5 Farmhouse Style Kitchen With Wood Cabinets
5 Farmhouse-Style Kitchens With Wood Cabinets
Oak, Brazilian mahogany and conifer woods bring warmth and character to these kitchens
July 28, 2019
Houzz Contributor. Designer, journalist and vintage hound. I enjoy telling personal stories through my design projects and creating happy, practical spaces that are both inspirational and memorable. I adore edgy elegance and have a passion for vintage objects and curiosities. You can often find me with hair in bun and child in tow at thrift shops and antique markets. www.southhillinteriors.com.
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Farmhouse kitchens are known for their timeless appeal and warmth, and wood is often a part of the design equation. There's wide variety in the types of wood that can work within this look.
The following five kitchens are all farmhouse, the third-most popular style for remodeled kitchens, according to Houzz research. Each features a different type of wood cabinetry, and several showcase interesting combinations of woods. Which material would you choose for your dream farmhouse kitchen?
1. Reclaimed White Oak on Lower Cabinets and Range Hood
White oak is straight-grained with a coarse and uneven texture. Traditionally, white oak was used as a watertight wood for shipbuilding and for casks and barrels for whiskeys and wines. Today it's a popular choice for kitchen cabinetry because of its strength and simple beauty.
How it's used. Designers at New Old used reclaimed white oak with a clear finish for the lower cabinets and range hood in this charming farmhouse kitchen. The reclaimed wood has texture and color variation that differentiate it from fresh lumber.
Supporting elements. Painted wood cabinets (Midnight Oil by Benjamin Moore) pair with the reclaimed wood for a look that's both organic and dramatic. Black hardware is striking yet understated against the reclaimed wood, while black sconces highlight the symmetry of the cabinetry. Honed Bianco Avion marble countertops and white walls (China White by Benjamin Moore) lighten the space. A gray ceramic tile backsplash adds more texture.
Why it works. The earthiness and lived-in look of the reclaimed white oak offer a beautiful contrast with the sleeker painted cabinetry. The overall look is farmhouse fresh.
Durability. White oak is one of the more durable woods used for cabinets, which makes it well-suited to high-traffic areas. On the Janka scale — a measure of wood's relative hardness — it registers 1,360. A measure of 1,290 is considered medium, meaning white oak is harder than average.
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2. Repurposed Brazilian Mahogany on Lower Cabinets and Floating Shelves
Brazilian mahogany is used for fine-quality furniture, cabinetry, interior trim and applications such as sculpture.
How it's used. For this kitchen, designer Sylvain Cote of Westchester Real Homes purchased reclaimed Brazilian mahogany that had originally been used as a highway sound barrier in Brazil and repurposed it as cabinets and floating shelves in this 1812 farmhouse. The distressed material fit Cote's approach, as he wanted a sense of history to play a prominent role in the design. A contemporary Shaker-style door panel shows off the salvaged wood.
Supporting elements. Cote also repurposed the home's original exterior cedar siding as a shiplap wall treatment and range hood cladding. The siding has been painted (White Dove by Benjamin Moore) in a crackle finish. Sleek cabinet hardware and a La Cornue range in satin chrome and black elevate the kitchen's design.
The kitchen's 2-inch-thick floating shelves are also made from the reclaimed Brazilian mahogany. Quiet sandstone counters allow the wood to be the focal point.
Why it works. Repurposed Brazilian mahogany fits as a one-of-a-kind feature in a home with history. The kitchen's post-and-beam structure was permanently exposed during the renovation, as was its original American chestnut and white oak flooring. These architectural elements create a rawness in the space that's enhanced by the weathered mahogany — both share the same sense of accidental beauty born of function.
Durability. Brazilian mahogany registers 900 on the Janka hardness scale. While other woods are higher on the scale, the distinct advantage of repurposing weathered wood is that its natural patina very easily conceals any dents and scratches that may occur.
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3. Quartersawn White Oak on Lower Cabinets and Reclaimed Wood on Island and Ceiling
This kitchen features quartersawn white oak. Quartersawing is a method that involves cutting a log into four quarters like a pie, then slicing each slice of the pie. This cutting method produces a smoother surface and a less distinct grain than plain sawing. Quartersawn wood is more expensive than plain-sawn wood because producing it is more labor-intensive.
How it's used. In this kitchen, designer Laura Medicus used quartersawn white oak for the base cabinets, giving them a medium stain and some glazing to create an antique card catalog or apothecary look. She used reclaimed wood for the floating shelves. The bar stool area is clad in 100-year-old floorboards salvaged by her contractor from another job site. Medicus also used these boards as ceiling beams.
Supporting elements. Medicus added painted cabinetry (White Dove by Benjamin Moore), giving the kitchen a light, bright feel that suits its openness to the outdoors thanks to the large windows. Cabinetry hardware with an antique finish and used leather pulls add a touch of the American West to the space. A mixture of warm metals — a copper faucet and lighting with brass accents — complements the wood and adds a curated flavor to the space. The counters are oak and gray quartz.
Why it works. Mixed countertop materials and hardware, as well as warm metallic fixtures, give this farmhouse kitchen a cool factor that keeps it from feeling too country.
Durability. Quartersawn white oak has benefits compared with plain-sawn white oak (covered in the first kitchen). It's less likely to expand, contract or warp; it ages evenly over time; and it's more resistant to moisture.
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4. Conifer Wood on Lower Cabinets and Island
Conifers, often referred to as evergreens, are also known as softwoods, though that's a bit of a misnomer as they aren't necessarily soft.
How it's used. In this kitchen, contractor Paul Lopa used conifer wood with a brown stain for the island and base cabinetry. This particular wood was reclaimed from barns, piers and beams in Italy.
Supporting elements. The upper cabinets are composed of gunmetal and glass textured with embedded aluminum wire. Integrated handles on the underside of each upper cabinet door keep the look clean.
The custom range hood features the same gunmetal in a minimalist design. The refrigerator is paneled with slate and the backsplash features lightly textured black tile. The cabinetry hardware is burnished iron and the quartz countertop is a concrete color that adds a modern touch to the farmhouse look. The island has a waterfall countertop. (See previous photo.)
Why it works. Black complements the conifer wood and allows the wood's strong grain pattern to remain the prominent feature in the space. The clean lines of the cabinetry and the waterfall countertop give this farmhouse kitchen a modern twist.
Durability. Softwoods aren't necessarily softer than hardwoods. Both groups contain wide variation in actual wood hardness. Reclaimed wood has the advantage of already having stood the test of time.
5. Crown-Cut English Oak
During the reign of the British Empire, English or European oak was used for shipbuilding. Today it grows in many places throughout Europe, with considerable variation in color, grain and texture. Crown-cut means the wood is sliced parallel to its growth rings. The result is a crown- or cathedral-like feature, usually with a straight grain pattern on either side.
How it's used. This kitchen in a 17th-century country home was restored by architects and designers Isabelle Bishop and Stuart Hill of Verity & Beverley and designer Matt Withington of SplinterWorks. Withington used crown-cut English oak for the cabinetry and island in the main kitchen and for the cabinetry and a feature wall in the second kitchen (see next photo), which is located off the main kitchen.
Supporting elements. The main kitchen space features a skylight measuring 14 feet, 9 inches by 4 feet, 7 inches over a 13-foot island. This inspiring feature showers the kitchen with natural light. Random-length Cotswold stone slabs cover the floor. The cabinetry hardware has a bronze finish to match the client's love of bronze sculpture. Cast concrete countertops on the perimeter, a solid oak countertop on the island and handmade tiles for the backsplash contribute to the earthy aesthetic. The back wall of the kitchen is whitewashed distressed oak.
Why it works. Crown-cut English oak gives the kitchen a modern upgrade without detracting from its rural setting and historical charm. Withington used open shelving to display dishware, ornaments and family photos so the kitchen would feel less work-like.
5 Farmhouse Style Kitchen With Wood Cabinets
Source: https://www.houzz.com/magazine/5-farmhouse-style-kitchens-with-wood-cabinets-stsetivw-vs~117632184