Maple Kitchen Cabinets (Designs and Color Combination) - Design Idea (2023)

This gallery of maple kitchen cabinets shows the different types, designs, durability, suggested colors to match maple cabinets, and how to update them.
With its natural resistance to water, durability, and unique appearance, along with a lower price than wood, maple kitchen cabinets are a sound investment. Thanks to its dense, close-knit grain, maple is likely to be easily dented or damaged, making it a great choice for busy kitchens.

In a recent survey, maple dominates the list of the most popular wood species for cabinet doors with 36%, followed by cherry (29%), birch (16%) and oak (12%).

Through excellent craftsmanship, maple kitchen cabinets are a stunning feature in your kitchen that blends well with any theme. Maple shows a range of light to warm tones. Read on to learn more about beautiful maple wood and what makes it a great choice for your kitchen cabinets.

Natural Maple Kitchen Cabinets

With no stains or colors, the natural look of maple kitchen cabinets makes them a great choice for a rustic, country, or industrial kitchen. The raw look also works with a minimalist style and offers an interesting contrast against a whitewashed background.

While most hardwood species are derived from heartwood for their high-quality lumber, quality furniture wood is actually derived from maple sapwood, which has a fine, light creamy color. Maple heartwood, on the other hand, is characterized by its brownish-red color.

Natural maple over timeKitchen cabinetsit darkens naturally when exposed to oxygen and ultraviolet light. Light maple, like white, will eventually develop into a honey gold patina. Due to color change, it is recommended to purchase wood from a batch when assembling your maple kitchen cabinet.

You have the option of applying three or more coats of clear oil-based polyurethane to your natural maple kitchen cabinets, sanding between coats, and topcoating with tung oil or linseed oil. These oils will reveal the curly or tiger-like grain of the maple.

Honey Maple Kitchen Cabinets

As rich and attractive as they may appear, maple kitchen cabinets effortlessly bring a luxurious and welcoming atmosphere to any kitchen space. The striking shade of wood is perfect for kitchens that need more texture and character, as well as acting as a strong material for demanding spaces.

Since its popularity in the 1950s, maple kitchen cabinets remain the best choice for traditional themed homes, offering just enough versatility.Thoughtfully designed, the rich, warm hue of the Honey Maple Kitchen makes the kitchen feel warm and inviting.

You will typically find shaker, beadboard, craftsman, and other styles oftraditional kitchen cabinetsmaple honeyWhile maple kitchen cabinets fall under traditional cabinetry, maple wood can match any style in mind.

The key is the design of the cabinet and other elements that make up the overall picture of the kitchen, such as the countertops, walls, ceiling, and floors.The popular white wall is visually appealing against a honey cabinet as it balances out the color temperature of your maple honey.

However, if you are planning a dark wall or a layer of different wood elements, a light floor offers a balanced look if the eye can rest on the light floor.

Keep in mind that maple cabinets exposed to the sun can deepen the stain of the wood. Neutral colors like white or light gray can brighten up a room while still looking modern and current.

Sleek, less ornate kitchen cabinets will make your maple look modern. You also have the option of finishing your cabinets with a clear lacquer that also serves as additional protection for the finish.

Light Maple Kitchen Cabinets

Compared to honey maple, light maple kitchen cabinets are less of a hassle when it comes to shopping for colors that go with the wood, since the medium orange color is less noticeable.

natural light mapleTypes of furniture stylesit tends to darken and this must be taken into account; Even the lightest maple wood will darken over time. Expect a permanent color change with stained light maple as long as the staining process is done correctly.

Light maple kitchen cabinets are preferred for contemporary themes where Nordic or Scandinavian designs are popular inspirations, as light wood dominates furniture and architectural elements.

You'll find that the light color pairs well with other light and neutral colors and makes the kitchen feel airy and light. Light maple kitchen cabinets are recommended if you don't have natural light in your kitchen. The light color is also a great background for dark, bold colors like black or green.

Shaker Maple Kitchen Cabinets

Along with oak, maple is a common choice for traditional-style furniture. Shaker cabinets have a front and vertical construction with recessed panel doors.The shaker cabinet will also have horizontal rails that fit between the uprights like a frame, using 90 degree angles.

A Shaker furniture style is a great option if you want a timeless maple kitchen cabinet.Though considered sleeker and less ornate than other traditional themes, Shaker maple kitchen cabinets can add visual weight and character to a room.

Ordinary Wood Tones That Look Goodshaker kitchen cabinetsthey are bright tones and simple hardware. They look good with black or brass hardware in a kitchen.

Stained Maple Kitchen Cabinets

Maple kitchen cabinets can be stained, but not without its challenges, as close-grained wood can be stained. For a uniform coloration on all maple kitchen cabinets, use a suitable surface preparation, such as a wood stain. B. Sand with 220 grit sandpaper to remove burrs.

Conditioning the maple finish will also help the wood accept the stain, but be aware that these pre-stain conditioners can lighten the color of the wood.Two coats of oil-based paint is recommended for your maple cabinets, and with proper application, you can preserve the rich color and give your cabinets an extra layer of protection against dents or damage.

Purchasing an unfinished kitchen cabinet can save you money, but for a professional application, a staining process is highly recommended to avoid uneven surfaces.

What kitchen designs go well with maple cabinets?

Contrary to the notion that maple cabinets only look good with traditional designs, maple cabinets are versatile and can look great as modern kitchen cabinets and other contemporary themes. The final appearance of your furniture depends on its construction.

For example, a light maple paneled door cabinet will look good in a Scandinavian-inspired kitchen interior, while a honey maple front door with carved trim and door panels will look traditional.

As it works in various kitchen design themes, maple cabinets add a warm, luxurious quality to an interior. If you plan to layer your kitchen with different types of wood, you should consider other elements such as color, texture, and existing patterns that will be used to create a cohesive design.

Onboard galleys look imposing when not balanced by a neutral tone, and natural and artificial lighting must also be considered.

Durability And Toughness Of Maple Kitchen Cabinets

Although maple is a soft wood, it is a very hard wood with excellent durability, making kitchen cabinets a great choice for a long-term furniture installation.In addition to its dense, fine-grained structure, maple wood has a Janka value of 1,450 lb/f, making it one of the hardest domestic hardwoods. For reference, white oak has a Janka hardness of 1,350 lb/f and mahogany 1,350 lbf.

The maple wood surface won't dent, making the durable surface an excellent piece of kitchen cabinet furniture. Treatment with a protective agent is still recommended, as cabinets on board may show light scratches.

There are many types of maple species such as B. striped maple, elderberry, red maple, paperbark maple, Japanese maple, soft maple, and hard maple or sugar maple, which is the hardest among the varieties.

kitchen colors with maple cabinets

Maple cabinets have a nice variety of colors, tones, and accents, with blue (cool) and yellow (warm) being the primary base colors. Knowing the colors of your maple cabinets can help you determine which color to contrast and whether to use a complementary or analogous shade from the color wheel.

Neutral colors are the easiest to match with your maple cabinets. Gray variations such as B. Slate gray is a great color for countertops or walls to pair with bolder colors. White or off-white is also a great contrast to a darker shade of maple.

If you're looking for a light-stained maple cabinet with white walls and backsplash, avoid using dark-colored crown molding, as it can look dated and boring, especially when paired with a honey-colored cabinet.

white or cream: Small kitchens are difficult to work with, especially when they are crowded. A countertop like cream or white will help alleviate the feeling of claustrophobia. These colors and light colors have the same effect.

While the perception of a large space is great, sometimes it can be too much. Choosing an all-white room can be overwhelming and painful on the eyes. This can be reduced by providing alternative things to look at.

A countertop is likely where homeowners spend most of their time preparing meals to cook, hence a textured surface such as a countertop. B. venosa, can help reduce eyestrain.

Schwartz: When space is not an issue, black countertops are great as using them in small spaces has the opposite effect of lighter colors and darkens the environment. dark or blackTypes of kitchen countertops.it can make the site look modern; The stainless steel color of pots, pans and other utensils can reduce darkness and make them stand out better.

A darker color can also hide many kitchen stains. Textured charcoal black paint can help cut down on the darkness when it gets intrusive, just as a dappled white countertop can do the same.

verdes: Green is a color often associated with nature. It is neither neutral nor intense. Maple and green go together perfectly when you're trying to bring a more natural aesthetic to your kitchen.

In the meantime, homeowners can also jump into action and start adding potted plants, flowers, succulents, and spices. Flowering plants can also be a nice addition, as colorful blooms can complement an all-green setting, pairing with light maple cabinets.

Other bold color options: Not yet mentioned are purple, orange and yellow. These colors also work with maple cabinets as a coordinating color.

Whether dark or light maple, these colors harmonize with each other without any problem. However, it works better with modern kitchens than traditional ones. see moreKitchen Colors That Match Maple Cabinetshere.

Are maple cabinets obsolete?

Maple cabinets were a popular decor in the 1950s, and most honey-colored cabinets continued to be a staple into the 1980s and 1990s. This association of the luxurious color of the wood with the vintage theme led to the notion that maple cabinets only work for the traditional kitchen. designs

However, maple cabinets are far from obsolete and this is evident with many maple kitchen cabinets that have a slimmer build and less trim created for the modern aesthetic.

The popularity of maple cabinets for kitchen homes continues to be evident, as is the recent research of durable wood paneling as the most popular type for cabinet doors.

How to update maple kitchen cabinets

Updating a maple kitchen cabinet starts with checking and repairing any damage to your cabinets. While maple wood is highly durable, older wood furniture is likely to show minor damage such as mineral streaking, wrinkling, raised wood, or mineral streaking.

You can stain your maple kitchen cabinets to hide these blemishes by using sanding and conditioning as a pre-staining process to achieve an even application of your stain.

Ways to update maple kitchen cabinets:

Remove cabinet doors.One of the characteristics of maple kitchen cabinets is that they can feel heavy. You have the option of removing some cabinets to add depth and lessen the bulky appearance.

This is also how you create an airier feel with open shelving, especially if your cabinets take up a lot of visual space in your kitchen.

Update workbench.Updating surrounding items, like the kitchen backsplash and countertop, to a more modern aesthetic is a great way to update maple kitchen cabinets if you want to keep your furniture.

A countertop in a lighter shade with a sleek quartz slab or white subway tile is a great way to balance the look. Read more aboutWhat countertop color goes with maple cabinets?this page.

upgrade hardware.One of the easiest ways to update maple kitchen cabinets is to upgrade the hardware with modern hardware. Use simple, elegant handles with a matte black finish or chrome towel bars and holders.

Refine the surface.If you want to remove scratches and update the look of your maple without changing its color, you can use a lacquer thinner. Apply the spray solution lightly to the surface of the wood and smooth it evenly over the wood.

For more related content, check out our article onHow to update maple kitchen cabinetshere.