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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Edgecomb Gray also compliments honey oak tones of wood really well, so it's a great choice for kitchen walls.
Does Gray Paint Go With Honey Oak Cabinets? Gray simply doesn't work very well with lots of honey oak cabinets or trim due to it looking ashy and dull. Gray should be one option if your walls will feel dead-set if they don't paint well, because SW Repose Gray (SW-7015) is one option.
Related Articles. You can change the color of your stained oak cabinets, but it will require time and effort. Stain sinks into wood pores under a sealed topcoat of lacquer. The only way to properly lighten the wood is to remove the lacquer, sand off the dark stain and replace it with a lighter color of stain.
Apply a small amount of stain in an area hidden inside the cabinetry. If the stain achieves the results you desire, proceed with staining the rest of the oak. Using a paint brush or foam brush, apply the stain in smooth, even coats. Let the stain dry for up to 15 minutes for a deep color.
Painting Tips
Lightly sand in between coats to make sure you have a smooth and even finish. Less is more! Apply paint in thin coats gradually rather than thick coats all at once. The end result looks better and it actually saves you time.
Oak is often prized for its durability and rich natural color, which is why some homeowners may hesitate to paint over their oak trim. However, if you prefer a cleaner and more modern look, then you shouldn't hesitate to paint over your oak trim.
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.
To work with your honey oak and elevate its style is to break it up visually. How do we do that? Paint the elements that feel the most oak-heavy visually in a complimentary color. Think of your old oak kitchen cabinets with a pop of color on them or in a creamy white, leaving the floors and trim intact.
Grey kitchens are not going out of fashion. They are a safe choice that will age well due to them being sleek, space-efficient, and easy on the eyes. You can pick and choose which grey to go with and still get the type of kitchen that is easy to fall in love with.
Use a complementary color to neutralize the soft yellow and orange undertones of the wood. A harmonious color palette for oak cabinets ranges from soft greens to purples and oranges. Warm gray and cream shades can balance the intensity of honey oak wood.
Accessible beige does not have any pink undertones so it's a safe color to use with honey oak and will look very pretty!
Agreeable Gray has warm bronzey undertones that complement the yellow orange in the oak. If you must pair your honey oak with gray walls, Agreeable Gray is a good place to start.
Edgecomb Gray is a soft and airy gray paint color that has a bit of beige in it. It teeters between gray and beige, which makes it an excellent greige paint color. Depending on the lighting situation, EG can lean either more gray or beige.
What is this? The greige component means Edgecomb gray undertones are minimal. So you may notice a slight pink hue or minimal green undertones in some light.
The LRV of Edgecomb Gray is 63.
This means it isn't a typical light and fresh colour but is certainly lighter than some of the other popular greige and taupe paint colours. This LRV of 63 means it won't look too heavy in a darker room, but without decent natural or artificial light it could look a bit dingy.
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.
As a simple rule, kitchen cabinets should always match trim as much as they can. Any contrast that you intentionally create should not necessarily be a striking contrast. It's important to try to create a sense of unity among the different elements being tied together to avoid making the contrast appear accidental.