Orange oak cabinets are a common material in kitchens and it’s not always going to be in line with your vision.
You might not like how bright the orange oak cabinets are and that is when it becomes important to look at an upgrade. Now, this can come in different forms including replacing the cabinets, painting them, or changing the surrounding elements.
You will want to learn how to tone down orange oak cabinets the right way.
To tone down orange oak cabinets, the best strategy is to use neutral or lighter colors for the walls, flooring, and/or other surrounding elements in the kitchen. This will help neutralize the brightness of the orange cabinets.
It’s normal to think the only option is to replace the orange oak cabinets but that’s untrue. You don’t have to take such a dramatic approach.
This is still a type of kitchen cabinet that can be worked with as long as you are using the right strategy.
Here is a look at what to do as you learn how to tone down orange oak cabinets the right way.
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Best Paint For Oak Cabinets (EDITOR’S CHOICE)
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Tips To Tone Down Orange Oak Cabinets
1. Use Light Or Neutral Colors
To lighten orange oak cabinets, you will have to think about the surrounding colors (i.e. walls, countertops, etc.).
This is the best way to help neutralize the brightness of the oak cabinets.
The ultimate approach is to start with the walls because this is the first thing a person’s eye is going to look at when entering a room. The walls are going to stand out, so paying attention to this detail will go a long way in making things better for you.
Choose a neutral or light color that is going to reduce some of the brightness that is flowing from the cabinetry.
Even an olive green can work because it will help make the entire kitchen look better.
2. Focus On The Walls
You will also want to take the time to focus on the walls.
It is the walls that are a real concern when you are attempting to figure out what the right option is for orange oak cabinets.
When the walls are white, they are not going to help reduce the brightness of the cabinetry. This is why you are going to be taken aback by how bright the cabinets are in the first place.
Instead, you want to take the time to look at choosing a different color for the wall.
Just changing the wall paint is more than enough to yield good results.
3. Don’t Paint The Cabinets
This is a common mistake people make when looking to lighten oak cabinets.
If you want to lighten orange oak cabinets, the best solution is to think about the surrounding elements. It is never a good idea to start working on the cabinets themselves because it’s a costly project and it won’t work as well.
Plus, you might like the orange oak cabinets.
If so, why change them?
Instead, you should be looking at working on the surrounding elements. Painting the cabinets will change everything but it won’t look the way you want it to.
4. Change The Kitchen’s Theme
The kitchen’s theme has to be on the top of your mind.
What does this mean?
The idea is to look at focusing on what is going to help improve the overall aesthetic of the kitchen as time goes on. This could include going for a more modern look. If so, you can then use this theme as a foundational element for the rest of your changes.
Always use the theme as the guideline for your changes.
This is a must.
If you do this, the orange oak cabinets are going to fit right in and look the part.
Final Thoughts
These are the main steps on how to tone down orange oak cabinets.
To tone down orange oak cabinets, it’s best to use a neutral or light color for the walls, countertops, and/or flooring. This will help balance the brightness of the oak cabinets and ensure everything looks as it should.
Don’t attempt to paint the cabinets as this will take away from the oak finish you desire. Plus, it is more costly to do this as you are going to have to make sure the finish is perfect.
Instead, upgrade other parts of the kitchen including painting the walls.
This is the type of change that will deliver the results you are after and will make sure the orange oak cabinets look as good as they should. Think about this as you are figuring out what to do next.
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