What countertops, appliances, and flooring complement oak cabinets when completely redoing a kitchen?
Asked by Lea Renard 
5 months ago
Last Updated: June 25, 2024
Can anyone offer advice on redoing a kitchen while keeping oak cabinets? We really love our cabinets and want to keep them, but we’re planning to redo everything else in the kitchen. Any suggestions on what countertops, appliances, and flooring would complement the oak cabinets?
I chose oak colored cabinets that are complemented by a blue/gray/brown tile, a light gray paint with a hint of blue on the walls, white woodwork, and my granite features the same color as the cabinets, along with white, black, and gray.
Sorry for the mess, we were in the process of getting a new fridge installed.
This is what we did after. The flooring still needs to be redone, but we switched the black appliances to stainless steel, added a white marbled laminate countertop, and used hexagon long tiles for the backsplash. We also changed the chevron wood countertop to white paint on our island.
I think adding some glass cabinet doors is a great idea! It looks fantastic.
It’s so nice! I enjoy making the dishware look good when the cabinets are closed haha but that’s just my preference
This was how it looked before.
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Restain them with a more modern color – wood is coming back in style
Your cabinets look really good. They will be even better with a little update. Try a light countertop with some subtle tan streaks. Taking off the dark trim wallpaper from above the cabinets will completely change the look. Adding new hardware will give them a fresh new look. Switch up the wall color from tan and improve the lighting.
My parents took on the project! They updated the countertops, backsplash, flooring, and appliances, and even switched out the cabinet hardware.
I find it amusing to watch renovation shows where people walk into a kitchen like mine and immediately suggest a full gut job. Personally, I’m quite happy with how it turned out.
Yes, we installed wide board hardwood flooring, stainless steel appliances, and a granite countertop with a dark gray base featuring hints of light green, peach, and lilac. The backsplash consists of white tumbled marble with green glass tiles arranged in a diamond pattern throughout.
We decided to keep our oak cabinets and went with quartz countertops, white subway tile, and black hardware. Next up is redoing the floor.
Hey Alissa! What paint color did you choose for the walls?
Tammy Marie We used Free Reign by Pittsburgh Paints ◡̈ It’s a wonderful neutral color that we have throughout our main level!
Your flooring complements the quartz really well. Your kitchen looks fantastic!
Awww thank you!! The tile is a bit tricky to clean because of its textured surface 🙁
If I had that kitchen, I’d definitely remove the wallpaper border and consider changing the laminate countertops. It’s definitely an improvement from what I had to live with for over 16 years.
We switched the hardware to black and plan on installing quartz calcutta prado with a more straightforward backsplash. Our flooring matches yours, and I’m using online visualizers to help me decide on samples. Msi offers an excellent visualizer for countertops, backsplashes, and flooring.
Pinterest has some great ideas for updating oak cabinets. If it were up to me, here’s what I would do:
-Brighten things up with white countertops and a matching backsplash
-Choose a nice white wall color that complements the brown wood, such as SW Greek Villa or SW Natural Linen
-Remove the border and paint the crown molding white to match the baseboards
-Switch out the stove for a slide-in range
-Upgrade the lighting
-Consider removing the desk area if it’s not being used
-If you’re not changing the flooring, adding a washable rug with a cream background can make a difference
Think about what colors bring you joy. Pick up a color fan from the paint store and have fun comparing all the color chips. When you use colors that make you happy, your room will feel cheerful! The backsplash can be a neutral shade or a color that stands out from the paint, your choice.
Initially, we considered renovating or painting our cabinets when we bought our house. But we ultimately chose to keep them as is since the kitchen windows were unpainted.
We painted our unique oak cabinets in Alabasters and they look stunning! We also added glass to four of the doors so now it feels more open and less like a wall of cabinets.
Is definitely planning to tackle some glass doors. I believe it will make a big difference!
Yes, we’ve had to move twice to different homes.
Those cabinets are really beautiful and high-quality. It’s worth getting them professionally painted instead of splurging on new ones that might not be as good.
After my husband used Briwax to darken the wood, we decided to add a warm granite countertop, glass subway tile backsplash, and switched the floor to LVP. We’re really happy with how it turned out, but we’re always checking Pinterest for more inspiration.
Did you find Briwax simple to use? Any strong smells during application?
My husband took care of it. It required some effort, but it was manageable. There was a slight odor, but it didn’t bother me much despite my allergies to smells.
If you’re on Pinterest, try searching for ‘complementary paint colors for golden oak cabinets’. Some of those users give great explanations of the undertones.
I went with white quartz countertops and a white backsplash.
I realize white is popular right now, but when we renovated a house with nice oak cabinets, we decided to save money by switching to black quartz countertops and adding black pulls. It really updated the oak and added a stylish touch. Just changing the pulls to a more modern style can make a big difference.
Everyone has their own preferences, but I personally got rid of my oak cabinets and replaced them with something that suits my style much better.
They look absolutely stunning, just swap out your hardware
A light or white tile floor would be perfect! Something similar to this (which is actually sheet vinyl) complements oak beautifully.
I totally agree, I adore the appearance of oak cabinets too, but like you, I wanted to give them a more modern touch. I decided to go with a two-tone look, keeping the base cabinets in their natural oak state and painting the uppers. Following the advice of others, I also added new modern hardware, along with new countertops and a backsplash, complete with under-cabinet lighting 🙂 My kitchen used to have burgundy countertops, dated wallpaper, inadequate lighting, and old brass hardware. I even added lighting inside the cabinets with glass
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Simply give them a thorough cleaning, not implying that they’re dirty, reseal them, and maybe consider updating the hardware.
Those cabinets look great. The kitchen could use an update by removing the wallpaper border and drop ceiling. That would be my first step.
My cabinets are a bit warmer than oak, but I switched to black hardware and opted for a neutral and more contemporary quartzite for my counters. I just had them put in, but I’m planning on adding a black accent to the wall under the island, along with white geometric tile.
I painted my oak cabinets, added new handles, upgraded to stainless appliances, and redid the countertops and backsplash. The transformation was amazing! It’s been 3 years and I still love it! Check out the pictures below
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Your home is so beautiful
Your home looks absolutely beautiful! I wasn’t a fan of my builder grade orange cabinets so I switched to white. I wanted to paint them but my toddler was only 3 years old back then. Your taste is truly exquisite! Those lights are stunning!
Thank you so much, Sherry!
I can’t stand honey oak so I ended up selling my house haha. If I had decided to stay, I would have without a doubt painted the cabinets white.
You got rid of your house just because of honey oak?
Ugh, same hereeee, I can’t stand yellow wood (honey oak or any other) and it feels like it’s all over the place!
No, not just that. But I really disliked the kitchen and didn’t want to invest more money into it. That’s why I decided to sell 😬
I painted my cabinets white. Who cares what others think? Life’s too short, do what makes you happy. Wood cabinets won’t mind. 😉
She’s quite spirited actually.
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A lot of people are recommending white countertops, but I personally prefer black countertops paired with warm wood cabinets! Also, getting rid of the soffit and changing the hardware to black would be a great idea 🙂
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Is simply stunning
Isn’t she amazing?
Wow, ‘s kitchen is absolutely stunning!
So we decided to switch up the hardware, counters, wall paint, and fixtures, and it really transformed the area.
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For your information: the prior
I absolutely adore oak cabinets.
I never used to be a fan of oak, but my current home features a lot of it. From cabinets that reach the ceiling to a large oak bar and oak baseboards, it’s everywhere and in great condition, so I opted to embrace it. If you’re aiming for a white and grey theme, it won’t work. Stick to earth tones. Green can be quite lovely, as long as it’s the right shade. I switched out my hardware for ceramic knobs with greenish tops that fade into an orange where they meet the cupboards. Your kitchen should get rid of the top wallpaper border, opt for warm wall colors like green, teal, or taupe. Consider stained glass for the ceiling light, or go for a wow factor with recessed lighting. Do you really need the phone or desk area? I can’t see the rest of the room, so I’m unsure. Is there space for an island, maybe incorporating the desk area? The flooring is in great condition, I’d keep it. Appliances seem fine to me. Remove the border, repaint, maybe install recessed lighting, upgrade hardware – unless you’re fond of your current one. Mine was brass, so it had to go.
Keep the cabinets unchanged. Ditch the wallpaper and unattractive light fixture. Consider lighter countertops, like white. Paint your walls a golden brown shade slightly different from the cabinets. I recently witnessed this and it was fantastic.
Before we purchased our home, we visited one that had oak cabinets in the kitchen, paired with a stunning granite countertop featuring hints of rose pink that complemented them beautifully.
Your kitchen is exactly what I dream of…
I love painting oak cabinets (I’m a bit quirky and prefer wood in different colors.) Painted wood always impresses me. I even painted my plywood floor to resemble planks.
Let’s remove the upper cabinets.
I love how black pairs nicely with this wood tone. Light walls and a white backsplash will really help the wood color pop and in my opinion, creates a cozy atmosphere regardless of your style preferences for decor or appliances.
We decided to keep our oak cabinets but made several changes, including updating the countertops, paint, backsplash, lighting, and cabinet pulls. We also switched from white appliances to a stainless steel Frigidaire Gallery appliance suite, added more cabinets, and built a pantry!
You could try painting them a pickled oak instead of the honey to tone down the golden color. The new trend for kitchens in 2023-2024 is dark wood, not white. But ultimately, do what you like. Consider changing out hardware, countertops, backsplash, lighting, and more.
White never goes out of style, it always seems to make a comeback. I’ve painted my houses white several times over the years, even when I was tempted to try something different. But in the end, white always seems to be the best choice.
Yes, it’s the same as having dark cabinets. I always say, just do what you like.
Your kitchen is amazing 😍
We decided to paint our cabinets a beautiful ivory shade…
I personally love light or medium sage green walls, as well as white walls, paired with oak cabinets.
I really wish I had some photos of our old house to show you. When we added new counters and hardware, the kitchen looked completely different. I adored those oak cabinets, they were very similar in color to yours.
Taking down the wallpaper from the soffit and applying a creamy white paint like Sherwin Williams Linen to everything will have a tremendous effect on modernizing the space without altering any of the permanent finishes.