Contrasting the upper and lower cabinets is a great way to break up a boring kitchen, and, if done properly, it can even make the kitchen appear larger. Contrasting the island and cabinets is the more traditional of the two routes, but it too can have a massive visual impact on the space.
Ultimately, there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to whether or not your kitchen cabinets need to be symmetrical. It's a matter of personal preference and what will work best for your specific space. Whichever route you choose, just make sure that your kitchen is a reflection of your own personal style.
Can you have two different cabinet styles in a kitchen? You can certainly have two different styles in a kitchen. In fact, we encourage this modern kitchen aesthetic.
At the end of the day, as long as you're not planning on listing your home any time soon, there are really no rules you must follow when it comes to cabinet transformations. Keep in mind your cabinets should complement each other and flow well with the rest of the decor throughout your home.
There are many reasons you might decide to use a mismatched cabinet design for your kitchen. This style reflects a free spirit approach to design. You can customize and personalize your kitchen to fit your personality and tastes. If you're on a tight budget, buying mismatched cabinets may be a good option.
In short, no! If you keep a timeless aesthetic in mind while choosing the colors and finishes for your kitchen, the two-tone look can move beyond a current trend and remain a classic. Dual-color cabinets can add character and dimension to your kitchen space, clearly defining sections of the room.
Where different heights are needed—such as in a kitchen for a wheelchair user—the cabinets generally need to be custom-made to different heights. After adding a countertop, the eventual height of most base cabinets is between 35 and 36 inches, depending on the material used in the countertop. Height is flexible.
Additional ways to create cohesion when designing with mismatched cabinets include giving all the cabinets the same distressed finish, using décor strategically, or lighting the space carefully. Ultimately, you can create a space that is both stylish and coordinated overall, even when elements don't match perfectly.
Designating one color tone for your upper cabinets and another for your lowers is a way to inject color into your kitchen and maintain an organized design. Choose a darker color for your lower cabinets to ground the design, then experiment with lighter shades like whites and grays on the upper.
White kitchen cabinets are enduring and versatile, appearing in cottage, traditional, and even modern kitchens. Especially on simple Shaker-style doors, the right white paint color can create a light, fresh look in a kitchen. Choose modest hardware with clean lines to keep with the classic look.
The L-shaped kitchen is one of the most popular layouts because it's super functional and can be adapted for almost any sized space. As the name implies, an L-shaped layout features cabinetry and appliances along two adjacent walls, creating an obvious triangle path between work zones.
“It's acceptable as long as they don't look too different,” said Frances Rickard, a real estate agent with City Connections Realty in Manhattan. “Even if they are different styles, there's a few feet of space between upper and lower cabinets, and the wall brings it all together.”
Two-tone cabinets are a great way to create the illusion of space in a small kitchen. If you put white cabinets above and darker cabinets below, the eye is immediately drawn up to the brighter shade, giving the appearance that your kitchen is more spacious than it actually is.
Two-toned cabinetry is a popular trend for 2023. This trend allows you to mix and match different colours or finishes for a unique and personalized look.
For those who are feeling bold, mixing and matching cabinets is also the ideal way to add instant drama to your kitchen remodel. Get really creative with not only mixing colors with woods for example, but also consider other materials, textures, or even styles.
Paint lower cabinets in the darker hue and uppers the lighter one. If you have distinct colors in mind, think about their brightness and lightness. Very bold colors (like vibrant orange) demand more visual energy and should be balanced with a more neutral hue.
Mixing and Matching Kitchen Cabinets
If your preferred style of kitchen is a fresher, more updated look, your kitchen cabinets don't have to match. The key to making sure that your kitchen still looks and feels cohesive is to have some level of consistency.
Why Mix Cabinet Hardware? The two main reasons you may want to use more than one style of cabinet knob and pull are simple: style and function. From a style perspective, mixing different types of hardware can give a kitchen lots of character, adding subtle visual interest.
Stick to two or three colors and complementary shades for cabinets, walls, and floors; too many and it could look chaotic,' says Darren Watts. Here, our experts give their insight on how to make a two-tone kitchen work best in your kitchen.
In a typical family home, wall-hung kitchen cabinets measure between 32 and 36 inches tall, leaving a space of around one or two feet above. There is a valid reason for the gap between the kitchen cabinets and the ceiling; this is the height that most people can reach by standing on the floor or by using a ladder.
Because the insides are mostly hidden from view, most people only worry about the surfaces of the cabinets that can be seen. Maybe if cabinets did not have doors, more people would spruce up the insides. Then there's the costs. Painting the insides of cabinets will cost two things: time and money.
Standard cabinet widths vary depending on the cabinet type. Upper kitchen cabinets are 12, 15, 18, 24, 27, 30, 33, and 36 inches. Upper filler cabinets are 3, 6, and 9 inches wide. Standard base cabinet widths are 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 26.25, 27, 30, 33, 26, 39 and 42-inches.
Cabinets come in standard sizes, and to reach the ceiling, you will need to figure out what size works best. Most kitchen ceilings are 8 to 9 feet high. You can likely use 42-inch tall wall cabinets, with 12-inch additions on top if needed, to achieve the height you want. You can fill any gaps with crown moulding.
The recommended space between upper and lower cabinets is typically 18 inches. This measurement allows for sufficient workspace on the countertop while providing enough clearance for appliances and tasks.