Skip to main content

Why your home needs (and deserves) natural wood kitchen cabinets

Find out how to decorate a kitchen with natural wood cabinets

Natural wood kitchen cabinets are timeless, simple, and clean, and are easy to mix with various design styles to create an entire kitchen experience. And why not? It’s a room we spend a lot of time with family and friends. While color is one trend in kitchen cabinets, there’s something about leaving wood in its natural state that transforms a busy kitchen into a serene oasis perfect for nights in cooking. Even though natural wood is trending, certain colors and woods are more popular than others.

If you’re thinking about going natural for your kitchen cabinets, there are design tricks that will help complete the room into a space that’ll last long into the future. Here are a few ideas to consider if you’re looking to redo your kitchen space.

Related Videos
Oak cabinets in a small apartment kitchen

Are natural wood kitchen cabinets coming back?

The short answer is yes. (To be honest, something this timeless never really goes away.) We’re seeing lighter shades gaining popularity, so think oak, hickory, and birch. That said, walnut is also super popular, especially if you love a mid-century modern design, but this is less true for woods like cherry and maple, which peaked in the early 2000s.

Natural wood kitchen cabinets, with no paint or stain, allow for the grain and character to be front and center. They also allow you to style around them easily with metals, textiles, backsplash, and countertops, which will bring in color and pattern. Think of natural cabinets as a backdrop around which you can add and change door styles, crown molding, and hardware as your style changes.

Speaking of door styles, depending on your design style, they can be left without panels or added to with shaker panels, herringbone patterns, or glass doors to showcase dishes and other items inside. Open shelving in natural wood also remains popular this year.

Oak kitchen cabinets modern

How much are natural wood kitchen cabinets?

Because of the different types of wood and depending on how large your kitchen is, natural wood cabinet costs can vary from as little as $6,000 to $20,000, which includes materials and installation. If you are handy (or feel up to learning a new skill), you can order stock cabinets and install them yourself, which will save thousands in labor.

If you’re looking for custom or semi-custom cabinets, they will be on the higher side. On average, fully custom kitchen cabinets cost between $500 and $1,200 per linear foot (again, depending on the type of wood you use) versus stock cabinets, which run around $200 to $400 per linear foot. Additional costs will come depending on whether you have framed or unframed cabinet doors and whether you want to add storage, pull-outs inside the cabinets, or wood paneling to hide appliances, which continue to be popular.

Above-cabinet lighting in kitchen

How to decorate around natural wood kitchen cabinets

The great thing about natural wood kitchen cabinets is that there are many ways to bring in color and design around them without taking away from their simple beauty.

We love mixed metals in dark bronze and muted gold, a vintage rug underneath the kitchen table or as a runner, and a bold chandelier or pendant lights over a kitchen island. You can also go a bit bolder on a tile backsplash, perhaps with a geometric print or herringbone pattern for added contrast to the simplicity of the wood. In terms of flooring, you could continue the same wood on the floor or opt for a lighter or darker grain.

Natural wood cabinets have seen a reemergence with the farmhouse design rising in popularity because they offer the perfect backdrop to that style of kitchen. That said, natural wood looks stunning in boho, modern, or traditional kitchens as well. A lot depends on what you choose for decor, color, door style, and hardware. If you do ever tire of the look, you can stain or paint your natural wood kitchen cabinets to bring a whole new look (and life) to your kitchen for decades to come.

One thing to keep in mind when leaving wood in its natural state is cleaning. Kitchens can get messy, so make sure you regularly clean your wood cabinets with mild products that will help keep them stain-free. A 50/50 mix of vinegar and warm water on a cloth will help them stay looking as beautiful as the day they were installed. It’s important to treat stains right away when they do happen, especially if it’s something acidic like orange juice or spaghetti sauce. Purchasing new cabinets is a big investment, and you want to protect them so they will last. Because a kitchen is one of the rooms that sell a home, it’s also important to maintain them for resale value.

Editors' Recommendations

Basement remodel ideas that won’t break the bank
If you want to remodel your basement on a budget, here are a few ideas
Media room basement

If you're tired of looking at the same old large room in your basement and need some inexpensive remodel ideas, we're here to help. Having a basement is wonderful for entertaining, for housing an extra bedroom or office, or for using as storage, but it's often one of the most underutilized spaces in a home. But there are ways to breathe new life back into it with just a little paint, furniture, and imagination.

Here are a few basement remodel ideas to get you started. You won't believe what a big difference small changes will make in your home.

Read more
Chrome: Is it just a fad or is it here to stay?
Is chrome 'the new brass?' Or is this shiny metallic a timeless trend? Experts weigh in
Gray shaker-style cabinets with chrome hardware

Chrome has often been called "the new brass." However, this trendy metallic is not necessarily new to interiors. While it fell out of style for some time, chrome eventually reemerged and popped up in all sorts of places. For the last five years, designers have watched chrome come and go in home decor. However, after so many years of stepping in and out of the spotlight, we can be fairly certain that chrome is here to stay.

Here’s what the experts have to say about this trendy and perhaps timeless metallic.

Read more
Don’t make these dumb mistakes when decorating your entryway
Theses entryway ideas will help you avoid common design blunders
Entryway dresser

Your entryway is the first area guests see when they walk into your home. For many, it's not an overly large space, so decorating your entryway to maximize space is critical. Since this space can get overrun with shoes, coats, and bags, you need to consider design ideas that work for you and your family. It's important to take a step back and think about the functionality when adding any furniture, coat racks, or decor to ensure you're not making the problem worse.

Entryways can (and should) also give guests a brief view of your overall aesthetic and design style, so you want to consider the rest of your home's design before decorating yours. Here are some tips and tricks to decorate an entryway and avoid mistakes that can make it feel closed in and cluttered.

Read more