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If there’s a shade that’s been widely associated with a stylish kitchen over the last several years, it’s white. Thanks to the enduring popularity of neutral palettes and the longstanding cultural affection for the Nancy Meyers aesthetic, choosing white cabinets for a kitchen reno has become as expected as installing a sink and oven.
But maybe that’s changing. According to the 2026 Houzz Kitchen Trends Study, white cabinets are no longer the top choice. In fact, no color is. The most sought-after finish for cabinetry in a kitchen renovation? The winner is currently wood.
Houzz surveyed homeowners who were either planning, in the midst of, or wrapping up a renovation last July, and 29 percent of them said wood was their preferred cabinet style. This result represents an increase of six percentage points from the previous year, officially beating out white-painted cabinets which got 28 percent of the vote. While these results don’t represent a major shift, they do hint at a growing embrace of coziness over airy neutrals. Here are some of the wood tones we’re seeing play out in real kitchen remodels these days.
Honey-Hued Oak
According to the report, those opting for this organic look favor medium tones, followed by light and dark varieties. Cue the honey-hued oak. When Ruby and Mike Rubin of Rubin Studio were renovating the kitchen in this L.A. home, they covered the white oak cabinets with Rubio Monocoat’s Pure finish, preserving the look of the grain while giving the whole room a warm glow.
Marine-Grade Plywood
Artists Lindy McDonough and Conor MacKean got crafty while transforming their home, which is situated in a 19th century former voting hall in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Architect Anastasia Laurenzi and Michael Larsen of Oblique Studio constructed the minimal kitchen using timber framing and traditional Japanese joinery, and then MacKean stepped in to build the cabinets himself using marine-grade plywood.
Reclaimed Redwood
Set amid the natural beauty of Northern California, designer Emily Ward of Pierce & Ward wanted her Marin County home to reflect the landscape. So one thing she and her husband opted not to do? Plop a modern kitchen in their light-filled oasis. Instead, its red-toned wood cabinetry references a bygone era that’s currently back on trend.
Cheery Cherry
Elise Birnbaum, the ceramist behind Oatmeal Shop, chose a specific door front for the IKEA cabinet frames in her Pittsburgh kitchen: cherry. “I think cherry is underutilized because people imagine a 1990s kitchen with weird door panel trim, scalloped edges, and superhigh lacquer,” says her designer Lexi Ribar of Studio Lithe. They made the “dated” wood look modern with wide slabs and a clear coat.
Peel-and-Stick
Having a wood kitchen is possible on a budget—you just have to be creative. Take cues from designer Drew Michael Scott of Lone Fox, who updated his friend’s L.A. kitchen with contact paper. By carefully applying 15 rolls of faux wood from Amazon, the builder-grade space feels much more welcoming.