Staining a custom drawer front for the kitchen cabinets.

Paul is not making or staining the fronts for the kitchen drawers… he built the internal cabinet boxes and we ordered custom fronts to fit his design.

Here is the post where he built the boxes.
Here is an index of all kitchen posts.

We are going with “real” stain on “real” wood… fyi: when shopping for fronts, there is an option for a pre-finished type of coating that is different than traditional stain and can be used to cover pressed wood.. or something?

Once we chose a type of wood and door style, we did a preliminary order of just one— to be sure we liked the specific design and also the grain on Walnut… we like both, and have placed the full order!

For the fridge panels, we are going white… to keep that space bright/light/consistent with window trim and molding, and not draw attention to the refrigerator… let it all blend into the wall.

Then I had to find a stain guy… stain is an art form and is the ONLY thing we have PAID someone for… previously, to sand and stain the kitchen floor.

The most important factor in finding a stain guy is to make sure they have a greeter.
Obviously.

The first visit to the stain guy, our choice was too dark… we liked it in the shop, but we were looking at it in very direct bright light; once home/ vertical plane/ shadows/ it wasn’t right…

The photo below is the wrong side/inside of the door.

At our initial visit, I took a piece of the Narnia wardrobe and used this thing called WORDS to explain how I wanted 7.26% more red, and 3.57% brighter… and was reminded that all WORDS will get you is Paul and the stain guy, taking turns stainsplaining how I am an idiot moron who does not understand wood.

Which, for sure, I don’t.

What I DO understand, is that with the correct effort, everything can be bent to your will, and I will prove this again and again as many times as necessary.

WATCH AND LEARN DUDES.

The second visit, I prepared differently— words are useless, show don’t tell; so I took a piece of wood that I colored myself in my stain-laboratory-of-perfection-and-genuis-and-mixing-with-eyedroppers.

I CAN DO IT.
CAN YOU?

There are actually three different shades on this sample, the middle one is slim and maybe hard to see… I struggled to get a good photo that shows the difference.

It looks brighter or darker depending on lighting, but the shade is EXACTLY what lived in my head.

FYI this is not what finished drawers will look like… the actual process involves sanding after stain and couple coats of something something blah blah.

Random fact— sometimes I walk into the kitchen and dance an ACTUAL jig… this space brings me SUCH ABSOLUTE JOY.

For me, the glee of my best GFT’s* does not fade… it’s like I STILL COVET them, even though I own them.

IT’S SO VERY SATISFYING.
My precious.

*Giant Fancy Things

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A post shared by Victoria Elizabeth Barnes (@victoriaelizabethbarnes) on Aug 26, 2020 at 8:40am PDT

Gilt sconces are here.
Huge mirror is here.
Small mirror here.
Piano island here.

ps— LIFE PRO TIP:
Sometimes I see something I MUST HAVE, but cannot afford… I go and save a search for that item on eBay.
It RARELY shows up, but when it does, CRASHING CYMBALS. MARCHING. TUBA SOLO. FRINGE.
xoxo
VEB