New This Week: 4 Modern-Day Kitchens With Wood Cabinets
See how various wood styles and species create stylish kitchens that feel both timely and timeless
Wood cabinetry has been around a lot longer than painted cabinets — or cabinets made from any material other than wood, for that matter. Some people consider this history part of the classic appeal of wood cabinets. Others might feel wood cabinets give a kitchen too much of an old-fashioned look. But by choosing the right wood species, cabinet front style and stain color, designers can create beautiful kitchens with wood cabinets that exude timeless style while still feeling at home in the modern world.
2. Beige and Beautiful
Designers: Allie Mann and Gizem Ozkaya of Case Design/Remodeling
Location: Sterling, Virginia
Size: 163 square feet (15 square meters); 12½ by 13 feet
Homeowners’ request. “They didn’t want just ‘another white kitchen,’ ” designer Allie Mann says. “We wanted to move the sink out of the corner by the windows. It was on an angle, not the best use of storage below. We needed to move and relocate the fridge to gain island seating in the footprint.”
Wood cabinets. Alder lower cabinets in a midtone stain. The upper cabinets are painted a beige color.
Other special features. Patterned encaustic backsplash tile. Stone-look quartz island countertop with beige, white and blue tones (“A personal favorite for the subtle pops of blue,” Mann says). The perimeter countertops are a soft taupe-colored quartz.
Designer tip. “Don’t be afraid to go for little pops of color here and there,” Mann says. “We started with the backsplash, then the countertop, then the pendant lighting, weaving each one in each step of the design.”
Cabinets painted beige and alder in pebble stain: Crystal Cabinet Works
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Designers: Allie Mann and Gizem Ozkaya of Case Design/Remodeling
Location: Sterling, Virginia
Size: 163 square feet (15 square meters); 12½ by 13 feet
Homeowners’ request. “They didn’t want just ‘another white kitchen,’ ” designer Allie Mann says. “We wanted to move the sink out of the corner by the windows. It was on an angle, not the best use of storage below. We needed to move and relocate the fridge to gain island seating in the footprint.”
Wood cabinets. Alder lower cabinets in a midtone stain. The upper cabinets are painted a beige color.
Other special features. Patterned encaustic backsplash tile. Stone-look quartz island countertop with beige, white and blue tones (“A personal favorite for the subtle pops of blue,” Mann says). The perimeter countertops are a soft taupe-colored quartz.
Designer tip. “Don’t be afraid to go for little pops of color here and there,” Mann says. “We started with the backsplash, then the countertop, then the pendant lighting, weaving each one in each step of the design.”
Cabinets painted beige and alder in pebble stain: Crystal Cabinet Works
Shop for kitchen island lighting
3. Red Alert
Designer: Brea Valenzuela of cityhomeCollective
Location: Salt Lake City
Size: 100 square feet (9.3 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The original kitchen was very dark and compartmentalized,” designer Brea Valenzuela says. “There were heavy upper cabinets over the island that blocked the natural light and closed off the view to the dining room. Our clients wanted to honor the original midcentury architecture and incorporate some fun, modern accents. We wanted to lighten and brighten and create a truly custom space.”
Wood cabinets. White oak. “One of the first features we landed on was the dark red Fireclay tile backsplash and the Jason Red marble countertops,” Valenzuela says. “In order to not make the space feel too busy, we went minimal with flat-panel, white oak cabinetry.”
Other special features. Custom brass tubular vent hood. Brass cabinet hardware. White appliances, “which made the whole space feel modern and fresh,” Valenzuela says.
Designer tip. “Go bold,” Valenzuela says. “This place was so fun to design, and we still stayed true to the original architecture and intent of the home.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The first iteration of the custom hood vents were powder-coated in a brass color,” Valenzuela says. “They turned out way too plastic-looking and didn’t have the depth and character of actual metal. We decided it was worth it to have them redone in a real, aged brass with local fabricator Meta Designs. This truly made the space what it is.”
Designer: Brea Valenzuela of cityhomeCollective
Location: Salt Lake City
Size: 100 square feet (9.3 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The original kitchen was very dark and compartmentalized,” designer Brea Valenzuela says. “There were heavy upper cabinets over the island that blocked the natural light and closed off the view to the dining room. Our clients wanted to honor the original midcentury architecture and incorporate some fun, modern accents. We wanted to lighten and brighten and create a truly custom space.”
Wood cabinets. White oak. “One of the first features we landed on was the dark red Fireclay tile backsplash and the Jason Red marble countertops,” Valenzuela says. “In order to not make the space feel too busy, we went minimal with flat-panel, white oak cabinetry.”
Other special features. Custom brass tubular vent hood. Brass cabinet hardware. White appliances, “which made the whole space feel modern and fresh,” Valenzuela says.
Designer tip. “Go bold,” Valenzuela says. “This place was so fun to design, and we still stayed true to the original architecture and intent of the home.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The first iteration of the custom hood vents were powder-coated in a brass color,” Valenzuela says. “They turned out way too plastic-looking and didn’t have the depth and character of actual metal. We decided it was worth it to have them redone in a real, aged brass with local fabricator Meta Designs. This truly made the space what it is.”
4. Midcentury Mood
Designers: Maria Rojas and Quinn Regnier of Uniik Design
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Size: 330 square feet (31 square meters)
Homeowners’ request: “The house was full of dark colors like maroon and green and the homeowners wanted a brighter space that felt open,” says designer Maria Rojas, who collaborated with her clients through Houzz ideabooks. “They really liked midcentury modern style, walnut and the color blue.”
Wood cabinets. Vertical-grain flat-panel walnut. “Since we were going white-white on the walls with accents of blue, we wanted to use a wood that was rich and also evoked that midcentury vibe,” Rojas says. “We instantly knew walnut was the right choice for the wood cabinets. The grand dramatic grains have a beautiful contrast against the solidness of the white and blue backgrounds. The walnut wood also brings the perfect amount of warmth to the space and speaks to the midcentury modern style.”
Other special features. Geometric blue-and-white backsplash tile. “The pop of blue throughout the space is a great contrast against the blacks, off-white and wood colors,” Rojas says.
“Uh-oh” moment. “The location of the dining table was an issue as it was crammed in the corner niche before, which was awkward and didn’t have much room,” Rojas says. “We didn’t know where to move the dining table until we thought of joining the dining table to the island and making it part of the kitchen area.”
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Designers: Maria Rojas and Quinn Regnier of Uniik Design
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Size: 330 square feet (31 square meters)
Homeowners’ request: “The house was full of dark colors like maroon and green and the homeowners wanted a brighter space that felt open,” says designer Maria Rojas, who collaborated with her clients through Houzz ideabooks. “They really liked midcentury modern style, walnut and the color blue.”
Wood cabinets. Vertical-grain flat-panel walnut. “Since we were going white-white on the walls with accents of blue, we wanted to use a wood that was rich and also evoked that midcentury vibe,” Rojas says. “We instantly knew walnut was the right choice for the wood cabinets. The grand dramatic grains have a beautiful contrast against the solidness of the white and blue backgrounds. The walnut wood also brings the perfect amount of warmth to the space and speaks to the midcentury modern style.”
Other special features. Geometric blue-and-white backsplash tile. “The pop of blue throughout the space is a great contrast against the blacks, off-white and wood colors,” Rojas says.
“Uh-oh” moment. “The location of the dining table was an issue as it was crammed in the corner niche before, which was awkward and didn’t have much room,” Rojas says. “We didn’t know where to move the dining table until we thought of joining the dining table to the island and making it part of the kitchen area.”
More on Houzz
Popular Cabinet Door Styles for Kitchens of All Kinds
Browse thousands of home design photos
Find a pro
Shop for your home
Designer: Kristyn Mark of Mark Design Co.
Location: Newport Beach, California
Size: 300 square feet (28 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The home was originally designed to be a modern farmhouse style,” designer Kristyn Mark says. “The cabinets were painted a distressed gray and the island was a washed-out blue. I remember my client distinctly saying ‘to each his own’ because there was nothing wrong with the home but it just wasn’t their style. We wanted to clean it up and let each area in the kitchen have its own moment.”
Wood cabinets. Refaced rift oak in a custom finish. “We decided to reface all the cabinets and reuse the existing boxes because they were in pristine condition,” Mark says. “We envisioned a Scandinavian modern kitchen design with open shelving, flat-panel fronts and wood cabinetry. We decided to use rift oak because it has a straight, tight grain and was most consistent. We decided to offset the wood cabinets by painting the island a rich green tone. To complement the wood cabinets, we installed matte black tab pulls to tie in with the minimalistic design.”
Other special features. Custom fluted range hood that matches the cabinets. The island is painted Foxhall Green by Sherwin-Williams. “One of my favorite parts of this kitchen and dining room duo is the white glossy ceramic tile against the black framed windows,” Mark says. “It was designed to make a subtle statement by carrying the tile across the entire wall, up to the ceiling and mitered around the edges of the window to give it the clean look we envisioned.”
Designer tip. “Understand what type of wood you will be using,” Mark says. “We went through many different wood species until we found the right one, which was rift oak. Also, every room needs a special moment, whether it is a light fixture, paint color or furniture piece. But don’t select items that will fight for one’s attention over the other.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Since we refaced the cabinets, we kept all the existing boxes,” Mark says. “Our ‘uh-oh’ moments were when the appliances came. The sink was one inch too big, and the fridge wasn’t going to fit the existing opening. Luckily, all hands were on deck to make it right, and our cabinet guy made it work.”
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