Unexpected But Timeless Cabinet Designs For The Kitchen

Despite what your network feed might be telling you, Shaker style isn’t the only direction for your kitchen cabinet designs. Of course, your kitchen cabinets are a long-term, often expensive commitment—you don’t want to go too trendy for fear you’ll hate them six months later. However, you also don’t want a cookie-cutter space that mirrors your neighbor’s (and her neighbor’s) kitchen. Rather than force yourself to choose one route or the other, meet in the middle.

We’ve found gorgeous cabinet designs that straddle unexpected and timeless. Take a look.

Designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard used mashrabiyya—hand-carved wood screens—as cabinet doors in Cher’s exotic Los Angeles kitchen.

Hammered-silver cabinet fronts lend an air of elegance to one of the hardest-working spaces in any home.

Modern dark metallic kitchen with 2-level island and dark wood floor.

Curved kitchen design with main kitchen area all along one long curved wall with granite curved kitchen island.

Kitchen with extensive natural light from wrap-around windows. Kitchen design includes natural wood, wood floor, and white tile backsplash.

Glitzy kitchen design with ornate dark cabinetry capped in white with black and white checkered ceiling.

Modern stark kitchen design in white, stainless steel and black.

L-shaped kitchen with dark and white cabinetry. Large pie-shaped island forms the center of the kitchen and includes an extensive eat-in area on the outside facing the kitchen.

Dark kitchen design with dark cabinets, backsplash, countertops. Island divides open layout from the dining area. The dark cabinets create a seamless color scheme with black countertops. Island is highly functional with stove and breakfast bar area.

Modern U-shaped kitchen design with cathedral white ceiling, large square kitchen island and stainless steel appliances throughout. White wall and ceiling contrasted with dark cabinetry.