If it’s time to update your wooden cabinets, you can hire a cabinet painting service to re-stain them. When you make this upgrade, your kitchen will have a new and exciting look. According to Forbes, 94.3% of homeowners who’ve recently had a kitchen remodel completed reported that they want to spend more time at home to enjoy it. Here are a few stain ideas to consider when you want to give your cabinets a new look.
1. Clear Stain
If you have a small cabinet and love a rustic look, this is a great stain to consider. It’s essentially a process that removes all previous stains and lets the natural wood shine through. Once the varnish is stripped off and the clear stain applied, the result is unique and charming. If you find that your current cabinet looks too dark, this is an effective way to lighten them up. We don’t recommend this for an entire kitchen, but it’s a perfect option for bathrooms, pantries, and other storage areas. Your cabinet painting service can provide advice to see if this is a good choice for some cabinets in your home. Kitchens with just a few cabinets could look great with this stain, but consideration should be given when you’re thinking about it for more than just a few. It’s a look that definitely works best in small doses.
2. Scandinavian Blonde
Kitchen cabinets take up a lot of visual space, and when they’re stained a dark color, they can feel a bit overwhelming. If your kitchen is on the smaller side or doesn’t get a lot of natural light, this is a wonderful choice. Its light, bright color will create a feeling of spaciousness and movement. When you want a light-filled kitchen but want to move on from white, this is the way to go. It’s an effective stain to give your kitchen a modern look that’s still warm and inviting. Be aware that this is definitely a minimalist look that will make your cabinets appear unfinished. This characteristic makes it perfect for modern kitchens, but it might not be the best selection for a more contemporary design. Don’t hesitate to ask your cabinet painting service if they think this stain would look good with your decor.
3. Tuxedo-Style
This is a trend that’s taking over kitchens everywhere. Basically, the lower cabinets are stained or painted a darker color with the uppers done in a lighter shade. It’s an effective way to add visual interest at both the top and bottom of the room and prevents a lot of cabinets from taking over the sight lines. Again, it’s an effective design approach for any kitchen with a lot of cabinets. We love this trend because it allows a bit more creativity, especially when the lower or upper cabinets are painted a fun and interesting color. If you want to keep things interesting in your kitchen, talk to your contractor about getting some tuxedo-style cabinets.
4. Chestnut
This traditional stain that’s been the standard for years is still pretty popular. It’s a great stain color in traditional kitchens and goes well with just about every color. If your cabinets are made of high-quality wood with a lot of interesting grain designs, this is the right choice. It’ll show off the quality of the wood and let the grain shine. When you don’t want your cabinets to take center stage, paint the rest of the room in a white, gray, or other neutral shade. However, a chestnut stain with dark colors creates a dramatic and appealing effect that many homeowners love. Experiment with different colors to discover what complements the cabinets best and fits with your personal design style.
5. Blue
A lot of people are surprised by just how versatile blue is as a wood stain. In many rooms, it serves as a neutral color. If you’re staining your kitchen cabinets blue and have an oversized kitchen with a lot of cabinets, consider adding white to the mix. We love blue cabinets with white lower and island cabinets. This will break up the space in a large area while also adding a lot of visual interest. It’s perfect for French or farm-style kitchens where you want to add a bit of color. There are many shades of blue to choose from, with darker blues currently the more popular shade. As lighter blues become more trendy, you’re likely to see that option popping up a lot more in the coming months.
6. Mahogany
Mahogany stain is a popular choice for entertainment centers, bookcases, and other storage cabinets in living rooms. If you want your room to feel cozy and warm, this is the stain color for you. It’s typically used in traditional-style rooms, but when you add a high gloss, it’s perfect for contemporary rooms as well. Living spaces done in dark greens and blues are the perfect settings for mahogany stains. And, when you’re going for a warm and cozy feel, you don’t have to worry about the stain color overwhelming the room.
7. Cherry
Traditional design schemes are the perfect complement to cherry wood stains. This stain is perfect on cabinets in any room of the house. We love it used on bedroom built-ins and of course, in studies and dens. If you have a lot of traditional elements in your home, cherry stain is likely your go-to. It can also be used in kitchens; we love it when it’s used on a cabinet array that contains a lot of glass-fronted cabinets. If you have a large or dramatic vanity in your master bathroom, you’ll want to consider cherry to give the room an elevated look that’s absolutely perfect.
When you want an elegant look and feel for your wood, cherry stain is definitely the way to go! Dark color palettes are a popular choice when you have cherry-stained wood in a room. It also works well with some lighter colors, but be aware of the undertones of any paint that you choose. You want to avoid any competing reds or any paint colors with gray undertones. Stick to greens and blues, and your cabinets will be a stunning addition to any room.
8. Gray
Gray stain remains a common choice even as white cabinets are losing a bit of their popularity. This neutral can create a look that’s a bit more interesting than tan or off-white. You can select a gray wash that gives a subtle look or medium or dark gray. As the stain gets darker, so too does the drama factor. Many of today’s trendiest grays lean toward taupe, so you’ll want to avoid going too dark with your paint colors.
In kitchens, it pairs perfectly with white countertops. It’s also a popular part of the tuxedo-style trend. Gray cabinets are also perfect if you have any built-ins in your entryway or foyer. Homeowners with farm-style kitchens have embraced gray cabinets without looking back! When you’re looking for a stain that won’t look too obtrusive but want something more interesting than white or another neutral, you’ll want to consider gray.
Artistic Cabinet Finishes is the team to call for all your cabinet staining needs. We provide the quality services you expect from a professional cabinet painting service. Contact us today to learn more about our services and to get an estimate for your project. We look forward to working with you!
