pretty well. I think it will eventually come back, because it is a good material, unlike certain color combinations. Now there is another material from that era that no matter how many time I read it is coming back, I will never have it in my house. It isn't a bad material, but everytime I see it, I think cheap builder grade crap. It is completely not logical.

Cori, is it the "b" word? My doorknobs are still that. The lights, knobs, and faucets are gone!

Get a lovely orange cat to go with those cabinets, like jstell2008. He compliments the cabinets beautifully!

Can I humbly suggest we retire this thread? Nothing has been left unsaid at least twice. Just my opinion.

No. Sometimes they go on for three parts. We might try for four this time. If you've lost interest, there are other threads which might interest you.

Linelle hates java gel-stained cabinets and even that got a pass. ;)

may_flowers! Twist my words at your peril!! ;)

Did I say I hate java gel-stained cabinets? I said I preferred orange oak over java gel-stained orange oak. Now, I realize the thread title is about hate, but I didn't say I hated orange oak. So, no hate.

On the other hand, flesh-colored walls must die.

Oh sorry, Linelle! You never said hate.

Band-aid wall color. That's something I learned on the Home Decor forum. And don't use shutters unless they are wide enough to actually close over a window. That rule's been broken all over my neighborhood.

Band-aid is a better descriptor.

I don't do well with very dark things on the walls. Also, I had a bad experience with gel stain and it has clouded by objectivity.

Sundance, We bought a starter home in 1991 -- and stayed there for 21 years. I had great neighbors and a nice yard. The house was livable and the longer we stayed there the more we learned about how to make it work.

We updated the kitchen a few years ago and, like you, we knew we couldn't justify a full renovation with quality cabinets and stone counters. The home values in our much loved but not very pricey neighborhood wouldn't support it.

I thought about painting or staining our golden oak cabinets too. But, the truth is, I knew I was too lazy to really do it right.

Instead, I cleaned them and repaired the finish in a few places, then went looking for inspiration photos. That's when I hit the motherlode that was the Design Around This Keeping the Golden Oak challenge that I mentioned to you in your earlier thread.

I embraced the oak. We painted the walls a complimentary neutral (Glidden's natural linen color matched in Behr). My brother installed inexpensive Allure vinyl plank in, um, red oak, I think? We put in a new Formica countertop that kind of blended in with the cabinets and hammered some sheet copper for a backsplash. We introduced some pretty copper accessories too.

You know what? When we got a hankering to move to the lake a couple of years later and had to put our house up for sale -- that golden oak kitchen was actually a selling point! The new owners (a young couple like you) really like it and have no plans to change anything.

I am the queen of really awful photos. This one doesn't do that old kitchen justice.

edeevee, your oak kitchen looks very nice with the updated appliances and the complimentary backsplash and the new floors and counters. I can see why the new buyers liked it and it was an asset in selling your house. Thank you for sharing.

edeevee!!! I can't believe it!
I have chosen Glidden's 'Natural Linen' for my MB, along with Gldden 'Natural Wicker' for the MBR. I'll be matching with SW. I never thought anyone would know my colors! It took me weeks and all kinds of sample squares all over the place.

Interesting that these colors would complement the golden oak. I have to try it in my kitchen, where I swear the windows must have a blue tint. Everything turns turquoise. I'd love to use these colors there! It sure looks lovely in your kitchen. Your whole picture looks very rich!

I'm actually using Duron's 'Tinderbox' for my LR, with 'Natural Wicker' at 50% for the ceiling! My woodwork is going to be matched with BM's Cabinet Coat.

I know this is way off topic, but here: The cabinets I've stripped and weathered have a rich hue to them that I now think might look great with 'Natural Linen!' Yeah!

Thanks Lynn, and CEF - The Natural Linen was a great find! We chose it initially for the kitchen, because it went so well with the golden oak. But then we liked it so much that we used it in the living room, then the hall, then the PR. And when we needed a neutral for a spare bedroom, well, we already had a half gallon of Natural Linen leftover so ... When we were ready to put our house up for sale, I had to cover up the really sunny yellow in the MBR and the goofy caramel (with black cranes and bamboo) that my kids painted in the smallest BR. We looked at other colors but Natural Linen won again!

While our old house wasn't open concept, it was small and a lot of the rooms opened onto other spaces. The Natural Linen pulled everything together but each room looked a little different too, owing to the light in each room.

I loved it and I'm sure it's going to look great in your MB!