These Are the 10 Most Daring Kitchen Cabinet Colors I’ve Ever Seen
When it comes to kitchens, the cabinet color sets the tone. After all, cabinets are often the star of the whole room! Neutral cabinet tones like white, tan, and navy have been popular for years because they’re easy to design around — but a bold cabinet color that stops you in your tracks can also have major design power.
As these 10 kitchen transformations prove, sometimes a bold kitchen cabinet color really pays off. There’s a whole rainbow of possibilities waiting to make your kitchen unforgettable, and these are some of the most memorable to me.
1. A Bland Brown Kitchen Gets a Quirky Redo — And a Surprising New Cabinet Color
Andrea Granger (@hunt.and.scavenge), an artist and interior designer, took her chocolate brown kitchen cabinets to the next level with one bold move: painting them in Sherwin-Williams’ Plum Dandy, a striking shade of purple. “The purple was such a daring choice, but I pitched it to the homeowners, and they were surprisingly very excited,” Andrea previously told Apartment Therapy. From traditional brown to bright, bold purple, this kitchen is nearly unrecognizable.
2. A Bold Paint Makeover Transforms This Bland Kitchen into a “Statement” Space
Inspired by the color palette of 1950s and ’60s modernist interiors, interior designer Sam Sakalai (@livingspace_to) decided to give his kitchen, which he shares with his partner, Phil, a major upgrade. He chose a deep, dramatic blue (Benjamin Moore’s Patriot Blue) for the cabinets and backsplash. To tie everything together, he ordered matching doorknobs from Etsy. The transformation cost about $6,000.
3. A Dated Kitchen Gets a Dramatic Purple-Toned Redo for $3,125
Interior designer Katherine Thewlis (@hausmatter) and her husband, Andy, were ready to take their kitchen to the next level. They were eager to move away from their original tan and white space and try something more daring. To do just that, they made a bold move by painting their cabinets a striking burgundy-purple. They started by removing some of the upper cabinets near the sink, and they painted the remaining cabinets and kitchen island in Sherwin-Williams’ Rookwood Dark Red, which added depth and drama.
4. This Cheerful Kitchen Redo Features a Super-Unexpected Color Combo
DIYer Martin Atwell turned her 50-year-old kitchen with nicotine-stained white cabinets into a stunning green statement. In fact, Home Projects Director, Megan Baker Detloff, says she’s never seen a bolder kitchen. To complete the kitchen transformation Martin used a striking emerald (Behr’s Crown Jewel) paint and spent just $160, which covered everything from prime and paint to sanding pads, drop cloths, and fresh pulls.
5. This 100-Year-Old Kitchen’s IKEA Cabinet Makeover Adds Serious Drama
These rich red-hued cabinets exude boldness, confidence, and “I’m the main character” energy. Although she’s a renter, DIY pro and content creator Imani Keal (@imaniathome) felt it was worth the investment to give her kitchen a renovation, and she painted her kitchen cabinets with Valspar’s Royal Garnet.
6. A Dated, “Very ’80s” Kitchen Gets a Striking No-Demo Makeover
Rather than fully removing the historical bones of their 1980s kitchen, homeowners Heath and Samantha Mitchell (@rainbowhomereno) gave it new life with fresh paint. It’s British Paint’s Webster Park, a deep teal that beautifully complements the stained glass.
7. A $4,800 Transformation Makes a “Very Tight” Kitchen “Feel Twice as Big”
Designer Megan Lusher (@kalemdesignhouse) called picking the somewhat risky kitchen cabinet color in this makeover a “terrifying choice,” but loves the way the paint color (Benjamin Moore’s Hearth Red) came out — especially paired with everything else in the room. “The more we layered in there, the more it felt like a proper kitchen rather than just a tiny space with a fridge and oven,” Megan previously told Apartment Therapy.
8. $1,000 Later, a “Tired” Kitchen Is Now Colorful and Kitschy to the Max
‘Tis the year for butter yellow everything, and Marina Porter and her husband, Alexander Arseneau, were ahead of the trend with adding yellow to their home. Before embracing the vibrant color, their kitchen featured dated oak cabinets. By painting them in Behr’s Yellow Jubilee, they gave them a totally new, cheery look. Marina says painting the cabinets “really brightens up the space.”
9. A Fresh Cabinet Color Gives This Kitchen Makeover a Major Energy Boost
DIYer Stacey-Ann Blake (@designaddictmom) transformed her once-dark kitchen into a light, vibrant space. “Color is in my DNA, so after researching a number of green shades I found one that worked great in the space,” she says. The color she chose to brighten things up? A refreshing limey mint shade: Benjamin Moore’s Sherwood Green. Stacey’s painting advice is to invest in quality paint because it makes a difference in the finished look.
10. Bright, Colorful Cabinets Took This Brown Kitchen from Blah to Breathtaking
Hilary Crawford’s (@hilaryscolourfulhome) 128-square-foot kitchen was long overdue for a makeover. The original space featured dark wood cabinets that dimmed the room’s natural light and created a gloomy atmosphere. Before starting the process, she wanted to make sure the space felt lighter and brighter and flowed with the rest of the vibrant house. The goal for the task was to keep the “cost to an absolute minimum,” and this bold paint makeover with Little Green’s Mid Azure Green is proof that you can upgrade your kitchen on a budget.