Check out my client’s dream kitchen cabinets- painted in Soft Chamois from Benjamin Moore! Using this beautiful shade from BM’s off-white collection, I was able to give these honey oak cabinets a much-needed update, filling their kitchen with equal warmth and lightness. This post gives you a glimpse of the before and after (plus the LRV and undertones of Benjamin Moore Soft Chamois) to help you decide if this paint color is right for your kitchen cabinets!
I know what it’s like to have a “dream kitchen”. Everything from the types of appliances chosen to the specific wall color pairing with the countertops and even having the perfect shade on your kitchen cabinets depending on which way the room is facing. It all matters!
I am extremely blessed to have been able to put together my forever kitchen in my home and I am just so happy that I was able to give that to someone else!
From Basic Oak Cabinets To Classic Off White
The first time I was able to step foot into my client’s kitchen is a day to remember. Nothing gets me more excited than walking into a sea of honey oak cabinets and knowing I’m about to paint them!
I knew I wanted to really utilize the openness and brighten up that kitchen to make it look even bigger. After showing her some of my go-to off-white kitchen cabinet colors, we were finally able to land on a color: Benjamin Moore Soft Chamois.
(By the way, in case you’re like me and you have no idea how to pronounce “chamois”, it’s “shammy.”)
Soft Chamois By Benjamin Moore
BM Soft Chamois (OC-13) is a warm off-white, soft beige color with a hint of chamois. Benjamin Moore describes this paint color as “a creamy, slightly yellowish white that brings to mind the glow of late afternoon sunlight.”
Allow me to go on a quick tangent, please… In case you don’t know already, a chamois is a soft pliable piece of leather made from sheepskin or lambskin.
And, the only reason I know this is because my dad bought me a chamois cloth when I was 15. You can use a chamois to dry off your car after you wash it for a perfectly water-spot-free finish!
My dad and I semi-restored a 1966 Ford Mustang for my first car. I remember hand washing and chamois-drying that car many times:) So, if you’re into hand washing your vehicle and don’t have a chamois to dry it, you should totally get one!
Okay moving onto the point of this post!
What is the LRV of BM Soft Chamois?
Soft Chamois has an LRV of 78.94, which is pretty high for Benjamin Moore paint colors. Benjamin Moore says that Soft Chamois is a color with “optimal LRV of 78+” which means it’s more likely to reflect light in the room rather than absorb it, creating an overall brighter appearance for your space!
What are the undertones of Benjamin Moore Soft Chamois?
BM Soft Chamois has yellow (and slight green) undertones, depending on which way the light hits the room. I see this shade as a warm white color, rather than cool or neutrals.
Painting Honey Oak Cabinets In Soft Chamois Paint: Before and After
If you’re thinking about painting your kitchen cabinets, your eyes are wide with excitement right now…right?!?
Here’s my take- Oak cabinets are great. Oak is a wonderful, hard, solid wood. I think we can all agree on that.
BUT, in this particular kitchen, the arched panel and the honey-colored stain really outdates the home to the 1990’s-early 2000s. With its strong grain pattern, oak is a very taste-specific look. People either LOVE or HATE the look of oak cabinets.
This homeowner was really ready for a bright and fresh update in her kitchen (and so was I)! Here are some before and afters 🙂
I just love the above photo so much. To take grainy, orangey oak cabinets and transform them into smooth, creamy white cabinets is so satisfying to me!
Now, we didn’t fully fill the grain on this job. But, after two coats of oak cabinet primer and two coats of Benjamin Moore Soft Chamois (with sanding in between coats), the grain was greatly minimized.
What if I want to completely fill in the wood grain?
But… if you happen to be searching for a tutorial on how you can fill grain completely, I have FREE video training on how you can do just that! Click the button below to find out the best way to totally eliminate wood grain on cabinets before painting!
Painting Tip:
Click over to this post and scroll toward the bottom to read more about my painting process!
Are You Ready To Paint Your Honey Oak Cabinets Too?
I hope you enjoyed this beautiful before and after project- I sure did!
If you want to do something similar but are on a tight budget and prefer to do it yourself, I highly recommend taking my DIY Cabinet Painting 101 class. It will show you exactly how to do paint your own kitchen cabinets and end up with a professional finish (and your dream kitchen!).
Last thing…if you want to know all of the tools, primer, and paint brands and products we use to create these insane before and afters, you can download a free copy by clicking HERE!
More Posts To Read:
- 12 Best Tips For Using Fine Paints of Europe High Gloss
- Exactly How To Paint Oak Cabinets (Written By A Pro!)
- China Cabinet Makeover Before And After
- How To Use Peel and Stick Wallpaper On Furniture
- Sherwin Williams Evergreen Fog Kitchen Cabinets
Next up, that floor!
I live the change without replacing.
I have some high gloss flat panel maple cabinets that I want to paint black, how do I prepare them to be ready to paint and the to adhere?
Thank you
Linda
Clean and degrease, then sand with 180, prime with BIN, lightly sand primer with 220, paint!
Hi – I found your site by googling how to remove dust particles from fresh paint on kitchen cabinets. My dust bits seem to go in cycles, some cabinets have almost NONE while some have too much and I end up buying a new brush. I wish we could have sprayed them, but we can’t, so we opted to brush. Any advice?
Your work is amazing!
are you wiping the cabinets with a tack cloth immediately before you apply paint? and are you straining your paint before use?
Kayla,
I bought a condo two years ago, the cabinets have been painted. I would like to repaint them. It seems they have put some type of urethane as their finial coat. Is the process the same? I don’t want them to look like they have layers of paint on them. Would love your advise.
I stumbled upon you sight and just love it!
Thank you!
You can check out this post for repainting cabinets. as long as the current paint job is sound, you’ll just need to clean, sand, prime then repaint. but if the current paint is bad, then remove the existing paint as much as you can. xo
Hi! What do you do for the inside of the cabinets? Do you paint them as well?
We don’t typically paint the interior shelving unless the customer requests it and is willing to pay the increased cost. We do the front/back sides of all doors and drawers but leave shelves natural wood. xo
I love how the cabinets turned out! I have white cabinets in my kitchen now, we are thinking about updating a few things in our kitchen. I would love to keep them white and just give them a fresh coat of white paint. Would you still apply a primer and sand the existing cabinets before applying new paint? Also did you put a protective coat over the final coat? I have 3 children so I would love to protect the finish as long as possible. Hope to hear from you soon.
I love your posts, Kayla. You are a great writer.