Tips for Choosing a Kitchen Cabinet Color You Won’t Regret

Whether you’re renovating your entire kitchen or just selecting a new paint color, deciding on the right hue for your kitchen cabinets can be nerve-wracking.

Our best advice is always this: choose what you like. It doesn’t matter what’s trending, what color Martha Stewart’s cabinets are, or what looks good in that full-page spread in House Beautiful. YOU are the one who lives in your home and will have to see your cabinets every day.

So we encourage you to toss around some ideas. Think in the box and step outside it; view things from a different angle. To help you do that, here are our experts’ opinions on the full spectrum of kitchen cabinet colors.

White Kitchen Cabinets

The Upside: White cabinets might seem like they’re everywhere, but it’s not because they’re trendy — it’s because they’re timeless. They’re always in style and allow for flexibility in the rest of your kitchen. It’s possible for white kitchen cabinets to fit perfectly into both a grandiose traditional design and a minimalist, contemporary design.

The Downside: There’s a little more maintenance involved here, simply because they’re white. While it’s not impossible to have painted white cabinets when you have kids or pets in the house, it’s not as easy as a stained maple. Don’t let this be a total deterrent (there are plenty of reasons to love white kitchens), but it is something to consider.

Blue Kitchen Cabinets

The Upside: Blue makes for a fun accent color. Depending on the exact shade, it can almost be a neutral, or it can be shockingly bright. Besides adding a pop of color, blue can actually make you feel good. Color psychology shows us that blue has calming effects, and brings feelings of peace and tranquility when used in moderation. If you’re ready to go blue, we have some tips.

The Downside: A kitchen cabinet color that looks good on a swatch might be overpowering on a wall of cabinets. You’re not going to want to repaint your cabinets next month, so make sure you really love the shade of blue you’ve chosen before you pick up the paintbrush.

Gray Kitchen Cabinets

The Upside: Gray is a good middle ground — not as stark as white, and not as traditional as wood. It comes in many tones but still cools off a space, and can range from classic to contemporary depending on the shade and its surroundings.

Bonus: gray kitchen cabinet colors on-trend right now.

The Downside: Choosing a color that’s trendy is a gamble. We have a feeling that gray’s popularity will last, however. Designers have turned away from using taupe as their default paint color and are embracing various shades of gray. They’re using it in ways that feel fresh, and we’re willing to bet this neutral stands the test of time.

Bright Color Cabinets

The Upside: A pop of color is a personal style statement like none other. Not everyone likes neutrals, and choosing a bold color might be the unexpected twist your kitchen needs to feel like it truly belongs to you.

The Downside: Bold colors in large doses can become overpowering. It’s also more likely that you’ll grow tired of them. If you love purple and always have, then purple cabinets might be for you, regardless of what anyone else might think. If your favorite color changes constantly, or if you know you want a pop of color but are hesitant, we suggest finding other, creative ways to add color into your kitchen decor. Find the perfect bold piece of art, opt for a colorful Smeg refrigerator or Viking range, or paint just your island or an accent wall instead of all your kitchen cabinets.