Working With Golden Oak In Your 90’s Home
25-30 years later, its time for the homes of the 90’s to be updated. But how do you work with all of the golden oak that was absolutely EVERYWHERE? I think maybe there just wasn’t as many options as there are today when it comes to choosing finishes for your new build, so everything built in the 90’s was full of golden oak, raised panel doors, and wood spindles on the railings.
When it comes time to update your home that is full of golden oak, there are a number of ways to do it without ripping it all out becuase lets be honest, that’s a huge undertaking. You know your kitchen needs an update, but you really don’t want to update the trim, doors, windows, railings, millwork, floors, and anything else that is golden oak in your house.
The key is to work with the tones of the wood, not against. Lean into the warmth and pair it with other warm finishes. Pay attention to the tones of the materials you are looking at. Each finish either has a cool (grays, blues), neutral (tans, beiges, creams), or warm (red, yellow, orange) tone. Cool tones are going to contrast the warm tones of the wood making the orange wood look even more orange. Warm tones are going to blend into the wood making it feel like even more of a sea of orange.
Neutrals are going to play really nicely with the warm tones of the wood by working when them and giving it just the right amount of contrast. I’ll give you some examples below.
By working with the wood instead of against it is the best way to tie in the new space with the rest of the woodwork in the home.
Chaska Kitchen Remodel
In this Chaska, MN remodel, we gave this kitchen new life by tearing out a kitchen full of golden oak cabinets. It was given a new functional layout, and gorgeous creamy white cabinetry. We kept all the original golden oak trim, but gave the original floors an update with a new coat of stain that is slightly darker and still works beautifully with the trim. We chose a stunning quartzite countertop with the perfect balance of neutral undertones and warm veining. The glass backsplash ties it all together.
Lakeville Kitchen Remodel
For this Lakeville remodel, we completely leaned into tying the new kitchen in with the beautiful oak throughout the home. In this space, we loved the idea of mimicking the look of craftsman era cabinetry that ties in with the homeowners furnishings. We kept all of the existing oak millwork and doors throughout the home and chose a stain color for the cabinets that was slightly less ‘orange’ but still warm and beautiful without being dark. We paired it with the perfect countertops, backsplash, and flooring that all have neutral undertones to compliment the wood.
The Design Concept
Jordan, MN Remodel
Here is the latest project incorporating the homeowners existing cabinets but giving the space a whole new look by updating the floors, countertops, backsplash, lighting, and cabinet hardware. We kept the tones of the new materials neutral, light, yet warm to work with the wood and not against it.
