90s wood kitchens may be coming back in style, according to designers

After years of all-white kitchens and minimalist spaces, we’re seeing a surprising trend. People are returning to honey and maple cabinets that are reminiscent of kitchen trends from the late 90s and early 2000s.

If this sounds like your kitchen, then here’s great news. Instead of gutting the space in favor of something that’s about to be phased out, you can lean into warmer tones. But how?

We reached out to some knowledgeable kitchen design experts for advice.

Are wooden cabinets really coming back?

Of course, when you browse any design feed, you’ll see that a wide variety of kitchen cabinets are still very much in vogue – from sleek whites to gorgeous shades of green.

But for years, honey-colored cabinets seemed outdated, and as Priya Vij, founder of cabinet accessories company Hapny Home points out, that’s no longer true.

“There seems to be a growing interest in bringing maple back into the kitchen these days, both renters and homeowners,” she says.

Vij notes that wooden cabinets feel warm and comfortable, as well as nostalgic, but also practical. They’re also sturdy, heat-resistant, and easy to clean, she adds.

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How to Make a Wooden Kitchen Work

Evaluate cabinet shape

To determine whether your current cabinets can actually be upgraded into something more modern, Jodi Peterman, CEO and owner at Elizabeth Erin Designs, suggests evaluating the shape of the cabinets.

Peterman notes that often in kitchens from this era, you’ll see a mix of styles—the upper cabinets may look dated, while the lower cabinets are more modern. In this case, she suggests painting the upper cabinets and staining the lower cabinets, if necessary.

Or, remove unused cabinets and replace them with open shelving. “This can give a fresh, modern look and an opportunity to display attractive food or decorative items,” says Peterman.

Accept flexibility

As Peter Spalding, co-founder of design exchange Daniel House Club, points out, one reason the style seems to be making a comeback is because warmer cabinets are surprisingly versatile.

“It looks beautiful with stark white walls, or soft blues and greens bathed in bright sunlight,” he says.

Easily modernize them

If your existing kitchen cabinets are still in good shape, there’s no need to strip them—and there’s certainly no need to paint them. As Matthew O’Grady, director of Thomas Matthew Kitchens, points out, maple kitchen cabinets are easy to modernize.

“Consider upgrading hardware like handles or even knobs,” he says. “Some minimalist designs in polished nickel or modern matte black can add a modern touch.”

If you don’t want to go modern, O’Grady says you can also install ceiling moldings or even try under-cabinet lighting.

“This dramatically changes the look of the kitchen,” he says.

Keep the wood as an accent

One thing that immediately makes the cozy 90s kitchen look dated is the ubiquitous feel of wood. Honey-colored cabinets are often spread everywhere—along the upper and lower cabinets, around the island, and often over appliances.

But if you want to refresh a kitchen that feels dated, Spalding suggests treating your maple cabinets as a decorative wood. He specifically suggests pairing it with a creamy pale blue or a light gray-green.

Use background color

Regardless of whether you decide to use cabinets as trim or not, neutral colors will play a key role in keeping the space fresh, says Stephanie Pierce of MasterBrand.

“Cream or white will blend better if you choose to keep cabinets that are 20 to 30 years old,” she says.

Consider staining

Some wood cabinets never go out of style, but Pierce also admits that the types of orange stains that were popular twenty years ago can be more difficult to deal with.

Luckily, if your cabinets are actually maple, they’re easy to stain. Stick with more organic brown tones for a less synthetic, more modern aesthetic, she says.

Exception to the trend

If you’re using warm maple cabinets, Spalding won’t want to make any changes or updates.

“Maple is still a beautiful wood to choose for your flat-panel cabinets, especially if you’re doing stainless steel countertops and white walls,” Spalding says. “I can picture Meg Ryan standing in that kitchen in a T-shirt and jeans, wondering if it’s 1999 or 2024.”

But he also gives us an exception to this proposal.

“If you’re talking about maple cabinets with shaker doors, burn them and start over,” he says.