How to tone down orange in honey oak cabinets?

Author: Rozella Zulauf  |  Last update: Sunday, November 30, 2025

Applying a paint wash (paint+water) will neutralize the orange and then a gel stain adds a varnish finish with a tint of color. - Apply 2 coats of the paint wash with a brush or letting it dry in between.

How to make honey oak cabinets look less orange?

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.

How do you make oak less orange?

But if you simply want to make the orange toned wood look weathered follow these three simple steps:
  1. Dry brush orange toned wood with white paint.
  2. Dry brush once more with chalk paint.
  3. Paint wood with wax.

Why do my oak cabinets look orange?

Probably a water based top coat as oils based will add more orange/yellow tones over time. Once you have a plan, decide if it's worth sanding everything. It will be a large job. Also understand that removing the base stain might make the wood look worse.

What color makes cabinets look less orange?

It may seem counterintuitive, but you should choose colors with warm undertones. The warmth in the wall color will complement – not compete – with the cabinetry, making it feel more cohesive and less orange.

BEAT UP Oak Kitchen Cabinets | Complete TRANSFORMATION

What color dulls down orange?

Grays. If you're looking to tone things down a notch, grays are your go-to. Gray, with its cool undertones, can mellow the boldness of orange wood without diminishing its charm. It's like putting on a stylish pair of glasses—it adds sophistication to the look without stealing the show.

How to tone down orange oak cabinets reddit?

Two approaches work.
  1. An orange-red base primary color scheme will tone it down as its the same undertones so the orange undertones in the wood does not stand out. ...
  2. A very saturated primary color opposite like slate blue very much offsets and tones down the warmth with its coolness.

How to neutralize oak cabinets?

To neutralize these tones, apply a wash, stain, or paint in its complementary color. First and foremost, apply a stain, wash, or even very light color paint that's opposite on the color wheel. You can always sand down the wood until it's bare, then apply an ashy, neutral stain or repaint the wood.

How do you keep oak from turning orange?

Very few of these suggestions can be spot-fixed.
  1. Use a white-tinted sealer coat under your clear waterborne finish. ...
  2. Use a white or grey-tinted single coat penetrating oil finish like Rubio Monocoat Mist 5% or Smoke 5%. ...
  3. ADVANCED USERS: Use Rubio Pre-Color Easy in Mint White to the red tones of the red oak.

How do you make pine wood less orange?

Pine takes on a pale yellow-orange tone after exposure to sunlight. Most finishes exacerbate the problem leaving wood which ages to a "cigarette yellow" tone. The best way to create a pale bleached effect is to treat with a thin coat of diluted White Wood Dye after sanding.

How do you get the orange out of red oak?

When working to remove red, green will be your color of choice. The depth of HyperTone Stains' primary colors makes it easy to mix and create a green hue that will conceal red tones. Mixing 1 part of Blue and 4 parts of Yellow creates a green stain, then you take 1 part green and mix it into 140 parts White.

How do you make honey oak cabinets more modern?

5 Design Ideas for a Honey Oak Modern Kitchen with Oak Cabinets
  1. Update Countertops and Backsplashes. ...
  2. Opt for Contemporary Color Schemes. ...
  3. Switch to Modern Hardware. ...
  4. Enhance Lighting Fixtures. ...
  5. Introduce Open Shelving and Glass.

How do you downplay honey oak cabinets?

You could put glass fronts in several of the upper cabinets so it is not so much honey oak. paint and new hardware! I put glass fronts on some of my cabinets and also had the back of them tiled to match the backsplash. Painting them would also work, but I had the same cabinetry throughout the house.

Is oak trim outdated?

Here in the 21st century, golden oak is no longer in demand, and it can immediately make a home feel tired and dated. Thankfully, there are some simple steps you can take to refinish or replace your oak features. Try a few, and I guarantee it'll bring a giant breath of fresh, modern-day air to your space.

Are honey oak cabinets outdated?

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 ...

What hardware looks best on honey oak cabinets?

Settle down your Honey Oak with contrasting colours like black and charcoal colours with warm accents OR choose a white countertop with black or grey veins. To finish it off, add contrasting hardware like black to make it come together or a cool metal.

Are orange oak cabinets outdated?

Oak is a hardwood that can still be used in contemporary kitchens if properly cared for. Unfortunately, the typical orange oak cabinets of decades past can look dated in today's kitchens. It may not make sense to replace your wood cabinetry only for aesthetic reasons, especially if they're still in good condition.

What color makes orange look less orange?

Introducing white into the mix will create pale orange colors, golds and creams.

Can you make orange oak cabinets lighter?

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.

Can you make oak less orange?

If it's orange when you clean it or wipe with water, it will be orange when you seal it. Apply a paint wash with 1 part (25%) tan paint and 3 parts (75%) water to cut out those orange tones. Mix well and apply evenly with a rag.

What color cancels orange undertones?

The key to fixing orange hair is usually to neutralise the orange with its opposite colour – blue.

What is the inverse color of orange?

Blue. When you create a color wheel, colors opposite from each other are called complimentary colors. They make each other stand out. The color opposite of orange on the color wheel is Blue.

What cancels out orange color?

As you can see from the color wheel, the color opposite to orange it on the color wheel is blue, as well as blue-green. So the way to neutralize the orange would therefore be to use blue-based colors.

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