How to Get the Natural Wood Kitchen Trend (Without Replacing Painted Cabinets)
Have you heard that the latest in kitchen trends is moving away from cold surfaces and painted cabinets? Instead, homeowners now want a warm, cozy feel, and natural wood cabinets and countertops are back in style. But what if you can’t afford to update your cabinets? Are you just out of luck?
We’ve been living in our farmhouse for nearly a decade, and these small wood touches are exactly how I keep our painted kitchen feeling current and cozy. I’m here to share ways to add a warm, cozy feel without replacing or stripping your cabinets for less than $100. You can achieve the latest trend with DIY wood countertops, natural wood shelves, and thrifted wooden finds. Let me share all the details.
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Natural Wood Focal Points To Soften Painted Cabinets
If you want to keep your painted cabinets but would love to create a warm, cozy kitchen with wood accents, look for focal points to add wood accents. Instead of replacing perfectly good kitchen cabinets, let’s explore more options to get the look for less. Here are a couple of focal points where wood can be added inexpensively.
- A section of the countertop or kitchen island
- Remove a cabinet to add open wood shelves.
- Add budget-friendly wood shelving to unused wall space.
DIY Wooden Island Countertop – Natural Wood Kitchen Trend Focal Point
Since the kitchen island is often the focal point of the room, adding wood to it is the most effective way to balance out your painted cabinets. You can achieve this through structural changes, decorative accents, or surface swaps.
- DIY Butcher Block Top: Swapping a laminate, tile, or stone countertop for a wood countertop is a classic way to add warmth. You can use unfinished wood or purchase butcher block tops. You can stain the natural wood to perfectly match your flooring or other wood accents.
- Decorative Wood Corbels: Don’t want to remove your countertop? Consider installing unfinished wood corbels under the island overhang to add an architectural, high-end feel. They can be stained to contrast with the painted island base. Also see the plank wrapping option below.
How To Add an Eat-in Bar to a Kitchen Island
Instead of just covering the top of the kitchen island with wood, we created an overhang on one side to establish an eat-in bar. Using upholstered bar stools also helps to add warmth to the kitchen.
How To Create A Reclaimed Barn Wood Look On Countertop
We were able to create our faux-reclaimed-barn-wood kitchen island countertop for less than $100.00 by using 2 x 8 x 16 pine boards. The top was added to two existing sideboards that we previously owned. Our island is 6 x 7 feet total, and here are the supplies we used to create the wooden countertop. One of the cabinets was taller, so we left the original top in that section.
- 4 – 2-in x 8-in x 16-ft #2 Prime Southern Yellow Pine Kiln-Dried Lumber = Approximately $80.00
- Gel Stain with sealer
- Wood Glue
- Jointing Biscuits
- Wood Screws
See the full details for adding a DIY Distressed Wood Countertop at 5 Steps To Age New Wood To Look Like Old Barn Wood. You can also see how we made a kitchen island using pieces of furniture at Stunning DIY Farmhouse Kitchen Island: Repurposed Furniture Tutorial.
Furniture with Natural Wood Finish
Another way to keep the warm, natural wood in the kitchen, we didn’t paint the door and drawer fronts on a portion of the original furniture. If you don’t have this option, you can consider this option.
- Plank Wrapping: You can wrap the back or sides of your island with reclaimed wood planks to create warm, textured walls.
Small Options for Kitchen Island
For a small kitchen, you may not have room for an eat-in kitchen island. However, you can use many items that are available in thrift stores to create a small island. Here are a few options.
- Add a small bar-height table. You can enclose the legs if you desire.
- A tall dresser or end table. If the dresser isn’t tall enough, you can build a wooden base to raise it.
- Look for a vintage chopping block to use as an island.
Budget-Friendly Natural Wood Open Shelving – Option For Natural Wood Kitchen Trend
We opted to use open wood shelving instead of cabinets on one wall of our kitchen. The shelves are made using the same wood and finish techniques as the kitchen island. They were actually made with leftover boards, so the cost was nominal. The main expense was the shelf brackets.
We used industrial metal brackets on our shelves. However, if you want to increase the cozy factor, use either stained wood or chippy corbels.
To add more warmth to the wall, I filled the shelving and countertop with more wood accents.
How To Use Wooden Accent Pieces In Your Kitchen
I love using vintage, antique, and thrifted wood accents in the kitchen. Displaying your pieces will add even more cozy textures to your walls, countertops, and kitchen island. Here are some of my collections.
- Vintage Breadboards
- Thrifted Cutting Boards
- Wooden Bowls
- Vintage wooden rolling pins
- Collected Wooden Spoons and Smashers
- Wooden Dough Bowls
Wooden Bowls For Added Kitchen Warmth
Use stacks of wooden bowls or fill bowls with bowl fillers. Below, I used a stack of bowls beside a small rustic bowl filled with felt wool balls for added color.
I love the look of the oversized antique European Bowl filled with dried hydrangeas. It helps to create a focal point above our kitchen cabinets.
Collections of Thrifted Cutting Boards
I use the collected cutting boards by stacking them against the brick wall on the open shelves.
More thrifted pig cutting boards help soften the space by nestling together on my painted kitchen island.
Vintage Breadboards On Kitchen Countertops
Another way I like to warm my concrete countertops is by adding a stack of vintage breadboards. They add so much texture, and with added greenery and a small cutting board, the corner feels cozy.
Vintage Rolling Pins & Wooden Spoons
I love to fill containers with vintage rolling pins and old wooden spoons. These collections spill out of an old toolbox and a metal mess container. Both help to warm the concrete countertops.
Above Kitchen Cabinet Accessories For Adding Natural Wood Warmth
Don’t overlook adding wooden accents above kitchen cabinets. In addition to the European Wooden Bowl, I add a dough bowl, wood smashers, and rolling pins. The combination is warm and draws the eye upward.
Wooden Tray and Cheese Board On Kitchen Island
Whether you have a stone or wooden island top, adding a few vintage wood pieces will bring even more warmth to the natural wood kitchen trend.
I used a mirrored wooden tray and a large vintage French cheese board on my kitchen island. They are both filled with other vintage finds. Notice how the copper pots on the brick wall and the thrifted brass candlestick holders also create a warm French Country feeling in the space.
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