How a Log Cabin Kitchen Became a Light-Filled Scandi Rustic Retreat

Designer Anisa Darnell transforms a dated orange-toned kitchen into a cozy, light-filled Scandinavian-inspired space perfect for family and guests

Written by Shannon Sharpe Photographed by Rustic White Photography

January 2026

Rustic kitchen and living area with dark wood beams, wooden floors, and a gray sofa.

To achieve what Darnell calls “Scandi rustic,” she stripped away the dated stain, refinishing the floors and introducing a palette of dark charcoal, soft oak, and pale plaster.

Rustic kitchen with dark wood island, light wood cabinets, and gray concrete walls.

Natural hues and dark tones allow for peak coziness, making the kitchen the perfect winter respite.

Rustic kitchen with wood cabinets, dark island, exposed beams, and stainless steel appliances.

Wall-to-wall windows bring in the natural light needed to offset the kitchen’s darker color palette.

Rustic kitchen with dark wood island, light wood cabinets, concrete walls, and pendant light.

To make things easy on the eyes, she chose matte cabinetry without visible hardware and swapped out the upper cabinets for a floating shelf.

For designer Anisa Darnell of Truth & Co., the challenge wasn’t building something new—it was reimagining what defines rustic. Her clients had purchased a log cabin on a nearby property to use as a guest house for family and friends. While the character was there, the orange wood that encompassed the home was overwhelming. “The floors, the walls, the ceilings—everything was stained orange,” says Darnell. The homeowners envisioned something less Cracker Barrel and more Nordic sanctuary—cozy, tactile, and transportive.

“The homeowners had just come back from Iceland,” says Darnell. “They fell in love with that aesthetic.” To achieve what Darnell calls “Scandi rustic,” she stripped away the dated stain, refinishing the floors and introducing a palette of dark charcoal, soft oak, and pale plaster. “We color-drenched the whole house,” she explains. “It took convincing, but once we did it, they loved it.”

The kitchen being the natural gathering place, Darnell wanted it to feel cozy. “The butcher-block countertop on the island is a place where you create casual meals and relax,” she muses. To make things easy on the eyes, she chose matte cabinetry without visible hardware and swapped out the upper cabinets for a floating shelf. Exposed floor joists replace beams, while flush-mount fixtures and mixed metals add patina. “When you’re in the kitchen at night, it just glows,” swoons the designer.

To offset the home’s dark palette, Darnell added two additional windows above the sink—turning a single opening into a trio that floods the space with light. “If we were going darker, we needed more daylight,” she says.

Though the home sits just minutes from town, it feels utterly remote. “You’re 10 minutes from fast-food restaurants, but you’d never know it,” says Darnell. “It feels like a cabin out in the woods. All you want to do is stay here and read a book.”

INTERIOR DESIGNER Anisa Darnell, Kaila Nelson, and Isabelle Falls of Truth & Co. CONTRACTOR Renew Design Build CABINETRY Jorge Correa Cabinets RANGE Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove QUARTZ PERIMETER COUNTERTOPS Daltile ISLAND PENDANTS Rejuvenation CEILING FIXTURES Mullan Lighting COUNTER STOOLS Anderson Teak

Kitchen of the Year, Kitchen of the Year Winners, Renew Design Build, Truth & Co.