Choosing Beautiful Cabinet Colors

Seafoam Green

Seafoam green cabinets look stunning with white countertops and whitewashed walls. Wide plank floors, modern stainless steel open shelving and accents like checkered dishtowels hanging from farmhouse hooks complete the beachside-chic look. Continue the color scheme with a deeper shade of this light, blue-tinged green on a strip of wall rounding a corner above a white tongue-and-groove paneling surrounding a built-in bench and table with two free-standing wood chairs, also painted white. Red poppies (real or faux) are a cute contrast on the windowsill in a sea-glass vase.

Candy Apple Red

Autumnal tones can make your kitchen feel so homey you can almost smell the cinnamon. Candy apple red cabinets pair beautifully with curtains in red and green plaid. A kitchen island build from reclaimed wood that still displays a weathered fragment of the painted name of an apple orchard surrounded by hip orange stools pulls the look a playful direction; mainstream country options include shaker chairs around a simple wooden eat-in table with a red pendant lamp.

High Gloss White

Cabinetry finished in high-gloss white can make a kitchen look clean and bright. This look is suitable for neo-mid-century modern decor with bold pop-art prints on the walls, mint green swirled countertops and black and white checkered tile floors made of Italian marble or linoleum, depending on your aesthetic and budget. Black appliances keep the look smart and high-contrast.

Tangerine

Orange cabinets can bring to mind breakfasts of orange juice, sunny fried eggs and blueberry muffins. Pair tangerine cabinets with a chrome kitchen table and four chairs recovered in vintage barkcloth with a print in a tropical fruit salad color palette. Bright yellow printed curtains keep the happy morning theme going; light wood counters, flooring and a kitchen island with a butcher block counter make the space functional as well as warm. Don't forget orange, yellow and green kitchen towels and baskets of bananas.

Stainless Steel

A modern, sleek kitchen might feature stainless steel cabinets and appliances paired with natural wood flooring and an eat-in area with handcrafted furniture covered in white leather and a stand-out cut-glass chandelier. Contemporary art is a natural in this kitchen. A wall of windows illuminates the scene. Keep lighting on dimmers and make sure you install plenty of drawers to hide kitchen tools; stainless cabinetry invites neat, clean lines rather than a casual, three-days-of-newspapers and cereal-boxes-on-the-counter look.

Black

Black cabinets are an excellent foil to a bright room with sunny yellow or white walls. Gray granite countertops set off the ambiance; eat-in furniture can go many directions, from a stainless steel work table reclaimed from a restaurant kitchen paired with white-backed steel stools or a centerpiece red table and red painted chairs to pop against the dark backdrop. Black is also an apt companion for greens and whites; explore accessories and counters in shades containing some warm gray to create a soothing, natural kitchen. Bamboo flooring is an excellent choice for this design.

Blue

Blue kitchen cabinets come in a range of shades from robin's egg to electric to navy. While blue is not the most common kitchen cabinet color, there is no reason you can't make it work for you. French country decor can combine royal blue and yellow with white and small doses of poppy red and fern green; Cape Cod kitchens might feature several shades of blue in tandem with greens and whites for a casual ocean feeling. Flooring can be dark wood, which is especially nice with lighter blues, or bright white tile with small black subway tile accents—this can bring open blue cabinetry a dose of diner cool. Consider painting open cabinetry with a light shade of blue or white on the outside and deep royal or electric blue against the wall—two toned cabinets can show off a range of colors and the darker interior adds a lovely shadow, giving the room dimension and setting off a great collection of white, blue and green dishes.

Wood Stains

Dark wood cabinets look great with light-colored marble or granite countertops. Consider countertops swirled with a dark streak to pull the look together. Cabinetry with handles provides another place to be creative—drawer pulls and knobs can be white, metallic, colorful or nearly invisible. Try medium tawny wood stains with darker countertops and warm red walls; metallic tin or mirrored backsplashes continue circulating light and energy through the room. Light wood stains pair well with white walls, or light wallpaper; add dimension with red open shelving or a stunning blue metal suspended pot rack.

Camel, Cocoa, Taupe and other Light Browns

If you like light wood tones but want a painted look, consider brown painted cabinetry with punchy accents. Hot pink shelf liners in cocoa drawers are sweet and humorous; shades of brown paired with white molding and a fern green pendant lamp over a built-in breakfast nook with a few brown, white and green throw pillows—maybe a pink print too—invite your family to settle in for grilled cheese sandwiches and a game of Scrabble on Saturday afternoon. Herb gardens in the windowsill look fantastic in cocoa and tan themed kitchens; if you don't have a green thumb, try papering the breakfast nook with wall per in a fern print to complete the natural look.