White kitchens had a REALLY long run as the most popular choice in kitchen design. And while they are not technically going anywhere, there is a new queen in town. Enter the warm wood cabinet era. Homeowners are coming into our showrooms with photos of wood. Rift-cut white oak. Walnut with brass. Stained cherry with a stone backsplash that actually has some color in it.
After almost 50 years of designing kitchens in Florida, we have watched countless trends come and go. This is one we are really excited about.
Here's what the shift looks like, and how to pick a wood tone you will still love in fifteen years.
Dark stained oak kitchen cabinets with a brass-banded range hood and marble island, remodeled by S&W Kitchens in Florida.
Why wood is showing up again
Wood does something paint cannot. It brings texture, grain, natural elements and a little bit of imperfection into a room, and that's exactly what makes a kitchen feel like home.
There is a practical side too. A wood door that is well built and properly finished ages differently than a painted one. Paint shows every chip along a drawer edge. Wood absorbs the wear of a busy family and just looks a little more lived in...in a good way!
And in Florida specifically, warm tones work with the light we have. Bright, high, and constant. A cool gray kitchen can go flat under that light by two in the afternoon. Wood holds its depth all day.
Light woods: the easiest place to start
If you want the warmth without committing to a heavy look, light is where most of our clients land. Rift-cut white oak, natural maple, quartersawn oak. These read soft and modern, and they pair with almost any countertop.
Light white oak kitchen cabinets with a waterfall island and woven pendant lights, designed by S&W Kitchens.
Open Florida kitchen with white oak cabinetry, wood slat ceiling, and lake views, remodeled by S&W Kitchens.
Notice what is happening in that kitchen beyond the cabinets. Designer Chris Druschel carried the wood up onto the ceiling. That is a move we use often when a room has good ceiling height and a lot of glass, because it wraps the warmth around you instead of stopping it at counter level.
Light wood is also the friendliest choice if you are nervous about the trend cycle as it reads very neutral.
Mid-tones: rich and warm, not dark
Mid-tone stains are having their moment, and they are the most forgiving option in a Florida home with tile floors and a lot of natural light.
Warm stained shaker kitchen cabinets with black hardware and a gray tile backsplash, remodeled by S&W Kitchens.
Open concept Florida kitchen remodel with warm wood cabinets, a wood beam, and peninsula seating by S&W Kitchens.
That beam is doing real work. When we open a wall between a kitchen and living room, there is almost always structure that has to stay. Designer Larissa Hicks wrapped it in wood instead of hiding it in drywall turning a constraint into a design feature and tying the two rooms together.
Traditional warm wood kitchen cabinets with a blue-green quartzite backsplash and travertine floors, by S&W Kitchens.
Dark woods: for the room that wants some weight
Deep walnut and dark stained oak are not for every house. They want light, ceiling height, and something bright to push against. When those conditions are there, nothing else looks like it.
Dark walnut-toned kitchen cabinets with brass hardware and a marble island, designed by S&W Kitchens in Tampa.
Modern walnut flat panel kitchen cabinets paired with white uppers and a marble waterfall island by S&W Kitchens.
The trick with dark wood is contrast. White uppers, a marble waterfall edge, a painted wall with some saturation. Give the eye somewhere to rest and dark cabinetry reads rich instead of heavy.
Two-tone: the answer for most people
Honestly, this is where most of our projects end up. You get the warmth of wood and the flexibility of paint, and you can put each one exactly where it earns its keep.
Two-tone kitchen with light green painted cabinets and natural oak uppers, brass hardware, and herringbone backsplash by S&W Kitchens.
Soft greens with natural oak is the pairing we are specifying most right now. It is fresh without being loud, and green happens to be the color that reads best next to wood grain because they share the same undertone family.
Transitional kitchen with painted gray perimeter cabinets and a fluted warm oak island under quartzite, by S&W Kitchens.
Two-tone kitchen with quartersawn oak and white painted cabinets and travertine flooring, remodeled by S&W Kitchens.
A wood island in a painted kitchen is the lowest-risk version of this whole trend. One warm anchor in the middle of the room. If you are on the fence, start there.
Don't forget the bathroom
Wood vanities are quietly one of our favorite things to design. A bathroom is small enough that a single warm element changes the entire feel of the space.
Walnut bathroom vanity with a navy textured tile accent wall and gold fixtures, remodeled by S&W Kitchens.
White oak bathroom vanity with brass fixtures and colorful patterned floor tile, designed by S&W Kitchens.
Choosing a wood you won't get tired of
A few things we tell clients:
Look at the grain, not just the color. Two cabinets in the same stain can look completely different depending on the species and the cut. Rift-cut oak is calm and linear. Cherry is smoother. Walnut has real movement in it. Bring samples home and look at them in your own light.
Match the wood to your floors on purpose. Either commit to a close match or make a clear break. It is the near-miss that looks like an accident.
Warm metals are the safer partner. Brass, bronze, and champagne finishes sit naturally alongside wood tone. Chrome and polished nickel can work, but they need a reason to be there.
Consider the whole run of the house. If your kitchen opens to a living room, dining room, and hallway, the cabinet tone is going to be visible from most of your first floor.
We are proud to offer American Made Cabinets that are built to last
Every kitchen on this page uses American-made cabinetry, built in Indiana, from a partners we trust. That matters more with wood than with paint. The quality of the material and the finish is what determines whether your cabinets look better in ten years or just older.
We have been doing this since 1977, we have earned 33 national awards along the way, and we have 7 showrooms across Florida where you can put your hands on the actual door samples instead of guessing from a screen. Walk in any time. No appointment needed.
Ready to see what warm wood would look like in your home? Schedule your free estimate and one of our designers will come measure your space, talk through your goals, and put together a design and estimate at no cost.
