Barn Wood Kitchens

Can you feel the style pendulum swinging from formal white to rustic barn wood kitchens?

Recaptured, reclaimed or just reminiscent, barn wood kitchens have been slowly gaining momentum as a favored look. Once confined to the pages of magazines centered on “country” styles, barn wood is working its way into the mainstream as a favorite of greenies and the preservationists for its warmth, sustainability and unique character. Be it pine, oak or any other species, the beauty of these reclaimed boards  — for cabinets, backsplashes or islands – lies in the unique age of their color, grain and surface quality. And wood artists also are re-milling and re-using them for fitted kitchen furniture.

One of the most beautifully detailed barn-wood kitchens I’ve encountered [top] is this all-in kitchen which features wood on every surface. The subtle difference between the gray patina on the cabinets and warmer tones of the pine planks on the walls and backsplash shows a deep understanding of how to achieve architectural variation in materials. Other elements such as the simple polish of the island counter, ultra-discreet cast iron cabinet hardware, a woven basket pendant and fabric for windows and cabinet doors that melds into the tonal color scheme add up to a rare and refined view of the country kitchen aesthetic.

A sizable refrigerator is fully integrated and paneled to match the rest of the cabinets leaving the Wolf range as the only obvious “appliance.” Soapstone suits the perimeter counters and a burnished surface on the island has the patina of old bridle hardware.

Lovely wide-plank flooring echoes the color of the rawness  of the backsplash yet the surface quality of each wood could not be more different.

Reclaimed wood planks used for the base of an island in the 2010 Country Living show house kitchen show how far we’ve come from just nodding to eco-friendly materials. The raw wood is a bit of a surprise topped by Caesarstone and mixed into the otherwise suburban cream-and-stainless formula this kitchen but the whole prefab cottage constructed in Manhattan was themed “Home Green Home.” Designer Katie Ridder gave it a fresh, move-in-ready youthfulness that anyone on with a modest budget could use for inspiration.

Barn wood kitchens meet mid-century modern industrial in a New Jersey beach house by Richard Bubnowski. For me, the beauty of these cabinets lies in the saw markings and color variations. I like the way the red tones of the counter picks up warm tones in the cabinets, though I don’t quite like the varnished new wood on these particular cabinets. Then there’s 1950s mosaic backsplash, a white farm sink and the black marine pendants. Still, the one-from-column-a, one-from-column-b approach blends nicely and the masculine treatment certainly takes the barn attitude out of barn wood.

I freely admit that I’m a complete sucker for taupe kitchens, especially these days as an alternative to gray. So I really love the way the cabinets and architectural trim are so smartly picked out against the creamy walls and matched to the undertone of the island planking. And for me, the old barn joists sawn down as supports for the seating side of the island is elegant, durable and such a charming surprise, even with matching old ceiling beams overhead. Another Country Living gem.

(Source: barnwoodcabinetcompany, country living, richardbubnowski)

Copy and paste link to quick-share this post: http://bit.ly/10qhTVO