Are you thinking of having your kitchen cabinets painted? If so, there are lots of decisions to make as a homeowner concerning the new look of your kitchen. Before I ever meet a client on site to make suggestions for their cabinets, I try to get a little information on what kind of look they want for their kitchen. One of the things I always ask is if they want their cabinets glazed. Most people answer with, "I have no idea what you are talking about, can I see examples?" So, I thought it would be helpful to explain and illustrate kitchen cabinet glazing.
What is Cabinet Glazing?
What is most commonly referred to as "cabinet glazing" is adding a second color to accentuate the architectural details of the cabinets. This can also be referred to as "pin-striping". See the brown color in the grooves of the cabinets below?
That's glaze. You can do a single line of glaze, a double line of glaze and up to as many lines as there are grooves in the cabinets for a high impact and contrasting look. In this example, we did 5 lines of glaze.
The price goes up a little with each line of glaze because that is one more pass over each cabinet surface. We glaze every single surface by hand.
What is all over cabinet glazing?
Notice the subtle shading on the front panels of the cabinet doors in the photo below. The glaze was applied to the whole door and then wiped back to create the subtle shading. If you are looking for a more custom- One of a Kind finish, this would be a great look to make your cabinets uniquely your own.
What color glaze do I use on my cabinets?
The glaze color should compliment the other elements of your kitchen. You should consider your counter tops, floors, backsplash tile, appliances, and cabinet color. Here are some of our favorite no-fail combinations.
- Light surfaces--White granite or marble, white tile- OR- Ubatuba black granite- We suggest: Cabinets be painted in Sherwin Williams 7008 Alabaster with Sherwin Williams 7068 Grizzle Gray glaze.
- Cream or Yellow tinted surfaces- Saint Cecilia Granite, Brown granites or cream surfaces- We suggest: Sherwin Williams 7012 Creamy or Sherwin Williams 6126 Navajo White with Sherwin Williams 6103 Tea Chest or 6104 Kaffee glaze.
To glaze or not to glaze?
Typically speaking, glazing is a more traditional look. If you are looking for something more modern, you might want to skip the glaze. Photos illustrating both looks below.
Glazed kitchen cabinets
White kitchen cabinets without glaze
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Hi, Dana. I’m wondering if you would be willing to share the paint and glaze colors used in your testimonial video kitchen. I’m in Charlotte NC and am doing a remodel and love the colors. I don’t want anything too white because I have a travertine backsplash. And this kitchen looks more creamy than white which I love. Thanks in advance!
Thanks. We painted them Sherwin Williams Navajo White with a chocolate glaze. Good luck on your project.