Facing a kitchen remodel and don’t know where to begin selecting new cabinetry? We get it. Making the right decision means picking a look you’ll love, but you don’t want it to feel dated too quickly, either. That means there are definitely some things to consider before selecting white cabinetry or painting your existing kitchen cabinets white. White kitchens have reigned supreme for quite a few years, and they were a classic choice long before that. But when it comes to current trends, wood is returning to the forefront as a solid contender.

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Homeowners looking to update kitchens — and the designers working with them — have been looking at alternatives in kitchen cabinetry that add a bit more pattern, color, and comfort to a space, and the updated wood styles they’re incorporating are anything but dated. So, if you’re looking for inspiration to move your kitchen cabinets from white to wood, here are seven to consider–from modern to rustic–including some ideas for stretching your budget.

When you’re constantly drawn to modern looks as you scroll through decorating ideas online, know that wood can feel right at home in these spaces. Sleek cabinetry does the trick, with wood graining adding a beautiful pattern and neutral coloring that works well with black and white. When you feel like you need another update, you can consider installing updated cabinet pulls, plumbing fixtures, and lighting sources without changing everything else. Need a bit more color in your modern life? Consider going with an unexpected color like eggplant or orange on the island. 

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If you’re wondering whether or not you can bring outdated wooden kitchen cabinets back in style without painting them, yes, you can. With wood in varying hues looking more and more appealing these days, consider saving the bulk of your renovation budget for flooring, updated countertops, and a room-brightening backsplash. Then add some up-to-the-minute hardware and pendant lights that suit your style to round out this makeover that keeps things light and airy while bringing the room up to date. Add easy-to-install Under Cabinet Lights, available on Amazon, for another affordable, custom-looking touch. 

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More and more, darker woods are being considered as a timeless choice that goes well with materials you’d find in a white kitchen, like quartz countertops and subway tile backsplashes. Adding these is a great option if you already have dark wood cabinets. But what if you have already moved to white cabinets and want dark instead? If the basic layout of your kitchen works for you, and you still love the other materials you selected, you might decide that refacing your old cabinets is the best option for updating to wood more economically instead of replacing them. 

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According to founder Sarah Robertson of Studio Dearborn, a boutique design firm, “The pushback from white has resulted in a drive toward warmer tones in the kitchen” (via Good Housekeeping). If you know you don’t want white cabinets but aren’t sure about going all in with a super dark wood, Robertson adds, “We’ve seen a very noticeable transition from white kitchens to white oak cabinetry.” Another alternative to consider is ash, which is even lighter in color than white oak. If you like the look of Scandinavian kitchen designs, these lighter tones can be particularly appealing — but they work beautifully in traditional kitchens as well. 

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Getting tired of the same old farmhouse look but prefer living on the rustic side? You can move away from painted pastels and choose cabinet facings made from reclaimed wood. Wood for this type of cabinetry is sustainable since it’s salvaged from old buildings and barns that are torn down. Many different products are made with reclaimed wood, including rustically elegant barnwood kitchen cabinets. The best part is that they can be as rough or as polished as you want them to be and customized to fit any kitchen layout. 

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If you’re not completely ready to give up on white cabinets but like the idea of some warmer wood tones and eye-catching patterns, you can always reface a portion of your cabinets and leave the rest white. This type of makeover can come in handy if you’ve had some food stains and scratching mishaps occur in an all-white kitchen. Wood is also more forgiving when covering scratches with a tinted furniture polish like Old English Scratch Cover for Light Woods (or dark, depending on your cabinet color), which is available on Amazon. That’s another plus for wood. 

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If you’re not keen on mixed top and bottom cabinet colors, splitting the darker hue between the wood on cabinetry and white on an island is a great compromise. This is another way you can get away with redoing only part of your kitchen if you already have an abundance of cool white that you’re looking to warm up a bit with patterned wood. Both look superb with white quartz countertops, and it’s perfectly okay to mix metal plumbing and hardware tones that tie the two distinctive yet attractive looks together into one inviting space. 

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