Golden Oak Trim, French Doors & Kitchen Painted White

An entire main level of golden oak — arched windows, French doors, stair rail and kitchen cabinets — converted to white enamel with new wall color, ahead of the home going on the market.

Location: Twin Cities, MN
Completed: May 2022
Setting: Occupied home

Before: Kitchen and stair: golden oak cabinets, rail and trim painted white — Kitchen and stair: golden oak cabinets, rail and trim painted white

After: Kitchen and stair: golden oak cabinets, rail and trim painted white — Kitchen and stair: golden oak cabinets, rail and trim painted white

Before: Living room: oak window casings on the arched windows painted white — Living room: oak window casings on the arched windows painted white

After: Living room: oak window casings on the arched windows painted white — Living room: oak window casings on the arched windows painted white

Before: Dining room: oak trim and doors painted white, walls lightened — Dining room: oak trim and doors painted white, walls lightened

After: Dining room: oak trim and doors painted white, walls lightened — Dining room: oak trim and doors painted white, walls lightened

Drag the handle to compare before and after.

About this project

Homes with this much golden oak read as dated in listing photos, and this main level had it everywhere: arched-top window casings, two sets of French doors, the stair rail and spindles, and the kitchen cabinets. Over about two months we converted all of it to a white urethane enamel and repainted the walls in a lighter neutral.

Every oak surface was cleaned, scuff-sanded and sealed with a shellac-based primer before any water-based product touched it, which is what keeps tannins from bleeding through as yellow spots later. The kitchen was masked floor to ceiling for spraying, and the French doors were finished on both faces and all edges. The result is a brighter, more open main level where the new wall color and the white trim read as one palette.