10 of the Best Kitchen Cabinet Colours Ideas and Two-Tone Designs

When we started planning our new kitchen design the most important decision for me was to get the kitchen cabinet colour right. I had my heart set on two-tone kitchen cabinets right from the beginning.

Kitchens can sometimes be a bit monochrome. I wanted to inject several colours into the room and kitchen cabinets are a great place to start.

We had always gone with white kitchens in the past. Mainly because we were renovating the property to do up and sell on and white was the most popular choice amongst house hunters.

Even though I loved our old white kitchen with wooden worktops, I found myself drooling over different kitchen cabinet colours and often thought about getting our white kitchen spray painted.

Thankfully, I never had to do this as we moved house which meant I could start planning a whole new kitchen colour scheme!

Kitchen Cabinet Colours

It’s time to go bold in your kitchen!

From pretty pastels to nature-inspired greens and blues, here are a few kitchen cabinet colour ideas to get you started.

Moody tones

Go dark! I love the dramatic nature of dark kitchen cabinets. They are sophisticated and stylish and provide a striking backdrop to your kitchen.

Choose either Charcoal, Navy, Dark Green, or if you’re really brave, black! These dark shades have the wonderful ability to change shade depending on the light.

Dark blue island and white quartz worktops — Our Navy kitchen island can look charcoal when it starts getting dark. I love the colour of our island

We have a dark navy island and dark navy cabinets in our utility room which go a glorious blue in the direct sunlight.

dark green kitchen cabinets and island with white quartz worktops and crittall door — Amanda’s fabulously dark green kitchen. Image credit @houselust

If you’re worried that dark kitchen cabinets will make your kitchen too moody, keep the backsplashes and countertops light by installing marble, white quartz, or light wood.

Keep the walls a light shade like off-white, light sage green or a pale grey and finish the cabinetry with brass or gold hardware for a luxurious look.

dark green kitchen with white quartz worktop — Moody green. Image credit: Howdens

dark navy cabinets with tiled backsplash — The ultimate in kitchen style with dark blue cabinetry. Image credit: @rocking_the_cotswolds

Pretty Pastels

If you don’t want to go to the dark side, pretty pastels could be your thing!

Pastel colours can be fun and soothing at the same time and remind me of ice cream parlours and sunny days.

mint green kitchen cupboards with belfast sink — Fresh and calm. Mint green in the kitchen. Image credit: @melanielissackinteriors

You want your pastel kitchen cabinets to take centre stage, so stick with white or neutral colours on the walls.

Accessorize it with bright pops of pink, purple and lilac to make your kitchen pop with colour.

pale blue kitchen cabinets with herringbone white tile backsplash — Nova Seagrass kitchen by Magnet

mint green cabinets and tiled flooring in the kitchen — Gloriously pastel! Image credit: @reka_thornton_home

Nature-inspired greens and blues

My current favourite colours to use in the kitchen, there is a large range of different shades of blue and green you can use on your kitchen cabinets.

blue kitchen cabinets with marble splashback — A softer blue. Image credit: www.bushboard.co.uk

We have a grey/blue shade on our kitchen cabinets and a dark navy island which work together perfectly.

However, green is THE colour of the moment.

Dark forest and sage green are hugely popular colours which are a modern take on the Navy and grey kitchen cabinets that seemed to be ubiquitous over the last few years.

dark green kitchen with marble worktops and parquet flooring — Dunham kitchen in Forest Green – Magnet

Dark forest green works amazingly with marble worktops, bronze hardware and wooden floors to give it a wonderfully elegant look.

Sage green is extremely versatile and works with white quartz or wooden worktops. Sage looks best with natural materials like wood and stone and monochrome backsplashes.

sage green island and crittall windows in the kitchen — Sage green island with white worktops. Image credit: thelistedhome.co.uk

dark blue kitchen cupboards, light blue island and exposed steel beams — A beautiful blue combination. Image credit: oliveandbarr.com

dark blue kitchen cabinets, marble splashback and sage green island with crittall windows and doors — Showing how well sage green and dark blue work together. Image credit: www.mereway.co.uk

grey/blue island and kitchen cabinets — A distinctly greyish-blue kitchen. Image credit: Mereway Kitchens

Greys

After many years of white kitchens, grey cabinets slowly started making an appearance as people began to experiment with other colours in the home.

If you don’t want a white kitchen, but don’t fancy going all out with colour, grey is a fabulous choice.

light grey handleless shaker style kitchen — Oozing sophistication. The Howdens Chelford Kitchen in Dove Grey

Warm greys work well as a backdrop and are timeless.

They look best with natural elements like wood, slate and stone which help bring texture and earthy tones into the kitchen.

blue/grey kitchen cabinets and island with brickwork splashback — Rathlin in Denim by HKUK

Not so Mellow Yellow

Yellow has always been a highly energetic colour and brings a touch of sunshine and cheerfulness into any room.

Yellow works in both dark and light rooms – it can help brighten up a dark corner of your kitchen or can be mellowed down in a bright room filled with sunshine.

dark blue kitchen cupboards and bright yellow cabinets — BRIGHT! Countour kitchen in Bumblebee Matt by Wren Kitchens

Yellow kitchen cabinets are really the star of the show, so keep everything else neutral and calm.

But, if you are a fan of bright colours, then go for it!

Use two-tone cabinets with greens or dark blues that help complement the yellow. Add brightly coloured accessories throughout the kitchen to create a fun and eclectic feel to the room.

Beautifully eclectic kitchen by @victoriaemes_home

Pretty in Pink

I love pink cabinets and very nearly had them in our kitchen.

However, as I wanted exposed steel beams and an industrial look, I decided to go with blues and greens.

pink kitchen cabinets and brickwork splashback — Rathlin in Kashmir by HKUK

Pink is such a warm and playful colour; it goes with pretty much anything.

If you don’t want a full-on pink kitchen, think about a pink island with dark navy cabinetry for a dramatic backdrop.

Or choose a darker shade of pinks like a deep red or burgundy to emphasise the pink island.

burgundy kitchen cabinets and pink island in the kitchen — This pink island works in symmetry with the dark red kitchen cabinetry. Image credit: @lisaweaverhome

Metals

Metals aren’t a colour as such, more a texture or look.

Stainless steel cabinets are sleek, robust and perfect for an industrial look. They work with other natural materials like wood, concrete, exposed walls and plaster and tiled floors.

industrial style kitchen from IKEA — Industrial style to perfection. Image credit: IKEA

White

Still the most popular colour, white kitchen cabinets are probably the easiest colour to use in the kitchen and help the room stay fresh, bright and clean.

In our last renovation, we went with a white kitchen as it was by far the most popular colour choice.

We wanted to renovate and sell on, so we went with a colour that would appeal to the masses.

white shaker style kitchen with dark blue walls and brickwork island — Our last house had a white shaker-style kitchen.

Depending on what type of kitchen cabinets you go for, white can be contemporary or traditional.

If you want a more contemporary kitchen, go for marble or white quartz worktops and handleless doors. Gloss white kitchens epitomise that sleek contemporary look.

white gloss open plan kitchen — Howdens Clerkenwell gloss kitchen

If you want to go down the traditional route, aim for shaker-style kitchens with wooden worktops, original features and wooden doors. Add a large Belfast sink and stainless steel hardware.

Wood tones

Another trend that is growing, and one of my favourites, is the use of natural wood in the kitchen.

With biophilic design and the indoor-outdoor look gaining in popularity, raw materials and textures are the perfect aesthetic for your kitchen.

wooden island and dark green kitchen cupboards — Image credit: Optiplan Kitchens

The beauty of wood is that it works perfectly with any colour. You could opt for a wood island with sage green or dark blue cabinets.

Another look I love is textured wood like the stunning Nordic Nature range from Magnet. Its fluted oak-effect slab doors will look good next to neutral shades or sage green and light grey wall cabinets.