Alder Or Maple Cabinets . Wood cabinets are appealing because of their distinct and unique character. If you're in the market for new cabinets, there's a good chance you've heard about alder wood. from www.pinterest.com Rustic alder kitchen cabinets have a more dramatic grain and may contain a variety of pin holes, open and closed knots of various sizes and colors, small cracks, worm holes, worm tracks, bird pecks, mineral streaks and grain variations. Choose between a beautiful hickory, a rich cherry, a rustic alder, maple, walnut, beech, or oak. Alder is sometimes stained to look like more.