Painting your kitchen cabinets a bright, block color is a big commitment. Not to mention, when you spend good money on quality timber, it feels like a bit of a shame to cover it in coats of paint. Fortunately, there is an option that falls somewhere in between embracing your material palette and getting that pop of color you desire — and all the coolest designers are doing it right now.
While wood stains are certainly nothing new when it comes to kitchen cabinet color trends, staining them in bright and bold colors is definitely a fresher take. We're seeing light blues, reds, greens, and warmer navy blue stained kitchen cabinets featured in designer projects lately. Even a bright yellow stain would look good.
And the advantages are twofold. "Unlike paint, stain enhances the natural beauty of the wood grain, adding texture and organic movement," says Lisbeth Parada, color and design lead for Minwax Wood Stain. "Whether you opt for a deep, moody hue or a soft pastel, a colorful stained finish allows for a perfect balance of color and natural elements."
Subtle, stylish, and only slightly saturated, we don't see this idea going anywhere fast. Here's what you need to know.
Out of all the kitchen trends that promise to bring a bit of personality to your cooking space, colorful stained wood cabinets feel like an underutilized one, but one that will add ample interest to your space.
But while it's easy to do in theory, it doesn't necessarily work for all cabinets. “Solid wood kitchen cabinets are the only way to have a truly stained look, as you cannot technically stain anything that is fake or a laminate," warns Teri Simone, head of design at Nieu Cabinet Doors. But she adds: "There are lovely options like TFL (Thermally Fused Laminate) that look like wood and you can buy a faux stain for them, however, you don’t always have the same flexibility to properly stain them or change the color of them.”
Most of the examples of kitchen cabinets stained with color will have been carefully specified that way, but if you are fortunate enough to already have a wood kitchen, this staining it can be easily DIYed. “Most colorful stained wood cabinets start with a wood species chosen for their base tone (white oak, maple, etc.) and then use a simple conditioner or clear coat stain to preserve the natural tone or tone the wood a color — lighter, darker, or more white-washed — depending on your style goals,” says Terri.
Arguably, the hardest part will be picking a kitchen cabinet color that won't go out of style.
How to Style Colorful Stained Wood in Your Kitchen
When it comes to styling colorful stained wood cabinets, the approach is much like applying any other kitchen paint color. Look at what parts of your kitchen you want to stain. Do you want to make the island stand out in an accent color? Do you want to match your cabinetry below the worktop to your floating cabinets? The benefit of colored wood stain is that you can embrace color while keeping the wood's natural texture — it is the perfect way to ease into a color-drenching look.
"It also helps define the kitchen’s mood — bold stains can make a striking statement, while muted tones create a cozy, inviting atmosphere," says Lisbeth Parada from Minwax.
In order not to overwhelm the space, Teri suggests keeping the rest of the space simple when opting for a colored wood stain. "Choose only one other complementary hue (and it doesn’t have to be white!) and opt for hardware that either matches a warm hue, like bronze or brass, or creates a contrast like black or nickel," she says. "For countertops, choose something with veining, creating a beautiful look by pulling some of the wood stain colors into your work surface."
Just be sure to pick a timeless countertop and cabinet combination.
Though cabinetry may seem like the obvious choice for a colorful wood stain, there is room to get creative here. In the open plan kitchen and living room shown above, Australian interior designer Jase Sullivan chose to stain the dining room chairs in a dark blue color.
Jason says, "I chose the blue stain for the dining chairs to give the space a modern Mediterranean kind of vibe. I thought painting the chairs blue might have felt a bit cliché," whereas a stain lets you tap into that coastal interior style in a more design-forward way.
The only question that remains, is what else would you stain...?
