How To DIY One Of 2025's Biggest Kitchen Cabinet Trends

Most of us dream of modeling our homes after the latest trends, and fortunately, changing out a suite of kitchen cabinets is easier than you think. The fluted kitchen cabinet is one textured design trend that's been dominating in 2025, and the look is simple to achieve with a modest budget and some crafty DIY skills. In contrast to plain and smooth cabinet faces, fluted doors feature surfaces clad in vertical half-round rods or dowels that create a soothing, groovy pattern. Set against other elements like sleek countertops, fancy backsplashes, or shiny appliances, fluted cabinet fronts add style and texture to the space. They also immediately stand out from the generic builder-grade cabinets that populate today's market.

Basic carpentry skills and a few affordable supplies, like dowels, glue, and paint, are all you need to pull off this chic fluted style in your own home. Grab some half round dowels, like these Woodpeckers Split Oak Rods, to fully cover your cabinet doors. Wood glue and a nail gun secures these pieces in place. Cap off the project by styling your fluted fixtures in a trendy hue. Try a kitchen cabinet paint color to inspire creativity, or go for a neutral shade if you're aiming for a minimalist kitchen aesthetic.

The first step in this fluted cabinet DIY is to remove the doors and any knobs, pulls, or hardware from your kitchen cabinet. Cut your dowels to cover the length of the cabinet face. For precise measurements, place a piece of wood vertically along the cabinet (it should extend slightly over the edge) and use this as a guideline to ensure that each remaining dowel is perfectly aligned. You can directly nail the dowels to the cabinet with a nail gun or a good ole hammer. However, feel free to arrange the dowels on a layer of wood glue first for added support. 

Once all the dowels are attached, seal any nail holes with a filler, like Gorilla All Purpose Wood Filler, and sand the surface smooth. Then paint the grooves your desired color. This is a great time to update the cabinet handles too. Consider painting the knobs the same color as your door for a streamlined look or giving your cabinet a modern upgrade with drawer handles, like these modern Goldenwarm Finger Edge Pulls. When the paint has dried, attach the hardware and reinstall the doors. Now you have trendy, custom fluted kitchen cabinets.

If you're having trouble committing this look to an entire suite of kitchen cabinets, why not use it as an accent piece instead? Applying the fluted look to your kitchen island will instantly elevate this element into a stunning feature that won't overpower the room. If you have open shelvings in your kitchen, you could try lining the back walls with the fluted rods to add texture. Like with the cabinet design, leave the fluted dowels in its natural state as a gorgeous way to add wood into your kitchen or paint them in a contrasting color to create a stand-out look.

Instead of using the fluted design modestly, make a bolder statement by going grandiose. Style it as a central feature of your kitchen by applying the fluted design to a full-height cabinet, pantry door, or even an entire wall. This will turn an ordinary kitchen element into a dramatic statement piece.