How to Choose a Kitchen Cabinet Color

Cabinets are one of the biggest single features in a kitchen. A fridge is big, but there’s typically only one. Cabinets are everywhere and are often the first thing you see or notice. So, the color, style, and other aesthetic features of your wood cabinets are integral to the look of your kitchen. 
Choosing the wrong color can make your entire kitchen renovation look and feel bad. However, a well-chosen color and color scheme can make a kitchen renovation great!
So, how do you choose between colors to be sure that you get it right the first time when you’re updating the kitchen? Below are four tips to help you pick the right cabinet color in a variety of situations.

1. Start with the Overall Color Scheme

The overall color scheme of the kitchen is an essential factor in choosing your cabinet color. Your choice of color palette will really limit and narrow down your possible choices for a cabinet color. 
If you are picking the color scheme yourself, you could pick two complementary main colors plus an accent color. Look at a color chart that shows which colors complement each other. Then, use the two main colors for the flooring and the wood cabinets.
An example of this type of color scheme could be: 
  • A dark color for the floor
  • A shade of white for the wood cabinets
  • A pattern using both light and dark colors for the countertop
However, you may be flipping a house in which the countertops and floors are already finished and you don’t want to change them. In that case, you’ll just figure out a paint color for the cabinets that is complementary to the floor, countertop, or both.

2. Pick Colors for the Style and Size of Cabinets and Kitchens

You can choose a cabinet color to go with the style of cabinets you have, along with the size of the kitchen. Here are some examples of styles and sizes of cabinets and kitchens and the specific colors or general types of color that go well with them:
  • Shaker, Arts and Crafts, and other traditional styles: Bright shades of white and subdued shades of cream
  • Modern: Brighter colors, such as green, yellow, and red, in contrasting combinations
  • Small or dimly-lit kitchens: Lighter colors
  • Large and well-lit kitchens: Darker colors

3. When to Use Neutral Colors

If you’re planning to sell a house soon, it’s smart to paint wood cabinets in neutral colors that will seem safe to many different buyers. Even though neutrals can seem boring, they’re perfect for certain spaces, such as small kitchens.
To make neutrals more interesting, you can use two different shades of a single neutral color for different parts of your kitchen. For example, you could paint your lower cabinets and drawers a darker shade of gray and your upper cabinets a lighter shade of gray. 
Finally, look at all the colors that are already in the kitchen. If several different brighter colors are already used, a neutral color on the cabinets will blend in better. 

4. When to Use Brighter Colors

You might have a need for brightly-colored kitchen cabinets at some point, even if you’re selling a house. Think about one of these options: 
  • Blue-green or mint green
  • Sky blue—a great pairing with accents that are stainless steel or white
  • Yellow—pastel or light butter
Remember, a small or dimly-lit kitchen might genuinely need a brighter color to make it seem lighter and make it more appealing to buyers.

Learn the Secrets of Beautifying a House


Whether you want to fix up your own house or flip a house, Rules of Renovation has many more tips for kitchen renovations and other projects. Learn what you need to know at a FREE Rules of Renovation event.

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