Choosing Green Kitchen Cabinets Is the Bold Decision to Make This Decade

We like to think that whomever came up with the expression green with envy was talking about kitchen cabinets. Whether it’s a verdant shade of emerald, a warm sage, or a restful moss, the color instantly brings zen vibes to the bustling room. 

While we recently narrowed down our favorite shades by swatch, heading straight to the hardware store can be overwhelming. A healthy dose of inspiration is the best place to start, so we rounded up our all-time-favorite green kitchen cabinets, too. Once you’ve found the space that speaks to you, grab a paintbrush. A little jealousy (wink, wink) might be the kick you need to start your next project. 

The One Where Old Meets New 

It’s a no-brainer why Caldwell Green made it into Benjamin Moore’s historic color collection. The grayish hue is timeless and traditional, something you’d find in the English countryside. For an updated twist, Studio McGee paired the color with matte black hardware. 

The One With a Dramatic Duo

The only thing sleeker than superdark green cabinets is a soapstone countertop. Jaclyn Peters pulled off the winning combo on a budget in this Winnipeg, Canada, home by opting for a 6-inch backsplash. 

The One With Tight Corners

Your small space can handle a rich hue—the key is practicing restraint. First-time homeowner Brynn Harlock maintained a bright and airy vibe by painting her upper cabinets white and the lower ones a mossy green. 

The Shaker-Style One

Taking a step back from her go-to blues, Emily Henderson went with Pewter Green from Sherwin-Williams (a sophisticated option with lots of gray undertones) in this Portland, Oregon, house. To amp up the character, the designer splurged on inset Shaker-style cabinets that cost around $25,000 to build and install. 

The Art Deco–Inspired One

Jessica Brigham was on a mission to restore her kitchen’s 1930s spunk as a part of the One Room Challenge. Jewel-tone cabinets and glitzy globe light fixtures accomplish just that. 

The Teeny-Tiny One

Dabito’s guesthouse kitchenette features just four 24-inch white Shaker cabinets from Overstock (the same place he scored the Moroccan cement tiles). He painted them Behr’s Fig Tree in a satin finish, then added pink walls and a graphic backsplash to turn what would otherwise be considered a serious color into a fun statement. 

The One That’s Minty Fresh

There’s nothing childish about this candy-colored space. Designer Lauren Bug chose the playful hue when she realized the color suited the walnut-wood floors better than the pale blue she had originally been considering. 

The Farmhouse One 

The addition of glass doors can elevate standard millwork to star status. Jaclyn Peters mastered the new-school rustic look with the addition of a vintage rug and industrial drawer pulls. 

The One That’s Almost Yellow 

Lourdes Hernández’s pastel cabinets read retro—but not childish—next to her Smeg refrigerator and multitone ceramic pendant lights. So what are you waiting for? You’ve got the green light.

The British One

Designer Laura Stephens went old school in this London galley kitchen by swathing the Shaker-style cabinets in a rich, mustardy shade of green and cladding the walls in tongue-and-groove paneling that can withstand dampness and changes in temperature.

The ’70s One

Leaning into this maple leaf–shaped Canada home’s retro feel, Tara Marshall and Meghan Bannon of Fort Architecture sourced teak for the integrated paneled refrigerator and upper shelving to blend with the existing wood throughout the house, and painted the new lower cabinets an olive hue that “feels contemporary but nostalgic at the same time.”

The One That’s a Bit Beige

After replacing this space’s stylized cabinet fronts with slab doors, designer Natalie Myers painted everything Berkshire Beige by Benjamin Moore, a pale green-gray that skews sage depending on the time of day.

This story was originally published in January 2020. It has since been updated.