#1, what color were you making the Alder? From your description, I was imagining natural, because that'll look rustic and good banged up. That'll be fine with the walnut top. Or stain the walnut top black to go with the soapstone.

#2, spraying will probably last longer, but it's a mess to do on site. Brushing lasts well enough (though not as well as with the old paints), and is easy to touch up if it gets nicked. It looks beautiful and "real" and will go with the rest of the rustic elements you're using. I'd do the brushing. Glaze is "faux". Do real instead. Actually, you might want to use an oil based paint if you're not stripping the old paint, if the old paint is also oil based. That's not the best environmental choice, but it might stick better.
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OR, you could see if a glaze will give you the creamy look you want over the old paint. That might be the easiest thing yet to do if there's not one chip, and would give you your darkened crevices without "faux". It would just be an incidental to altering the color.

#3, I can't find the kitchen you were talking about on Atticmag. Building a hood surround in general isn't that big a deal for a decent carpenter. Cladding that with copper doesn't have to be expensive. I don't know what look you want, but there are ways of getting to things that aren't that bad. You'd still need a hood insert, though.

Are you talking about this kitchen (see link)? That's Allison's kitchen. Ask her and I'm sure she'll give you more details :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Allison's kitchen

Plllog, thanks, yes, the alder will be just varnished. My daughter has natural alder for all her cabinets, and they are beautiful, but they do have a lot of color variation. I don't mind that at all, it's the look I'm going for, just started wondering what the two woods together would look like. I've been searching all day and can't find anything similar.

And, I'm glad you said go real and not faux. I want a clean cabinet look, but it seems like most people say glaze with a rustic look. And, also the brushed look just appeals to me more. I LOVE the look of smooth, white cabinets, but it doesn't seem as "right" as for what I'm going for.
About a year ago, when we took some cabinets out, I did try three different glazes on a door to see how it looked, but they appeared "dirty" looking.

Lavender lass! Yes! that is the kitchen! Isn't it wonderful? I don't know who Allison is, I read every post on here, but in my own world, it probably has just flown over my head! I'll have to do a search and see if I can find her. I know the top part of the hood looks like it's most certainly copper, with the base being pine, I'm just wondering if it's copper over wood, or all copper. It looks smooth to me, can't quite figure it out. I think her ceilings are a lot taller than mine too, which could make a big difference on if it would work. Thanks for the info!

Allison is here quite regularly, but you can always find her on AtticMag.

I agree with everything Plllog said...I'd have said almost the same things if she hadn't beaten me to it.

It sounds like glaze is something you're wondering if you 'should' like, even though you really don't want it. For those who love it, they should have it. But I think it will be dated and your creamy paint will be fairly classic.

I had DH spray our cabinets, because I tried brushing one end panel and mucked it up so badly, I didn't want to suffer the aggravation of the whole kitchen. Spraying is more foolproof, I think. Although, if you're doing it in place, that's a whole 'nother situation.

Mostly I wanted to respond about the island. You've already answered the question pretty much, but I'd see 2 ways to approach this. (Didn't think of Plllog's idea of staining the walnut... For one thing, that would be sacrilege in my house!) But if you leave the alder natural/light, the walnut will be enough contrast to look great, I think. If you stained the alder darker, it might be sheer enough just to leave a bit of darkness that can connect with the walnut, and even if it got much darker, a monochromatic look can be great, too. The wood on wood isn't often done, but that's a plus, if you ask me. I especially like the idea of the roughed up alder.

Allison's kitchen is one of my all time favorites.

I would consider painting your existing cabinets something like the french gray with a light, watered down, dry brush of Van Dyke brown (walnut color) and maybe run a lot of that off. That would make the walnut top blend in.

It would help to stain the island even a LITTLE. Alder, even knotty alder, is very light and neutral. Something like a good sealer and a light brown stain over - hand rubbed so it builds up a little in nooks and crannies in the distressing.

Alternately, go with the cream paint on the the existing cabinets and do the island in French Blue with light walnut glaze and walnut top.

I'm not sure I'd like the soapstone in either case. Somehow, I can't reconcile that, the cabinet color and the new floor. I don't think it would be awful either. I just like the idea of the black range shining out from the cabinets. I don't think it would be as nice looking with black counters.

Since your cabinets are so close to the white you want already, you might see once more if you can mix a cream glaze that'll look the way you want applied smoothly without pooling more at joints. After all, glazes are normally used to add depth and richness to finishes, not just in a way that creates faux aging.

I agree that a local carpenter can certainly reproduce that hood for very little, although someone with experience with copper sheeting might be needed for the finish work. I took a hood off the Finished Kitchens Blog as my initial inspiration and drew versions on graph paper until I had the proportions and positions of its horizontal lines looking "right" to me (and the look simplified for my kitchen).

Sprayed cabinets are far far more durable, but they have a new car look which can look bad. I have seen very skillful glazing that makes them look brush painted. But most "distressers" use a very heavy hand.

If you dont have young kids, you probably will get a better look for less just brush painting to begin with.

Rhome, thanks for the vote of confidence on the wood on wood! I'm going to get an alder door from cabinet guy this weekend and work around with the walnut next to it. Probably won't have to stain walnut, it's dark to begin with. I hope the colors blend well enough that neither have to be stained.

Bmore, I WISH I were brave enough to paint gray! I love the kitchens with gray, especially Allison's and Rhome's. Wonder what it would look like to paint the baking alcove in a gray? Too much?
Hadn't thought about the soapstone up against the black range! I'll have to look for some pictures of that. What would you suggest?

Rosie, DH is supposed to mock me up a hood this weekend to imitate the one in the gray kitchen. That may help with a visual.

Kitschykitch, I am leaning strongly to brushing it on. I'm not taking them down, so like rhome said, it could get very messy quick to spray, I think.

Does anyone have any experience with Navajo White on cabinets? I've searched it here several times, several different ways and haven't seen anyone with that color. It's on the white end of the colors used in my house, and when Sherwin Williams had their 40% off sale, the salesperson is the one who actually convinced me of it being a good cabinet color. I've seen it in homes with a little glaze, but not just solid.

Thanks so much!

Hi, honey. I sent you an email a week ago. Don't feel you need to reply, but I'm afraid it went into the trash or somethin'.

A sprayed finish will last longer. I did my old cabs 10 years ago and when we took them down last week the finish still looked good. I used an HVLP sprayer. I did the doors in the garage and the rest in the kitchen. Read about HVLP and you will see how this works. Also, a good water based coating helps. I think there are also gelcoats that work and are durable and easy to apply.

Here is a link that might be useful: water based coating site

I found this thread today when Googling on my phone for something else. Thanks for the compliments! I still LOVE our kitchen!

I know it's old, but thought I would post about my hood anyway since it might help out someone later.

The kitchen hood was built in place. Here are pictures of it under construction. The woodworkers that installed the kitchen made the trim in their shop. Our HVAC company installed the hood liner, duct, etc.

Plywood was cut to go on the three sides (last/center piece not shown installed), then our HVAC company measured for the copper. They also made the two corner pieces that cover the seams.

F&B French Gray is a gray green (sometimes looks blue in photos, not sure why). The rooms in the house painted FG look green. The island has a black based oil glaze. The stained pieces and cream painted fridge section are also glazed, but a brown base.

Susied3, my cabinets were all painted by hand and have not chipped, scratched or worn in our almost 8 years.

Now I need to search for your kitchen and see what you ended up doing!