The best non-white kitchen cabinet paint colors from the experts

You guys wanted more color this year, so let’s kick things off with the best non-white kitchen cabinet paint colors.

jack pine by Benjamin Moore on kitchen cabinetsBenjamin Moore Jack Pine on cabinets in kitchen designed by Jaclyn Peters.

The best non-white kitchen cabinet paint colors.

Kitchen design is always a hot topic around here.

The last post all about the best white cabinetry paint colors was SO popular, I asked Louise Pascal to come back for another one!

Louise Pascal is a principal at True North Cabinets – a nationally published, award winning firm based right here in New Canaan, CT.

With over nineteen years experience in the cabinet making industry, I know you’re going to really appreciate hearing Louise’s kitchen cabinet paint color recommendations!

What are the best looking kitchen cabinet paint colors which aren’t white or beige?

Let’s take a look…

Blue kitchen cabinets painted in Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore.

Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore

Starting off with a personal favorite, Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore.

Crisp and clean, this color works so beautifully on cabinets and kitchen islands.

Also great for a butler’s pantry.

I love how this blue paint color pairs so perfectly with brass hardware too.

Railings by Farrow and Ball paint on modern kitchen lower cabinetsimage via Devol

Railings by Farrow and Ball

Another stunning non white paint color to consider is Railings by Farrow and Ball.

A soft black with blue undertones.

This color provides a great way to add some high contrast to your kitchen.

It looks amazing against the Carrara marble backsplash here.

I also love the clean look of no upper cabinets in the inspiration photo here.

kitchen cabinets painted in Tinsmith gray by Sherwin WilliamsImage via Southern Living

Tinsmith by Sherwin Williams

This gray color by Sherwin Williams is a show stopper.

It’s not too cold, and as you can see, looks so great with sepia and warmer neutral tones.

An instant classic, you can’t go wrong with Tinsmith.

Charcoal and cream colors always look so chic together.

Gray charcoal kitchen cabinets painted in Kendall by Benjamin Moore

Kendall Charcoal by Benjamin Moore

Finally, another beautiful color from the gray family, Kendall Charcoal is quite dark and dramatic.

It has a bit more depth than the other grays mentioned above.

I love how elegant this looks with the pattern backsplash above.

This color would also look great in a dining room.

sample paint decal of Hale NavyHale Navy Samplize paint sample.

Best Non-White Kitchen Cabinet Paint Colors – Conclusion

Check out all these beautiful options Louise discussed above, you really can’t go wrong!

Whether you go with a bold blue hue or a more gray color for kitchen cabinets.

Remember, before you so much as even paint the door to one cabinet or kitchen drawer fronts, to always test out your paint samples in both artificial and in natural light – THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.

The best way to test out a paint colors and to help you choose the right paint, are these large self sticking paint samples.

Doesn’t this sound so clever?

No more endless trips to paint stores and no more messy paint cans to deal with before you commit! Win/win!

If you’re at all curious, you can find them here and try it out as a sample in your home first!

I’ll be using the Samplize samples for every paint project going forward.

I hope this round up of colorful kitchen cabinet paint colors was helpful!

Remember, if you love the look, don’t be afraid to paint your wood cabinets.

A few more paint tips…

We had our kitchen cabinets painted professionally, they spray painted the cabinet doors and drawers to avoid brush marks.

This type of paint job allows for a very smooth finish.

As far as paints go, I’ve heard from more than a few people to go with Benjamin Moore Advance, as it’s known for being the best for cabinets and doors.

This is a water based paint which I’m told dries very quickly.

In addition I’ve been told to stay away from “primer and paint in one” products – the time saving short cut will ultimately not yield a very nice looking finish.

So, be sure to tell me which paint colors you’re leaning towards in the comments below.

And, please feel free to ask any related paint questions too!

I’ve already answered a popular inquiry on which paint finish to choose in this post, just in case your wondering:)

high gloss blue butler's pantry

I couldn’t write a post on colorful cabinets and not include our blue butler’s pantry!

This color was a custom blend of various shades of blue from Fine Paints Of Europe which we had professionally painted over the existing  dark wood cabinetry.

But, as far as which finish to use on kitchen cabinets specifically?

I would say absolutely go with a semi gloss.

This type of gloss finish is much easier to wipe clean and more durable over time.

However, we did decide to go with a high gloss in our butler’s pantry, seen above, and LOVE how it looks.

Also-

Don’t miss this post on the three best white paints to use on trim and baseboards!

And, if you’re looking for some other great neutral paint colors, be sure to check out this blog post on Benjamin Moore Cumulus Cloud and this one on Benjamin Moore’s Sea Salt!

Update: Readers have requested this cream color and neutral paint guide for kitchen cabinets.

Somewhat related: This post has 30 affordable and beautiful options for kitchen runners (just like the one in the first photo above.)

A few more things…

Design lovers! Have you joined our fun and VERY helpful design Facebook group?

In this group – members share photos with their design questions and dilemmas from their own home.

We all chime in with our best advice!

We also share our best sources and tips – so it’s great for those hard to find items and pieces.

Lastly, to help you even further with your interior design projects, download my FREE DESIGN CHEAT SHEET because I know you’re going to find it SO helpful!

free designer cheat sheet pdf on my iphoneMy handy design cheat sheet – keep it on your phone as your easy cheat sheet for all the correct design and decor measurements you’ll ever need!

It’s loaded with all sorts of quick tips and handy measurements.

Click here to grab that, because it’ll be super helpful!

And last but not least...be sure to PIN THIS IMAGE BELOW –  this way you’ll have all this info conveniently saved for your next home project!

kitchen cabinet paint samples to pin

*This post contains affiliate links. This means if you click a link and purchase something, I may get a small commission from it at no cost to you. For more info, please read my disclaimer. I only refer things that I truly love and hope you will too!

Leave a Comment

2 Comments

  1. Kathy K Forcum wrote:

    Great post, love the colors, I did an olive green that turned out great in our last home and loved it

    Published on 1.6.21 · Reply
    • Sue De Chiara wrote:

      Thanks! The green sounds great!

      Published on 1.7.21 · Reply