With the whole rainbow at your fingertips, picking a colour for your kitchen cabinets and cupboards can feel overwhelming. From soothing neutrals and dazzling whites to bold or pastel shades, the possibilities are limitless.
Ultimately, the choice of colour for your project is very personal. It should reflect you whilst working with the character of your home.
No guide can choose for you. However, understanding a little more about the painting process and how to choose complementary colours can inform your decision.
Keep reading as we answer pressing questions, including:
- What paint is best for kitchen cabinets?
- Is it easy to paint kitchen cabinets?
- What colours make small kitchens look larger?
- How do I choose complementary colours?
Then, we suggest some ultra-stylish options that promise to make any kitchen space look brand-new.
What paint is best for kitchen cabinets?
Quite apart from the colour you are dreaming of, the best paint to use on kitchen cabinets needs to be both robust and practical.
To minimise the messy, smelly and time-consuming aspect of painting your kitchen, you need a self-priming, self-sealing paint that requires simple surface preparation. For this, the best paint for your kitchen cabinets is a modern chalk paint. Water-based with low VOC content, these paints are a pleasure to use. They are self-priming so cut out the need for smelly primers and are low odour themselves.
Chalk paints tend to have a flat finish, meaning little sheen, so a great for hiding imperfections that glossy surfaces tend to highlight. In addition, modern chalk paints are extremely robust so will withstand daily use.
Is it easy to paint kitchen cabinets?
You can paint kitchen cabinets in four easy steps with minimal fuss, equipment and expense. All you need to do is clean, lightly sand, apply paint and add some finishing touches.
Additionally, when you use Frenchic Al Fresco or Lazy Range, you get all the benefits of modern chalk paints, which means with a little effort you can have the satisfaction of updating your kitchen yourself!
Standout colours for kitchen cabinets
Here's what you've been waiting for – our expert colour recommendations for utterly gorgeous kitchen cabinets.
Remember to prioritise colours that spark joy. If nothing on this list speaks to you, make sure to browse the complete collection of paint for kitchen cabinets.
Greens
Green has boomed in popularity thanks to our renewed interest in the natural world. It brings the outside in and feels simultaneously expansive and meditative. Colour psychologists believe it promotes balance, harmony, growth and renewal.
Wise Old Sage is a crowd favourite. Lighter and less domineering than darker greens, it adds a subtle splash of colour to bland settings. It looks extraordinarily delightful alongside soothing blends like duck egg blue and hearty brown.
Alternatively, create contrast with rich emerald green. Victory Lane dazzles against brilliant white tiles and appliances. Its strong, jewel-like pigmentation, is a joy to the eye every time you step into the room.
Whatever you choose, make sure to accessorise with plenty of indoor plants and wooden furniture for the maximum, earthy effect.
Blues
Blue is one of the most popular colours for kitchens – with good reason too. It looks great in practically any kitchen, from traditional shaker styles to uber-modern kitchen-diners. Most importantly, blue can be used to great effect on cupboard doors.
A deep, dark shade like After Midnight will add depth to your kitchen with a strong, dramatic backdrop. Or opt for some lighter, and a bit more unusual, like Moody Blue. Its lovely lavender undertones will lighten the mood of your kitchen and keep it looking completely unique.
Neutrals
Neutral cabinets are far from boring – they give you ultimate freedom when choosing appliances, wall paint and furnishings. They're excellent supporting actors and can be used to emphasise other colours in your palette. For example, they highlight bold feature walls and standout accents.
Plus, natural shades such as Cream Dream and Salt of the Earth instil a sense of calm. They're wonderfully non-stimulating, anything but boring and super easy to live with.
Greys
When it comes to kitchen cabinet colours, it doesn’t get cooler than grey. This umbrella term covers a wide range of colours, each of which can add their own twist to your kitchen cupboards. Keep things light with Swanky Pants – a light silvery tone which can be used in abundance while maintaining a light, bright kitchen. Or go bold with Smudge. This deep charcoal grey can add drama to your kitchen for a sophisticated, stylish look.
Alternatively, Greyhound is a deep, mid-grey with blue-tinted undertones, which provides the perfect backdrop for pops of colour in your towels, small appliances or kitchen accessories.
Black and white
If we’re talking about standout kitchen colours, we can’t miss out black and white. While these two contrasting tones stake a claim as kitchen colours in their own right, there’s also a current trend of painting wall units a paler colour than base units. This creates the illusion of space in your kitchen by visually adding depth and an extra dimension to your cabinets.
Refresh your base units in deep, dark Blackjack and transform wall units with crisp, clean Whitey White – you can thank us later!
Find the best colour for your kitchen cabinets
Frenchic paint for kitchen cupboards is a quick and easy way to revamp your kitchen. Products are self-priming, durable and with minimal VOCs.
There's a kaleidoscopic range of colours available to suit every taste and setting, from classic neutrals to greens, blues and greys. Whatever your preference, we have you covered.
