If you have a kitchen with grey walls, you have a prime opportunity to create a visually appealing and inviting room. You may wonder what color is best for kitchen cabinets in a space with a grey-colored wall treatment. We researched suggestions with regard to color theory to better pair colors instead of resorting to guesswork. Discover how you can use specific colors to complement grey walls and fall in love with your kitchen every day.
Complement grey kitchen walls with our list of suggested colors. You can either focus on cool or warm colors to maximize the interior.
- Black
- White
- Red
- Yellow
- Orange
- Pastel green
- Navy
Choose a cabinet's color based on your sense of aesthetics while focusing on neutral, warm, or cool tones to best complement grey kitchen walls. Please keep reading to see our examples of these cabinet color combinations.
Complementary Cabinets For Grey Kitchen Walls
It doesn't matter if your home has a modern minimalist look, a Scandinavian-inspired treatment, or is steeped in rustic, farmhouse charm. There is so much versatility when choosing cabinet colors for a kitchen with grey walls. Since grey is a neutral color, it works well visually using warm and cool colors.
If making a bold color move has you nervous, sticking to black, white, or grey is the safest bet for cabinets. Neutral colors will mesh well with grey walls. However, there's nothing like painting a cabinet with a vibrant warm color in the red, yellow, or orange family.
Colors within the cool blue or green family also create a sense of depth and visual interest too. Check out examples of wonderfully executed kitchens featuring our color suggestions for kitchen cabinets.
1. Black
Create a clean, chic look for a modern traditional kitchen. The cabinetry is a rich black coat of paint which gives an air of sophistication and seriousness. Since the walls in this kitchen are a medium grey color, the darker cabinets immediately draw in your eye.
The silver cabinet pulls are a subtle way to unite the cabinets, wall treatment, and refrigerator. The marble countertops are a pleasant touch because of the notes of black, off-white, and grey, which adds interest.
Check out this matte black paint on Amazon.
2. White
Enter into a kitchen that is a breath of fresh country air. Note how the amount of white painted cabinetry is not overwhelming but makes this space feel more open and light. The kitchen feels cool, spacious, and the white paint best enhances the farmhouse accents of the cabinetry.
Check out this linen white paint on Amazon.
3. Red
Bring in the warmth of a red paint that evokes the energy of autumn, fire, and traditional home and hearth. The cabinets in this kitchen instantly pop against a darker grey at the top. The backsplash is covered in a light-grey and white marble-looking tile which brings some visual relief, creating levity and dividing the upper and lower cabinets.
Look how the dark grey countertop creates a unique contrast between the wall above the cabinet and the backsplash. If red feels too strong, consider dusty rose or coral as an alternative.
Check out this beautiful matte red on Amazon.
4. Yellow
Here comes the sun, with a bold move using a bright yellow coat of paint on the lower cabinets. A clear line between the upper part of the kitchen and the lower is made clear. The contrast between grey and yellow works very well visually and creates a lot of interest. Check out how the fixture hanging above the kitchen table has a few bulbs in goldenrod yellow.
Check out this sun yellow paint on Amazon.
5. Orange
Create a unique contrast in style for a kitchen with matte grey walls. Note how the orange paint and the minimalist details of the cabinetry make the kitchen feel like a cross between modern and vintage. While the small black tiled backsplash, white countertop surrounding the sink, and grey walls form a neutral trio, the orange is the perfect pop of color.
Check out this vibrant orange paint on Amazon.
6. Pastel Green
Feel inspired by earth tones and keep things relaxed and refreshed with a sage or mint green. Pastel shades of green provide a gentler addition of color while staying in visual harmony with a grey in a lighter or medium shade. Choose a pastel green paint for cabinetry in a kitchen with grey-yellow or grey-green walls that is subdued. The bright white open display up top provides a nice contrast to a soft green.
Check out this sage paint on Amazon.
7. Blue
Choose to envelop kitchen cabinets in a luxe coat of blue paint, ranging from a deep navy, jewel-tone turquoise, teal, or powder blue. Note how the deeper hue of blue looks opulent but not garish with the gold pulls. The kitchen sink also indulges in a metallic, gold finish for the tap and handles.
With a lighter grey wall for the kitchen, a dark or pastel blue looks best. The black tiled backsplash and white trim around the windows above the sink accent the color treatment beautifully, and stick to a neutral scheme.
Check out this Azuresque paint on Amazon.
Should Kitchen Cabinets Be Lighter Or Darker Than Walls?
Think about how light can instantly transform how your kitchen is perceived. Note, using a lighter color makes your kitchen feel larger, whereas darker colors bring the space in, so it appears more cozy and small.
If the walls are light and your kitchen is large, tone things down with darker kitchen cabinets. And, vice versa; choose lighter cabinets with darker walls.
If you match light walls with light cabinets, your kitchen can feel very spacious and luxurious. Be careful when going all dark in a kitchen between the walls and cabinetry, as this might risk feeling drab, intimidating, and cramped.
Should Kitchen Cabinets Be The Same Color As The Walls?
When fixtures match the walls, you might end up with a boring kitchen or a clean, effortless chic. Much of this effect depends on whether your kitchen is large or small.
However, the typical rule to follow is for the kitchen cabinet color to match the trim on the walls, rather than being the same color as the walls. Consider raising or lowering the intensity of the cabinets if using the same color on the walls by adding a bit of white or black.
How Do I Pick The Right Color For My Kitchen Cabinets?
Keep in mind; you will spend a lot of time in your kitchen. How a kitchen is styled will impact one's comfort when baking, creating meals to entertain guests, and even eating in your kitchen if the layout makes this permissible.
Don't panic, and take your time to consider several points before deciding on the right color.
- What size is your kitchen? Darker colors make a smaller kitchen feel squeezed, and lighter colors create a more airy, open feel.
- How long do you plan on living in your home? Will you feel the need to change your kitchen's look often, or will you be satisfied with your color treatment for 5 years or longer?
- Focus on the best features of your kitchen, the style of your kitchen cabinets, and what color makes them look best.
- Remember to consider creating a sense of visual harmony and balance with your color choices for your cabinets compared to the wall treatment, appliances, and aesthetics.
Knowing the right color to paint your kitchen cabinets is a big decision, as color readily influences one's mood and can make or break your style and decor. Take your time, pull out your collection of swatches, and narrow your choices down to the best two or three options.
What Color Cabinets Never Go Out Of Style?
If you want to choose a color for cabinets that will remain fairly timeless, stick to neutral shades. Opt for either black, white, or a shade of grey paint to give your cabinets a polished look.
You can experiment with painting your cabinets and walls in the same tone or contrast dark walls with lighter cabinets. Think about how your choice of color will amplify light, create visual focal points, and impact the overall feel of your kitchen's size.
In Closing
We hope you feel inspired to experiment with different colors that compliment grey kitchen walls. You don't always have to stick to neutral colors like black, white, or a shade of grey.
Feel free to mix things up and strike a sense of visual harmony between a warm or cool color for kitchen cabinets. Do consider a pastel shade of a suggested color to create a unique vibe for your kitchen. Once you've decided on the perfect color and hue, have fun transforming your kitchen into a gorgeous space.
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