I have boring cabinets that have been painted in a satin off white finish. Because we used satin finish the cabinets are very vulnerable to stains, etc as they tend to be more absorbant than if we had used semi-gloss.

I did not want to have a glossy finish so I went with the satin. I would like to give the cabinets more of an old world look by applying a hint of a dark stain over them. Someone suggested to me simply wiping them down with Old English scratch cover in dark and wiping it back off again, then applying a paste wax to give them depth and protection.

What do you think? I'd really like to age these a little to achieve a kind of French country, or Old English look but don't want to make a huge mess.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

I'm painting my kitchen cabinets white. I need to use an oil base paint because I'm covering varnish.
So, do I need to use Enamel paint or Acrylic?
Also, should I put on a Flat, Satin, Semi-Gloss, or High Gloss finish?
And why do you recommend that combination?

BTW. the counter top will be a black granite and the hinges are a black iron look.

Thank you very much for you help.