Seen as a relic of the early 90's, the oak cabinets of yesteryear had a major issue: they didn't look all that great paired together with the then-prevalent styles of granite countertops. However, oak cabinets are currently in the middle of making a comeback.
Well, it's good for resale. Generally speaking, traditional oak cabinets appeal to those 70 and older. If that's your target market then just keep them stained and call it a day. However, if you're looking to appeal to a younger and more modern crowd (69 years and younger), you'll want to consider painting them.
What is this? Wood cabinets are continuing to come back into style. No, not your honey oak cabinets from 1980's and 90's – they are most definitely not coming back.
KITCHEN FLOOR TRENDS
Light (and medium) oak flooring will continue to be on-trend in 2022. Of course, you can create this look via solid wood floors or engineered wood flooring (or even LVP). This is most definitely a (classic) trend I would incorporate if building in 2022.
Adding more cabinet options and features, such as appliances that use cabinet doors as fronts, are ideal for 2021 kitchens. Wooden finishes are also making a return for cabinets, but typically in lighter shades and not the traditional cherry wood of the early 2000s.
Honey Oak Cabinets
A staple in kitchens of the 1980s and '90s, these golden-toned wood cabinets have fallen out of favor as white and gray cabinets have risen in popularity. If you don't like your light-stained cabinets, but they're in good shape, consider refinishing or painting what's there.
Neutrals and simple classic colours are a great way to update wood cabinets. Rather than contrasting the wood with a colour like blue or green, neutrals keep things simple and modern while still adding visual interest. Copper is a beautiful complement to oak cabinets with its earthy rich metal finish.
However, oak cabinets are currently in the middle of making a comeback. There are several possible reasons for this. First, homeowners are looking for warmth and authenticity in their kitchens. Natural wood checks all the boxes.
Are Oak Cabinets Coming Back in Style 2022:
For 2022, you will probably see a return to oak wood for kitchen cabinets as vintage becomes designer, and homeowners go back to the real wood of time past. Oak has the texture and look of subtle elegance with its neutral color and design versatility.
Detailed Patterns, Warped or Damaged Cabinets
If your cabinets have detailed patterns or they are warped, chipped, cracked or have other damage to them, then painting your kitchen cabinets is not the way to go – it most definitely won't solve your cabinet problem.
Honey would be closest to the natural wood color. The Golden has a yellowish/orange tint but still close to the natural wood color and Red oak is much darker and a brownish red.
Well, it should be no surprise… the classic white cabinet will still be the #1 cabinet color for kitchens in 2022 and beyond. White is crisp and clean, will brighten any kitchen, and will most likely never go out of style.
The 5 best and most popular woods for kitchen cabinets are pine, oak, hickory, cherry, and maple. Pine, oak, and hickory are cheaper and easier to get. Cherry and maple look luxurious and cost more than the others. All 5 work well in the kitchen's hot and humid environment.
Oak kitchens were VERY in style… 20 years ago, but now, they are just dated. There have been beautiful houses on the market that just won't sell because new buyers don't want to deal with an oak kitchen.
The answer is – no! The oak trim and oak flooring finish (the golden color known in the industry as “honey”) will never come back in style. Today, there are many beautiful versions of stained oak on the market that allow it to appear more contemporary and aesthetically pleasing.
Two tones. Two-tone cabinets — the upper cabinets in one color, the lower cabinets in another — are a big trend for 2021. Adding an eye-catching touch to your kitchen, two-tone cabinets can come in infinite color combinations — including black and white or gray and white.
Wood finishes
Out of fashion for a while, wood is now enjoying a bit of a revival. These kitchen cabinets use subtle-grained ash, paler than oak or walnut, to pick out the warm tones in manmade stone.
Another of the big kitchen cabinet trends is open shelving. Instead of putting in a solid bank of cabinets with doors, consider mixing in some open shelves or glass doors to break things up a bit, make your kitchen feel more spacious, and add visual interest.
A question we receive frequently is whether antique brown kitchen cabinets are going out of style. The answer is certainly not! Although modern brown cabinets have moved to the forefront of kitchen design, antique cabinets are still close behind.
There's two main ways to transform your honey oak trim, doors, or cabinets simply by painting the walls: Using a harmonious color palette (similar colors or colors with a similar undertone) that will work alongside and help fade or camouflage the orange or yellow wood tones.
If you're in search of a clean, modern look, paint your cabinets. Painted cabinets appear very smooth, hiding the grain of the wood. If you prefer a more natural, classic look, you should stain your cabinets. Staining your cabinets highlights the natural grain of the wood and offers a more traditional aesthetic.
Since oak is a medium-dark wood, medium-dark flooring would complement your cabinetry nicely. Medium-dark colors don't dominate the room or overpower your oak cabinet's appearance. As a bonus, the dark color hides stains and debris, so darker floors are usually easier to maintain.
The look of whitewash cabinets can brighten a room without using paint and allow the wood's natural grain to show through. Certain wood types, like pine, are better suited to whitewashing techniques, but cabinets made of oak can also be whitewashed through a process called pickling.
Even though there are some drawbacks to white kitchen cabinets, they will never “go out of style.” The shapes of the doors or the layout of the kitchen may go out of style, but white in a kitchen will always look good.