Kitchens with honey oak cabinets will look fresh and updated with new wood flooring or Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) flooring in similar undertones. The key is to choose a neutral floor with similar warm color tones found in the oak to bring the two elements together.
Honey oak cabinets will look the best when paired with warm tones of creams - do a Google search of images and you will see nice combinations. Change your paint, handles, light fixture, countertops and backpslash...that will make a huge impact. Don't go crazy just simple.
If natural oak is a bit too warm for your taste, you can try a stain colour that neutralizes the warmth a bit. One that our custom kitchen designers use often is the stain colour “Loft”.
Cool neutrals paired with crisp whites and sharp blacks are the path of least resistance for *any* honey oak kitchen, no matter the undertone of your cabinet.
What are some DIY methods to lighten orange oak cabinets? Use liming wax on the cabinets. Work in small sections. Once it sets, don't go over it or it'll be patchy. Use Cabinet Staining bundle. Clean and stain cabinets without sanding. Use #allinonestain color GRAY MIST. Gradually apply until desired lightening.
Consider Applying a Treatex Finish
We recommend using their Hardwax oil to protect your flooring from stains and damage. They offer a wide variety of Colour Tones that can either darken the oak, keep it lighter shades, or white washed options.
If you have oak cabinets with a shiny finish, they may look dated and dingy. If you're ready to take on the job of painting oak cabinets yourself, we can help. Even if parts of the cabinets are laminate, with the proper prep work, you should be able to paint your oak cabinets any color you want.
Honey oak cabinets pair well with various floor colors. Consider cool gray tones for contrast, or warm beige and tan shades for a harmonious look. Dark brown or even black flooring can create a striking, modern contrast with honey oak.
Contrasting colors will make the new hardware stand out and give some visual breaks in the monotony of overwhelming golden oak (this is the magic power of distraction) - black, dark oil-rubbed bronze and bright chrome offer the best contrast.
Honey oak cabinets and quartz countertops are a combination that rivals all others. The look of multicolored quartz binds with the natural glow of wood cabinets and gives a flattering and cohesive look.
And believe me, it's quite difficult to choose a backsplash tile color for honey oak upper and lower cabinets. The sneaky golden and yellow undertones of the cabinets can be seamlessly paired with creamy white, light beige, golden or yellow, black, and taupe tiles.
You could try soaking a kitchen cloth in boiling water and laying it over the honey to soften it. Then wipe as much honey as you can off the shelf, and then repeat.
Sanding is the step that makes the biggest difference in the color of the wood. I used a 60 grit sandpaper so I could get as much of the dark stain off of the wood cabinet as possible. I used one piece of sandpaper per two cabinets. The cabinet doors and drawers sanded differently.
Paint the walls a deep color you love, put a very large rug down, you could even take the handles off and paint them black. That would be a cheap updating touch. A new light fixture would not be so expensive and would update the look quickly. I love the honey oak.
Look for warm metals like bronze, copper, gold, and brass. They'll look stunning against the warmth of your oak cabinets. Cold metals like chrome, stainless steel, and brushed nickel are fine, but they may fall a little flat.
Gel staining, lacquering and painting are the options we offer. Painting will show the least amount of grain, gel staining highlights the grain. Lacquer is as durable as paint and happens to be my favorite option.
Yes, oak is coming back into style, but it is a paler, softer tone and, in cabinets, the details are much more modern than what we see in older honey oak cabinets: a straight shaker or slab doors, rather than a cathedral-top shape and a pale color instead of a more golden amber finish, which is often just the yellowing ...
These shades can add a modern twist to your kitchen while accentuating the oak cabinets. Tile Color Examples: Consider tiles in cream or light gray for a subtle approach, or go bold with navy or emerald green for a more dramatic effect.
A: 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. Helpful? Thank you for your feedback!
Try using a gel stain on those dated orange-yellow honey oak cabinets to give your kitchen a new look. There are a lot of good reasons to gel stain cabinets when you want to refresh the color of wood cabinetry. It's an easy way to give your kitchen or bathroom a new look without sanding or stripping.
So, if you're thinking about a kitchen remodel, remember oak cabinets are far from being a thing of the past. With their timeless charm, myriad color options, and the ability to incorporate updates, these might just be the perfect choice for your dream space.
Start by making a paste of vinegar and salt. Dip a toothbrush into the paste and lightly scrub the stained area. Don't scrub too hard or use steel wool, as it will scratch the wood. Rinse the paste off with clean water and dry with a clean towel.