Modern Kitchen, Oak Updates

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Sometimes life comes around in ways you didn’t expect. Maybe I imaged I would be the doting mom to a small 4-pack of little girls with french-braided hair, but what I got was a duo of boys that wrestle and ride dirt bikes. (Which, it turns out, is pretty awesome but I didn’t see it coming.)

Maybe you imagined you would be making green smoothies with a $700 blender in a gleaming white farmhouse kitchen with marble counters, but here you are living the dream making the ‘easiest weeknight casserole’ recipe you could find on Pinterest in an oak kitchen you are trying to make the best of. (Which, as it also turns out, can be full of style and character and be pretty awesome in it’s own ways as well.)

So here we are again, with me singing from the rooftops (sorry it’s bad, but at least I have heart): your oak-filled house can be stylish! It really can.

I’m happy today to share some design boards I created, showing three ways to style an oak kitchen that will make it look beautiful. By styling what you have in new ways, you can elevate and transform the room without the renovation.

These boards include three very unique modern updates for oak kitchens. They take a good look at some simple styling: some accessories, some new details in the lighting and faucet, maybe some new art and, most importantly, a fresh coat of paint. My hope is that they inspire you to look at your own oak kitchen in a new way - you absolutely can update it without painting the cabinets.

Click to get all the details you need to update your oak kitchen cabinets (without painting them!) in 3 easy-to-follow guides from True Design House . Also features a complete shopping list PDF version for free download! {{ true-design-house.com | #OakKitchenUpdates | #BestPaintWithOak | #OakCabinetMakeover | Interior Design Tips | Oak Kitchen Design Help | Living With Oak }}

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The Best Hardware to Update Oak Cabinets

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In a house filled with golden oak, it can be a challenge to update things in a way that is both stylish and doesn’t cost a frightening amount.  This is especially true when it comes to an outdated oak kitchen.

After all, most people are thinking ‘if I’m going to spend so much money to make this oak work, I’m going to just wait to completely renovate the kitchen.’  There is little point to investing in stone counter tops, new flooring and the rest of it, if you are just waiting it out until you can deal with the cabinets.

So, is there such a thing as a quick & simple update for an oak kitchen?  Absolutely!

There are a few ways you can make it work (right now and on a reasonable budget).  As a bonus, these are also things that can be done, by you, in a few hours.  One of the biggest impacts:   just change the cabinet hardware!

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>> ps. I have written so much about restyling around honey oak and you can catch up on every article in the Oak HQ or for a complete step-by-step guide, check out my ebook Living With Oak. <<

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Hardware makes an enormous difference in the bones of the cabinetry and the style of the room.  If I was designing an kitchen with existing oak cabinets, here’s what I would do: 

• Paint it a great color

• Clear the counters

• Lay down a great, eye-catching rug

• Add some interest (probably a big framed print and a huge plant in a nice planter)

• Change out the hardware

• That’s it!

You can do this, too! Then, since it looks so much better and you are at peace with it, you can move on to planning out that full kitchen reno you are still working towards. 

Or, maybe you will be so happy with the small changes you made that you can cross that idea right off the list and move on to dreaming about making other areas of your home just right.

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Wondering if the hardware on your oak cabinets is outdated? 

Here’s some signs:

• Full plastic

• Overly ornate / ‘fancy’

• Embellished

• Brass or bright gold look

• Ceramic inserts, especially painted with flowers or fruit

• Wood center on pulls

What should you look for to get a hardware update right?

Details that will update oak cabinets:

• Option 1 - historic - think luxurious historic mansions, libraries or craftsman styles like Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture

• Option 2 - modern - simple lines, single material, bold design

• Respect the integrity and style of your home’s architecture

• Consider the style of other elements in the room when choosing hardware: general style, colors, counters, sink & faucet, appliances and accessories. You want the new hardware to enhance or create more of that mood or style in the room. (If you are updating other things, think about the final look of how to room once you are done.)

• Contrasting colors will make the new hardware stand out and give some visual breaks in the monotony of overwhelming golden oak (this is the magic power of distraction) - black, dark oil-rubbed bronze and bright chrome offer the best contrast.

• Watch current trends - gold hardware on oak? At first glance, and solely in terms of color, brass or gold just aren’t a natural fit for oak cabinets… but, I have to say that my stance on this one has evolved as gold hardware has risen in popularity. I don’t normally base design decisions on trends, but when something is popular, it tends to have a lot of options on the market and some of these options (colors or styles) actually work very well to update oak cabinets… so this one is an ‘it depends’ for me. If you love gold or brass and can find one that has some contrast to the particular color of your cabinets, it can work very well!

Here’s my top 25 suggestions for updating oak cabinets with fresh hardware! 

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Make Your Oak Kitchen a Pinterest Stunner (in one weekend, without a major reno!)

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When you are not ready, willing or able to do a complete renovation of your oak kitchen, the next best thing to do is transform it with pure style.  Yes, it can look absolutely amazing!  

If you can paint the walls, add a rug or two and accessorize until your heart explodes, your kitchen can go from 'Sad & Outdated' to 'Pinterest Stunner' in a weekend!

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Level one:

Clear away all the clutter, banish accessories that are too beige or orange, and give yourself a clean slate.  

Choose one or two accent colors and choose accessories in several shades of that color.  In the example below, I went with a rich turquoise.  Blues and greens are great shades to work with honey oak as they both neutralize the orange tones in the wood really well.  At the most basic level, even just adding lots of eye-catching accessories will take the focus off of the oak.   

Rugs are a great investment in an oak kitchen, especially if the flooring is dated or isn’t the style you are aiming for.  

Level two: 

If you can paint the walls, it creates a gorgeous backdrop that downplays the oak and pulls everything together.  Please, please do this if you can!  Have time and inclination to paint baseboards and trim, maybe even the table or other furniture?  A creamy, neutral white will take things up a notch. 

Major bang for your buck: changing out the door and drawer hardware for a dark oil-rubbed bronze pull in a smooth look that is big enough to make a statement.  This is so easy to do and makes an incredible difference in the style of your kitchen.  

Also within the ‘DIY category’ of changes:  updating the lighting fixtures to something sleek and stylish, something without too much detail, is a huge style-maker as well.

Level three:

Ready for some minor renos that you can totally tackle yourself or have done in a few days by a pro?  

Replacing the counter top with a deep charcoal or graphite colored laminate and adding a gorgeous hexagon marble backsplash will transform your kitchen completely.  These items are a bit more of an investment, but not out of range if you are going to be making do with your oak kitchen for a few more years.  

The 'wow factor' of these larger ticket items make them well worth it.  They are absolute game changers for the feel of your kitchen as they take up so much visual real estate.

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What not to do:

In general, I wouldn't waste your resources or precious renovation energy on replacing flooring or adding stone countertops to an oak kitchen.  

Why not?  Well, chances are when the time comes to replace or refinish the entire kitchen cabinetry, you are going to want to change those things at that time to either coordinate with the new cabinets or because styles have changed and they will need updating also.

You also don't like want to get 'out of your league' when it comes to return on investment with the kitchen cabinets as-is.  If you sell your home before renovating any further, sinking big bucks into major items in an outdated kitchen is not always a wise investment.

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Getting started:

I had a lot of fun putting together a look that you can actually shop!

View fullsize

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The Best Wall Paint Colors To Go With Honey Oak

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If you are surrounded by honey oak in your home, you are in the right place for design help!

Are you living in a home that is filled with outdated oak and it’s just not feeling like you?  Most of my clients that approach me with this problem are feeling a little stuck: they are awesome people that have great taste and style but for a whole bunch of reasons, they are having to create a beautiful home around the oak that exists there.  All they want is a house that makes them feel happy when they walk in the front door, oak and all, starting with the paint color.  Is that even possible?

I get it:  try searching online for ‘oak kitchen’ or ‘oak trim updates’ and the inspiration and advice is pretty dismal.  Standard advice is to either rip it out or paint over it.  This isn’t always practical or even what everyone wants.  The more a person searches, the worse you start to feel about your house.  Any photos you can find seem to be mostly really ugly and, well, depressing stock photos. All you want is a simple update, without a major renovation.  The good news is that yes, it is possible to do and I can show you how.  Paint is the easiest and least expensive things you can do in a home and the best part is that it is one of the biggest game changers.  Can you choose a gorgeous paint color that makes your home beautiful updated and lovely, without touching the oak?  Yes!

The Three Steps to tackle updating your oak (and one bonus step!)

I have helped clients to tackle this problem so many times and I can guide you through the process as well. There are 3 steps to navigating choosing the right paint color (and one bonus step), so let me help you to work through them!

1. Accept the great parts of the oak in your home (and there are some!)

2. Understand a bit about color theory

3. Take a look through all of these color suggestions and try a few out at home.

4. Bonus: I have an entire ebook on this topic, so consider buying the Living With Oak: 2021 Design & Style Guide to let me take you step-by-step through setting up a plan to updating more than just the paint in your home.

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Step One: Why work with the oak?

There are some great things about oak in a home and though, yes, it can be painted over or replaced with MDF trim or a new white kitchen, there are a lot of reasons to leave it be and work with it!

Oak is a rock solid wood – it’s durable and practically bullet proof.

It’s warm – those warm tones are earthy and look great in a lot of spaces.

Oak is also ripe with wood grain that really stands out, even when painted, so it has a very natural, patterned look that never looks manufactured or ultra-modern.

Even if the only reason it’s staying put is because you don’t have the time, money or desire to replace it right now, it absolutely can look great in your home by surrounding it with a great wall color and surrounding it with things that are more in your taste – things like furniture, art, lighting, new hardware or updated counters will all help give a new look to the space and put all thoughts of ‘outdated oak’ right out of mind.

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Step Two: Color Theory

When it comes to updating a house, you better believe the oak can absolutely be toned down & styled to look good with a fresh wall color.

There are two main ways of working with any existing element in a home: it can either be enhanced (used as a focal point) or downplayed (neutralized and camouflaged). What we are going to focus on is the idea that oak, which just boils down to an overwhelming amount of a yellow-orange color and lots of texture, needs the rest of the room to balance it out. It needs to be downplayed, neutralized and camouflaged.

To achieve this with paint, either we are going to create a harmonious palette that is similar to the oak, or we are going to create a contrasting palette that incorporates some opposite colors. Either way, we are going to pay attention to those subtle undertones so that the oak looks it’s best.

Here are the two directions to transform your honey oak trim, doors, or cabinets with wall color:

1. Neutralize it with a complimentary color

Oak can be neutralized a bit by using colors around it that are on the opposite side of the color wheel. So, for orange oaks, this means something with a purple or green tone. Does it have to be a loud, obvious purple or green? Nope! There are undertones to a lot of soft, neutral colors like warm greys and creams. Yes, the oak is going to stand out: it’s going to sit among a contrasting color like a piece of art sits in a mat and frame. That’s okay – let’s be honest, it exists, it is there and you can’t make it disappear, but you can trick the eye into feeling like what is there is a little less “loud oak” and a little more “neutral warm wood”. Think of a gorgeous redhead wearing a soft lavender top – beautiful. Redhead wearing a harsh yellow shirt? Not so flattering.

2. Blend and camouflage

If you surround the warm oak with another warm color, it’s going to blend in and look purposeful. A soft, warm neutral paint with orange or yellow undertones can make a space look harmonious and help the oak fade in a little. I would go with a natural, earthy color here, not anything too harsh. The look of warm oak is very natural and can sit very nicely with colors pulled from nature. Be careful not to choose anything too bland here as you do want your space to have some energy to it and avoid harsh black-greys as they generally just don’t work well.

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Step Three: Color Suggestions for 2021

Color styles and trends are always evolving and while I believe that a foundation of good design is timeless, I thought you might like to see what paint colors I’m pairing with oak in 2021.

For a download of this cheat sheet complete with all the paint codes, take a look at my my free design resource library (link below!)

Get the 2021 curated collection of the best paints to pair with honey oak. Immediate, free download from True Design House. Interior design advice for the practical & down-to-earth. {{ true-design-house.com | #BenjaminMoore | #DesignHelp | #DIYStaging | #HomeAdvice | #HoneyOak | #OakFloors | Interior Design Tips | Home Design Help | The True Design House Best Paints With Honey Oak 2021

Looking for the still popular 2018 collection? It can also be found in the resource library!

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Step Four: Bonus step!

There is so much to unpack about updating oak in a home (and yes, it’s totally possible!) and paint is only one aspect.

The problem with looking for design help online is that a lot of information is, well, a little sad.

If you are looking for real, inspirational, down-to-earth design advice about taking your home from wherever it’s at now to updated and stylish, maybe my ebook is just what you need to get started.

Check it out below and see if it’s a good fit!

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