If there is such a thing as a standard color for oak cabinets, it would probably be honey oak, also known as golden oak. Many 1980s- and 90s-vintage cabinets sport this reddish-or yellowish-brown hue, as do a fair number of hardwood floors, and while it can do no wrong in the last century, this shade is dated for cabinets in the modern home. Don’t blame the color—there’s a reason it was (and still is) popular. If that doesn’t work for your cabinet, the real problem may be the ambient tone. Updating colors on walls, trim, and other room features is much easier than changing cabinet colors, and sage is the perfect color choice to complement honey oak. It is also one Best kitchen color ideas to make your space stand out.
Unlike white and other neutral tones, greenish sage hues work with honey oak colors and allow them to stand on their own. If cabinet colors tend toward red, green is a complementary color (one that sits opposite red on the color wheel) that provides contrast and a touch of drama. If cabinet colors tend toward yellow, green is a similar color (yellow’s neighbor on the color wheel) that promotes compatibility and harmony. Either way, the mix makes the honey oak colors more interesting and less dated.
Sage is an earthy tone with many shades, some of which lean towards gray while others emphasize greens and yellows. The palette gives you a lot of latitude to work with different shades of honey oak.
Go light and easy or go for a break
Sage is the perfect answer for a kitchen that needs a little sprucing up. If you want to Upgrade your Honey Oak cabinets without painting or replacing themYou don’t have to paint all your walls. In the kitchen, you might consider simply upgrading the backsplash with sage-colored paint or stick-on tiles. In a bathroom or living room, accenting one wall with sage can be just as effective as painting all the walls, especially if the walls are already painted a sage-friendly color like cream. Gold is a shade that goes well with both sage and honey oak, so replacing cabinet handles with gold, or installing gold lighting or plumbing fixtures, can help tie everything together. There are many Consider sage color to give your home a subtle dose of greenery.
On the other hand, your walls may be ready for a new coat of paint, and you can mix and match sage shades to great effect. You can, for example, choose muted tones like Sherwin-Williams Oyster Bay The walls surrounding the cabinet help the cabinet feel “at home,” while painting the opposite walls or ceiling a more vibrant shade, such as Sherwin-Williams’ Nurture the greenTo create some contrast and brighten up the room.
Let’s not forget the furnishings. Sage-green colors in couches, curtains, and floor coverings can be just what you need to spruce up your dated honey oak cabinets and give them new life and consistency, even if you don’t paint anything.
