There's no denying the appeal of a sleek, high-gloss kitchen, but for immediate hominess, wood is the answer. I love reclaimed wood both for its environmental cred and its unique history; it simply exudes character, and instantly makes a space one-of-a-kind.
Reclaimed wood can be as blatant or as subtle as you want. Keep the edges rough for more rustic look; sand it smooth and paint it for something more modern. From flooring to cabinets and countertops, it works anywhere.
Related: Joe's Industrial Milwaukee Kitchen
(Images: 1. Sam Oberter Photography for Richard Bubnowski Design via Cultivate; 2. Jess Edwards via Apartment Therapy; 3. Kristin Sjaarda for The Marion House Book; 4. Adrienne Breaux for Apartment Therapy; 5. Liz Vidyarthi for Apartment Therapy; 6. Living Etc via The Style Files; 7. Design*Sponge; 8. JAS Design-Build via The DIY Network)
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The person who owns the barn wood kitchen must be a much neater cook than my husband. How on earth would you clean flour and tomato sauce and sticky handprints off that rough surface?
Funny how fads come back again. I remember being shown my uncle's kitchen, complete with barn wood cabinets, when I was a child in the '70s. He was so proud of the fact that one piece of wood had a piece of real cow poop stuck to it. I remember my mother saying something snarky about splinters after he had left the room.
I'm afraid it was a dumb idea then and it's a dumb idea now.
Yeah, cleaning this has got to be a nightmare. Even reclaimed wood can go through a planer, folks.