Looking for a quick way to transform your kitchen? Invest in a fresh coat of paint—and remember that your walls aren’t the only thing worth repainting. Since cabinets are the most visible element in any kitchen, they probably deserve a tune-up more than your walls do.
“Nothing is more impactful than a fresh coat of paint,” Mary Maloney, owner and principal designer at Bee's Knees Interior Design, says. “Paint can revive, refresh, and add new life to a tired and dated kitchen.”
When it comes to repainting your kitchen cabinets, there are a few things you’ll want to consider. For starters, what does the rest of your space look like? “Plan and coordinate carefully,” Maloney says. “Think about how the colors will relate to all the other elements and connecting spaces.”
01 Play With Color and Texture
Color isn't the only thing you can play with when it comes to cabinetry. Texture can make your space more dynamic, too. “I like not only using paint for the cabinets,” Hanono says.
She notes that by layering paint over a textured material—like a mesh cabinet door or a deep-grained wood—you can “give a special touch” to your kitchen.
02 Don’t Be Afraid to Go Dark
Black may seem like an odd color for kitchen cabinets, but the bold neutral can look great in classic and contemporary kitchens, alike. If you find yourself drawn to a dark color, go for it.
03 Use the Same Color From Ceiling to Floor
Keep your kitchen sleek by matching your cabinets to your walls—and matching your walls to your ceiling. This top-to-bottom approach will create one continuous wall of color, which is sure to make a statement, even if the color you choose is white.
04 Treat Different Cabinet Styles Differently
If you're painting your cabinets more than one color, consider divvying up your shades by cabinet style. Paint your base cabinets one color and your wall cabinets another. Or make your floor-to-ceiling cabinets a different color than the other cabinet styles in your space.
05 Match Your Cabinets to Your Backsplash
Your cabinets should pair well with the rest of your kitchen, so turn to your backsplash for color inspiration. Match your cabinets directly to your backsplash, or use your cabinets as an opportunity for contrast: If your backsplash is bold, could you mellow out your kitchen with a neutral cabinet color?
06 Make Sure Your Undertones Match
When choosing a paint color, don't just take a shade at face value. Pay attention to the color's undertones and consider how they'll pair with the other undertones in your space.
“Mistakes are common, and often occur due to a conflict of undertones,” Maloney says. Undertones are typically either warm (yellow) or cool (blue), and you’ll want to stick to one or the other.
07 Paint Your Cabinets Two Different Colors
Can't settle on a single cabinet color? Paint your cabinets two different colors. Two-toned cabinets have become a popular pick for kitchens. And while you can choose any two colors you like, you’ll probably want to ground your base cabinets with a dark color and pick a lighter shade for your wall cabinets.
08 Use Color to Spruce Up a Traditional Kitchen
When choosing a paint color, consider how you can add contrast to your space. Olga Hanono, the principal designer at Olga Hanono, says she loves to pair a classic kitchen with a surprisingly bold cabinet color.
“If your kitchen is very traditional, I recommend that you choose a strident color to give it a touch of creativity,” she says.
09 Consider the Style of Your Space
If you're having trouble picking a paint color, use your space as a starting point.
“We love a pop of color, but you really need to map out a game plan that is going to make sense for the long haul,” Maloney says. “What colors will work best with the architecture and style of your home?”
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