Hello again EHD universe. It’s Arlyn, and I’m back with MORE HONEY OAK KITCHEN content. The last post (check it out here if you want to see real reader kitchens!) exploded with popularity, and many readers asked in the comments for actual moodboards and color palette ideas to help them refresh their dated kitchens without demo or painting cabinetry. So, because I can’t help myself from fake shopping and putting together simple design ideas, I got to work building five ways I think anyone can help breathe some life back into their 1980s or ’90s-bedecked homes.
For each color palette idea I cooked up, I have some *loose* inspiration because listen, it’s not easy finding good photos of older kitchens that have much to pull from them. Every photo I include here has warm oak-ish cabinetry that you have to make the mental leap with a bit, but the key is working with the warm, heavily-grained yellow/red/orange tone of this wood type.
Another thing you’ll notice is that most of the below kitchens have white countertops, which in my personal opinion is a massive help to lighten the load of honey oak. Not a single kitchen submitted to us (including some of the ones we didn’t show you) had white stone counters. Most had either some yellow-tinged Formica or a dark brown, gray or black granite. The same goes with flooring. Beautiful flooring goes a long way to making basically anything look good, so anyone looking to take real action in their homes will need to consider what they’re working with or cover/replace if it’s in their budget and something they want to do.
As for the individual pieces I’ve included on each board, it’s less about the exact product and more about the idea behind the product. Not everyone will need barstools, but those play the role of what color dining furniture would work if it’s included in your space; it doesn’t matter if your window coverings take the shape of cafe curtains or Roman shades but the fabric and hue shown is a good jumping-off point; and any tile, paint, hardware or rugs could happily live in the tonal range shown on each board.
Alright, so, now that I got my disclaimers out of the way, let’s dive in and explore some concepts I sketched out that honestly, make me kind of wish I had a honey oak kitchen to transform (though I may be biased…).
Color Palette to Try: Cool Neutrals Like White, Marble & Black
The Inspiration:
The above inspiration is all about keeping the heaviness of the oak below your sightline and ensuring that anything above that is white and airy. The example from deVOL leans a bit warmer but a peek of a black and white mosaic floor tells me they are also using black to ground the material choices.
Don’t be afraid to bring in some color via accessories like vases, cookware, cookbooks, dishes and glassware, etc., as long as you keep the base choices monochromatic.
The Moodboard:
Cool neutrals paired with crisp whites and sharp blacks are the path of least resistance for *any* honey oak kitchen, no matter the undertone of your cabinet. Marble or white tile, flowy linen curtains, white shelving, black furniture and accents…it’ll all make most people happy and make the room feel like an entirely new space.
Make sure that the backsplash pairs well with the white color you choose. If you go a bit warmer, a creamier marble or tile would work best; true white would be great with slightly bluer undertones of marble.
- Hampton 22 in. W x 27.75 in. H Base Cabinet Decorative End Panel in Medium Oak | 2. Monet 2? x 8? Honed Marble Decorative Tile in White Carrara | 3. Timeless | 4. Big Boy Floating Shelf – White | 5. Oversized Ethan 1 5/8? Diameter Round Knob Multipack (Set of 10) | 6. 3? Center Bar/Handle Pull Multipack (Set of 12) | 7. Carson 12? Cord Pendant in Matte Cream | 8. Portside Swivel Counter Stool | 9. Kiel Indoor/Outdoor Rug | 10. 2pk 42?x36? Light Filtering Honeycomb Curtain Tiers White
Color Palette to Try: Warm Neutrals & Natural Materials
The Inspiration:
A very solid design choice no matter what room you’re in is to lean into what you have. In this case? Play up the warmth of the oak, instead of trying to counteract it. Take that kitchen from The Design Files directly above. They could have easily used a bright white tile but instead opted for a (non-yellow) cream. And in the kitchen from deVOL in this group of examples, the walls are a welcoming, glowy buttery hue. Again, the key here is to avoid using anything on the walls that could go too yellow.
In fact, if your honey oak is more yellow than it is orange or red, this may not be the route for you (your kitchen will better jive with the blue or green moodboards below…keep reading).
The Moodboard:
This look plays up warmth. I picked a shade from Clare called No Filter that they describe as “a beautiful light beige with warm undertones” and I think it would be quite lovely with oak. Not everyone likes bright white spaces, and a shade like this would be beautiful in a kitchen that gets great natural light.
A tile to match the wall paint would be nice but I opted for a creamy mosaic with sand-hued diamonds to borrow color inspiration from the wood. Antique or unlacquered brass hardware would blend in with the cabinetry while still giving them a bit of an elevated touch. And for the pieces to round out, a rug with some pink and brown would shake things up just enough that the design is interesting without adding too much contrast, and natural materials like wicker, leather and neutral oak might just make the honey oak feel intentional.
- Hampton 22 in. W x 27.75 in. H Base Cabinet Decorative End Panel in Medium Oak | 2. Bouchon Zellige 12? x 12? Mosaic Wall Tile | 3. No Filter | 4. Ethnicraft Wall Shelf in Natural Oak | 5. Top Knobs Serene 1 Inch Round Cabinet Knob in Honey Bronze | 6. Top Knobs Serene 5-1/16 Inch Center to Center Handle Cabinet Pull in Honey Bronze | 7. Highler 1-Light Matte Black Island Pendant with Natural Rattan Shade | 8. Ceylon Woven and Wood Barstool | 9. Dawn Ombre Wool Rug | 10. Lined Yellow and White Stripe Faux Roman Shade Valance
Color Palette to Try: Green, Rust & Gold
The Inspiration:
As much as I love the neutral path, the green route is my favorite. That’s no surprise to me being that I tend to prefer analogous colors over complementary as it’s more interesting to my eye. But the great part about this is green works with either yellow-toned honey oak or red/orange-toned honey oak. I picked a cool (toned, not “hip”) sage and a darker green with blue undertones in my moodboard, but you can play around with those to best suit your exact finish.
If your cabinets are warmer, go with a cooler green and vice versa, though the bathroom above from Montér Minde Kjøkkensenter pairs a warmer green with a fairly yellow wood tone and it works so well so…maybe any green will work here no matter what you’re working with. ?
The Moodboard:
Green and gold is a gorgeous combination, so gold would be my pick for any finish in hardware, lighting, and fixtures. And because I think keeping the contrast at a minimum is a good idea in a kitchen with honey oak cabinets, try to find a window covering and any seating or table in a material that closely matches the tone of the door fronts. A little pop of rust, pink or red in a rug rounds things out to my eye.
One note for the paint color below. I don’t necessarily think I’d like that on the walls (a warm white like Benjamin Moore Pale Oak or, you guessed it, White Dove), since I’ve seen photos of people who went with a dark color on the walls to “modernize” their honey oak (too much contrast to me), but if someone has, say, an island or freestanding furniture piece in a wood tone, painting it in a similar green would be quite nice.
- Hampton 22 in. W x 27.75 in. H Base Cabinet Decorative End Panel in Medium Oak | 2. Santa Fe Green 3.93 in. x 11.96 in. Polished Ceramic Wall Tile | 3. Pewter Green | 4. 24? Brookside Rail System | 5. Vernon Bin Pull in Unlacquered Brass | 6. Howell Cabinet Knob in Unlacquered Brass | 7. Hinkley Lighting Somerset 1 Light 12? Wide Pendant with Etched Opal Glass | 8. Axelle Solid Wood Bar and Counter Stool (Set of 2) | 9. Danvi Hand-Knotted Runner | 10. Natural Cordless Woven Wood Shades
Color Palette to Try: Blues & Warm Neutrals
The Inspiration:
Look familiar? Ugh, what a dream space Emily created here in her Portland farmhouse kitchen. While of course her kitchen is a far cry from honey oak anything, I thought it would be a great example to show how well light, dusty blues would marry with a honey oak that’s a bit redder. Orange and blue are complementary on the color wheel, so they just work because color science says so. Cool balances warm. Simple.
The Moodboard:
Such a breath of fresh air, huh? This hand-glazed tile, in a classic square, is a great chambray blue and just so good-looking. I would love to see it in a kitchen where the uppers were removed (or at least some of them) so it could go either all the way up the wall or to the bottom of a top floating shelf. What a showstopper that would be while still feeling quiet and calm. This blue paint leans a bit green which works so that nothing feels overly same-same, and again, maybe not for the walls, though if you like that vibe, go for it.
I opted for chrome hardware and a white metal shelf to keep things in the “cool” arena, rather than going warm with brass or more wood. As for the stool, a cognac leather is a nice monochrome moment with the cabinetry but then a darker walnut lifts up that lagging honey oak. A rug with slate and reddish accents is the perfect addition underfoot to make everything come together nicely.
- Hampton 22 in. W x 27.75 in. H Base Cabinet Decorative End Panel in Medium Oak | 2. Marin 4? x 4? Ceramic Wall Tile in Misty Blue | 3. Saturday on Sunday | 4. Tromso FM 3 Steel Floating Shelf | 5. Brill Hardware Knob in Chrome | 6. Brill Hardware 4? Pull in Chrome | 7. Henry Pendant in Milkglass Dark Bronze | 8. Sede Toscana Tan Walnut Counter Stool | 9. Amber Lewis x Loloi Billie Ocean / Brick Area Rug | 10. Jawara Linen Cotton Roman Shade Cordless
Color Palette to Try: Subtle Earth Tones
The Inspiration:
I may have started with the easiest sell (cool neutrals) but I’m ending it with perhaps the hardest sell. This one won’t be for everything, but I love it as I’m firmly in my earth tones era right now. This inspiration is the most alive and “now” of the bunch, but perhaps the hardest to pull off. All the colorblocking of burgundies, rusts, terra cottas and (surprise!) blushes above—like in that dreamy kitchen from Zia Tile’s feed designed by Francesca McConchie and bathroom by Meet West—are so good. R & M Bespoke’s kitchen is a wild card, for sure, but I couldn’t help but share the drama and bravery of a rich, dusty pink hue on the walls and ceiling.
The Moodboard:
The key to making earthier tones work is employing white as an accent, rather than the other way around. Creamy white tile, reflective polished nickel, milk glass lighting, white shelving…it all is the perfect canvas for going with a peachy or pinky wall color. Throw in a brick red and white checkerboard floor and well…when can I move in?
- Hampton 22 in. W x 27.75 in. H Base Cabinet Decorative End Panel in Medium Oak | 2. 4? x 4? Terra Cotta Honeycomb Singular Wall & Floor Tile (Set of 48) | 3. Terra Bella | 4. Big Boy Floating Shelf – White | 5. Strasbourg Solid Brass Cabinet Pull in Polished Nickel | 6. Colmar Brass Cabinet Knob in Polished Nickel | 7. Sculptural Cone Pendant | 8. Walsh Bar & Counter Stool (Set of 2) in Cognac | 9. Inax Hand-Knotted Natural Wool Runner Rug | 10. Orange Blossom (CP) – Mediterranean Floral Kitchen Curtain
How’d I do? Was this helpful to round out the honey oak kitchen story from before? Which one of these speaks the loudest to you? I honestly really love them all for many reasons and think each has its merits depending on the tone of your cabinet (for the record, I wrote out the word “tone” 15 times in this article, so sorry for the overload…it’s just important when discussing wood).
See you in the comments.
Your friend in design, Arlyn