We predicted that natural materials and warmer finishes would rule the kitchen in 2017 (here are our other guesses). One way we’re seeing this natural-material trend play out, thanks in part to the popularity of minimalism, is with unpainted, unfinished wooden cabinets. The casual look combines the sleek style we expect in contemporary kitchens with the natural warmth of wood—just another reason we’re adding “kitchen renovation” to our home wish lists.
The homeowner of this handmade Buenos Aires home built these kitchen cabinets using wood from the old bedroom closets. He added plywood doors to balance the dark stain and give it a fresher look.
Stone and Julia happened upon their 1960s duplex via Craigslist and have created a space that is both carefully collected and lived-in, decorated with a mix of wood and whimsy, immersed in iconic pieces that feel authentic and original to the apartment itself. The kitchen’s natural wood-on-natural wood-on-natural wood look is inspiring.
George discovered this stunning house—just outside of Philadelphia—while helping a friend look for properties online, but the house itself was near ruin when George found it. He immediately set to restoring it and the results is a “post and beam house that is at once warm and modern, curated spaces that are relaxed and comfortable yet cool and sophisticated.” The kitchen with its natural wood cabinets fits right in.
Megan and David have a little apartment with big windows, and they’ve aimed to make it minimal and homey. The light wood of the open-air kitchen helps their design mission.
Though Chantel’s advice in the house tour of her modern Dutch farmhouse is “Follow your heart instead of what’s trendy,” her warm kitchen is a mix of country and modern for a trendy look.
Writer Damian Dibben lives in London’s South Bank with his partner Ali and their three dogs Dudley, Daphne, and Velvet. Damian fell for this flat and has been lovingly renovating ever since, using it as a creative outlet in all sorts of ways. “The apartment is in constant evolution. I also make, or have made, a good deal of my furniture: tables, cupboards, cabinets.” The kitchen features handmade birch ply cupboards and a hand-cut oak worktop.
