The 9 Best Colors for Kitchen Cabinets

Painting kitchen cabinets gives you an opportunity to change how your kitchen looks, feels, and even cleans up after a big cooking session. It’s also more affordable than other cabinet upgrades like refacing. But if you’re feeling a little stumped on which cabinet paints will work in your kitchen, we’re here to help. Our guide will help you find the best color for kitchen cabinets so you can transform your space. 

Smooth Cloud Colors

White has long been a popular color for kitchen cabinets to help make a kitchen feel roomy and clean—and to spot any cooking stains that need to be wiped up. But if you want something with a little more personality, a cloud-colored paint could be the perfect choice. These shades range from soft grays to creamy clouds touched by the sun, and they’re the perfect backdrop to show off appliances, pottery, and other favorite kitchen elements. 

For inspiration:

• Sherwin-Williams Drift of Mist

• Benjamin Moore® Cloud White

• Benjamin Moore® Steam

• BEHR® Soft Cloud

Calming Blues

A light, calming blues instantly gives kitchen cabinets an enchanting, homey feel. Blues like these mid-tone picks pair especially well with natural woods and darker appliances in the kitchen as well as white dishes and walls. Like off-whites, these light blues also help make a kitchen feel open and roomy.

For inspiration:

• BEHR® Relaxing Blue

• Benjamin Moore® Blue Hydrangea

• Sherwin-Williams Aleutian

• Sherwin-Williams Blissful Blue

Sunny Yellows and Oranges

For a kitchen that feels bright, lively, and ready for the morning, consider painting your cabinets a cheerful yellow or orange. These shades help make kitchen cabinets look happy and inviting without being too overpowering or banana-like. They pair especially well with white walls or lighter-tone counters. For inspiration:

• Benjamin Moore® Early Dawn

• Benjamin Moore® New Dawn

• BEHR® Elusive Dawn

• BEHR® Equatorial

Vibrant and Sultry Reds

Red is a bold choice for cabinets, but one that offers major benefits. In a drab or monotone kitchen, red cabinets bring an inviting splash of color that immediately creates more energy. Red is associated with the element of fire, something deeply connected to kitchen activities, and vibrant red cabinets signify a kitchen that’s actively used where everyone is welcome. Apple or berry-like reds are also sure to make people hungry!

If brighter, apple-like reds aren’t your style, you can choose a darker or brick red instead. Dark shades like this are warm, cozy, and even sexy, evoking thoughts of wine and rubies. They pair very well with lighter counters and dishes.

For inspiration:

• BEHR® Deep Fire

• Sherwin-Williams Luxurious Red

• Sherwin-Williams Stolen Kiss

• PPG Calypso Berry

Gentle Pinks

If reds are a step too far for your kitchen, consider quieter pinks instead. These soft and rosy tones are still warming, but can be surprisingly neutral, letting other elements of the kitchen take the spotlight. 

Both dark and bright hardware look great against these pink colors. Some prefer to go with brass handles, while others like a more grounded touch with a dark bronze finish.

For inspiration:

• BEHR® Gentle Pink

• PPG Rose Pink

• Benjamin Moore® Gentle Blush

• Sherwin-Williams In the Pink

Nature-Inspired Greens

For a kitchen that looks clean, happy, and luxurious, take inspiration from the different shades of green found in nature. Lighter greens like mint and sage offer the same open, roomy feeling that whites do while having a bit more personality. Or for a bolder choice, you could choose a jungle or forest green, both rich colors that have a vivacious feeling. Natural greens of all kinds pair well with other natural tones, including stone and wood.

For inspiration:

• Sherwin-Williams Nurture Green

• Benjamin Moore® Rainforest Dew

• Benjamin Moore® Turning Leaf

• PPG Force of Nature

Beach-Inspired Browns

Taupes and other brown shades have long been popular kitchen choices for their earthy, no-nonsense vibes that complement brighter notes of color. For cabinets, we’re choosing somewhat softer tans that evoke the feeling of sand or grasses at a peaceful beach. As you can imagine, that makes an excellent pairing for ocean blues and cloudy whites.

Gentle browns like these are innately relaxing and don’t get in the way of focal points like beautiful counters or other displays. They also pair well with other browns in the kitchen.

For inspiration:

• Kelly-Moore Dried Grass

• PPG Beach Vibes

• BEHR® Adobe Sand

• Sherwin-Williams Sand Beach

Elegant Dark Grays

Light cabinet paint colors are common because they tend to open a kitchen up and accent counters and appliances well. But there’s also room for dark cabinet colors, and when chosen well, they can have a striking effect. Dark grays will even add some warmth to cabinetry (especially if it’s a greige color) while giving your kitchen a lavish, refined look. Dark gray also pairs very well with metallic cabinet hardware and kitchen appliances, especially brass and bronze. 

For inspiration:

• PPG Moody Sky

• Sherwin-Williams Night Out

• Benjamin Moore® Kendall Charcoal

• PPG Old Silk

Inviting Dark Coffees

If dark grays are a little too cold for your tastes but you still like the idea of rich, dark cabinets, then these coffee colors could be the perfect choice. They offer a mahogany-like beauty that’s sure to revitalize any kitchen. Luxurious dark browns like these pair well with gold and off-white colors as well as a wide variety of countertops.

For inspiration:

• BEHR® Havana Coffee

• PPG Coffee Bean

• PPG Ground Coffee

• Benjamin Moore® Morning Coffee

Can’t Decide? Go Two-Tone!

Kitchen cabinets allow for a unique opportunity to choose more than one color to create a two-tone effect. In these cases, you typically pick one shade for the upper kitchen cabinets and another shade for the base cabinets. Sometimes wall-based cabinets are one color, and kitchen island cabinets are a different color. Or a center cabinet section gets a bright splash of color while the other cabinets are more muted…you get the idea.

Two-tone kitchen cabinets benefit from significantly different colors, such as an eggshell white for the upper cabinets to make the kitchen feel more open and a navy blue for the base cabinets to create a rich, grounded look (darker colors typically go on the lower cabinets). You could even choose to paint one section and choose natural wood for another. However, the two colors should always be complementary, so it’s important touse an interior design color wheel or get a recommendation from a professional cabinet painter near you.