11 Kitchen Cabinet Paint Colors You Should Absolutely Be Sampling
Designers share their current favorites.
Updated Oct 12, 2018 4:58 AM
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Painting your kitchen cabinets is the quickest way to completely transform your space. It’s also the best thing you can do for your budget. Exhibit A: Designer Elizabeth Stamos saved $20,000 to $30,000 by keeping the cherrywood cabinets in her 1980s Chicago townhouse and covering them in a blue-gray from Benjamin Moore. The millwork isn’t new, but the mood is.
Interior designers have a running list in their head of the warmest whites, the coolest blues, the dreamiest greens—you name the hue, they’ll tell you which one they stand by. However, we really wanted to know which colors they’re genuinely excited about for kitchens (right now and into 2021), so we asked them to share the one paint color they can’t stop thinking about. Before you hire out the job (psst: Home Advisor makes it easy to find a pro in your area), pick up a few gallons of one of these tried and true hues.
Black Forest Green by Benjamin Moore
This deep, rich green casts slightly black when natural light hits it. It pairs beautifully with walnut wood as a contrasting tone, so if you’re thinking of adding a butcher block island, this is definitely one to consider. —Becky Shea
Kendall Charcoal by Benjamin Moore
This is the perfect gray color; it’s moody but not too dark. I just did an entire kitchen in this shade and it turned out so chic. —Hilary Matt
Grandeur Plum by Sherwin-Williams
Paired with Carrara marble countertops and brass hardware, this one would make for a charming kitchen for the client who embraces a saturated and dynamic color palette. —Eneia White
China White by Benjamin Moore
We’ll be using this perfect, creamy, off-white shade on cabinets for a current renovation project and can’t wait to see how it transforms the space with warmth and charm. —Molly Torres
The kitchen is the heart of the home. It needs to be inviting and appealing, so I like to keep things clean and bright. For a cooler space, my go-to is China White, while Benjamin Moore’s White Dove is perfect for a warmer one. —Kara Mann
Salon Drab by Farrow & Ball
The greenish-grayish brown pairs really nicely with nonlacquered brass hardware. I love how it feels really rich but still earthy. —Jake Arnold
Duck Green by Farrow & Ball
It’s been a particularly hard year for most of us, and green in any space just feels right. As the color of nature, it’s comforting, calming, and optimistic, which is the tonic we need right now. —Nina Blair
Drop Cloth by Farrow & Ball
A beautiful taupe-beige looks really elegant paired with antiqued brass hardware and fixtures. —Olivia Stutz
Cornforth White by Farrow & Ball
We’re not shy when it comes to color, but sometimes a space calls for a neutral backdrop. This soft white is a versatile neutral that simply goes well with everything. —Alexis Tompkins and Leann Conquer of Chroma SF
Railings by Farrow & Ball
I am doing a ton of tuxedo kitchens right now: Railings for the lower cabinets and Cool December by Dunn-Edwards for the uppers (it’s great for an all-white kitchen as well). —Breegan Jane
Super White by Benjamin Moore
Grays used to be all the rage, but recent trends are going warmer. This paint is an affordable white that’s minimal enough to lend itself to modern forms. When you use this color, it’s because you want the countertop and appliances to make a statement. It lets the stars shine. —Megan Grehl
Calke Green by Farrow & Ball
I am excited about using this color in a new construction project in northwest Washington, D.C. It’s such a rich, velvety green, reminiscent of the thick carpet of moss you find blanketing the pathways in nearby Rock Creek Park. —Melissa Colgan
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