Cerused Oak Remodel Project.

We were so excited when our client, Mrs. Young, wanted to use a new finish technique that we were in the process of making to showcase at the 2016 Southern Spring Home & Garden Show.  After making a few samples, we decided that we would use the color combination of Revere Pewter for the perimeter cabinets with cerused oak on the island. We were just in love with this color combination but before we could get the cabinets made for the show, it caught Mrs. Young’s attention.  Dr. & Mrs. Young had just purchased a home and wanted to remodel the kitchen before they moved in.

Kitchen – Before Photo

What are your needs?

First, we had to determine what the homeowner needed and what their style preference was. Travis Walker, company owner met with Mrs. Young in her home and started the process of gathering measurements and information. Travis will usually take pictures like the one above to share with Brandon as part of the planning for the first design meeting. We also ask our clients what they like and don’t like about the design of the kitchen they currently have. Getting as much information as possible prior to the design meeting helps Brandon, our designer plan the layout of the kitchen before meeting with the clients.

“My husband and I both love to cook and spend time together in the kitchen, so a good flow with plenty of prep space was critical. We also really believe in function over form, so we were leaning toward more of a commercial style kitchen… Of course we think we got both function and form with this remodel!” ~ Mrs. Young

After Photo. When looking at the before picture notice that the refrigerator and ovens are still in the same location.

What are your style and color preferences?

We also asked Mrs. Young to share her thoughts about this as well as her idea books from Houzz so that Brandon could see which style and color preferences she was leaning toward. Idea-books from Houzz are one of our favorite tools to use when planning a new customer design meeting.

“As to color choices and cabinet style… I have to credit Brandon with quickly figuring out our design style preferences (I.e., clean, simple, elegant) and showing us the new cerused oak cabinet he’d been working on. I loved it from the moment I laid eyes on it. While gorgeous, it isn’t formal or stuffy. It perfectly fit the environment of our kitchen, the floors, the stone fireplace, the flagstone patio, and generally, the natural views through the picture window. Once I had the sample doors, I was able to select a complementing paint color and flooring… The granite was the final touch that pulled all the colors together.” ~ Mrs. Young

The cerused oak for the island and bar area are custom painted with a color we named  ‘hunting lodge gray’ with a white glaze. Revere Pewter from the Benjamin Moore Historical collection is the perimeter color of the kitchen.  

The cerused oak for the island and bar area are custom painted with a color we named ‘hunting lodge gray’ with a white glaze. Revere Pewter from the Benjamin Moore Historical collection is the perimeter color of the kitchen.

“People are highly complementary when they see the kitchen… Thanks to you all!” ~ Mrs. Young

 

See all of the photos from this project. Click this link to see our photo gallery of this project. 

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Making a quiet comeback

For about 2 years now we have been seeing cerused oak in furniture pieces, and now it is being incorporated into kitchens.  Cerused oak can have many different colors due to a technique that is used to bring out the grain.

Photo by Walker Woodworking Staff – All Rights Reserved.

What is Cerusing?

Cerusing is a time-honored French finish technique in which the open grain of oak is filled with a contrasting white pigment. The stain and colors of the white pigments can be mixed and matched to create unique color combinations.  What I love the most is the texture that you can see and touch. This technique is mostly used on quarter sawn white oak.

Notice the white glaze in the wood grain.

Why Oak?

Specifically we use Quarter Sawn White Oak. This wood has an amazing straight grain pattern that lends itself to design. Quarter sawn lumber is defined as wood where the annular growth rings intersect the face of the board at a 60 to 90 degree angle. When cutting this lumber at the sawmill, each log is sawed at a radial angle into four quarters, hence the name. Dramatic flecking is also present in red oak and white oak. When quarter sawn oak is cerused, we are able to add a white glaze and use a special brush to make sure the glaze seeps into the grain without affecting the color of the stain, thus giving texture to the surface of the wood.

Quarter Sawn White-Oak stain only

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Want to see how we can incorporate cerused oak into your home? Give us a call today to schedule a design consultation 704-434-0823.