We’ve been coveting pale wood finishes throughout the home for quite some time, and this look translates well to cabinetry, too. For fans of the all-white kitchen, light wood kitchens offer a slightly warmer, Scandi-inspired aesthetic. These are some of our top picks that master the look.
“For this kitchen we used a white oak wood in a rift cut and finished with a water based matter sealant to preserve the natural tones of the wood,” says David John Dick, one of the principal designers at Disc Interiors.
Designer: Disc Interiors
White bronze pulls from Sun Valley Bronze are a perfect companion to warm natural white oak cabinetry in this kitchen, also by California’s Disc Interiors design firm.
Designer: Disc Interiors
Los Angeles-based designer Stefani Stein chose Ann Sacks tile, leather tab pulls and a custom unlacquered brass-plated faucet for this dreamy Venice kitchen. The wall of light wood cabinets pairs well with the island, which is painted in Bronze Ivy by Portola Paints & Glazes.
Photographer: Tessa Neustadt
Design firm Studio William Hefner balanced light cabinetry and counters with dark wood stools.
Source: Studio William Hefner
Designer: Studio William Hefner
Our kitchens are inspired by Japanese and Scandinavian architecture — minimal kitchens with warmth,” says David John Dick of Disc Interiors. “We love to merge natural materials, like beautiful wood paired with natural stone.”
Designer: Disc Interiors
Plywood cabinets and subway tile make a memorable statement in this budget-friendly kitchen.
Photographer: Toby Scott
Navy beadboard cabinets and whitewashed light wood balance each other nicely in this Notting Hill kitchen by design firm Blakes London.
Designer: Blakes London
Australia’s Tribe Studio Architects kept the interiors of this beachside house minimal to make the most of the ocean views.
Photographer: Peter Bennetts
Designer: Tribe Studio Architects
This kitchen, also by Tribe Studio Architects, embraces minimalism and the juxtaposition of cold concrete and light wood.
Photographer: Peter Bennetts
Designer: Tribe Studio Architects
Quartersawn oak cabinetry treated with an oil stain lightens the look of this kitchen’s industrial steel shelving, which is mounted to the ceiling.
Photographer: Virginia Macdonals
Source: House & Home November 2016
Designer: Connie Braemar
Gold hardware and a gold faucet pop next to light wood cabinets and white counters.
Designer: Disc Interiors
The light wood cabinetry continues in the nearby dining area of this kitchen, with pops of black on the dining chairs.
Designer: Disc Interiors
Upholstered stools and light wood soften this kitchen’s sleek metal accents.
Photographer: Janis Nicolay
Source: House & Home September 2015
Designer: Alda Pereira
Wooden cabinet doors are unexpected in this cool-toned white kitchen.
Photographer: Virginia Macdonald
Source: House & Home September 2015
Designer: Silvana D'Addazio
Designer Sam Sacks played with various wood tones for an easygoing, unfussy look.
Photographer: Alex Lukey
Source: House & Home November 2015
Designer: Sam Sacks
Austin, Texas-based designer Claire Zinnecker embraced a “less is more” mentality with her own kitchen reno, which features maple plywood cabinets by Travis Norman.
Photographer: Molly Winters
Designer: Claire Zinnecker Design
Claire chose a faucet by Dornbracht Cyprum for a subtle touch of glamor. “It was my big splurge and I’m so happy with it,” she says.
Photographer: Molly Winters
Designer: Claire Zinnecker Design
A bright blue faucet and cheerful yellow door break up a wall of maple slats and maple cabinetry.
Photographer: Janis Nicolay
Source: House & Home March 2015
Designer: Marianne Amodio
Sliding door panels made of maple keep visual clutter at bay.
Photographer: Janis Nicolay
Source: House & Home March 2015
Designer: Amrianna Amodio
A vintage dining table, that can extend to sit 12, adds a darker tone of wood to this maple-filled Vancouver kitchen.
Photographer: Janis Nicolay
Source: House & Home March 2015
Designer: Marianne Amodio
Designer Nam Dang-Mitchell is known for her swoon-worthy, yet family-friendly houses and this wood and marble clad kitchen is no exception.
Photographer: Janis Nicolay
Source: House & Home March 2016
Designer: Nam Dang-Mitchell
Nam carried the light wood cabinetry into the pantry area of this Vancouver kitchen and paired it with graphic tile.
Photographer: Janis Nicolay
Source: House & Home March 2016
Designer: Nam Dang-Mitchell
Bamboo lower cabinets are offset by glossy white uppers in this unique kitchen.
Photographer: Kim Christie
Source: House & Home April 2012
Designer: David Zacharko
Playful upholstery on throw pillows and a stool liven up light wood on the floor, table and bar area.
Photographer: Kim Christie
Source: House & Home April 2012
Designer: David Zacharko
A mix of open and closed storage, including white lacquered cabinets and warm wood shelves, make this one hardworking family kitchen.
Photographer: Janis Nicolay
Source: House & Home August 2015
Designer: Denise Ashmore, Project 22 Design
Rustic wood beams play off the light wood floor and island for a European-farmhouse feel.
Photographer: Tracey Ayton
Source: House & Home June 2013
Designer: Rick and Lorna Penner
Himalayan white marble and light cabinetry meet dark black appliances in the Dallas kitchen of NHL alum Jason Arnott and his family.
Photographer: Nathan Schroder
Source: House & Home November 2016
Designer: Michelle Lloyd Bermann and Christine Ralphs
To keep the black cabinets from feeling too dark, designers Michelle Lloyd Bermann and Christine Ralphs chose brass hardware.
Photographer: Nathan Schroder
Source: House & Home November 2016
Designer: Michelle Lloyd Bermann and Christine Ralphs
To give this kitchen a ‘woodworker-studio’ look tools were left on display over the white oak cabinets.
Photographer: Ashley Capp
Source: House & Home July 2015
Designer: John Baker and Julie Daoust-Baker
A set of sliding barn doors play off the light wood island in this kitchen by designers Barbara Purdy and Olivia Botrie.
Photographer: Angus Fergusson
Source: House & Home March 2015
Designer: Barbara Purdy and Olivia Botrie
This narrow Vancouver kitchen’s wood bar stools blend in seamlessly with the wood detailing on the island.
Photographer: Janis Nicolay
Source: House & Home June 2013
Designer: Nancy Riesco
Interior designer Scott Yetman let the island and coffered ceiling take center stage. This more traditional space proves light cabinetry doesn’t just belong in minimalist kitchens.
Photographer: André Rider
Source: House & Home March 2014
Designer: Scott Yetman
Professional food photographer and blogger Nikole Herriott’s kitchen has open shelves that display her collection of plants and dishware.
Photographer: Michael Graydon
Source: House & Home May 2015
Designer: Studio Junction
Interior designer Connie Braemar used a mix of cabinet styles to give her clients the modern, but not stark kitchen they were after.
Photographer: Virginia Macdonald
Source: House & Home November 2016
Designer: Connie Braemar
Toronto designer Sam Sacks added lots of white oak cabinetry, eye-catching pendants and vibrant blue bar stools to this family kitchen.
Photographer: Alex Lukey
Source: House & Home October 2016
Designer: Sam Sacks
A refined palette of light wood, white and grey lend a Scandi-minimalist aesthetic.
Designer: Blakes London
The light wood cabinetry and wall paneling blend seamlessly.
Designer: Blakes London
A unique herb planter in the middle of this kitchen melds well with the barnboard-esque cladding on the island and lower cabinets.
Designer: Blakes London
White oak chevron flooring gels perfectly with the cabinetry in this Parisian-inspired kitchen.
Photographer: Alex Lukey
Source: House & Home October 2016
Designer: Sam Sacks
Solid ash cabinetry holds the weight of marble counters in this North Vancouver kitchen designed by Scott & Scott Architects.
Designer: Scott & Scott Architects