Kitchen color combinations

Among the most commonly asked kitchen design questions are which colors and materials work best together. Let’s use three of the most popular cabinet finishes as a starting point.

MAPLE

Maple is a wood species, not a color, but it’s most often associated with golden- or light- to mid-brown-toned stains. These give you a ton of versatility in flooring, appliance and countertop combinations. Here are a few options to get you started.

Classic combinations: Dark gold and rich tan cabinets work well with black or stainless steel appliances and dark countertops, such as black and dark green natural or engineered stone. Select a wood or tile floor in the same gold or tan/brown family as the cabinets – but about two shades lighter or darker – to coordinate. As maple tends to have little visible grain pattern, maple can work well with vivid woods like oak or cherry.

Contemporary combinations: Dark gold and rich tan cabinets also can work well with gray counters – especially concrete or a matte-finish quartz – for a more updated look. I suggest pairing them with stainless appliances and a slate or slate-look floor. You could also opt for a bamboo in a coordinating gold or tan about a shade or two lighter than the cabinets.

CHERRIES

Cherry is one of the most popular wood species available, and ranges in color from a natural, strawberry-blond finish to a ruby red to darker cinnamon and chocolate finishes. I have found the last two to be the most requested among my clientele, and the ones I’ve seen the most often in kitchen publications.

Classic combinations: For an elegant look, cinnamon- and chocolate-finished cherry woods work beautifully with natural stone tops in pale golds and creams. I would pair these with paneled or stainless appliances with minimal black accents for the richest look. A light tiled floor that picks up on the gold or cream tones in the counters will work the best. Because cherry tends to have stronger graining patterns, I generally don’t love wood floors with it: The grain pattern in the cabinets and the graining of the floor can get too busy together.

Contemporary combinations: Cinnamon- and chocolate-colored cabinets paired with monochromatic white countertops give a very strong, updated look. Again, I’d opt for stainless appliances with minimal black accents, or paneled appliances, for the best match. A nearly white terrazo, tile, or stained concrete floor would complement the contemporary look.

WHITE ALBUM

White cabinets run the gamut from entry-level builder laminates to high-gloss European lacquers. The most common whites you’ll find are painted maple – my personal favorite – and thermofoil synthetics, which often have a bit of a plastic look to them. I would suggest the painted wood cabinets even if you’re budget-sensitive, as painted finishes have become more widely available in affordable stock cabinet lines and will give your kitchen a more timeless look.

Classic Combinations: White cabinets pair beautifully with white, paneled or stainless appliances. (You can use black with them, but then the appliances become more of a focal point than they deserve to be.) I adore white cabinets with black or dark green stone tops and mid-toned or dark-stained hardwood floors. Another stunning, albeit less neutral, pairing is blue pearl granite with creamy, ivory-colored cabinets. White marble or granite tops with white cabinets and lighter wood or stone floors is another great traditional combination.

Contemporary Combinations: High-gloss lacquer finishes in white give a sharp, contemporary look to a kitchen. They work best with paneled and stainless steel appliances, although sleek white appliances also can work. When going modern with a white kitchen, you can go bold with an orange quartz countertop or multi-colored recycled glass countertop, or go sleek with a pale gray or white material, for more of an “un-kitchen” look. You could also add stainless and glass cabinet doors and other stainless details, like legs or toekicks, for a modern look. (The trendier you go, however, the quicker your kitchen will date itself.)