Are Dark Wood Kitchens in Style? Emerging Design Trends

Monday, 13th October 3:10pm 2025

In the beginning, a craftsman created the wood kitchen and changed the world. Since then, light, mid-tone and dark-wood kitchens have dominated kitchen fashion but maintained the comforting medium of wood. Remember your grans’ home? Childhood breakfasts? Adult dinner parties? Almost all wood.

Nowadays, more finishes are available. Yet, we still yearn for the familiar comfort, even if dinners these days resemble less homemade duck a l’orange and more KFC a l’Uber Eats. Wood-based kitchens continue to deliver. The question is never, “Are wood kitchens in style?” It’s, “Are light, mid-tone or dark-wood kitchens in style?”

Are Dark Wooden Kitchens Coming Back into Fashion?

A decade ago, the answer might have been no. White was all the rage and, before that, orange wood stain variants were king. But what’s the trend right now? In part, wood trends are coming back, particularly dark brown wood kitchens and even black wood kitchens like the one pictured above.

The H-Line Madoc black and gold kitchen range offers insights on how to modernise a dark wood kitchen, too. Handleless doors, for example, perfectly complement the Espresso wood, as do its warming brass fittings. The island pops, but smaller spaces can look equally good with a dark wood breakfast bar.

Prefer cooler colours? The H-Line Madoc range is hugely versatile. Take, for instance, this Reclaimed Oak collection with Light Grey handle rails. The metallic grey elevates the design to an undeniably modern dark wood kitchen, ideal for those in search of a cool colour palette.

Dark-Wood Kitchens with Bold Colours

Warming or cooling a dark wood kitchen with gold or silver colours appeals to mainstream tastes, but what if you have a more interesting vision for your dark-wood kitchen? What if you want the dark wood not to lead but to support bolder shades?

Introducing our new H-Line Amalfi Rosso and Madoc Tuscan Walnut range. Blending rich Tuscan Walnut external and internal cabinetry with sumptuous Rosso highlights, this red and wood kitchen creates an original aesthetic that’s both indulgent and full of personality.

Alternatively, how about emulating this Hardwick Onyx range with Milano Carrara Marble worktops and Tuscan Walnut interiors? Not only does it showcase a true black wooden kitchen, but the black kitchen wood also complements its rich walnut interiors. That’s two layers of dark wood!

Dark Wood Kitchen Cabinet Internals

On that note, what if you don’t want an overtly dark wood kitchen but you still like the idea of having dark wood somewhere in the equation? If that’s the case, Hathaway pantries or similar dark wood cabinets are the ideal solution.

One Hathaway featured here is glass fronted for display purposes, the other hidden behind Hardwick Olive doors. Both, though, use dark wood cupboard interiors and dark wood drawers, displaying drinkware and breakfast paraphernalia with all the luxury of a velvet case.

Dark-Wood Kitchen Alternatives

So, is dark accepted as the only fashionable wood colour option? It might seem that way, but dark wood kitchens aren’t the only trending colour – just the most prominent. Indeed, light wood kitchens – the yin to their yang – have also experienced growing admiration for lovers of an airier aesthetic.

This Oslo skinny Shaker kitchen with Blush Pink doors, for instance, harnesses Blonde Oak Madoc wall units, elevating its sense of delicate charm. Combining light oak kitchen cabinets with minimalism, it taps into the Scandi kitchen zeitgeist but with a classic Shaker aspect that provides an intriguing fusion.

Are Regular Brown-Wood Kitchens Outdated?

Dark shades like our Espresso or Tuscan Walnut are current favourites, and the pale Blonde Oaks are a close second, but what about more central brown wood kitchens? Are they a lost cause? Absolutely not! You just have to know how to style them for a modern home.

Consider this H-Line Sutton Scots Grey affair with Madoc Portland Oak accents. While it’s not sporting the orange wood of yesteryear, it features blocks of mid-tone wood – and it looks fantastic. The key is to pair it with neutrals, and offset the traditional colour with handle rails to modernise the look.

Get Your Own Wood-Finish Kitchen

Need help creating a luxurious wood kitchen of your own? Request our Masterclass Kitchens brochures. Available as digital downloads or luxury coffee table catalogues, they cover all the inspiration you’ll need. Also, why not find your nearest showroom and book a meeting with a seasoned expert?

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