Paint colors by room
Best Kitchen Cabinets Paint Colors
Kitchen cabinets are the single most valuable paint decision in the house by dollar, surface area, and visual impact. Unlike walls, cabinets bear constant handling, live under both direct light and shadow, and need to read correctly against countertops, backsplashes, and appliance finishes. The cabinet colors that age best fall into four groups: warm and cool whites (still the dominant choice nationwide); deep saturated blues (navy, teal, midnight) which have held in the top tier for a decade; muted greens (sage, eucalyptus, forest) which are the fastest-growing segment; and a small set of dark neutrals (charcoal, warm black) that work in contemporary kitchens. Whatever color you choose, specify an alkyd or waterborne-alkyd paint rated for cabinetry (Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane, Benjamin Moore Advance) — standard wall paint will chip, yellow, and show brush marks within a year of real use.
60 ranked picks across 27 paint brands
Featured Kitchen Cabinets Guides
These colors rank strongly for kitchen cabinetss and have full hand-authored designer guides with undertone notes, lighting behavior, coordinating trim and accents, and room-specific usage.
Top 60 Kitchen Cabinets Paint Colors
Antique White
SW 6119
LRV 72 · warm
Creamy
SW 7012
LRV 81 · warm
Eider White
SW 7014
LRV 73 · warm
Extra White
SW 7006
LRV 86 · warm
Chantilly Lace
BM OC-65
LRV 90 · neutral
Cloud White
BM OC-130
LRV 85.05 · warm
Cream Puff
BM 2174-70
LRV 82.08 · neutral
First Light
BM 2102-70
LRV 75.86 · neutral
Simply White
BM OC-117
LRV 90 · warm
Swiss Coffee
BM OC-45
LRV 81.91 · warm
White Dove
BM OC-17
LRV 83 · warm
White Heron
BM OC-57
LRV 86.69 · neutral
White
DEW 315
LRV 88 · warm
Delicate White
PPG 1001-1
LRV 88 · warm
Strong White
F&B No. 2001
LRV 80 · warm
Half Tea
Resene Half Tea
LRV 73 · warm
Natural White
Dulux NN 01/00
LRV 87 · warm
White Lily
Nippon OW1009P
LRV 86 · warm
Pristine Linen
AP L153
LRV 84 · warm
Vellum
C2-868
LRV 79 · warm
Slaked Lime
LG No.168
LRV 83 · warm
Hempel 10170
Hempel 10170
LRV 84 · warm
Evergreen Fog
SW 9130
LRV 30 · cool
Aegean Teal
BM 2136-40
LRV 25.13 · neutral
Saybrook Sage
BM HC-114
LRV 45.46 · warm
Aesthetic White
SW 7035
LRV 73 · warm
Aged White
SW 9180
LRV 74 · warm
Alabaster
SW 7008
LRV 82 · warm
Alluring White
SW 6343
LRV 77 · warm
Arcade White
SW 7100
LRV 86 · neutral
Blue Iris
SW 9687
LRV 73 · neutral
Ceiling Bright White
SW 7007
LRV 83 · neutral
Cheviot
SW 9503
LRV 89 · warm
Classic Light Buff
SW 0050
LRV 83 · warm
Cold Foam
SW 9504
LRV 84 · neutral
Cotton
SW 9581
LRV 83 · warm
Cotton Candy
SW 9692
LRV 77 · neutral
Cotton White
SW 7104
LRV 87 · warm
Crystalline
SW 9691
LRV 77 · neutral
Cultured Pearl
SW 6028
LRV 73 · neutral
Dashing
SW 9544
LRV 83 · neutral
Dew Drop
SW 9641
LRV 70 · neutral
Divine White
SW 6105
LRV 72 · warm
Dover White
SW 6385
LRV 83 · warm
Downy
SW 7002
LRV 81 · warm
Dreamy White
SW 6021
LRV 71 · neutral
Ethereal White
SW 6182
LRV 76 · neutral
Everyday White
SW 6077
LRV 72 · neutral
Fleur de Sel
SW 7666
LRV 72 · neutral
Frost Bite
SW 9505
LRV 88 · warm
Frosty White
SW 6196
LRV 72 · neutral
Futon
SW 7101
LRV 80 · warm
Gauzy White
SW 6035
LRV 72 · neutral
Glimmer
SW 6476
LRV 78 · neutral
Gorgeous White
SW 6049
LRV 72 · warm
Greek Villa
SW 7551
LRV 84 · warm
Green Glimpse
SW 9676
LRV 82 · neutral
Gypsum
SW 9543
LRV 82 · neutral
High Reflective White
SW 7757
LRV 93 · neutral
Hush White
SW 6042
LRV 72 · neutral
Best Kitchen Cabinets Paint Colors by Brand
Each brand’s top 5 ranked picks for kitchen cabinetss. The lists reflect the room-specific suitability rubric applied to every color in the brand’s full catalog.
Related Rooms
Adjacent rooms in the house often share a color palette, and browsing the neighboring room guides usually surfaces picks the kitchen cabinets rubric doesn’t rank as highly.
Kitchen Cabinets Paint Colors — Frequently Asked
- What is the best paint color for kitchen cabinets?
- Warm and cool whites remain the top-selling cabinet colors nationwide — Benjamin Moore White Dove, Sherwin-Williams Alabaster, and Simply White are the most-specified. Deep blues (Hale Navy, Naval), muted greens (Evergreen Fog, Sage), and warm neutrals (Agreeable Gray, Edgecomb Gray) round out the most-used list.
- Should kitchen cabinets be painted the same color as the walls?
- Generally no. Contrast between cabinets and walls defines the kitchen's visual architecture. Common patterns: white cabinets with a soft color wall; dark cabinets with light walls; two-tone (upper cabinets one color, lower another) with neutral walls. A full monochrome kitchen can work in small, intentional spaces but requires strong hardware and counters to avoid feeling flat.
- Is painting kitchen cabinets worth it?
- Yes, if the cabinet boxes are structurally sound. Painting existing cabinets costs a fraction of replacement, typically improves resale value, and — with the right paint (alkyd or waterborne-alkyd cabinet-rated paint) and proper prep — holds up for 8–10 years before the next refresh. The critical step is surface prep: degrease, sand, prime, and use a brush/roll or HVLP spray setup.
- What paint finish is best for cabinets?
- Satin is the industry standard for cabinets. It has enough sheen to clean easily and highlight detail, but low enough that it doesn't magnify every brush mark or imperfection. Semi-gloss is acceptable for cabinets in heavy-use or commercial settings. Eggshell and flat finishes are too soft for daily cabinet handling and will mark quickly.