Painting cabinets is a fantastic way to inexpensively bring life to your outdated kitchen. Renovating an entire kitchen is expensive, but it is incredible how much painting cabinets can completely transform a space. There are so many options, but we’re going to talk through how to select the perfect kitchen cabinet paint colors for your home.
There are so many options for kitchen cabinet colors, but my advice is this: choose what YOU like. YOU are the one who lives in your home, so your cabinets should make you happy. And, it is just paint, and cabinets can always be repainted.
I know that no one wants to think about painting cabinets twice, but I say this so you realize you are not paralyzed by the color decision thinking the color is permanent. It is just paint!
When thinking about a color for your kitchen cabinets, there are several things you can consider to help guide your color decision.
CONSIDER THE DESIGN STYLE OF YOUR KITCHEN
Consider the design style of your kitchen and let it guide you. For example, traditional kitchen designs benefit from more classic kitchen cabinet paint colors such as creams and whites. For more modern and retro designs, bright colors are great. However, as I mentioned before, ultimately you have to do what you love and feel free to break the rules.
CONSIDER LIGHTING
Consider the lighting in your kitchen when selecting a cabinet color. For example, if light is limited and cold, try lighter, warmer colors. If your kitchen is flooded with natural light, you can try a darker, moodier color.
CONSIDER MIXING COLORS
Upper and lower cabinets don’t need to match! For a lighter, airier feeling, do white kitchen cabinets on top and dark kitchen cabinets in a navy, black, or deep green on the bottom. If you have an island, paint it a darker color than the cabinets.
Now, let’s talk specifically about color. There are so many color and paint options, but I’ve narrowed it down to colors in Amy Howard’s One Step Paint Collection. I’ve selected this paint because it requires no sanding or priming, it comes in a gorgeous assortment of colors, and I’ve personally had lots of success with this paint on cabinets.
KITCHEN CABINET PAINT COLORS
WHITE
White cabinets may seem like they’re everywhere, but I do believe it’s because they are timeless. They will always be in style and fit everywhere from traditional to a more contemporary space.
There are downsides to white, and this is simply because they’re all white. They get dirty and scratches are more obvious – especially if you have kids and/or pets in the house. Don’t let this scare you away from white, but the maintenance of white is definitely something to consider.
GRAY
Gray is a good middle ground for a cabinet color – it’s not as stark as white and not as traditional as wood. It can come in many shades and like white it can also fit into any design style.
The downside to gray is that some see it as trendy, although gray has been around in home decor for some time now.
BLUE
Blue makes for a fun color and can almost be a neutral (think about how we wear blue jeans with everything). Besides adding some color, blue is a universally loved color and can make you feel good because blue psychologically has calming effects.
The downside is that you need to make sure you really love the shade of blue you’ve selected.
MOODY
Moody, dark paint works great for hiding disasters (spills and stains). The darker paint colors can seamlessly blend modern and classic design while making a statement in your kitchen.
The downside to a moody paint color is that it will darken your space so natural light is a must.
BRIGHT
A bright pop of color is a fun personal style statement. Not everyone likes neutrals, and choosing a bright color will show your kitchen truly belongs to you.
The downside is that bright colors in large doses can be overpowering and you’re more likely to grow tired of them.
MIX
Two kitchen cabinet colors can be fun and impactful. As I mentioned earlier, you can also mix up the color of your kitchen island (if you have one). You can be bold with color choices or play it safe by pairing a bolder color with a neutral cabinet color. Mixing is a fun way to add color without an overpowering punch of color.
I painted our kitchen cabinets using One Step Paint before we remodeled it (you can see our remodel HERE). Here’s a little before and after of the cabinets:
I also painted our laundry room cabinets with One Step Paint, and I had a lot of luck spraying the doors. They still look great years later. Here’s a before:
And here’s how the space looks now:
Go create something!
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Very insightful blog post! I absolutely adore the blue cabinet paint shades! I’m having my kitchen cabinets redone by a local cabinet refinisher in a few weeks, and I’m debating on choosing a color similar to “Lady Singing the Blues” or “Chavant Blue.” These colors looks fantastic in the photos you showed, but my kitchen is much smaller and has less natural light. Do you think either of these colors would still look good on my cabinets?
I personally would pick lady singing the blues, but I love the look of a deeper blue. Good luck and keep me posted!
What color is the exterior of your home?
I had the exterior color-matched and share it here: https://sincerelysarad.com/exterior-paint-and-trim-colors/