Hickory kitchen cabinets have been pigeon-holed into a style defined by cabins and country for a long time. But with the demand for warmer spaces and designers leaning into mashed-up styles like Grandmillenial, Mid-century Modern, and Barndominiums, the warm and rustic nature of hickory is on the radar in a whole new way.
Are hickory cabinets making a comeback? Yes. Welcome to the charming world of the New Rustic.
How to Use Hickory for a New Rustic Style in Your Kitchen
The whole idea of new rustic hinges on striking a balance “between edgy and inviting,” as House Beautiful puts it. The new rustic style takes everything you love about country and cabin chic and punches it up with pops of modernization. Hickory cabinets on the perimeter of the kitchen with an island with different cabinets or a statement-making countertop will set you distinctly in the center of the new rustic revolution.
A bold paint color or patterned wallpaper are great additions to a rustic foundation. Simple angular or organically curving furnishings amongst the natural imperfections of hickory cabinets provides a oppositional tension that makes the space interesting, yet harmonious.
Modern art is another great way to blend easy going and polished in a new rustic kitchen. Lots of natural light and light colors invite a more contemporary feel in a traditional kitchen. Adding glamorous details alongside rustic hickory like marble countertops, a polished range hood, or upscale appliances, dresses up a relaxed rustic vibe.
Embracing the Imperfection of Hickory Cabinets
Hickory cabinets are full of knots, twists, and heavy grain. They are the gold-standard in durability and one of the strongest hardwoods. They don’t always cooperate when it comes to paint or stain. Hickory cabinets stand out as the choice for natural design. Embrace the imperfection and enjoy the innate character mother nature imbued into hickory.
Though defined as a mid-tone wood, hickory has a wide range of color variation throughout. This is a huge benefit when it comes to developing your kitchen color palette. Hickory can have a blonde background with caramel knots and beige grain. It can have a honey background with chocolate grain and nearly black knots. It can have a walnut look with coffee accents. Far from being a problem, this range of color gives you plenty of opportunity to bring together all the elements of your space with color alone.
For instance, darker hickory with a light travertine floor allows the design to invite various textures and patterns without it being overwhelming. Light hickory with contrasting black walnut-look floors ground the design and adds an overtone of luxury.
Hickory refuses to be anything other than what it is. It can’t be tamed by paint or stripped of its texture. It’s a wood that goes deep, both literally and conceptually.
The Trending Wood for Everyone
Hickory is a cabinetwith accessibility. It isn’t exclusive in design, nor does it become irrelevant. Though hickory is seen as a rustic wood, it remains timeless—a good cabinet for any era.
Durability is one of hickory’s finest features. It stands up to any environment and meets every demand. It’s stronger than oak or maple and can take humidity and temperature changes, making it ideal for the bathroom as well as the kitchen.
Affordability is another feature of hickory. It’s the hardwood that doesn’t break the budget but delivers style like some of the more expensive woods. It offers unique qualities so you can get a custom feel kitchen without the custom price.
Ready for the hickory revolution? Hickory cabinets are back for a new generation of design. Start imagining your hickory kitchen today!
