Why You Should Consider Barnwood Kitchen Cabinets For Your Home

January 16, 2020


Kitchen trends come and go, but there are a few constants that seem to transcend whatever the latest theme happens to be. Natural materials with warm finishes, including wood, will always be in style regardless of whether your home is a cottage, modern loft or farmhouse style.

Kitchen cabinets are the heart of the kitchen design, so the type of wood that you use to create them matters nearly as much as the style itself. They offer function and storage space for the room, and they also set the tone for the way that the rest of the style will unfold. 

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Cabinetry comes in many different materials and forms, with solid wood cabinets often ranking as the first choice of many homeowners. For those that want to use a more environmentally friendly material, while adding a lot of interest and character to the interior design, there are barnwood kitchen cabinets. They have a one-of-a-kind rustic appeal that many new cabinets don’t and help to support the environment. 

Reclaimed wood is real, solid wood that’s been in use for more than 100 years. It has character, history, and age, as well as versatility, durability, and beauty. It has all the longevity of new cut wood, but with character that you won’t find in a mass-market kitchen cabinet.

Best of all, reclaimed wood can be used to create all the same styles and home decor designs as new cut wood. So you can imbue all your cabinets with the personality and character of antique wood, no matter what your personal interior design style.

What Are Barnwood Kitchen Cabinets?

kitchen cabinets

Barnwood kitchen cabinets are regular cabinets that you would use in any kitchen. The difference between barnwood cabinets and the cabinets you would find in a big box store, is that these cabinets have been built from reclaimed barnwood. They’re made of real wood, rather than MDF or a thin veneer over a manufactured base. 

Barnwood is real wood that has been reclaimed from old barn buildings and given new use. It performs just like new cut wood, and can be cut, shaped, and formed into many different things, including kitchen cabinets. 

Barnwood kitchen cabinets are made from old growth wood taken from barns that are more than 100 years old. This can be any piece from the barn wood paneling to the barn door. The wood was used for decades, and often shows some of the signs of its cutting, nailing, and regular use. It may have a patina or weathering, and it may show the original saw marks or nail holes in its surface as well. 

Some barnwood cabinets may appear antiquated, or worn smooth in places and other barnwood may show signs of having been exposed to the elements. Other types of barnwood cabinets may be indistinguishable from other, new cut wood cabinets. 

All barnwood still has years of use left in it, regardless of how it’s been finished or what its appearance is. Reclaimed, cleaned, cut, and finished, some types of barnwood can even look like new cut wood again, and all types of barnwood can function like new. Barnwood comes in many different wood species, and may even include some woods that can’t be found anymore, like elm.

The Benefits of Using Barnwood

barnwood benefits

Barnwood offers several benefits and advantages over other types of kitchen cabinets. In a world where things are becoming more standardized, and fewer natural materials are being used, barnwood offers a refreshing change of pace, as well as a beautiful and functional material for kitchen cabinets.

Barnwood is solid wood, and cabinets can be built entirely from this material, rather than a mixture of different products whose origins may be unknown. You can create a wide range of different styles with it, and get a very stable, strong, and functional cabinet that is built to last, rather than a cabinet made mostly of plastic that may not last 20 years. With barnwood, you can create a rustic modern style for your kitchen, or get something that looks more contemporary. You can choose to let the wood’s natural patina show through, or opt for a stain or finish that will complement the rest of your home. Barnwood functions just like new cut wood; it opens up new possibilities for style without taking anything away. 

Barnwood also allows you to add another layer of dimension to your kitchen design. Use it to build a kitchen island that will not only add function to the room, it can also create a focal point that will elevate the entire design. Or, consider using barnwood to create kitchen cabinets for the perimeter of the room, letting the patina and natural color variation show. This can add a subtle color and dimension to the kitchen, without taking center stage in your design. You can even simply use barnwood cabinets that look like new cut wood cabinets, knowing that you’re using a solid, durable material that isn’t harming the environment the way that a plastic cabinet or type of new cut wood.

Since no new trees are harvested to produce the wood, using a reclaimed material like barnwood can make a more environmentally friendly choice for your project. You’ll still get high-quality, long lasting real wood, but without the need to worry about current forestry practices.

Inspiration and Ideas

From farmhouse kitchens to modern kitchen designs, rustic kitchen cabinets can be utilized in a variety of interior design styles. Barnwood cabinets come in many door styles, including those that mimic new cut wood cabinets.  Reclaimed wood can be a single species or it can be made of a blend of different woods. Between this and the different finishes and styles, you can be sure that you’ll be getting something unique for your kitchen cabinets when you choose reclaimed wood. They can also offer you an alternative to MDF, veneers, and other lower quality cabinets that are available on the market today. If you’re looking for inspiration and ideas, check out these four kitchens.

1. Shaker Style

After the slab cabinet door, the shaker cabinet is one of the most popular designs right now. Made up of a slab cabinet door with several different slats, this door style enhances the variation in wood grain. The antique wood also complements this style and countertop, giving the room a rustic appeal.

2. Formal Design

Inlaid and overlaid cabinets are both very popular for formal kitchen designs. And it’s easy to create this look with reclaimed wood. The soft patina of the wood complements the formal style and helps add a little more interest and personality to the room.

3. Clear Grain

Letting the grain of the wood show through is one way to create a rustic and natural look for the kitchen. This reclaimed wood has a lot of natural variation and movement, which pairs beautifully with the herringbone floor and creates a welcoming and natural atmosphere for the room.

4. Accent Pieces

You don’t have to completely redo your kitchen cabinetry to enjoy the benefits of rustic kitchen cabinets. Adding different features or accent pieces like a barnwood kitchen island is a great way to create a focal point from this unique material without a full scale remodel. The barnwood kitchen island brings a handcrafted aesthetic to this more modern kitchen that coordinates well with the brick wall detail and industrial style bar stools. 

Let Elmwood Reclaimed Timber Help

Reclaimed wood cabinets come in all shapes, sizes, and styles. You can even change the look depending on the hardware chosen, such as knobs, pulls and hinges. And no matter which direction you choose to take them, they’re sure to bring added interest and depth to the design. Utilize reclaimed wood cabinets for your kitchen design to capture this richness and beauty.

If you’re considering barnwood kitchen cabinets for your home, give Elmwood Reclaimed Timber a call. They’ll help you find the perfect barnwood to complement your home and your design. They’ll also be able to assist you in the design of your cabinets, so you can get exactly what you need. Visit Elmwood Reclaimed Timber today to learn more about how barnwood will benefit your design.

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