Bright Red + White + Dark Blue
Kitchen color schemes with white cabinets are often partnered with red or blue accents for a classic color palette. Teaming the three colors into one nautical-inspired scheme takes confidence and a willingness to live with bright colors year-round. Here, a bright blue soffit and matching backsplash accentuate banks of cabinetry: white on top, red below. Glass-front cabinet doors add a sense of fun when stocked with dishes in coordinated stripes and solids.
Paint The Cabinet Boxes
Youre finally ready to paint! If youre using roughly the same shade as the existing color, two coats ought to do the job. You might even get away with one. Painting over a dark finish with a light color is tougher and could require three coats. Break out a new brush for each coat.
- Pour some trim and cabinet enamel paint into the paint tray and load the brush and roller with paint. Use the brush to cut in along the edges, push the paint into the corners, and leave out roller strokes. Use the roller to apply enamel paint to the large flat surface where possible.
- For the cabinet interior, apply the paint with a smooth-surface mini roller, which leaves a slightly bumpy, orange-peel texture.
- Cover the brush and roller with plastic bags to prevent them from hardening while you wait for the first coat to dry.
- Between coats, sand the surfaces lightly, making sure to clean up the debris afterward.
- Apply a second coat to the cabinet. This coat should provide a perfect, consistent finish without any thin or light areas where wood might show through.
Stunning Neutral Colours For Your Kitchen Cabinets
We love hearing from our friends, so let us know what you like about it and leave any questions in the comments below. If you follow the tutorial or are inspired by what you see here, wed love to see the pictures! Submit photos here or send us a message on Facebook Choosing a kitchen cabinet color is one of the many decisions youll make when updating or remodeling your kitchen.
White is always a safe choice, but still, do you prefer cool white, warm white or a more neutral white?
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Paint Cabinets To Blend In With The Wall
When you’re deciding on a kitchen color scheme, choosing to paint the cabinets the same shade as the walls can help create an alluring, uniform look.
Kitchen cabinets naturally draw the eye around the room, making you notice the height and breadth of it, and eventually the painted walls. By matching the hues, you expand the block of color, giving the whole kitchen an artfully cohesive aesthetic.
‘Dark cabinets are always used to create mood and drama,’ says Helen Parker of deVOL .’In terms of color, I think green kitchens mirror the new passion people seem to have for greenery in their homes, conservatory full of exotic plants and cacti, or just some simple spider plants hanging in a woven plant hanger.’
‘Everything has a very natural and slightly Seventies vibe at the moment and painting your kitchen green just seems to confirm that love for natural things, in particular living greenery,’ say Helen. ‘So this hue is going to be a top color choice for people who love this look or even if they cant face the care required to look after plants they can still feel the positive vibes of such a fresh and vibrant color which reminds us so much of nature and the outdoors.’
A Muted Green Will Calm The Senses
The sense ofwellbeing that we gain from time outside in the natural world has resulted in adesire to re-create this sense of connection and positivity in our homes, driving a renewed love for greens of all hues, says Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene .
How you use the paint is key too, we love how this kitchen has both the walls and ceiling painted for an all-encompassing look.
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Colour Drench For Impact
‘A fun and easy way to transform the kitchen is to paint your shelves or cupboards in a bright colour,’ suggests Justyna from Crown. ‘You could even paint the corresponding wall in the same effect for maximum impact.’
Colour drenching may be something of a trend right now, but it’s certainly an impactful one. If you don’t want to make everything the same colour, break up the paint ideas for kitchen cabinets and walls with a different shade of worktop.
Sherwin Williams Crushed Ice
If you are looking for a gray with a tiny bit more warmth to it Sherwin Williams Crushed Ice is an excellent choice.
It is a beautiful light gray with a taupe undertone which looks amazing with the warm toned kitchen cabinets and some natural accents.
For reference, its a bit more saturated in color than Repose Gray while being a bit lighter.
I actually tested it in my kitchen while we were remodeling but it didnt work well in the dining area that doesnt get a lot of natural light. If you do have an abundance of light, youll love it.
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Use Varying Tones Of The Same Color
Painting cabinetry in varying tones is a sophisticated way to differentiate without descending into chaos.
Choose no more than three colors and think about where youd like to draw attention, advises Tom Howley, design director, Tom Howley .
Use the boldest color on the focal point of the kitchen, perhaps a decorative cooker hood, a kitchen island or an impressive double pantry. Then use lighter tones over the rest of the cabinetry, enhancing and contrasting with the core statement tone.
‘To boost spaciousness, reserve your lightest shades for the highest points, like wall cabinets, and use deeper hues below eye level to ground the space.
Joa Studholme, Farrow & Ball’s Color Curator says: ‘The use of dark tones on floor-standing units creates a modern look with a nod to tradition. But it pays to be wary of using strong color on wall-hung units, which can make the kitchen feel claustrophobic, so I tend to paint them the same color as the walls. Darker kitchen cabinet ideas against lighter walls is the easiest way to add instant impact and be right on trend.’
Should Kitchen Paint Be Lighter Or Darker
I always veer toward light when possible, as I think kitchens are a truly utilitarian room and as such, should be light & bright to help them function well as a backdrop for cooking and gathering, adds Malka.
Theres no hard and fast rule for a light or dark kitchen. Just as with your fashion choices, you will have colors that you like and dislike, so that is always a good place to start. Also think about the mood you want in a room: uplifting and energizing or calming and tranquil.Or, if youre going the dark route, choose a color and finish that has great warmth and depth, and reflects light well, lending itself to mixing with accents of marble, brass or brushed aluminum, says Helen Shaw, UK director of Benjamin Moore .
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Why Using The Best Cabinet Paint Is Important
Painting your kitchen cabinets is a great way to change the style of your kitchen. You can make outdated cabinets look sleek and modern, or transform plain cabinets into striking focal points. Cabinet painting is a major job, and not using the best paint or taking the time to do it correctly can lead to some awful results.
Several years ago, my husband and I were house hunting. At that time, many of the homes we looked at were being sold by flippers. These were usually older homes that someone bought & remodeled hoping to flip them for a profit. Most of these homes had some kind of remodeling done in the kitchen.
Many of these remodeled kitchens turned out beautifully, but there were more than a few that had badly painted cabinets and doors.
Theres just no other way to describe it they were bad. From a distance, it wasnt really noticeable, but if you looked closely you could see plenty of mistakes. It was enough to turn us off as potential home buyers.
I remember noticing cabinets that had uneven paint coverage, small paint spots on the wall and inside edges where it hadnt been taped properly, and in one casea hair that had been painted over! It was obvious some of the paint jobs had been done hastily, as the latex paint was lifting up on some edges, or had teeny bubbles in some corners.
Choosing The Best Paint For Your Painted Kitchen Cabinets
Just as important as the color is what type of paint you use to paint your cabinets.
Most of us use our cabinets every single day, opening and closing cabinets and drawers repeatedly, and all of that use can quickly destroy a poor paint job.
The biggest factor in making sure your beautiful paint job will last is using a high quality paint that is meant for cabinets. This isnt the time to grab some leftover wall paint and start painting.
The great thing about painted cabinets being so popular is there are now lots of great cabinet paints out there with new ones coming out all the time.
I havent tried all the cabinet paints available, so I cant comment on all of them, but I do have two paints that I highly recommend for painting kitchen cabinets.
Both of these paints hold up well to moisture and regular cleaning, resist yellowing over time, and dry to a very durable finish.
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Put Back All The Pieces
- Once the second coat dries, reattach the door and drawer fronts. Enjoy the fact that youve given your kitchen cabinets a fresh new look without investing a lot of time or money.
- Remove the tape over each door’s number, install the hinges and knob, and hang them in their original opening.
- Replace the drawer pulls and reinstall each drawer.
The Best Benjamin Moore Paint Colours For Home Staging / Selling
When choosing cabinet colors for my home or choosing a color palette for my blog, I always look to what designers and home builders use. These trends tell me that the color is safe and works well in any lighting conditions, or designers and home builders wouldnt use them over and over again. This information is golden because it is a great starting point for us as we test hundreds of possible colors and go straight to the best color.
So below is this months color palette and a collection of popular cabinet colors used by todays designers and home builders.
So lets jump into one of the most popular cabinet paint colors first. Benjamin Moore Fieldstone has been popular over the years because it always looks beautiful in different lighting conditions. Its a true gray with a slight hint of warmth that doesnt make the color look too sterile.
The 5 Best White Paints For Kitchen Cabinets, According To Designers
Another popular color for cabinets is Benjamin Moores dove green. Dove gray is very popular because it perfectly complements the dark gray veins on marble and quartzite countertops.
Benjamin Moores Snowfall White has been popular for cabinets in recent months due to its warmth and versatility in low light. Snow white always looks crisp even in artificial light.
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Choose Terracotta For A Mediterranean Vibe
Terracotta walls are a look and gaining popularity for their earthen finish. Slightly less out there than orange itself, or than the color that graced many a home during the ’80s, it’s the warmer tone that is, ironically also, a whole lot cooler for kitchen paint.
We love Dulux’s Toasted Terracotta , especially when it’s combined with brighter reds like Dynamite Red .
Benjamin Moore Advance Cabinet Paint
Benjamin Moore Advance has been a popular paint base for many years now. Many contractors use this as a go-to because of the excellent quality and cost per gallon compared to Sherwin Williams Emerald. Lastly, this paint is self-leveling which ensures a smooth finish when spraying cabinets.
Advance is a waterborne alkyd that dries like oil-based paint. With that said, only soap and water are needed to clean and sustain your cabinet from wear and tear.
While Behr, Valspar, and Glidden all have cabinet paint products, we recommend sticking with Sherwin or Ben Moore if possible.
More Expert Painting Advice
Finding this cabinet paint color guide useful? Get more tips from the experts at Improovy by selecting our most recent articles below:
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Pair Pale Pink And Sage
Pink doesn’t have to be a bold choice, you can almost use it as a neutral shade. In this kitchen you can barely notice the pinky hues of the walls. But how gorgeous does it look with the sage kitchen cabinets and gold highlights?
Take our tour around the rest of this candy-colored kitchen and for more pink room ideas check out our feature.
Remove Doors Drawers And Hardware
Remove all doors and drawers and place in a designated workspace. Use painters tripods to elevate the doors from the workspace when painting. Remove all hardware from cabinets, doors, and drawers, and organize in plastic bags. If your cabinets feature removable shelves, it is wise to remove them, as well.
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Which Kitchen Cabinet Styles Can Be Painted
Some cabinet styles work beautifully no matter which kitchen cabinet color youre drawn to, while others make a happier partnership with certain shades.
Ive seen 20-year-old classic Shaker kitchens be repainted and look amazing, says Tiffany Duggan of Studio Duggan. With a contemporary flush kitchen, think about whether you see yourself liking it in the future.
Go Light And Bright With White
White kitchen ideas are a classic choice, and it’s easy to see why. The light and fresh finish feels clean and bright.
Plus, white cabinetry means you’ve got the perfect neutral backdrop to start introducing pattern and colour elsewhere. Think a patterned splashback or consider some brightly coloured kitchen island paint ideas.
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Choose A Black Kitchen For A Dramatic Appeal
A kitchen that’s stained, painted or lacquered in black makes for an astonishingly cozy and comforting space, especially if matched with beautifully grained wood for that much-needed texture and warmth. Going for this look? Ensure the room gets lots of natural daylight and that the artificial lighting is perfectly planned.
Get more black kitchen ideas in our gallery and find out how to plan kitchen lighting in our practical guide.
Dont Forget To Always Use Real Paint Samples
Dont forget no matter what youve read or photos youve seen online, its really important to sample paint colors in your home before committing!
Samplize provides real paint samples that are easy to move around your home, and cheaper than buying a gazillion paint pots! Its the only way I buy paint samples.
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Layer Shades For A Custom Finish
Consider using stains alongside paint to create a unique design for your painted kitchen cabinet ideas.
This kitchen island is quite unique, with multiple colors of stain used with painted cabinetry for the rest of the kitchen, explains Benjamin Johnston of Houston-based Benjamin Johnston Design .
The layering of colors is a trend we are seeing more of, as your kitchen no longer has to be one color, or even two. Custom stains and glazes can be used to create combinations that are uniquely your own.
‘There is a story here around the importance of sampling. With this island, we painted it three separate times until it was exactly perfect… sample, sample, sample to eliminate unpleasant surprises.
No Time For Neutrals Choose A Zesty Green Instead
If you want to make a statement rather than a kitchen that whilst beautiful, doesn’t stand out, then go for a bright color like this stunning green. Note it’s only used on the cabinetry which allows the white to give the space a balanced look. Bring the green through into the rest of the scheme with accessorizes like tumblers and vases.
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Choose Grey Painted Kitchen Ideas For An Elegant Finish
When planning your painted kitchen ideas, start by considering the rooms size and design and choice of flooring. Soft neutral shades are easy to live with in even the smallest spaces, while on-trend grey kitchens can look coolly architectural in a modern room, or warm and inviting when teamed with wood. Large rooms with lots of natural light can support a bolder paint color choice.
‘Grey kitchens paired with shades of pink work just as well and will add extra character. It is, however, important not to contrast these colors with a white ceiling which will make the walls look darker,’ advises Joa Studholme, Farrow & Ball’s Color Curator.
How Durable Are Painted Kitchen Cabinets
‘Kitchen cabinets and islands work incredibly hard and are subject to the bumps and scrapes of a busy household, so it is important that your chosen product is up to the job,’ notes Helen from Benjamin Moore. ‘Preparation is also very important when it comes to durability. Take time to do the job properly.’
‘In terms of finishes, eggshell is one of the most popular, offering low levels of sheen for a smart contemporary finish. Satin finishes are durable enough to wipe away finger marks or stains to ensure a long lasting and fresh look. If you prefer a more reflective finish opt for a semi-gloss or gloss paint.’
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