How To Select Wood Or Color Stains For Kitchen Re-Design
Posted by Jody Raines on Fri, Oct 14, 2011 @ 12:14 PM
When redesigning a kitchen, one of the first choices are the type of wood for your cabinets. Sometimes it’s not so much a decision about the color until the type of wood is determined. Many kitchens are designed to fit a look or lifestyle. Whether your preference is contemporary or traditional, colonial or modern, the wood finish on the cabinets will either work with the look or fight it.
In a contemporary kitchen, generally a painted or color wood stain is preferred. Style is clean, and lines are simple. Lighter color woods are also considered contemporary. Maple with a natural finish is a beautiful hard wood that has a fine grain and holds stain very well.
To contrast the idea of a light, contemporary kitchen, is a dark, rich traditional style. Mahogany, Cherry Wood, and Ebony wood are all hardwoods that are luxurious. The deep colors of a dark wood cabinet can actually make a room look larger, despite popular belief that smaller rooms must be light in color.
Oak is a mainstay and a very popular choice for kitchen cabinets. Oak is a hardwood that comes in over 200 species. It’s strong and accepts wood stain colors well. One of the reasons for Oak’s popularity is because it has nice graining and it’s a long lasting wood. Dependent upon the choice of stain, oak can be used in many styles of kitchen cabinetry.
Hickory or birch are often used in country styled kitchens. The graining and knots lend a rustic look to modern cabinets and both can be colored with multiple wood stain choices. Birch tends to look better with dark stains, while hickory is usually coupled with midrange stains to accentuate the natural coloration and patterns.
Eclectic styles are always an option when redesigning a kitchen. There is no manual that says you have to fit the mold - your only limit is your imagination. Contrasting woods are intriguing and can create a very individualized kitchen. Adding interest through cabinet color and stain creates a one-of-a-kind effect. Your frame can be a dark ebony wood, and the drawers a lighter natural stained maple. Another idea is to use color to create interest in a corner, or highlight a focal point.
Regardless of your current kitchen, updating your kitchen cabinets can create an entirely different look and feel. If you are not sure, and would like to explore some re-design options, give us a call.
What questions do you have regarding wood choices and kitchen re-design projects? We'd love to hear from you and answer your questions.
