Wood is absolutely being requested more often than a few years ago. As are colors other than white, and not just for islands. I’m in the final stages of finishing a blue kitchen, and a light green gray one.

As far as what type of wood? Most people are choosing natural finished or lightly stained woods, whatever the wood. In a matte or satin finish. No gloss. Or, a very high gloss slab if the home is modern.

Natural cherry, oak, walnut, and maple have all made an appearance in projects this year for clients. None of the dark stained espresso or bleached woods are being asked for. People feel it is too limiting towards future changes.

I believe that if you care enough to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a room in your house, it should speak to YOU. What do you like? If it’s contrast, then go for that whether it’s with a dark painted cabinet or stained wood. Stained cabinets have never gone out of style, just like white cabinets didn’t either. I’m not saying that you should necessarily put in pink polka dotted cabinets, but if you are trying to keep up with the latest fashion it’s all ready too late. Your house, your kitchen, your money:)

@Katie do whatever you want, choose the style you love since you are the one living in that space, i recently got my kitchen cabinets and granite installed, i already knew that white kitchens with shaker cabinets are very popular but i chose what i like, i know my style is not the popular one but that’s ok:) i still need to install backsplash but since my cabinets and granite countertops are on the traditional side i want something that will add a modern, contemporary touch

I don't know that wood is ever a wrong choice. A natural finished wood, like rustic hickory or maple can go with anything. I wouldn't do a dark stain, that looks dated to me and covers the beauty of the wood. If you are doing a stain so dark it covers the natural grain of the wood might as well just use something inexpensive for the cabinets. If you want a darker color use a wood that is naturally darker like black walnut or cherry instead of a dark stain or paint.

That said, it's YOUR kitchen, and yes you should use what you like. Trends come and go and personally I don't give a crap about them, but if you like the old dark wood with orange countertops go for it. That's the beauty of owning/building a house you can make it your style and say the hell with anyone else ;)

My brand new kitchen has solid Acacia hardwood flooring, Rustic Hickory (natural finish) cabinets, St Cecilia Granite, a sage green island with a maple top and Marazzi Urban District Brx Eastside backsplash. Some may think its a little busy, I think everything goes together marvelously.

Were wood cabinets ever really OUT???

ETA: Sophie beat me to it!

I agree to do what you like. I am seeing a lot of white oak or similar.

These have a light stain:

There are some processes used on some to lighten the wood even more - but I am concerned that this could be like the blond oak of the 90s - so going with a natural finish would be my choice.

I do like this look, though if i was doing a new kitchen I would probably go with a oak in a craftsman style because I love it and it has been around for a long time.

This kitchen has been on Houzz since 2013 - still looks great and is often used as an inspiration pic - I believe this is cherry:

Thank goodness wood cabinets are coming back. I was sick of seeing everybody and their mother puting in cookie cutter kitchens. White shaker cabinets, white counters, and white back splashs. The worst is people painting beautiful wood cabinets white. Bring back personally!

Or worse, wanting to PAINT their beautiful wood cabinets white!

When we were househunting several years ago, we fell in love with a beautifully restored craftsman house that was just too small for us. The realtor suggested we could paint the original wood trim! I was HORRIFIED!

I’ve been planning my kitchen remodel for so long that I started out wanting white (or gray) cabinets and now I’m planning on going with a wood (at least on the lowers) Lol! I’ve also decided tha wood will be easier to keep clean...If you like wood then get it! You need to be happy in your house :)

Oh thank goodness...I have been so many times when people come on here talking about painting their gorgeous wood cabinets.

Wood cabinets have never been out of style.

Agree.

Regardless, don't choose your cabinets based upon what's trendy. Cabinets are expensive and a great deal of trouble to change, so if you're motivated by what's "in" today, you're going to want something different tomorrow.

There is a big difference between high quality wood cabinets and golden oak builder-grade cabinets, even builder-grade too red cherry.

If you want wood cabinets, look at English companies such as Plain English and Smallbone. They are super high end cabinets companies and they are showing lots of wood, having previously been known for their wonderful painted cabinets - often handpainted.

In the end, what do YOU like and what quality can you afford? A less expensive cabinet painted white or gray will look better than one that is stained.

Katie

I have a corian counter AND wood cabinets in my 3 year old custom built house. The cabinets are medium Cherry and the counter is cream background with pale brownish swirls. I have always preferred the rich look of cherry, walnut and mahogony woods for furniture also.

When were they truly "out"?

When I was looking at granite and quartz a few weeks ago, one of the designers I spoke with said she was starting to see more requests for wood stained (as opposed to white) cabinets and granite/quartz that did NOT mimic marble. In her shop earthy tones were definitely making a comeback both in cabinets and countertops. Good news for me since I have stained birch cabinets that are in pretty good shape. I priced out replacing them, but financially it didn't make much sense to replace stained wood with something very similar.

I like to look on Realtor and Zillow to see the homes for sale in my area. Wood cabinets never completely went out of style around me (Midwest). In fact it seems like a lot of the homes for sale were remodeled in the mid 2000's based on the cabinets and granite colors.

A lot of the designers on Instagram (with big followings) are continually doing wood cabinetry. Natural finishes. Usually they mix a painted and a wood finish. I find that too trendy.

When I talked to cabinet designers, they said about 50/50 in this area between wood and painted cabinets.

For what it is worth, my matte slab natural cherry kitchen cabinets were just delivered last week and currently being installed. Countertop template was a couple days ago! :0) No one else will probably love my kitchen, but I am excited. The wood is so warm. I love every wood kitchen though.

Do what you love though. It is YOURS. Good luck!

We just finished this charming little kitchen remodel with dark Cherry cabinets. While we definitely saw more interest in painted cabinets for the last few years, we are now getting more requests for dark-stained Cherry, Walnut and Rift-Cut White Oak.

I went with Ribbon Mahogany in a med/dark stain and they are being installed right now. As much as I also love bright white kitchens, they did not look right in my Spanish style house. I am using Taj Mahal quartzite on my counters. My kitchen gets a lot of natural light. My KD who mostly sells to the west side of LA (W. Hollywood, B. Hills, etc) said he had not done a wood kitchen in years, maybe 4+ years. Made me doubt my choice for a few minutes, but he seemed excited I was doing something different!

chispa: I visited Emser on Santa Monica Boulevard to look at possible counters. As you probably know, that Emser location sells only manmade materials - very high end :-). My designer had sent him my design board so he would have an idea of what might work. He said all he mostly sold was white or marble variations and he was equally excited to see something a bit out of the box :-)

Karla, you wrote: i want something that will add a modern, contemporary touch.

Get rid of the garage lights and put in canister lights.

Natural wood tones are trending in, natural walnut is being used and it is so beautiful and would look great with white counters . I don't care what anyone says Corian is the best and so underrated. I have had white Corian for 30 years. It bleaches clean and stains sand out. I even burned mine with a hot pan that burned through the potholder so I quickly set it down without thinking but immmediately moved it to the cooktop. The material welted but we were able to sand it down too. There are a few nicks along the edges and a few small chips where things have dropped but at year 25 we had someone come in and fill the chips, sand and buff the counters to look good as new. My medium stained pecan cabinets have held up well and only in the last 5 years, as the all white kitchens trended strong, did I start to feel a bit of desire to make a change. I'm so happy that wood is trending back, my cabinets are in good condition (though they will soon need refinishing) and both countertop and cabinets will probably carry me another 20-30 years. To me a kitchen that has lasted so long is a plus, it is so much more eco friendly and less wasteful. Pecan has been a great hard wood to hold up to my 4 children and now grand children.