Distressed Kitchen Cabinets
Cozy, warm, inviting. Is that how you want your kitchen described? If so, distressed kitchen cabinets may be perfect for you. Distressed cabinets display well worn edges and layered finishes that artificially ages the wood and gives it an aged look. You can either distress the cabinets yourself or purchase cabinets that distressed.
There are many types of distressing. Some of the more common kinds are Crackle, Rub-thru, and Natural Wood. Crackle gives a cracked look so that the under layer of paint shows through the top layer of “cracked” paint. Rub-thru means that the underneath layer is showing through at wear spots, corners and even peaked areas. Natural Wood is a distressing type that means the wood is left unfinished and only has a light transparent topcoat for protection purposes.
Distressed Kitchen Products from eKitchenIslands.com
Price: $199.99 Wicker Drawer Sideboard |
Price: $897.00 Camden White Server |
Some additional types of distressing are: Wormholes, Fly Specs, Cow Tails, and Chain Dents/Dings. Each of these types is essentially what their name implies. The Wormhole style is meant to mimic the holes left by worms or larva. Fly Specs are spatter marks that look, oddly enough, like fly specks. Cow Tails are similar to fly specs except they are curved sort of like a comma. Chain/Dents and Dings are small indentions that give a classic wear and tear look. Another classic look is called Wear Corners. In this style, the corners are sanded to give a worn effect.
Once you decide on the type of distressing that you want, you can either elect to do it yourself or purchase pre-distressed cabinets. Do it yourself distressing is not that complicated. The most complex part is deciding on the type of distressing you want and also what colors/finishes to use.
There are many different ways to distress. Basically, you will want to rough up the wood and then apply multiple layers of color. Next you’ll remove the top coat of color to reveal “old” colors. You can use drill holes to provide the worm hole effect. Or you can use chains, keys, or any other sharp edged objects to distress. And you can sand away the corners and edges for the Wear Corners look.
If you choose to purchase pre-distressed cabinets, you may want to visit your local custom cabinet maker. They will be able to design the distressed look to meet your specifications. However, many retailers to carry popular brands of pre-distressed cabinets, especially with the Wear Corners and Rub-thru look.
