I am house hunting and found the perfect house for my family as far as, lay out, location and special details that this house has to offer. There is a catch, the house is all detailed in oak, doors, trim cabinets? I really, really don't like oak but....! The house is really perfect for us. The oak is of good quality and finished in a medium stain (not so orange) Do houses sell with oak cabinets these days? Do I keep looking or try to minimize the oak thru design, wall color etc? The backyard alone is worth the price of the house. There are 4000 sq ft to consider - that's a lot of oak people! I cannot afford to redo the whole house but possibly some areas of trim. The kitchen is a keeper! Thanks in advance!
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Oak!?,
Originally posted by Jewel: If everything else is perfect, buy it and plan to paint the oak.
I agree.
Paint can do wonders!
If all else fails, or if you don't like it once you paint it, you can plan to replace the pieces over time. It's a medium-small expense in the realm of home renovations, IMO.
Why don't you replace a few of the cabinet doors with glass doors to break up the Oak - they are in stock at Home Depot or Lowe's. Cheap fix...great look!
"Oak!?," Welcome to the club! When my husband and I were looking for a new house (first time in 28 years), we found our "dream house" just like you. Everything was perfect: location, house and price except for one thing.
Unlike you, I have always loved medium oak and everything in this house was dark cherry wood including kitchen cabinets, baseboards, door frames, bannisters and French doors! My banker said, "Dark cherry is your NEW favorite."
After living here for three years, the cherry wood has really grown on me and I love it! Who would have thought???
Anyway, if everything else is perfect about this house, I would say buy it! BUT, please, please don't just starting painting. Woodwork is so important to so many people...remember, once painted, you can never go back.
First, the oak may grow on you just as the cherry wood did on me and, should you find yourself in a re-sale, there are lots of Buyers who will love the oak throughout such a house.
Originally posted by Renee Johnson: I must be a minority here. I love woodwork. I like natural colors. I don't like painted woodwork.
Well, I'm right there with ya, Renee - and so is my husband!!! We have the original woodwork throughout our 1923 house and would not paint it for anything!
"Oak!?," REL had a good idea about replacing some kitchen cabinets with glass windows in some of the doors. That is what was done in our kitchen and it breaks up the solid cherry wood look. What have you decided about this house?
