Dark Woods vs. Light Woods for Your Kitchen Cabinets

If you have your heart set on wood kitchen cabinets, then you are certainly not limited when it comes to color and style. There are lots of different types of wood to choose from, from dark woods to light woods. And even then, you can stain your cabinets with a wide range of different colors to create different finishes and to bring out the natural grain of the wood.

Light wood cabinets

Light woods are more commonly used materials when making features like kitchen cabinets. This is because they can easily be stained to produce any color on the spectrum of light to dark wood. On the other hand, it would be difficult to lighten a dark wood, unless you’re painting over it completely. 

Light wood finishes are popular in small kitchens because they help to make the space feel more open and lighter as they reflect the light in the room. If your kitchen doesn’t get a lot of natural light, then light wood is often a better choice. Light wood can also give a more laidback, natural, and less formal feel to the style of a room. 

Dark wood cabinets

Dark woods are often associated with a more sophisticated and formal look due to their rich colors. As suggested above, we wouldn’t suggest dark cabinets for rooms that don’t receive a lot of natural light as they can make the room look and feel even darker and less spacious. Kitchens with large windows that get the morning or afternoon sun can be paired greatly with a darker wood cabinet. Dark woods can help to add more depth and warmth to the room, creating a sense of comfort. 

Matching your cabinets to the style of the room

The best point of reference when deciding the color of your kitchen cabinets is your kitchen floor, and perhaps also your countertops. If you have dark floors or are planning a design with dark floors, then adding dark cabinets into the mix can overwhelm the room and make it feel overly dark. Without some contrast in the design of the room, the eye isn’t naturally drawn to a focal point, which is typically considered important in design. The best thing to do is mix and match these elements. For example, dark floors and countertops with light wood cabinets, and vice versa.

Do you need advice on designing your dream kitchen? The Kitchen Center can help with your kitchen cabinets and more. Get in touch to find out more about our services around Clemmons, Winston Salem, and beyond.