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Colored Kitchen Cabinets: Inspiration

by | Jun 27, 2016 | Best of the Best Kitchen Ideas, Color, Decorating Inspiration, Kitchens

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Colored Kitchen Cabinets: InspirationHouse and Garden UK

As we continue the “best of the best” kitchen series, I thought it would be fun to do a round up of some lovely ideas for colored kitchen cabinets. I adore white kitchen cabinets, of course, but I happen to love almost any well-designed kitchen. I don’t have just one favorite, I have thousands! Ha!

So how does one decide what color is best for their cabinets? It can be hard to choose! I know it is for me. I think colored kitchen cabinets just have to make sense with the house, complement the other elements in the room and fit the style preferences of its owner.

I’ve gone back and forth at least a million of times on what color or type of cabinets I want to use in our kitchen. I can picture several different scenarios that would all result in a lovely kitchen. We do have existing elements to work with in adjoining spaces, such as slate tile in our entry and wood floors in the dining room. Each of those play a role in decisions, but ultimately I have to choose what cabinets I think I will love the most.

The final choice of cabinet colors often comes down to what will make your heart skip a beat. Once you know what your heart wants, you just have to take the leap with confidence. Your ultimate choice may or may not have been your only favorite, but choosing a color you love and that pulls your style together will bring you joy.

In my past homes we’ve had both white and colored kitchen cabinets like dark gray in our last house and even a beautiful shade of green a few houses ago. I’ve loved them all. I’ll be sharing more about plans for our new kitchen soon!

For now, enjoy this round up of beautiful ideas for colored kitchen cabinets.

Colored Kitchen Cabinets

Colored Kitchen Cabinets: InspirationAtlanta Homes

Colored Kitchen Cabinets: Inspiration
House to Home UK

Colored Kitchen Cabinets: Inspiration
House and Garden UK / Photo by Alexander James

Colored Kitchen Cabinets: Inspiration
House Beautiful

Colored Kitchen Cabinets: Inspiration
House and Garden UK

Colored Kitchen Cabinets: InspirationHouse Beautiful

Colored Kitchen Cabinets: Inspiration
Photo by Alyssa Rosenheck via Style Me Pretty

Colored Kitchen Cabinets: Inspiration
BHG

Colored Kitchen Cabinets: Inspiration
BHG

Colored Kitchen Cabinets: InspirationBHG

Colored Kitchen Cabinets: Inspiration

Related Posts:

See more posts in this kitchen design series here.

Gray and White Kitchen Inspiration

White Kitchens I Love and 5 Take Away Tips

What kitchen cabinet colors are your favorite?

20 Comments

  1. Cathy

    Wow! There are some stunning kitchens here! I’m not sure I would personally commit to coloured cabinets other than grey–maybe something really pale. I’ve lived with white cabinets for 23 years and still like them. I might introduce some wood in my next kitchen, though, for a change. I’m sure you will choose something beautiful!

  2. Deanna Rabe

    I’m in the process of painting my kitchen cabinets white, from light oak. They are inexpensive and after 15 years, I wanted a change. I love color too, but at this point all white was the best option. We may be doing a kitchen and laundry/mudroom addition if my parents move in with us, so this is a ‘temporary upgrade’.

    It’s looking really great. Now I have to decide on hardware. Your post about black hardware is giving me a lot to consider!

  3. Jamie

    Love the look of painted cabinets! I made the daring decision to paint ours a few years ago. The paint I used was Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in duck egg blue, and used the dark wax to give them an aged look. I love the results, and we get many compliments. I’m so happy that I stepped out of my comfort zone and went for it! I’m looking forward to seeing what your new kitchen will look like, as I loved the one in your other home!

    • Liz

      That color sounds lovely – do you have a picture posted somewhere. I currently have white cabinets, but am thinking about adding color to the bottom ones. thanks..liz

      • Jamie

        I’m sorry, Liz, but I don’t have a website or blog. I’m just a blog follower/wanna be decorator :) I tried to cut and paste a pic to this comment box, but it wouldn’t let me. My advice is to be bold and do it! :) I would highly recommend using the chalk paint. You can thin it if you want a smoother application (the paint goes much further this way) or use it as it is in the can. The great thing about chalk paint is you just clean your cabinets with a degreaser (I used TSP from the hardware store) and then paint them! Since I have difficult to replace hardware on my cabinets, I even painted over those with the chalk paint. I finished them with the Annie Sloan clear wax, and am amazed by how well it protects them from dirt and water. Overall, it was a very quick process, and you wouldn’t believe how many people ask if I paid to have someone do them! ? I did a lot of research about using chalk paint on Pinterest and decorating blogs before I decided to use the paint. Good luck! ?

        • Liz

          Thanks….I’ll check into the chalk paint & dark wax.

    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      That color sounds wonderful, Jamie! Refreshed cabinets make such an improvement to the kitchen. I’m sure yours look beautiful. We used Annie Sloan on our fireplace and what a difference!

  4. carolina elizabeth

    How gorgeous they all are. I need some help, though. I need a good place to get cabinet hardware online. Will you please share a place or two that you may know of?
    Thank you for all the lovely inspiration.

  5. Kay

    Wow. I just had a “moment”, crushing on colored kitchen cabs!
    We JUST installed a white IKEA kitchen in our Dutch colonial.
    Looks like I am going to be painting our island a color that I love — dark blue.

  6. sandyc

    Lovely pix, everyone, and those yellow green ones from House and Garden, UK are calling my name. But you’re so right, Melissa. It’s not only what color calls you name but how it will work in your kitchen and in your house. I’m going with a warm white to cover the 1980s oak cabinets because I love white kitchens but also I think white will work better in my small kitchen as a backdrop rather than a color calling attention to itself and better with the rest of my small and somewhat open house. My favorite yellow green will be there; however. That lovely blue farmhouse sink/hutch-like cabinet by the window from House and Garden, UK gives me a great idea for a “green” piece. I found an old country armoire with mullioned glass doors, shallow and totally perfect to sit on the side of my fridge which is visible from the front door and elsewhere when you walk in the home. It’s an OK chalk-painted white with pale grey trim but I’ve been envisioning it repainted in that wonderful green which would pick up that green in my office drapes and lampshades. No room for an island in my kitchen but that can be my statement piece. Thanks for the visual treat and more inspiration again. So eager to see the new plans for your kitchen!

  7. Joanne Richards

    Living here in the Northwest, life gets very grey during the winter. I have painted the walls of one of my kitchens yellow(pastel) and have also (different house) had yellow cabinets…it brightens my day!!

  8. Andi

    I am loving colored cabinets right now! I am really drawn to the two-toned idea, where the bottom cabinets are a color and the upper cabinets are white. Can’t wait to see what you decide to do!

  9. Patty

    I am so torn between all white and having the lower cabinets colored. I thought I had made up my mind until I saw a white with a cobalt blue. Now seeing all these combination and colors I really don’t know what to do. We are going to have to reconfigure the kitchen and can’t come up with something that works, I think we are going to have to consult a kitchen designer. I’m just so afraid of making a mistake that I will have to live with the rest of my life.
    I received your coloring book a couple of weeks ago and I love it, it is very intricate, but it allows me to use my imagination and picture my rooms done this way or that way, such fun.

    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      It is hard to decide, I know the feeling! It may help you to have a kitchen designer offer her expert help, but sometimes you just have to go for it and do what you love. Holding back and staying neutral might seem safer but if your heart is happy with color, it can also lead to a design you don’t love as much. Good luck!

      PS. I’m glad you got the coloring book! It is fun to use your imagination and try new colors. The great thing about it is you can use the intricate lines or color over them and simplify it!

  10. Jean | DelightfulRepast.com

    Melissa, those are all gorgeous. We got light wood cabinetry when we remodeled. Before that we had painted cabinets–butter yellow. If we ever paint our cabinets, we’ll go with the same color. Still love it and always will!

  11. Melinda Young

    When I saw the 1st photo with the blue/gray color I thought of your kitchen and that awesome view! :)

  12. Rebecca Turner

    Love them all! I’d love to redo my kitchen, but maybe I should settle for just painting my cabinets. Probably blue. I’ve been gravitating towards a yellow kitchen, but I’ve decided to do blue, with yellow accents. Because I have to be true to myself. I’ve always loved a blue kitchen. Love the blue, shell backsplash behind the stove in that one pic!

  13. Sadie

    I’m loving the navy blue and the greenish-grey cabinets! We are having our cabinets refinished in a couple of weeks and I really want to add some color to our kitchen. I’m considering a more neutral color for our cabinets and then a fun accent color for our island. Thanks for sharing this inspiration!

 

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