How to Make Stained and Oak Kitchen Cabinets Look Modern

Oak kitchen cabinetry: they can add endless beauty to a kitchen, or make it look old and antiquated. Nevertheless, if your kitchen design comes with oak kitchen cabinets, if you’ve had them for more than five years, let alone 30 years, you’ll definitely need to update them. So, how do you make oak kitchen cabinets look modern again?

And, if they start looking worse for wear, do you need to replace them outright? The answer is no, and we’ll show you why.

For more than 40 years, our construction team has helped renovate and reinvigorate dated living spaces across New York City. If you’re looking to preserve a property or renovate it by updating oak kitchen cabinetry, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we’ll take you through seven key factors to consider before refinishing or restaining wood cabinets. As well, we’ll share six stylistic choices to consider to turn your old oak cabinetry into a luxurious masterpiece worth raving about.

Let’s dive in!

7 factors to consider before re-staining oak wood cabinets

1. Should you re-stain or paint your oak cabinetry? 2. How about updating kitchen hardware? 3. What about adding molding and trim? 4. How about revamping the bulkhead space above your cabinets? 5. What about adding open shelving instead of cabinetry? 6. Should you paint your cabinetry? 7. Should you paint the walls around your cabinetry?

1. Do you re-stain or paint your cabinets?

Let’s set the record straight: before making your oak cabinets look modern, you need to decide whether you want to re-stain or paint them. First, consider which type of cabinet door you have:

• A shaker-style with a raised panel
• A shaker-style with a panel that’s flush with the cabinet
• A double cathedral panel
• A panel with a single arch

Depending on the style, you may consider either keeping the oak finish and giving it a fresh coat of stain and lacquer. If not, you can also completely replace the cabinets with updated custom cabinetry and millwork.

The choice is yours. But consider your options first, as depending on the style of your cabinets, you might choose to paint or completely replace the cabinets.

2. Consider updating your cabinet hardware

Often, cabinets that are 30 years or older don’t come equipped with hardware like handles or knobs. Since modern kitchen cabinetry tends to come finished with handles and knobs, consider adding traditional-style hardware to your oak cabinets.

You can opt for newer hardware with softer lines, or choose something with rounded edges. Keep in mind that you’ll want to measure the distance between mounting holes.

Not sure where to start? Our custom renovation team would be more than happy to assist you with measurements, checking bolt holes, and installing cabinet hardware. It’s one of our niche specialties!

3. Add crown molding and trim to your cabinets

Crown molding is often used on the ceilings of living rooms and bedrooms. But it can also be used for your kitchen.

Crown molding is the decorative finish that sits on top of cabinets, not the molding that attaches to the ceiling. Likewise, you can also add a trim of wood that attaches to the bottom of your upper cabinets.

Why add under-trim to your cabinets? Trim adds height to your cabinets and gives them a customized profile that allows for modifications and add-ons like outlet hook-ups or under-cabinet lighting.

4. Fill in the space above your cabinets

The space above cabinets, also called the bulkhead or soffit, makes wall-mounted cabinets look more custom and filled in. You can choose to paint your cabinets to give them a fresh, new, and charming look.

In the space above the cabinets, you can even add built-in lighting to provide more visibility to your kitchen space.

5. Add open shelving and remove cabinetry

Adding open shelving is an excellent way to open up and modernize oak kitchen cabinets. To do so, consider removing at least one of the cabinets in your kitchen space.

You can opt for shelving in the same color as your cabinets and then stain the shelving the same color as your cabinetry. Doing so will make the space feel more open and functional, without compromising the aesthetics of your kitchen space.

6. Revamp your cabinets with fresh colors

Consider a fresh coat of paint for your cabinets. Many golden oak cabinets appeal to an older generation, so if your goal is to modernize your home, consider revamping your cabinets with fresh colors.

Soft, warm white, grey-green, and black color accents can turn your original oak cabinets and kitchen into a luxurious, modern work of art. A fresh coat of paint can transform a kitchen into a flawless masterpiece.

7. Paint the walls adjacent to your oak cabinets

If you enjoy your oak cabinets but are looking to alter your kitchen to fit your cabinetry, consider giving your walls a new paint job. For example, painting trim white can make a kitchen feel clean and bright.

You can even make your kitchen feel more spacious by painting your walls and trim the same color. Colors with warm undertones, like muted greens, beige, or cream, are essential to matching and complementing the aesthetic of your oak kitchen cabinets.

Cooler colors like gray, blue, and purple will make the orange in the oak cabinetry stand out to a greater extent.

6 style choices to remember when updating oak cabinets

Beyond updating the physical infrastructure of and around your oak cabinets, keep in mind the following style choices:

1. Exposed hinges: As you update your oak cabinets, make sure the finish matches your cabinet’s handles and knobs. You’ll want to ensure each piece of hardware matches your cabinets to the T.
2. Sheen: Consider the level of sheen you want in your cabinets. Increased sheen will enhance the grain of the wood. Satin, semi-gloss, and matte all work well with oak cabinets.
3. Cabinet hardware finishes: Hardware finishes add a feeling of elegance to a kitchen space. While polished nickel and black are popular luxury hardware finishes, consider reaching out to your luxury construction firm to decide which finish looks best with wood cabinetry.
4. Door and drawer hardware: Consider the knobs on doors or the pull levels on drawers. If you’re looking for ideas for updating your oak kitchen cabinetry, consider soft-close doors and drawers or these beautiful luxury kitchen remodel ideas.
5. The grain and texture of the wood: The grain of oak becomes more prominent the shinier it’s painted. Consider spraying it to reduce the amount of grain that’s visible.
6. The colors of kitchen focal points: Focal points in a kitchen, like appliances, kitchen islands, and cabinetry, are key to making a kitchen shine. You’ll want to determine which color makes the most sense to contrast or blend with your appliances and cabinets. Consider reaching out to a design-and-build professional, as they have the knowledge needed to give you a detailed, precise color that matches your needs.

Scordio spotlight on modern oak kitchen cabinetry

Warm tones and classic charm make this kitchen the heart of the home.

With natural light, cozy details, and timeless design, it’s perfect for creating memorable meals. 🍋🍝

To find more inspiration for your next kitchen renovation, check out our Instagram here.

Ready to modernize old, outdated oak kitchen cabinetry?

You couldn’t have picked a better time, as wood kitchen cabinet colors are among some of the most popular in the United States at the moment, according to recent market data. But to make the renovation a seamless, yet functional work of art, you need to call on a luxury construction firm.

A luxury construction firm has the tools, knowledge, experience, and expertise to not only install but also modernize cabinets and countertops to make them look good as new. Plus, the most exceptional luxury construction firms tend to house both design and construction capacities under one roof, so picking a luxury construction firm will save you time hunting for the right building contractors.

If you live in the New York City area and are looking to refinish your cabinets or transform your kitchen, we’d be happy to help. If you’re interested in a new kitchen or cabinet makeover, send over your ideas to our construction and design team.

We look forward to building your dream kitchen. Until then, be well, and we’ll talk to you soon.

Check Out Our Woodwork Featured in People Magazine