Design Center
Painted, stained, and natural finishes across our stock, semi-custom, and custom lines. The finish is the most visible decision in the kitchen.
The Finish Palette
Below are popular finishes. Stock and semi-custom lines offer each manufacturer's finish collection; our custom line is finished by hand in our shop and can be color-matched to almost any paint color.
Painted Finishes
Hand-applied paint finishes on Hard Maple or Poplar substrates for a smooth, durable surface. Available in matte, satin, and semi-gloss sheens. Primer coat, two finish coats, and a topcoat lacquer sealer as standard.
The most-requested painted finish across Chicagoland. Crisp, bright, and universally compatible with countertop and hardware choices.
A softer alternative to white with warm yellow undertones. Works with antique brass and aged bronze hardware for a traditional or farmhouse feel.
A neutral mid-gray that reads as contemporary without being cold. Works in transitional kitchens as a lower cabinet accent paired with white uppers.
One of the most popular paint colors right now. Pairs with unlacquered brass hardware and White Oak open shelving.
A deep, confident choice for kitchen islands and lower cabinets in transitional and contemporary kitchens. Pairs with polished nickel or brass hardware.
Near-black without the harshness of true black. Common in contemporary and industrial kitchens. Works with matte black or aged steel hardware.
Stained Finishes
Penetrating stains applied to solid hardwood to enhance grain character while shifting color tone. Finished with a clear topcoat lacquer in matte or satin sheen.
A light, clear stain that lets the White Oak grain read fully while evening the color tone. The dominant natural-wood finish in transitional and contemporary kitchens.
A warm amber stain on Hard Maple that produces a golden kitchen with visible grain. Common in traditional kitchens in the older north shore suburb stock.
A clear sealer on American Black Walnut that preserves the full range of chocolate tones and the distinctive grain figure of the species.
A deep dark stain applied to White Oak or Maple for a dramatic, high-contrast kitchen. Common in formal transitional kitchens as a lower cabinet treatment.
A gray-toned stain on White Oak that produces the weathered, cool-toned look common in coastal and Scandinavian kitchen expressions.
A traditional red-brown stain on Cherry or Maple for formal raised panel kitchens. Most common in Barrington, Inverness, and Lake Forest renovation projects.
Natural and Oil Finishes
Penetrating hardwax oil and tung-oil finishes that bond with the wood fiber rather than sitting on the surface. Repairable in place without full refinishing. The preferred finish for White Oak slab and natural-wood contemporary kitchens.
A hardwax oil finish that penetrates the wood fiber and produces a natural, matte surface that is repairable in place. The preferred finish for White Oak slab doors.
A tung-oil based penetrating finish with a low-sheen surface. Durable, water-resistant, and repairable. Common on Walnut and White Oak natural-finish doors.
Available by client request for hard wax topcoat application on site. Used when a homeowner has a specific finishing system they prefer or when on-site custom color work is specified.
How We Apply Finish
Finish quality is determined more by preparation and application than by the product in the tin. In our shop, every custom door goes through the same preparation sequence before a finish coat is applied.
See physical finish samples with our sales designer, at our design center or in your home, so you can judge them with your countertop, flooring, and lighting.
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