Whether you prefer modern or traditional styling, mixing stained and painted cabinetry is a popular design trend. This design approach gives you more flexibility to customize your kitchen and create a balanced, harmonious look.
San Jose Cabinet Refinishing key is to find woods with similar undertones so they blend together well. Your flooring store or paint department can usually identify this by the grain pattern.
Aesthetics
The finish you choose for your custom cabinets can be one of the most impactful decisions in your kitchen design. Not only does it dictate the aesthetic, but it also influences durability and maintenance needs. However, when a project involves painted and stained cabinetry, it doesn’t have to be a case of “either/or.” With some careful planning and a bit of creativity, you can achieve a beautiful combination that brings a whole new feel to your home.
Staining allows you to highlight the natural beauty of the wood, adding color while allowing the grain and character to show through. While trendy colors may cycle in and out of style, stained cabinetry can stand the test of time.
Paint, on the other hand, provides endless possibilities in terms of color, and it’s a great way to incorporate bold trends into your kitchen design. The downside, however, is that painted surfaces can be more prone to scratches and smudges than stained surfaces, so regular cleaning and touch-ups are needed to keep them looking pristine.
Mixing stain and paint is a popular choice for homeowners seeking the best of both worlds. The right mix of finishes can complement a variety of design styles, from modern to traditional. For example, choosing a darker stain for base cabinets and a lighter paint for upper cabinetry can visually expand the room and add depth. It’s also a great way to incorporate elements of mixed materials, which is a common trend in today’s kitchens.
For a sleek, modern look, try pairing white or light-colored painted cabinets with dark stained lower cabinetry or an island. This creates a clean contrast that feels sophisticated and refined. For a more relaxed feel, earthy tones are popular in painted cabinetry designs, combining the smooth surface of paint with the natural warmth of stains.
Another way to add a pop of color is with a glaze. Glazes are translucent coatings that settle into the cracks and crevices of a base stain or paint, creating a unique, artisanal appearance. They can soften the look of a painted finish, highlight architectural details, or give a cabinet an antique or distressed appearance.
Functionality
Mixing stained and painted cabinets in your kitchen adds depth to your design, making it more visually interesting. It also creates a more balanced space, with stained cabinetry serving as anchors and painted cabinets highlighting specific areas of the room. For example, a bold paint color that may be too loud for the entire kitchen could work well as an accent color on the island.
Another benefit of mixing finishes is the added functionality of stained cabinets in high-traffic areas. Stains are more durable than paint and can hide marks and scuffs better, making them a practical choice for busy kitchens. Plus, if you want to touch up scratches or other wear and tear, you can simply stain over the affected area, rather than having to repaint the entire cabinet.
Durability
A top contender for the title of most durable cabinet finish, polyurethane is a solid choice for anyone who wants their cabinets to stand up to frequent use. It’s an odorless, water-resistant liquid plastic that creates a hard, resilient film when applied to wood surfaces, shielding them from moisture, scratches, and stains. This sturdy workhorse is a staple of high-end kitchens and restaurant spaces where durability is key.
It’s a good idea to start with a high-quality primer that’s formulated for wood before painting your cabinetry. Choose a tinted version that matches the color of your paint to ensure optimal adhesion. It’s also helpful to use a primer that blocks wood tannins if your cabinets are made from cherry, mahogany, or other dark-colored hardwoods.
If you opt for a satin or semi-gloss sheen, your cabinet paint will provide plenty of durability for everyday wear and tear. Choose a high-quality brand with low VOCs for easy clean up and minimal odor. For an extra boost in durability, look for a hybrid acrylic-urethane formula like INSLX Cabinet Coat. It adheres well to finished wood surfaces and levels out open wood grains, and it’s available in a huge range of colors.
VOC-free alkyd enamel paints like Benjamin Moore Advance offer excellent adhesion and a durable, long-lasting finish. They’re also low-odor, easy to clean up, and don’t peel or flake as much as vinyl latex finishes do. Choose a satin sheen to hide fingerprints and grease smudges, or choose a matte finish for an unblemished surface that’s ultra-durable.
One of the coolest things you can do with paint is to stain it. You can find clear mixing glaze at hardware stores and art supply shops that you can mix with any paint color to give your wood a translucent effect. It’s best to test out a glaze on a scrap piece before applying it to your cabinetry, as the look will change dramatically depending on the shade of paint and lighting in your space. However, the result is a rich, vintage-inspired look that adds dimension to your kitchen.
Maintenance
Stains provide a rich and classic look that complements many design elements and styles. They highlight the grain of natural wood and offer an abundance of color options. From light honey tones to dark espresso shades, stained cabinets can suit nearly any taste. Stains also hide wear and tear better than painted finishes, making them an ideal option for high-traffic areas.
However, staining can require a lot of work and isn’t as easy to touch up as painting. If you are concerned about maintenance, consider using a textured veneer finish that mimics the appearance of other materials like reclaimed wood or brushed metal. This style of cabinet finish is tactilely rich and elevates your experience in the kitchen.
Achieving the perfect mix of stained and painted cabinets can make a dramatic impact on your space. Thoughtful planning and following design guidelines will help ensure that your cabinets are a seamless blend of style and functionality. For example, you might choose a darker stain for base cabinets to anchor the room and use a lighter paint for upper cabinets to brighten up the area. This design strategy provides visual depth and makes your kitchen appear bigger, while remaining practical and allowing for ease of cleaning.
In addition to staining your cabinets, you can add unique texture and depth to them by applying glazes. Glazes are a great way to emphasize the different edges on a cabinet door and can be applied to both stained and painted cabinets. The two main types of glaze are flooded and penned. In a flooded glaze process, the glazing material is sprayed over the entire surface of the cabinet and then wiped off except in highlighted areas. A penned glaze is similar to the flooded glaze but is applied by hand to only highlighted areas of the cabinet.
When choosing a glaze, keep in mind that the sheen is important. You want your glaze to be washable, but you also want it to reflect the light in a subtle manner. A high sheen will enhance the wood grain, while a low sheen will highlight the paint.