As professionals in the kitchen and bath remodeling industry for more than 50 years, we have seen our fair share of white kitchens. From white laminate, high-gloss thermofoil, glazed white, distressed white, and off white – white kitchens have always been popular and, we suspect, always will be. A white kitchen looks clean, bright, and inviting. No wonder real estate agents often recommend them for quicker home selling.

But what is a homeowner to do when white doesn’t appeal to them?

Richly stained wood cabinetry is beautiful, too! Cherry is a popular wood with great character. Other choices include maple, walnut, oak, and alder. Additionally, a recent kitchen project in Arlington Heights checked all of the boxes for a clean, bright, and inviting kitchen with a less obvious wood choice: hickory .

Hickory has a great deal of character and variation that can discourage many homeowners from using it in their new cabinets. Its color can vary from a deep brown heart wood to a near-white sap wood - all on the same board. Natural hickory is distinctive, but using a stain can tone down some of the dramatic contrast. Hickory’s dense grain has more movement than maple but less texture than oak. A quality cabinet builder can make the most of this distinctive wood by hand-selecting the boards to the best advantage of the cabinet frames and doors.

In this kitchen remodel, the hickory was left natural to keep the space light and maximize the natural characteristics of the wood. The light and dark within the cabinetry is balanced across each wall, in perfect harmony.

Hickory is versatile and can be used in many different style homes: from formal to informal, contemporary to traditional, and refined to rustic. In this home, the hickory is complimented with country and farmhouse styling, as well as a cheerful blue wall color.

If you love the beauty of wood, hickory has some real benefits. Native to North America and a member of the walnut family, hickory is a very strong wood long used in axe, hammer, and other tool handles. It is one of the hardest domestic woods on the market with a Janka rating of 1820 (Red Oak has a rating of 1290). Combining strength and density with a high shock resistance, hickory is a great choice for busy kitchens and family homes. Well cared for, hickory cabinets last a long time.

In this log home kitchen project, a stain on the hickory evens out the contrast in the various pieces of wood without smothering it's characteristic grain. While darker, it is a great example of the versatility of hickory.

Interested in hickory for your home? Visit our showroomto see firsthand our hickory kitchen display at 706 East Northwest Highway, Palatine Illinois.