How do I update a house that is full of golden oak cabinets and trims.

8 years ago

All our doors, trims, curved stair rails, and cabinets are golden oak. I want to renovate my kitchen, half bath and laundry room with more modern cabinets but can't envision how it will look with all that golden oak and I can't afford to change all the doors and trim.

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PRO

HMH Development Inc

8 years ago

Aww, poor golden oak...either paint or see it with fresh eyes. It can be toned down with the right wall paint, countertop, flooring, etc.

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Comments (25)

PRO
S Mistry Interiors
8 years ago
Paint
PRO
Randy Roper Interiors
8 years ago
Post some photos of the inside so we can give you some for informed advise.
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I love the tall units but you need to go straight to the ceiling to prevent dust and dirt settling on the top. I would put a row of small up and over cupboards along the very top as an option. Very handy for unsightly bulky items. I don't like the end open shelves by sink very dated but what you could do is a long double shelf all the way along the island with a wine racking either side for balance vertically. I think shelving each side of the sink would be better. You have a lot of cupboards but no deep drawers which are highly valued these days. Good selling point. I Like your colour suggestions... The little Greene paint company have a lovely grey so does farrow and ball. Where are you sourcing your Quartz and what flooring? Do your ovens have easy open shelf doors ..handy as they retract so don't get in the way as you take food out..Neff offer best ones. If you want a better balance of tall you could always do fridge freezer one side and pull out pantry on the other with racking. Then on sink side don't go all the way along the wall just have it as centred space so you can pull out larder doors. On your island you will need your bin as this'll be prep area? What is the room opposite tall cupboards? Need the island to look good from that side as that is what you will see. Hope of help. I'm embarking on the same thing and have spent hours and hours researching!
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handmethathammer
8 years ago
You can either paint or replace, or live with it until stained wood comes into style again. That is what I choose to do with my light stained maple wood cabinets.
onenuclear
8 years ago
I just stripped all my doors and restained an espresso stain with modern silver handles.
PRO
Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
8 years ago
It won't be easy or quick, but paint is the best option for outdated golden oak trim.
Carol Johnson
8 years ago
This project had golden oak everything. We left the floors and trim in place, replaced the perimeter cabinets with painted & installed a walnut island.

http://www.abandk.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/0T5A3376.jpg
alladd
8 years ago
Great job, Carol Johnson!
Judy Mishkin
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
i'd paint the trim and leave the cabinets alone for now. you may be so happy to have some of the oak gone that the cabinets don't bother you any more.

for your stairs, i recomment risers and balusters white, banister glossy black.
Kivi
8 years ago
A number of years ago my in laws in their 80's bought a new house in which the builder had carefully installed oak trim. She refused to move in until all of it had been painted white. They never second guessed it, and she loved her painted white trim.
User
8 years ago
Wait 5 minutes. Painted is on the downswing and the more expensive upscale look of wood trim is making a come back. Even white painted cabinets have passed the peak of popularity and the oak is making a comeback.
Judy Mishkin
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
not in my house its not, live wire. and while i see as many wood cabinets as ever, im not seeing a lot of oak in the stories section. maple maybe. or whatever is under the espresso stain.

but to be clear...i'd never advocate painting oak because its out of style. (cathedral doors, thats a different issue). i'd advocate painting oak trim because it was a mistake the day it went in. its very limiting in the number of colors that go really well with it.
qdesign4me
7 years ago
I do have those "cathedral" oak doors in my kitchen. What's the best treatment for the oak to keep the color without painting? I'm putting in slate looking floors with soapstone counters. Help Please!
jhmarie
7 years ago
Kimramsey - Many have oak cabinets and happily live with them. They are sturdy and your plan of new countertops and floors sounds good. I recently did new countertops and backsplash and a farmhouse sink. It helps if you like a country / cottage or vintage style.

A little white paint - especially on the trim can help if you feel there is too much wood:

Quiet Casual Home: Entryway and Stair · More Info

Here are some picks of my home:

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/57579129/thumbs/my-pics-work-in-progress

Another possibility is to remove some uppers and add shelving. You would need to be comfortable with open shelving and have plenty of other storage:

You may want to start a new thread with picks of your kitchen / home to get more responses.
Connie Morton thanked jhmarie
Connie Morton
Original Author
7 years ago
My cabinets have got to go. They are worn out and the "innards" in them was not the best to start with; the shelves are worn and there is water damage under the sink from a problem years ago. It's all the trim and curved stair railings that are getting on my nerves but I just can't bring myself to paint that solid oak. I will post pictures some day when I have time.
Barb
6 years ago
I'm struggling with the same issue, can't imagine painting all that trim and I don't care for the look of white trim and an oak door...which means all new doors too.
jhmarie
6 years ago
Oak doors with white is actually a good look. The wood doors have more value then the white which are will be solid core MDF if you get the good ones and will show every speck of dirt and scratches. Please donate your old doors to ReStore - someone will love them. I have white trim and like it - but it is an upkeep. I am glad I do not need to upkeep my doors too:)

Here are some pics from last week on This Old House site. Wood trim can be pretty. This trim is new - yes mid tone wood trim was added to this kitchen.

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/kitchen-remodel-fit-crowd?utm_source=cheetah&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=new_091117
Kristy
6 years ago
I realize this is an old conversation, but it caught my eye because my home is 1971 with lots of golden oak. Oddly, my doors and trim are golden oak, kitchen cabinets are cherry, and bathroom vanities are white. Pretty sure it's all original so not sure what builder was thinking...but I digress. I'm in dreaming stage right now and not ready to remodel yet. But I wanted to say I've had both in various homes.....white painted trim and stained hardwood trim. White trim doesn't hold up well to vacuum cleaners, kids, pets, etc. and quickly becomes a maintenance nightmare. When you hear a suggestion to PAINT, ask yourself how many times you're willing to do touch-ups. I have found the stained hardwood to be nearly indestructible, so that is my preference. "Oak" is not dated or trendy. It is merely a type of hardwood. And a darned good one if you ask me. It's that "golden" finish that dates the look and leaves everyone cringing. So I would recommend staining...something lighter or darker depending on taste and natural light or a nice shade of blue, green, gray, or beige.
Trina LaBelle
6 years ago
Our home has golden oak trim EVERYWHERE but the previous owners put in dark cherry kitchen cabinets and moldings but the room goes right into the kitchen nook that still has oak windows and trim... it looks... odd. I can’t afford to replace the cabinets and don’t know what to do now
Elizabeth So
5 years ago
Keep your cabinets, paint the oak trim white.
selly83
4 years ago
Paint real wood. You must be smoking something good. Why not just put mdf at that point.
Robin Dagy-Rupp
4 years ago
What does mdf mean sorry ?
Robin Dagy-Rupp
4 years ago
Get rid of that paint for sure !
jhmarie
4 years ago
MDF is medium density fiberboard.
HU-175673461
3 years ago
They aren’t installing trim new so mdf is a moot point. There are plenty of reasons never to install it for base trim.

I have it now and while it bends to poorly built walls it also dents and crumbles at the mitred joints if knocked, swells when wet from bathroom and mopping moisture and just looks cheap upon inspection unless it’s really sealed well. it also doesnt take sanding and refinishing well. it’s not wood.

Plus, it can contain more harmful VOC than wood, a natural product. Its just an inferior product for baseboards from my user experience. I was alarmed to see it in my “luxury” apartment and have to be extra careful vacuuming around corners. If I find it in the house I’m planning to buy, it will be ripped out at the first reasonable opportunity to remodel.