New This Week: 3 Modern Kitchens That Rock Warm Wood Cabinets
Looking for an alternative to bright white? Walnut cabinetry offers the perfect tone to warm things up
White cabinets get a lot of attention. But they’re not for everyone. According to a recent Houzz survey, medium wood cabinets are the most desired style after white. And one of the best species for delivering this warm tone is walnut. Here, three new kitchens show how the versatile wood works across different styles.
Who uses it: A food scientist and a writer with two children.
Designer secret: “If you have a very colorful palette in your kitchen, introduce some white to create a visual break,” Knutson says. “I did this with white countertops and walls.”
“Uh-oh” moment: One homeowner was unsure of the orange glass tile backsplash that Knutson had selected, and became stuck in “analysis paralysis,” Knutson says, trying to find an alternative that looked similar but didn’t have the vibrancy. “Sometimes your job as a designer is to push your clients to make tough choices, to say, ‘Trust me,’” Knutson says. In the end, the homeowner was glad to have listened to Knutson.
Designer secret: “If you have a very colorful palette in your kitchen, introduce some white to create a visual break,” Knutson says. “I did this with white countertops and walls.”
“Uh-oh” moment: One homeowner was unsure of the orange glass tile backsplash that Knutson had selected, and became stuck in “analysis paralysis,” Knutson says, trying to find an alternative that looked similar but didn’t have the vibrancy. “Sometimes your job as a designer is to push your clients to make tough choices, to say, ‘Trust me,’” Knutson says. In the end, the homeowner was glad to have listened to Knutson.
The nitty-gritty: Perimeter countertop: Caesarstone in Pure White; island countertop: Silestone in Fun; backsplash tile: Orange Burst C13, Glazzio; feature wall tile: travertine, 12 by 24 inches; refrigerator: RF201ADx4, 20.1 cubic feet, 36-inch counter depth, French door, stainless steel, Fisher & Paykel; range: HIIP054U, 30-inch induction slide-in, stainless steel, Bosch; dishwasher: 500 Series SHSHX65T55UC, stainless steel, Bosch; microwave: NN-SD681S, Panasonic; range hood: PRH6-K30, stainless steel, Vent-A-Hood; cabinet boxes: full overlay with slab doors, Ikea; cabinet drawers and doors: ¾-inch walnut slab; display shelving on island, cabinet pulls and cabinet hinges: Ikea; sink: Hahn Chef extra-large double bowl, Costco; faucet: 33870760, single-lever mixer with pullout spray, chrome, Dornbracht; flooring: Almada cork, Marcas; wall, trim and ceiling paint: Pure White, Benjamin Moore
Team: Friberg Industries (carpentry, tile, plumbing and HVAC); Paramount Granite (countertop fabrication); Roe’s International Furniture Services (cabinet finishing); R Johnson and Sons (electrical); Scherr’s Cabinets & Doors (cabinet doors and drawers); Troy Thies Photography
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Team: Friberg Industries (carpentry, tile, plumbing and HVAC); Paramount Granite (countertop fabrication); Roe’s International Furniture Services (cabinet finishing); R Johnson and Sons (electrical); Scherr’s Cabinets & Doors (cabinet doors and drawers); Troy Thies Photography
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2. Midcentury Miracle
Designer: Michelle Lord
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Size: 182 square feet (16.9 square meters); 14 by 13 feet (4.2 by 3.9 meters)
Homeowners’ request: Update a 1951 midcentury modern-style home using eco-conscious products and repurposed furniture while adding more storage and function to the kitchen, all within a four-month span before their twins arrived.
Special feature: Custom-made, high-gloss walnut slab-style cabinets with a bold grain pattern and simple modern zinc pulls in a silver finish.
Who uses it: A couple with a teenage daughter, a 10-year-old son and newborn twins
Designer: Michelle Lord
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Size: 182 square feet (16.9 square meters); 14 by 13 feet (4.2 by 3.9 meters)
Homeowners’ request: Update a 1951 midcentury modern-style home using eco-conscious products and repurposed furniture while adding more storage and function to the kitchen, all within a four-month span before their twins arrived.
Special feature: Custom-made, high-gloss walnut slab-style cabinets with a bold grain pattern and simple modern zinc pulls in a silver finish.
Who uses it: A couple with a teenage daughter, a 10-year-old son and newborn twins
“Uh-oh” moment: Designer Michelle Lord had to find more cabinet space without increasing the size of the kitchen, while keeping the countertops clutter-free. She solved this by doing an inventory of every item the couple uses and designating spaces in each cabinet for those items. There’s even a pop-up lift for a mixer.
Nitty-gritty: Cabinet pulls: Hafele; countertops: Caesarstone in Pure White; backsplash: New Yorker handmade ceramic, 12 by 3 inches, Settecento; oven and range: Thermador; coffee system: Jenn-Air; refrigerator: KitchenAid, with custom walnut panels; sink: Anthracite Diamond in Charcoal, Blanco; wall paint: Decorator’s White, Benjamin Moore; flooring: polished cement
Team: SAI Construction; Schmidt Construction (cabinets)
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Nitty-gritty: Cabinet pulls: Hafele; countertops: Caesarstone in Pure White; backsplash: New Yorker handmade ceramic, 12 by 3 inches, Settecento; oven and range: Thermador; coffee system: Jenn-Air; refrigerator: KitchenAid, with custom walnut panels; sink: Anthracite Diamond in Charcoal, Blanco; wall paint: Decorator’s White, Benjamin Moore; flooring: polished cement
Team: SAI Construction; Schmidt Construction (cabinets)
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3. Contemporary Cool
Designers: Jeffrey Goodman and Steven Charlton of Goodman Charlton
Location: New York City
Size: 238 square feet (22.1 square meters); 17 by 14 feet (5.1 by 4.2 meters)
Homeowners’ request: Reconfigure an 1830s townhouse to move the kitchen into the center of the home.
Special feature: American walnut cabinetry has a distinct linear grain that, when applied horizontally, accentuates the length of the kitchen. “Painted cabinets would have been the more expected choice,” designer Jeffrey Goodman says. “But walnut provided an interesting juxtaposition against the age of the house.”
Nitty-gritty: Countertops: Calacatta Gold marble; stools: Bertoia; light fixture: pool table light with custom large high-gloss shades, Visual Comfort; flooring: slate-style porcelain, Lea Ceramiche
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Designers: Jeffrey Goodman and Steven Charlton of Goodman Charlton
Location: New York City
Size: 238 square feet (22.1 square meters); 17 by 14 feet (5.1 by 4.2 meters)
Homeowners’ request: Reconfigure an 1830s townhouse to move the kitchen into the center of the home.
Special feature: American walnut cabinetry has a distinct linear grain that, when applied horizontally, accentuates the length of the kitchen. “Painted cabinets would have been the more expected choice,” designer Jeffrey Goodman says. “But walnut provided an interesting juxtaposition against the age of the house.”
Nitty-gritty: Countertops: Calacatta Gold marble; stools: Bertoia; light fixture: pool table light with custom large high-gloss shades, Visual Comfort; flooring: slate-style porcelain, Lea Ceramiche
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More:
Find a kitchen designer in your area
Browse 60,000+ warm wood kitchens and save your favorites
Designer: Paul Knutson of Knutson Residential Design
Location: Minneapolis
Size: 230 square feet (21.3 square meters)
Year built: 1964
Homeowners’ request: Undo a previous owner’s lackluster 1990s kitchen renovation and introduce a midcentury modern look. Removing a peninsula eliminated a restrictive U-shaped layout and made room for an island that provides better flow. Storage walls on each side pull the appliances out of the middle, creating an airier feel, while cork floors help lighten the once-dark space.
Special feature: The homeowners chose walnut cabinetry — no stain, just two coats of clear postcatalyzed lacquer — because “they wanted each element in the design to clearly and simply emphasize its material qualities, a hallmark of midcentury design,” designer Paul Knutson says. “They never considered using white cabinets.”
The cabinets establish a warm, organic backdrop for other natural materials, like the travertine feature wall and cork floors, while playing up the manufactured materials, like the orange glass tile, glass-front cabinets and green and white solid-surface countertops.