Lighter Hues
For example, a beige or tan countertop would complement darker cabinetry. Using neutral complementary tones such as beige, ivory, green, or grey is also a great option, as they highlight the beauty of wood cabinets.
Embrace Contrast
Dark cabinets are a statement, no matter what color they are. Embrace the design statement that this bold colors makes and amp up the contrast with a light paint color, such as white or a very light shade of gray, beige or greige.
Dark Wood Tones
In 2023 we will see a return to dark-stained wood cabinetry in the kitchen. In recent years, lighter tones like birch and white oak have been in vogue, but homeowners are now trending to deeper wood stains to lend a cozy, traditional vibe to their homes.
White washing is simply mixing white paint and water to lighten wood. The more paint you add to your mixture, the less opaque the finished look will be. So, if you're looking to just lighten your wood without covering the wood grain, then use mostly water with a few drops of paint.
If you're looking to add a bit of boldness and vibrancy to your kitchen, bright colors are the way to go. Light hues like white or gray work especially well when paired with dark cabinets. Using light color as your wall paint can create an energizing ambiance that will make cooking more enjoyable.
If it's a feeling of space, then the lighter of the two dominant colours should go on the vertical cabinet spaces, and the darker one on the horizontal countertop ones. If you want a more intense feel, flip that dynamic around.
The easiest and least labour intensive method for lightening kitchen cupboards and cabinets is to apply a whitewash. This is a watered down paint mixture that is brushed over the surface of the wood and then wiped away while still wet until you are satisfied with the level of whiteness.
Dark Wood Cabinets
Darker wood stains have been an outdated kitchen trend for several years. Even though dark wood tones are outdated, some dark colors have grown in style and will continue to in 2022. Matte black or deep navy blue are both modern choices, particularly for lower cabinets.
Creative Lighting solutions
Consider installing lights underneath the overhanging cabinets to give your kitchen a quick boost of light. You can also install recessed lighting in the ceiling. Halogen light bulbs inject a large amount of light into a dark space, and CFL light bulbs mimic important natural light.
If your kitchen is on the small side or is not well-lit, darker colored cabinets could make the area feel cramped.
Here, designers, decorators, and color experts reveal why beige is replacing gray for 2023, and how to decorate with beige for a beautiful scheme every time.
LEDs are fast becoming one of the best options for kitchen lighting due to their energy efficiency, cooler running temperatures, ease to replace, and bright light. LEDs are up to 80% more efficient than their predecessor, fluorescent bulbs, and offer more advantages when lighting your kitchen.
Paint the cabinet boxes
You might even get away with one. Painting over a dark finish with a light color is tougher and could require three coats. Break out a new brush for each coat.
It really is an amazing transformation and I am so glad that we did it. Painting dark kitchen cabinets a nice bright white really did the trick for us and really has made such a huge difference in our kitchen area.
White is still the most popular kitchen cabinet color in 2023 and beyond. However, we are seeing a shift towards warmer and more natural tones. We cover the best colors for cabinets from Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams like Simply White, Dove White, and Chantilly Lace.
And while gray might be falling out of favor, white is still holding on strong—it's still the number one kitchen color with 35% of people choosing it from 2022 to 2023. Beige nabbed the third top spot with 18%, followed by blue with 6% and green with 5%.
Reassuring Neutrals
Blank Canvas by Behr is Behr's Color of the Year, which their paint experts expect to flourish in kitchen designs. "Neutrals like white, cream, gray, and greige are trending in 2023," says Erika Woelfel, vice president of color and creative services at Behr Paint Company.