These Kitchen Paint Colors Range from Neutral to Wow!

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The kitchen is the heart of the home where many of life's events happen, from weeknight family meals to prepping for an elegant soiree. To keep your kitchen (and kitchen-adjacent spaces like the butler's pantry and bar) feeling “always ready for a party,” a fresh coat of paint on the cabinets, walls, island, and even floors is a simple way to do just that. And because kitchen styles range from clean and contemporary to traditional and grand, so do kitchen paint colors. Here, we’ve gathered our most popular kitchen paint colors from our VERANDA house tour archives to bring you ideas and inspiration for your cook space.

In this collection, you’ll find inspiring examples of kitchen wall paint colors to pair with cabinet, trim, ceiling, and kitchen island paint colors. For a calming style, a neutral palette (shades of white in the kitchen, from crisp linen to creamy latte) is a popular choice, as it creates visual space for colorful accessories, appliances, and tile. Green kitchen paint colors bring a natural, grounding effect, while pretty blue kitchen paint colors offer uplifting color. A sleek, glossy black dials up the drama in a way that says “look at me!” Buttery yellow or another nostalgic shade recalls the welcoming feel of a 1950s kitchen design.

As you consider a tried-and-true shade or an unexpected paint color, you’ll want to think about how the color will complement your backsplash and other elements of your kitchen decor before making a choice. Now get ready to be inspired and welcome more color into your kitchen, butler's pantry, and bar!

Dramatic Blue Kitchen

Bold color sweeps through the kitchen of a Regency-style villa overlooking the English Channel. In addition to cobalt cabinetry, the space is populated by a mandarin-hued Lacanche range, a red counter stool, and decorative slipware dishes (Prue Cooper) adorning the walls.

Cabinet Paint Color: Hague Blue by

Vivid Red Butler’s Pantry

In a longtime friend’s Birmingham, Alabama, home, designer Katie Ridder utilized color to create natural segues between rooms, with darker shades in small spaces and brighter hues in larger ones. For example, the rich red-orange butler’s pantry opens to a library aglow in ripe apricot.

Cabinet, Wall, Door, and Trim Paint Color: Crimson by Benjamin Moore

Steel Blue Bar

Savage Interior Design’s contemporary-meets-classic lounge in the Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach includes this elegant bar, covered in architectural moldings from Casa Métier painted a grayish blue and topped with Cosentino’s Silestone Le Chic stone.

Architectural Moldings Paint Color: Mount Saint Anne by Benjamin Moore

Subtle Taupe Kitchen

A custom oak-topped island, leafy Italian tiles, and a subtle taupe scheme bring serene balance to this kitchen. The island base gets a coat of earthy gray-green. The minimalist mood is a visual respite from the riotous pattern and color found throughout this English country home.

Cabinet and Wall Paint Color: Archive by
Island Paint Color: Treron by

Stony White Kitchen

In this Nashville mansion, raw, reclaimed beams that radiate a sense of history over the kitchen and breakfast and family rooms look especially apt presiding over the kitchen’s glossy, egret-colored Belgian tile and matching cabinet paint. Louis XIII reproduction stools () are upholstered in a textural, raffia-style woven fabric (Opuzen).

Cabinet Paint Color: Egret White by Sherwin-Williams

Bold Red and Black Kitchen

In a Round Top, Texas, property designed by Alessandra Branca, red and black rules in the kitchen, as in the rest of the cottage. A Silestone countertop on the island shines with gold and gray veining (Ethereal Glow, with Dekton Liquid Embers on perimeter counters, both by Cosentino). Lucia Double Rise & Fall Pendant and Double Wall-Arm Sconces, Hector Finch

Wall Paint Color: My Valentine by Benjamin MooreDoor and Island Paint Color: Space Black by Benjamin Moore

Mossy Green Kitchen

Designer Fran Keenan painted the exterior trim of this historic Los Angeles home Farrow & Ball’s Castle Gray—a grayish green—and used the same color throughout the kitchen, including on the cabinetry. The countertops are by Caesarstone.

Cabinet, Wall, and Trim Paint Color: Castle Gray by

Blue and White Kitchen

Mark D. Sikes incorporated soothing shades of blue into Grey Garden's kitchen to connect it to the neighboring breakfast room. A soft sky blue shade covering the floor uplifts the entire cook space.

Floor Paint Color: Harbor Fog by Benjamin Moore

Forest Green Bar Area

In the Dallas home of hostess and author Kimberly Whitman, a stocked bar is a must. An enviable glassware collection sparkles behind glass-front cabinets coated in a high-gloss forest hue. The hardware is brass.

Cabinet Paint Color: Black Forest Green by Benjamin Moore

Powder Blue Kitchen

Refined powder-blue cabinets and a sinuous floral wallcovering by William Morris enliven the quaint kitchen in this Southern 1950s ranch. Designer Mark D. Sikes covered the pair of stools by Hickory Chair in a botanical Carolina Irving fabric. The bistro chairs are from Ballard Designs.

Cabinet, Island, Hood, and Trim Paint Color: Parma Gray by

Soft Celadon Kitchen

A light celadon cabinet color and pearly Moroccan tiles on the wall combined with wood countertops and floors make for a warm, inviting kitchen in this Nantucket cottage. A creative staining application on the floors creates a subtle yet graphic pattern underfoot. The worktable base is painted a darker green and reads like a piece of furniture for a more casual approach to a kitchen island. Pendant lighting, Hector Finch

Cabinet Paint Color: Tea Light by Benjamin Moore

Barn Red Kitchen

In this Mississippi hunting lodge, unique bark cabinet panels are surrounded with a dark gray-green. The kitchen’s wrought-iron chandelier () lights a maple-topped island with a red base. Suede swivel counter stools, Louis J. Solomon

Cabinet and Trim Paint Color: Driftwood by Old Fashioned Milk Paint Co.
Island Paint Color: Barn Red by Old Fashioned Milk Paint Co.

Cheerful Green Butler's Pantry

The butler's pantry in this Melanie Turner-designed Atlanta home is coated in a cheerful green. Graphic tile adds visual interest and holds up to the space's more utilitarian uses. Brass faceted hardware, Nest Studio

Cabinet Paint Color: Breakfast Room Green by

Handsome Blue-Gray Scullery

Designer Heather Chadduck Hillegas reenvisioned the original kitchen in Colonial Williamsburg's Nelson-Galt House in a handsome scullery to complement the adjacent dining room. To achieve this, she painted the classic shaker cabinets blue-gray and dressed them with brass hardware.

Cabinet Paint Color: Nelson Blue by Benjamin Moore

Chameleonlike Black-Green Island

Kitchen cabinets in bandsawn knotty white oak—“the knottier the better," says designer Amy Meier—gain a patina over time, and walnut milled from a downed tree tops an island painted a deep, dark mix of black, blue, and green. Displays of splatterware and copperware sourced from all across Michigan bookend the island in this Michigan lake cabin. Belgium Blue Stone tiles, Country Floors. Stools, Bicyclette

Island Paint Color: Salamander by Benjamin Moore

Midnight Blue Kitchen

Not a huge at-home chef, Garrow Kedigian transformed the odd-shaped kitchen in his New York apartment into a chic bar. Dark sapphire blue cabinetry provides the perfect foundation for a Christian Lacroix wallpaper.

Cabinet Paint Color: Jet Blue by Benjamin Moore

Herbaceous Green Butler's Pantry

In this 1920s Tudor in Houston designed by Charlotte Moss, a traditional butler's pantry is painted an elegant herbaceous green and accented with satin nickel hardware. Glassware and silver pieces are on full display behind glass-front upper cabinets.

Cabinet and Trim Paint Color: Dartsmouth Green by Benjamin Moore

Gray and White Kitchen

Tonal gray millwork artfully juxtaposes the golden leather cantilever seating (York Street Studio) and an indigo green marble countertop in the kitchen of this 1920s New Jersey estate by designer Steven Gambrel and architect Eric J. Smith.

Cabinet and Trim Paint Color: Silver Bells by Benjamin Moore

Venetian Red Kitchen

Venetian red cabinetry and trim assert a sense of modern glamor in the kitchen of this Philip Vergeylen-designed London apartment. Vergeylen elevated the original floors by having them stained in circles and squares to further the room's elegant look.

Cabinet and Trim Paint Color: Chili Pepper by Benjamin Moore

Calming Blue Kitchen

Juicy apricot and aqua shades animate the ground-floor kitchen and breakfast room of this London rowhouse. Boston-based designer Gary McBournie preceded to cover the mix of casual furnishings in spirited patterns, including the Indian-inspired fuchsia and orange ikat, to make the space feel even more livable. The refrigerator is by Sub-Zero.

Cabinet, Island, and Trim Paint Color: Teresa’s Green by

Inky Gray Kitchen

Dark, inky cabinetry asserts a cozy, lived-in feeling with the spacious combined kitchen and den in the gracious Georgian-style home of Alabama-based designer Caroline Gidiere. The stainless steel countertop seamlessly connects to the satin nickel hardware and appliances. The cabinetry is painted a deep shade of gray.

Cabinet Paint Color: Off Black by

Clean, Crisp White Kitchen

Creamy white tones covering the cabinetry and ceiling connect the two lively patterns (checkerboard flooring and a geo-floral seating fabric by Raoul) in this 1930s Connecticut kitchen by decorator Ashley Whittaker. A classic white range from Viking matches the luster of the glossy subway tiles above. The pendant lighting is by Charles Edwards.

Cabinet, Trim, and Ceiling Paint Color: Paper White by Benjamin Moore

Peacock Blue Bar Area

In the bar of Ceara Donnelly's Charleston home, bold design moves make for an energetic interior at every turn. The bar, where a genius cocktail of glossy peacock-blue cabinetry and unlacquered brass shows up, is no exception. Sink fixtures, Rocky Mountain Hardware

Cabinet Paint Color: E25-95 by Fine Paints of Europe

Earthy Green Kitchen

For the kitchen in the Kips Bays Decorator Show House Dallas, Gil Melott of Studio 6F wanted to have a very tonal kitchen that could provide a solid background for the handmade cabinetry by Bentwood Luxury Kitchens and refined appliances from Signature Kitchen Suite. A soft, earthy green became the primary color enveloping the walls and cabinets as surfaces from Cambria covered the kitchen island and counters.

Wall and Cabinet Paint Color: Bed of Ferns by Benjamin Moore

Sleek Black Bar Area

Alessandra Branca's Chicago townhouse is a hub of family activity during the holidays. Sleek black cabinets anchor the bar area. Here, Branca's daughter-in-law Georgia pours Negronis, a deep-red Italian cocktail that calls for equal parts Campari, gin, and vermouth.

Cabinet Paint Color: Black by Benjamin Moore

Delicate White Kitchen

Designer Richard Ouellette and architect Maxime Vandal of Les Ensembliers stuck to a neutral palette for this statesman's kitchen to keep the attention on the impeccable views of Montreal from the window. The soft red banquette and cane-back chairs pop against the delicate white cabinetry and trim.

Cabinet and Trim Paint Color: Pointing by

Cherry Red Kitchen

For those not ready to paint all the cabinetry or walls, experimenting with vivacious colors on the kitchen island can be a great place to start. Designer Cathy Kincaid boldly painted the island a cherry red shade to energize this Dallas penthouse kitchen.

Island Paint Color: Shy Cherry by Benjamin Moore

Teal Green Bar Area

In this colorful Austin house, the bar’s groovy, zig-zag-striped wallpaper (Timorous Beasties) is grounded by teal green cabinetry. Glass-front upper cabinets and lower drawers and cabinets provide plenty of storage for glassware, bottles, and other bar necessities.

Cabinet Paint Color: Nocturnal Sea by

Polished Ebony Kitchen

Talavera tiles arranged in a graphic chevron pattern and glossy ebony cabinetry liven up the classic monochromatic look in this San Antonio kitchen by Todd Romano. The island is from the Antique and Artisan Gallery, and the range is by Bertazzoni.

Cabinet Paint Color: Black by Fine Paints of Europe

Cool Gray Kitchen

Cool grays accentuate the modernist lines and architecture of Ken Pursley's 1950s home in Charlotte, North Carolina. Sunlight from the floor-to-ceiling window highlights the custom cabinetry from Franz Architectural Woodwork. The glass lighting and chairs are both by Bobo Intriguing Objects.

Cabinet Paint Color: Manor House Gray by

Warm White Kitchen

To counter the graphic checkerboard flooring (Floe Painting), designer Cece Barfield Thompson used a warm white shade on the kitchen cabinets of her New York apartment. The range is by Wolf, and the sink is by Shaws of Darwen.

Cabinet Paint Color: Collector's Item by Benjamin Moore

White Dove Kitchen

Soft white cabinets complement the summery colors in the wallpaper backsplash (de Gournay) of this Naples, Florida kitchen. The island stools are covered in red leather by .

Cabinet Paint Color: White Dove by Benjamin Moore

Palm Beach Green Bar

In Julia Amory's Palm Beach cottage, a brilliant galley-style bar lures guests with aqua trim and cabinetry and trellis-patterned walls. Braided grass cloth wallpaper and linen voile slipcovers lend textural beauty to the dining room beyond. Chairs, Amy Berry

Cabinet and Trim Paint Color: Whispering Hills by Ralph Lauren

Light Gray Kitchen

Chic gray cabinetry and a glazed terra-cotta tile backsplash (Ann Sacks) lend a timeless feel to this Bronxville, New York, kitchen by . The perimeter countertops are by Caesarstone, and the sink fixtures are by Waterworks.

Cabinet Paint Color: Stonington Gray by Benjamin Moore

Elegant Gray Kitchen

Designer Angie Hranowsky picked an elegant gray shade for the cabinetry of this Austin kitchen to help make the quaint space feel larger. Island pendants from Circa Lighting shine a light on stools from McGuire.

Cabinet Paint Color: Cape May Cobblestone by Benjamin Moore

Off-White Butler's Pantry

In this Timothy Whealon-designed butler's pantry, the light shade of gray seen here reads as a pretty off-white. This classic space features refined Calacatta Oro countertops (Marmi Natural Stone), backsplash tiles that were handmade in Morocco, and slender library lights (Ann-Morris) to illuminate the hardworking workspace. Artwork, Donald Baechler

Wall and Cabinet Paint Color: Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore

Blue-Black Kitchen

In this Montana kitchen designed by Palmer Weiss, cabinetry finished in a rich black with blue undertones and a custom bronze hood designed with straps and rivets lends a Western sensibility. Silicon bronze-brushed pulls, Rocky Mountain Hardware. Dual fuel range, Wolf

Cabinet Paint Color: Railings by

Creamy White Kitchen

In this Santa Barbara kitchen designed by Mark D. Sikes, creamy white cabinetry and oil-rubbed bronze hardware (Rejuvenation) lend a warm, aged appearance. Sink and fixtures, House of Rohl

Cabinet Paint Color: White Tie by

Woodsy Green Kitchen

This Lake Toxaway, North Carolina kitchen designed by Platt Architecture and designer Cliff Fong features a soothing palette that reflects the lakefront mountain landscape with a custom-green center island fitted with Juno limestone counters (which also forms the backsplash) and natural wood-hued cabinetry.

Island Paint Color: Gothic Green by Benjamin Moore

Gentle Aqua Butler's Pantry

The butler's pantry in this Matthew Carter-designed summer home is made up of charming features—creamy white cabinets topped with butcher-block counters. Walls are coated in a barely-there gentle shade of aqua. A stainless steel sink (Franke) builds practicality and style into the space.

Wall Paint Color: Pale Powder by

Jet Black and White Kitchen

At this Northern California ranch designed by Ken Fulk and Ike Kligerman Barkley, the guest house kitchen exudes beautiful rusticity with ceiling-height wall tiles in alternating dimensions (Waterworks), reclaimed brick flooring, and oak countertops—all anchored by jet-black cabinets.

Cabinet and Open Shelving Paint Color: Tricorn Black by Sherwin-Williams

Bright Blue Kitchen

At the 2020 Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach, designer Sarah Blank infused the kitchen with elements inspired by the Florida landscape, from the azure shade she chose for the cabinetry to the paintings of birds she hung above.

Cabinet, Trim, and Hood Paint Color: Blue Dragon by Benjamin Moore

Buttery Yellow Kitchen

At Richard Smith's centuries-old home on the Sussex Coast, this butter yellow Aga stove is often the only source of heat. A rustic black backsplash peppered with antique exportware—plus a surprisingly colorful wallpaper (another star of the show, second only to that incredible stove!)—makes for a memorable and inspiring cook space.

Trim Paint Color: Dorset Cream by

Blue and Black Kitchen

This Lake Forest, Illinois kitchen designed by the ABL Group and Dovetails Custom Cabinetry marries historic design details with state-of-the-art functionality. Brass hardware and luxurious surfaces by Cambria and Artistic Tile highlight the custom cabinetry, painted a calming blue and bold black.

Cabinet Paint Color: Sleepy Hollow by Sherwin-WilliamsIsland and Trim Paint Color: Inkwell by Sherwin-Williams

Gray and Black Kitchen

Soft, smoky tones lend a high-fashion, sophisticated touch to the alluring kitchen of this 18th-century flat in Paris. The upper cabinets feature mirrored églomisé facings that “almost look like venetian blinds,” notes decorator Jean-Louis Deniot. The lower cabinetry paint color is a rich, almost black, gray.

Lower Cabinet Paint Color: Midnight Oil by Benjamin Moore

Pastel Blue Kitchen

Today cohost Jenna Bush Hager overhauled the entire midcentury kitchen in her spirited Long Island cottage to give a sense of openness and ease. The pastel blue cabinetry pops against a fireclay apron-front sink (House of Rohl) and glazed wall tiles (Waterworks).

Cabinet Paint Color: Wedgewood Gray by Benjamin Moore

High-Gloss Black Butler's Pantry

This black-tie butler's pantry by interior designer Sarah Blank boasts high-gloss ebony cabinetry for storing your finest flutes and coupe glasses. A pro tip from Blank: “There are no shortcuts with high-gloss paint, so it took about six weeks. But it was worth it—the black is so rich." Statement-making black-and-white marble flooring ushers in ultimate glamour.

Cabinet Paint Color: Try Onyx by Benjamin Moore

Silvery Blue Kitchen

Designer Susan Bednar Long created a playful contrast within this 200-year-old Provence kitchen by pairing soft silver cabinetry with copper pots, limestone flooring, and a wooden island and farm table. The pendant lights are from The Urban Electric Co.

Cabinet Paint Color: Light Blue by
Wall Paint Color: Wimborne White by

Cobalt Butler's Pantry

Vibrant cobalt cabinetry turns a petit butler’s pantry into the colorful pièce de résistance within this Ruthie Sommers-designed Rhode Island retreat. The Lawrence of La Brea rug brings out the subtle red tones of the valance in an eccentric Katie Ridder fabric.

Cabinet Paint Color: Custom cobalt by Fine Paints of Europe

Sky Blue Kitchen

The unexpected addition of aqua on the ceiling and a blue-patterned wallcovering from designer Meg Braff's textile collection visually expands this Long Island kitchen by drawing the eye upward. Braff expanded and updated the cooking space with Danby marble counters and cabinetry in a pearly shade. The sink fixtures and hardware are by Waterworks, and the pendant light is by Vaughan.

Ceiling Paint Color: Picture Perfect by Benjamin Moore
Cabinet Paint Color: Try Fine Paints of Europe

Sunny Yellow Kitchen

In the kitchen of her Colonial Revival-style home, Los Angeles-based designer Suzanne Rheinstein dressed the sunny walls with swags of boxwoods for an intimate holiday party. Sconces by Ann-Morris shine on crystal from William Yeoward. The sink fixtures are from Waterworks.

Wall Paint Color: Sweet Vibrations by Benjamin Moore

Rich Raspberry Kitchen

At this 1850s farmhouse, designer Richard Keith Langham used luscious berry cabinetry to add a layer of richness to the combined breakfast room and kitchen. Ladder chairs from Howe surround a 19th-century elm table purchased in the Cotswolds. Backsplash tile by Ann Sacks draws attention to the polished stove from Ilve. The tole pendants are from Paul Ferrante.

Cabinet Paint Color: Raisin Torte by Benjamin Moore

Soothing Green-Gray Butler's Pantry

This charming butler’s pantry apart from the kitchen at this reimagined cottage invokes the spirit of its 18th-century roots with a recolored historic Parisian pattern (Adelphi Paper Hangings) that would have been developed around the time the house was built. Designer Cathy Kincaid opted for green-gray cabinetry to further bring out the soothing tones in the wallpaper.

Cabinet Paint Color: French Gray by

Dark Gray Kitchen

In the kitchen of Amelia Handegan’s Charleston home, a charcoal wall and storied furniture, like the circa-1860 Anglo-Indian armchairs, define a separate dining area. An 1820s English mirror found at David Skinner Antiques hangs above a circa-1860 Jamaican trolley. The large work of art by Chuck Bowdish acts as the space’s main focal point. The oak flooring is from Olde Savannah.

Wall Paint Color: Kendall Charcoal by Benjamin Moore

All-White Kitchen

The all-white scheme becomes a smooth backdrop for dramatic works of art like the eight-foot antique African drum in the corner of this Hamptons kitchen. Homeowners Quinn Pofahl and Jaime Jiménez renovated the first-floor layout to allow all public spaces to be seen from the kitchen. The hood and stove are from Viking.

Wall Paint Color: Ice Formations by Benjamin Moore

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