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View Full Version : Kitchen cabinets...him vs her ?



Al Willits
09-21-2006, 2:33 PM
OK, in over my head here, but the wife has decided that we're gonna remodel the kitchen and we're redoing the cabinets.
She wants Maple cabinets and I want Oak, I told her as I was making them, they would be white oak, she says fine, as long as they look like maple....
We ....er...I have compromised a bit and we (she) will look at another wood as long as its kinda like Maple ???
Any suggestions?

Figuring I'm gonna lose this battle, I thought maybe we could compromise, and we're kinda looking at maple cases with white oak doors, thinking basic oak door framing with quartersawn oak panels (raised) ??

We think this might look ok...maybe?

Any thoughts?

We're leaning to wards the two tone effect....kinda...:)

Oh...appliances are black, floor is hardwood, walls are light reddish, I'm not saying very light pink but that'd be close.:)

Al

Joe Pelonio
09-21-2006, 2:54 PM
Whether you are making them or not, one thing I've learned in 32 years of marriage is that she gets to pick everything in the kitchen, the master bedroom and bathroom. We can put in an opinion but don't push it. Definitely a losing battle.

Art Mulder
09-21-2006, 3:20 PM
Repeat after me: "Yes, dear, whatever you say, dear"

(that is what one of my buddies advised me 16 years ago, shortly before I got married...)

Seriously, I would find maple on it's own possibly a bit pale - depending on the flooring, lighting, and wall colour of course.

As for mixing maple and oak... Personally I'd sooner mix maple and cherry. I think those two really go well together. So I'd think about cherry cabinet frames, with maple doors. Something like that.

But yeah, white oak would be a *really* nice look also. Show her the white oak craftsman style kitchen from FWW about two issues back. Now that is a kitchen style that I'm salivating over. Is she afraid that the white oak will be too dark? That will depend on how you finish it, of course.

What if you mocked up two doors - one in maple, and one in oak, and finished them also. then you have something large to hold up in the kitchen and visualize. A lot of work, yeah, but less work than building a kitchen full of cabinets that you end up not liking!

tread carefully, Al, have fun with it too.

...art

Steve Clardy
09-21-2006, 3:28 PM
My advice after 33 years of marriage.;)
Build what She wants.
Shes usually the one in there cooking, doing dishes, etc.

Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan
09-21-2006, 3:53 PM
Got to say, she should have what see wants.

How would you feel if she wanted to decide where you would put your tools in your shop?

I've only got 13 years into the whole marriage thing, but I learned that one fast! ;) :D

Good luck!

Scott Loven
09-21-2006, 4:08 PM
We have whitewashed maple in the kitchen and the bathrooms. I think it looks great! Some was purchased, and some I stained to match. What do you have against maple? This is where I get my wood (http://www.hartzellwoodstock.bigstep.com/generic87.html;$sessionid$0O4R2BIAABHPPTZENUEXBMWP ERWRJPX0). They are straight south of Rochester, great quality and price!.
Scott

Matt Warfield
09-21-2006, 4:28 PM
My sympathies Al. I'm in the same dilemna but a couple of years to work it out. Only for me, it's hickory vs. cherry and I have enough lumber to do either. But she likes hickory for the wild variance in grain and the hickory I have is pretty plain. Don't think she'll be all too happy either way.:rolleyes:

Rennie Heuer
09-21-2006, 4:36 PM
Hi Al.

I gotta go with the crowd here. Matrimonial harmony trumps wood choice - unless you want the kitchen to become your domain, along with all that implies!

May I guess that you want the oak because you feel the maple is too blah? I would agree. I have seen some furniture made from (I think) long leaf maple with some rather dramatic grain amd color. After all, it is maple....right?

Rennie

Jim Becker
09-21-2006, 5:52 PM
The style of the cabinets need to be part of the decision about what species to choose. I, too, wouldn't mix maple and oak...they are so very different in grain and pore structure. Maple and cherry, yes. If you have QS white oak, then you may be able to make a case if the style is more to craftsman, rather than "typical" overlay cabinets. (Cherry works really well for that, too)

Maybe you need to choose something that is different than both of your initial choices...like hickory. The color variations are really nice in kitchen cabinet applications (celebrate the diversity!) so DW may like it and the pore structure is closer to oak, which may appeal to you.

Or, go with the maple, but use figured stock for the panels to raise the bar on interest.

So many choices...perhaps a visit to several kitchen stores "idea shopping" are in order??

Don Baer
09-21-2006, 5:59 PM
I personaly love maple and I love the work with it. If you want the two toned look like others said cherry might be an alternative or perhaps walnut, that another of my favorite combinatioins. I would ovver them as suggestions but having been married for over 33 years, I wouldn't argue too much, I'd go with the flow..;)

Dennis Peacock
09-21-2006, 7:15 PM
Build the Maple cabinets. When the LOML is happy? Everyone is happy. You get to make them after all. Put those special touches on them and make them all you are.

Al Willits
09-21-2006, 10:01 PM
OK...I know about keeping the little lady happy, after 25+ years of marriage I don't call her, Shebeast, for nothing.:)
btw we both cook in the kitchen, but ya she'll get whatever she wants, unfornately its not always the same from day to day.

I'll run your suggestions by her, I'm thinking the cherry cabinets with maple doors and drawers might be nice.

I really haven't got anything against maple, just don't think its as pretty as some of the other woods, its a bit plainer to me, I guess.
But yes, we're trying to keep the wood lighter, and use it to help brighten the kitchen, considering black appliances and a darker contertop we're gonna need all the bright we can get.

Ya, she'll get whatever she wants, but on rare cases she will listen to my suggestions....really rare cases....:)

Thanks guys, we'll see what she thinks about all this.

Al

Al Willits
09-21-2006, 11:16 PM
Well, after a bit of discussion, and a few band aids, I've stopped bleeding and we may have a answer.
But we don't know for sure what wood it is.....:)

If anybody has the book, Build your own Kitchen Cabinets, second edition, by Danny Proulx, could you please tell me what wood is used on the cover, and first page of chapter one cabinets???

They look a bit darker than what she wants, but says they're pretty enough to use and would be happy with them...whew!

tia...again. :)

Al ..

Matt Warfield
09-22-2006, 12:02 AM
Umm, not trying to pick sides, but it looks like White oak with a clear finish. I'm basing that on the lower right corner. But what do I know...I'm just a rookie who's never worked with WO. :rolleyes:

Al Willits
09-22-2006, 8:10 PM
Thanks Matt, well we spent the day wandering Minn looking at cabinets and winery's.
We now know its Birch the present cabinets are made out of, with 25+ years of use they have changed color a bit, but the grain is Birch.
Neither of us being experts on wood, and its really showing now... :)

Wife has decided if we can keep white Oak as light as possible that's what she wants, I'm thinking a light coat of Danish natural oil and some satin poly might work??

Have to say today has been a interesting learning curve...well, the winery tours helped...:D

Stu, she indeed helps me in the shop, she has come up with a few pretty good suggestions, so we bounce idea's off each other.


Al

Dave Richards
09-22-2006, 8:21 PM
So Al, you and Tyler and I are going have to get that trip to Lime Springs down on the calendar. And if you want to keep that white oak light, you might consider giving it a pickled finish.

Robert Mickley
09-22-2006, 8:45 PM
Jusat remeber, if she isn't happy, you gotta sleep sometime :D

Alan Turner
09-22-2006, 8:45 PM
Al,
If you want to keep white oak white, them add a tablespoon or less of whte oil base paint to half pint of BLO, as a first coat, apply and wipe off, and you will have pickled the oak, and it will hold this whitish cast. Sort of a 50's look. Not my favorite, but a useful technique at times.

Peter Stahl
09-22-2006, 9:31 PM
Maple with a light Cherry stain looks really nice.

Dan Oelke
09-22-2006, 9:48 PM
Have to say today has been a interesting learning curve...well, the winery tours helped...

I know this is the creek - but did I hear you say Wineries???? Where?? which ones?? Anything very good?

This coming from someone in the same neck of the woods and who can't leave a winery without at least 1/2 case and often 1-2 cases of wine.

Al Willits
09-22-2006, 10:19 PM
We hit the Alexis Baily winery in Hastings, Cannon River vinery in Cannon Falls and Falconer vineyard in Red Wing.
We enjoy white sweeter vines and Falconer had a couple we liked, Cannon River was second and Baily third.
All were enjoyable, considering wine making and Minnesota aren't exactly what most people think of when Minnesota is mentioned.

We had to stop then, as the wife was getting giggly and I was beginning to get a buzz going...gave up on wine and wood, had a nice dinner in Red Wing and went home.....and took a nap..:)

Back to wood...:)

She doesn't care for the white look, I think if I can keep white Oak from darkening up much we'll be ok, cherry flavored Maple might be nice, we still have a bit of time to keep looking for "the" wood.

Ya Bob, like you and the rest have said, got to keep her happy, she'll get whatever wood she ends up deciding on, I'll be happy just trying to build them...
Besides I've told her in no uncertain terms what the dinning room table I'm gonna build is gonna be made of....yup, put my foot down....

Al....who has his wife's permission to say that....:D

Jim Dunn
09-22-2006, 11:11 PM
My advice after 33 years of marriage.;)
Build what She wants.
Shes usually the one in there cooking, doing dishes, etc.

Steve you old chauvinist you:eek::eek::rolleyes::p:p