If you love the look of wood in a kitchen, but worry it won’t have a modern and contemporary feel, then think again. There are lots of ways you can incorporate wood into a kitchen without it feeling outdated or too traditional. Read on for lots of modern wooden kitchen ideas for your home keeping wood at the heart of your kitchen design without it looking old fashioned.

Go slick on your cabinets, but opt for wood everywhere else

An instant way to update your kitchen and bring it into the 21st century is with slick high gloss cabinetry. If you are updating a kitchen on a budget then you can simply change the cabinet doors. High gloss cabinet doors come in a variety of styles from light and bright whites and creams for a neutral pallet, through to moody greys and blacks for an industrial feel.

Teamed right with wooden flooring and real oak wood countertops and you can bring the warmth and cosiness of wood into a kitchen, whilst adding an element of sophistication and contemporariness with sleek wipe-clean, minimalist cabinets. If you are making your own kitchen cabinets, save wood by using cut list software (French version also available)

Despite a more expensive outlay initially, if correctly maintained solid wood worktops will last a lot longer than cheaper laminate alternatives and give your room much more character. There is plenty of choices to make when choosing wood worktops. From selecting a timber species based on the colour and look you are after, to choosing an edge profile to give them a truly finished look. For the best result, careful planning is key.  

Go eco-friendly with reclaimed wooden scaffold board shelves

If you are buying wood for your kitchen then it pays to be responsible and check the wood is from a responsible source. The most eco-friendly wood you can choose is reclaimed wood – both saving wood from landfill and stopping new trees from being cut down. Eco-friendly practices are all the rage right now and you can easily bring reclaimed wood into your kitchen design without sacrificing on style. One popular way to do so right now is to use reclaimed scaffold board shelves in place of high cabinetry. Not only does this look great, but you can tie it into an industrial theme with thick metal shelf brackets, as well as open up the space in your kitchen by using shelving instead of cabinets up high.

CNC Designs

Utilising CNC machining is a great way to introduce interesting detailing into wooden panels or hardwood doors. Using ‘fluting’, ‘reeding’ or even rebated finger handles for what would normally be a very laborious process, can easily be achieved with CNC Machining. Bespoke worktop shapes, engraved detailing or perfect mitred finishing are all possible with the correct application and programming, see some of MadeCNCs wood cutting designs here for inspiration.

Choose a high quality wood effect floor

Whilst a real wood floor might not be ideal in a kitchen setting, due to the possibility of warping from temperature fluctuations and also water damage, a wood effect floor can look just as good. Opt for high quality engineered wood flooring which is more durable and water resistant in comparison to real wood flooring. This is due to its highly compressed layers of plywood sheets which don’t warp. You can also choose porcelain tiles in a wood effect to give you both the satisfaction of a real tiled floor, with the look and feel of actual wood. The best of both worlds and a great option for a floor that may often suffer spillages and drops of water.

Blend wood with a modern tile

There are lots of ways to bring wood into a kitchen and combine it with modern trends. For example you can have up-to-date kitchen appliances or you can add trendy accessories like feature taps and spot lighting. The tiles are also important. Choose modern tiles as the backdrop to your wooden kitchen to stop it feeling old. I love the kitchen with patterned tiles in these cool wooden kitchen designs. It feels fresh and modern, yet still natural and homely with the wood.