Choosing the right color for your kitchen cabinets doesn't have to be hard when you observe the surrounding elements in your kitchen space. What would go well with a large or small kitchen? A dark or a light backsplash? Should you go for a modern feel or just go with a classic one? In this article, we’re going to choose between the two competing colors gray and white, for kitchen cabinets.
If you have a small space to move in the kitchen, go for white. White makes an area feel bigger because it’s the best color to reflect light, making it brighter and feel more open. Also, it works well in contrast if you have everything else in the kitchen painted dark.
Surely if you want an opposite effect, if you want a more unique and modern look, just go for gray. This is said to be the most flexible color, depending on the shade or tint you use. You can make the room feel warm and masculine with dark gray or make it cooler and refreshing with a lighter gray.
Above are quick answers to the main question. Here are other frequently asked questions that you might want to take a look as well. If you’re still up for it, let’s talk about this amazing fact about white.
What color kitchen cabinet is most popular?
Since the beginning of color trends until now, white has been the most popular kitchen cabinet color. It just never goes out of style with its simple yet adaptive nature to many kitchen remodeling designs. Just what is so good about white kitchen cabinets?
The one thing that distinguishes white among the rest is its association with cleanliness. Doctors wear white, and chefs wear white as a symbol of hygiene. In an area where families prepare and make their meals, a neat environment just feels comfortable to work in: very welcoming and very straightforward.
As stated before, white reflects light. This comes in handy if you have a room with poor lighting or some parts in the kitchen are just a little dim. It goes well with dark-themed floors, and it gives more depth to a kitchen with a black backsplash. White cabinets can also balance out the saturation or luminance of other kitchen hardware like the knobs, pulls, and countertops.
While there are many advantages of having white kitchen cabinets, there are some downsides to consider. Dust and grime are clearly visible when they build up on white cabinets.
Read more: "11 Backsplash Ideas For Kitchens With White Cabinets."
What color cabinet shows the least dirt?
Though there are cleaning solutions to counteract the unsettling maintenance of white cabinets, other kitchen color cabinets, especially intense colors, don’t need much to clean them. But there’s another color that has an easy-to-maintain feature, and that is gray. Gray kitchen cabinets don’t show every smudge or stain it gets, and they’re relatively easier to maintain.
Note that they’re not too different when it comes to their cleaning methods. It’s just that stains stand out on white, and they don’t on gray. If not protected with a covering or sealant, white is prone to turn yellowish when exposed to direct sunlight in about a year, and gray won’t be affected by that.
Gray cabinets are good-looking. A lighter gray can substitute for white or, by itself, is a streamlined color. It gives more drama to the kitchen, and it creates a modern look.
Read more: "What Color Walls Go With Gray Kitchen Cabinets?"
Are gray cabinets too trendy?
Gray cabinets will never be too trendy. You might see friends having gray cabinets in their kitchen or fellow kitchen remodelers online opting for the same color, but that’s really nothing to worry about. As far as the trend goes, year after year, new colors and shades are being introduced.
Gray is a neutral color because it’s a mixture of black and white. Not too dark, not too bright. Versatile, as everyone calls it, its shades can change the kitchen's mood from energetic to serene.
They wouldn’t look dull with the right balance of kitchen hardware colors. And if you ever think about it, it can serve as a monochrome for your chosen pop of color. Gray for kitchen cabinets, with a good combination, is an excellent choice.
What is the latest trend in kitchen cabinet colors?
2022 color trends for kitchen cabinets lean toward nature-inspired colors. Mostly earthy colors like earthy greens, natural wood, and sunny yellows. Grays were warmed up and warm whites were balanced with pure bright white.
Stained cabinets are now darker, and more wood colors are added.
Blues sway in cooler tones and red might come up in berry.
Yes, this can be kind of overwhelming, and most of us don’t have the luxury to keep up with the trends (and sometimes we don’t have to). Classical colors like white will probably never go obsolete because of their practicality and the same goes for gray. But if you want to try to challenge yourself with the new trends, then it’s also not a bad idea.
Summary
Choosing gray or white kitchen cabinets will be dependent on your surrounding kitchen elements. After you have a thorough observation in your kitchen and/or you have planned what colors your other kitchen hardware would have, you can pick the right blend of shades to achieve harmony.
- White kitchen cabinets to appear you have a more open and cleaner kitchen.
- Gray kitchen cabinets to add some mood temperatures in the kitchen.
- White reflects light and picking this color works well in contrast with darker elements in the kitchen.
- Gray can be used as a monochrome for a pop of color if you want to try it.
- White cabinets can’t hide every speck of grime and dust it gets and tend to turn yellow with prolonged sunlight exposure.
- Gray cabinets can get away from looking dirty with liquid stains and dirt and would stay gray with sunbathe.
- Cleaning methods for both aren’t that different. It’s a visual hygiene preference.
- Trends this year are showing nature-inspired colors.
- Classical colors and neutrals will never go away in years to come because of their practicality.