With your kitchen aesthetic in mind, what are the best paint colors for kitchen cabinets?
I love browsing through kitchen remodels and hearing about creative renovations. A kitchen interior has many elements. But, I think cabinets make the most visual impact. Their shape, size, and color matter.
The best paint colors for kitchen cabinets are from nature. They include sage, sky blue, and earthy terracotta. Consider forest green, navy blue, and paprika red for a bolder impression. White remains a popular choice for its neutral versatility.
7 Best Kitchen Cabinet Paint Colors
The color you choose for your kitchen cabinets depends on your family. It also depends on your lifestyle and personality.
Whether you love trends or stick to tradition, picking a cabinet paint color will impact the kitchen’s style. It might also affect your whole home.
Let’s look at the best paint colors for kitchen cabinets.
#1. Sage Green
This natural color is currently popular because of biophilic, organic, and sustainable design. They bring the calmness of foliage and seawater into our homes. Interior designers refer to green as “nature’s neutral”.
This is because it is as versatile and varied in the natural environment as white is in our homes. I heartily recommend adopting green as our new neutral!
Sage green is on-trend. Designers love it for its tranquility, elegance, and versatility.
This paint color is unlikely to date, as it works well with various aesthetics. Choose this shade if you love a retro look, whether Art Deco or mid-century modern. It’s charming in a vintage or traditional kitchen. It goes well with chrome fittings and wooden countertops.
Sage green complements rustic and farmhouse kitchens with white or cream countertops. This creates a country-style feel. Add contrasting coral pink, yellow, or gray for a Scandi vibe.
My recommendations for sage green paint are:
- Silken Pine by Benjamin Moore
- Green Smoke by Farrow & Ball
- Sage Green by Little Greene
- Clary Sage by Sherwin-Williams
#2. Forest Green
Forest green is much earthier than sage and turns to olive with the addition of a yellow undertone. If you find the rich colors overwhelming, paint your island or a couple of cabinets in a vivid green. And you will notice how this magical color pops.
These darker shades of green are moodier than sage. But, they are also perfect for traditional or vintage kitchens. Dark colors go well with timber floors and shiplap walls in a farmhouse kitchen. They also go well with brass fittings.
Forest and olive greens are also stunning in more minimalist spaces. They harmonize with marble or quartz countertops and splash back.
Try one of these nature-inspired shades:
- Backwoods by Benjamin Moore
- Studio Green by Farrow & Ball
- Grasshopper by Sherwin-Williams
Blue is a perennial favorite for kitchens, especially Scandi-inspired blue and white palettes. However, the range of blues we see in kitchens has expanded as our love of sky and sea shades grows. It’s my favorite color.
But, my current kitchen has—dare I say it—unfashionably yellow cabinets! (Yes, it needs a renovation after I chose the paint color in an impulsive fit of sunniness.)
Navy blue is rapidly gaining popularity—it’s Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year for 2024. This timeless shade is perfect for traditional aesthetics, as it never goes out of style. It’s serious, masculine, and utterly sophisticated.
Choose navy for English and French country style, vintage, or historical kitchens. Brass or gold fixtures and white marble countertops prevent a dated look.
This intense color is perfect in modern, minimalist spaces. It replaces black in a two-tone scheme. In these kitchens, navy is a neutral color. It is complemented by natural wood or light quartz countertops. Navy would look incredible in an entirely blue kitchen with color-drenched walls.
These are my favorite navy blue paint colors:
- Blue Nova by Benjamin Moore
- Stiffkey Blue by Farrow & Ball
- Black Sea by Porter’s Paints
- Naval by Sherwin-Williams
#4. Sky Blue
Lighter blues have always been popular for kitchen cabinets. These shades evoke the calm of a fall sky at the seaside.
This year, C2, Dunn-Edwards, Valspar, and Sherwin-Williams have chosen crisp, clear blues as their Colors of the Year. They emphasize how blue can both lift and soothe.
(I know I need calming and soothing in the morning, with the chaos of packing lunch, eating breakfast, and finding shoes!)
Lighter blues won’t dominate a color palette like navy. They are more versatile and go with many other colors. You can combine blue with trendy green, blush pink, or monochrome with grey and black.
I’m starting to understand why my sister goes for the same light blue kitchen cabinets in every remodel.
Blue can also fit any aesthetic. But, my favorite is an old-fashioned, charming kitchen with creamy accents and floral upholstery.
You can’t go wrong with a coastal-inspired look. All greens, grays, and blues. Or a Boho paradise with wicker lampshades, rattan blinds, and trailing pot plants.
Choose one of these exquisite light blues:
- Thermal by C2
- Skipping Stones by Dunn-Edwards
- Upward by Sherwin-Williams
- Renew Blue by Valspar
#5. Terracotta
Red kitchens haven’t been in style for ages, but I love the warmth reds give to a family kitchen. The new season’s reds are inspired by earth and clay, creating cozy, welcoming spaces.
Pantone and HGTV by Sherwin-Williams have chosen a pinkish sunbaked terracotta as their Color of the Year for 2024. This is unsurprising. This lush shade updates any kitchen, whether traditional or ultramodern.
Terracotta is gorgeous in organic modern kitchens. It pairs well with natural wood countertops because of its brown undertones. Combine painted cabinets with reclaimed dark and stained wood. And hang delicate wallpaper to add interest.
These are this season’s most exquisite terracotta paint colors:
- Persimmon by Benjamin Moore
- Tuscan Terracotta by Dulux
- Red Earth by Farrow & Ball
- Peach Fuzz by Pantone
#6. Paprika
Although the two colors overlap, Paprika is a moodier, spicier shade than terracotta. Go for this darker shade in a desert-inspired Southwest kitchen with charcoal walls and stained timber floors. I’d love to create a kitchen like this in a holiday cabin, with patterned rugs and leather furniture.
Pair more robust paprika with lighter pink terracotta and cream to avoid overwhelming it.
This color is, surprisingly, an excellent choice for a farmhouse kitchen. Add crisp gingham, white countertops, and natural wood.
Try one of these beautiful new red colors:
- Kalahari Sunset by Behr
- Tuscan Red by Little Greene
- Fired Brick by Sherwin-Williams
#7. White
No list of kitchen cabinet colors is complete without the classic neutral white. This fresh color is popular for luxury and family kitchens. It doesn’t matter whether you prefer bright, clear white, creamy off-white, linen, or bone.
White is great for small kitchens. It makes any space look bigger and brighter. This is especially true if you pair white cabinets with white walls. It’s easy to keep clean as it shows dirt immediately—just give it a quick white.
White’s versatility means you can choose any countertop and tiling. This includes marble, quartz, granite, or natural wood. Also, you have a wide variety of metal fixtures and other decor options.
For example, choose a hand-painted finish for a rustic farmhouse and Scandi kitchens. A hint of brushstrokes adds charm and character. Unlacquered brass or iron hardware will be a finishing touch.
These are all beautiful shades of white:
- Natural Cream by Benjamin Moore
- Pointing by Farrow & Ball
- Origami White by Sherwin-Williams
Final Thoughts
The trends for kitchen cabinet colors are inspired by nature. Muted sage, deep forest green, sky blue, and earthy terracotta are all in vogue. Navy blue and forest green are traditional options. But, both look fantastic in modern kitchens. Opt for spicy paprika red as a vivid alternative, or go for the most popular and versatile option, white.
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