Blue Kitchen Cabinets? Inspiring Colors to Consider Now

Blue Kitchen Cabinets With Design Inspiration & Color Ideas is a curated collection of glorious kitchen photos featuring custom millwork, timeless design elements, and classic architectural features. Blue plays a starring role, and in many cases, we know the paint color. (Plenty of beautiful blue paint colors in kitchens are here.) For others, I’ll offer my best guess. Let’s lose ourselves in the lovely of it all.

Holly Williams' beautiful blue Tennessee kitchen with blue cabinets and grey scenic wallpaper - photo by Annie Schlecter. #bluekitchens #modernfarmhouse
Benjamin Moore Blue Daisy – Design: Holly Williams; Photo: Annie Schlechter

Inspiring Colors & Designs With Blue Kitchen Cabinets

I think you’ll notice fairly quickly that there is not a singular way to do blue. Nope. Not even when you narrow it down to a navy or robin’s egg.

Light blue kitchen with plate rack - design by Rachel Bardage Barrett (photo: Hector M. Sanchez). #bluekitchens #cottagekitchens
Design: Rachel Bardage Barrett; Photo: Hector M. Sanchez

The Art & Science Behind My Paint Color Suggestions

So many gradations, undertones, and combinations that change the LRV (light reflectance value) of the blue color. Obviously the photography editing and time of day photos were snapped will strongly influence how the color is perceived by your eyes. We’ll specifically explore how the blue appears in a given photo. I find that far more helpful than actually knowing the exact paint color used since it often looks different in another context, on another day, in another part of the country, in a different lighting situation, and even in real life.

I’m crazy about that pretty, sophisticated blue in the kitchen above. It strikes me as a bit cornflower, a bit faded periwinkle, and just so soft. You could peek at BM Blue Porcelain or French Toile. If you like them both, consider mixing them 50/50 for a custom blue all your own.

Don’t you love the idea of creating your own bespoke colors no one else will have? Here’s a kitchen with BM French Toile on the kitchen cabinets:

Rustic country blue kitchen (cabinets painted BM French Toile) designed by Hadley Wiggins (photo by David A. Land). #bluekitchens #rustickitchens
BM French Toile – Design: Hadley Wiggins; Photo: David A. Land

BM Phillipsburg Blue

Here’s a medium blue color not terribly different than French Toile that you could consider if you’re into blue-grays and easy to live with well-worn denim blues.

Beautiful country kitchen with blue cabinets (BM Phillipsburg Blue). Photo by Josh Grubbs. #bluekitchens #benjaminmoorephillipsburgblue
Benjamin Moore Phillipsburg Blue – Photo: Josh Grubbs

If you’re more into a lighter blue that leans toward duck egg, here’s a contender.

Yarmouth Blue is beautiful, and don’t you adore how the designer repeated the color on the ceiling?

Yarmouth Blue Benjamin Moore blue paint color (HC-150) swatch. #yarmouthblue
Yarmouth Blue (Benjamin Moore)

With white trim, it is perfectly dreamy.

Deep Blue Moody Paint Colors

I always think of beautiful English country kitchens when I think of cabinets painted deep dark moody blues like this one with BEHR Opera Glasses.

Rustic dark blue English country kitchen by Plain English. Similar paint color is Behr Opera Glasses. #bluekitchens #englishcountry
Plain English – Similar paint color: Behr Opera Glasses

But there are plenty of darker blue kitchens living across the pond in America. Here’s a navy one for the books:

So elegant it hurts! You could try Benjamin Moore Hale Navy for a similar look.

Deep blues and dark navy can work in a variety of kitchen design styles. This one is far more modern and simple than the traditional one above, yet blue, white, and gold tones harmonize in a lovely way.

Here’s a color to consider if you are drawn to the moody European country colors we often see in Old World interiors:

Will it be too dark on cabinets for your own kitchen? There are so many other elements to keep it from feeling cave-like.

Notice how the formality of the deep blue above imparts a luxurious elegance while limiting it to lower cabinets below in a modern farmhouse kitchen reflects a casual simplicity.

Hague Blue kitchen by Kelly Martin Interiors. #hagueblue #bluekitchens
Kelly Martin InteriorsF&B Hague Blue

Cool Happy Blue Colors for Cabinets

When you love a cheerful, vibrant, energetic happy blue vibe, then these paint colors may suit you.

Beautiful blue country kitchen by Sarah Blank (Alec Hemer photo) painted Lulworth Blue by Farrow & Ball. #countrykitchens #bluekitchen
Farrow & Ball Lulworth Blue – Design: Sarah Blank; Photo: Alec Hemer

Isn’t Lulworth Blue dreamy in this unique cottage style design above?

What other colors or materials would you combine with a bright blue like this?

Subdued details are one possibility, and another option…

is to wildly imagine an atmosphere that is all your own.

Paddington Blue (Benjamin Moore) painted kitchen cabinets - design by Grace Mitchell and photo by Lisa Petrole. #bluekitchens #bmpaddingtonblue
BM Paddington Blue – Design: Grace Mitchell; Photo: Lisa Petrole

Not as light or bright, but no less bold, BM Paddington Blue is another happy blue possibility.

Smartest Way to Sample?

Easiest and no mess way to see if a paint color will work? Order samples with Samplize and have them delivered straight to your door.

Blue Grey Kitchen Ideas

Blue paint colors with grey undertones can feel sophisticated and comforting. Here are some possibilities from BEHR that I like:

Blue Grey paint color ideas from Behr Paints - on Hello Lovely Studio. #bluegrey #bluegray #paintcolors #graypaintcolors

Quite often, when you’re seeking a particular blue for a kitchen, it’s wise to look at grey paint color swatches. The names of the paints themselves often will contain “gray.”

Night Train (Benjamin Moore) painted blue cabinets in a kitchen by Christina Salway (photo by Tara Donne). #benjaminmoorenighttrain #bluekitchens
BM Night Train – Design: Christina Salway; Photo: Tara Donne

I thought the use of Benjamin Moore Night Train on the cabinets above was such an intriguing choice with the light blue paneling above. The dark blue gray has a handsome seriousness about it yet the wall of open shelving and paneling above it feels light, carefree, and utterly relaxed. It just goes to show you the power of color!

Beautiful blue kitchen cabinets with glass doors - design: Isabel Dellinger Candelaria. #bluekitchens #traditionalstyle
Isabel Dellinger Candelaria – Blue Kitchen Cabinets Paint Colors & Design Inspiration

The right blue grey paint can truly capture elegance, and the kitchen above reminds me of this color: BM French Toile.

If you prefer your blue grays to be more blue than gray, there are plenty of options.

And remember that you can always tweak the saturation of a color you love but is just a little off. So if Benjamin Moore Normandy is a bit too dark, try a sample mixed at 70% and notice how it changes.

Teal & Turquoise Paint Colors

I always think of the 1980s when I see teal since it was everywhere in fashion and decor in my personal life.

When you love a blue-green, island-like mood, one of these options may be the place to start.

Blue Green Gray paint colors from Behr to inspire your interior design ideas for walls. Whether you love teal, aqua, grey-blue or atmospheric moody greens, try these! #behrpaintcolors #bluegreen #bluegray #graygreen #paintcolors

All teal blue colors are not created equal. They can be deep and bold…

and they can vary in their undertones. So the color above has a certain proportion of blue, green, and grey undertones. The cabinets appear to have a bit more blue and less green than the Slate Teal swatch below:

Benjamin Moore Slate Teal 2058-20 blue paint color swatch. #slateteal
tap image to get sample

It is when you order samples and compare them side by side in your unique space that the colors really tell you who they are. At first glance, the kitchen cupboards below might strike you as painted with kind of a basic navy.

Classic blue kitchen ideas with traditional architecture, custom millwork, and sophisticated design - Edward Deegan Architects. #bluekitchens #traditionalkithens #classicbluekitchen
Design: Edward Deegan Architects & Interiors Photos: Karen Loffing

Yet depending on the photo, editing, time of day, and natural light hitting them, the blue can appear similar to BM California Blue…

or a truer and darker navy when you see a photo like this one:

Beautiful blue tall cupboard and hutch with glass doors in a breakfast nook with traditional classic design by Edward Deegan Architects. Find more blue kitchen ideas in this story! #breakfastnook #bluecupboard #bluekitvhen
Design: Edward Deegan Architects & Interiors Photos: Karen Loffing

In that image, the color seems closer to Benjamin Moore Andes Summit.

Andes Summit by Benjamin Moore paint color swatch.
BENJAMIN MOORE Andes Summit – tap image to get sample

When you view the painted surface with contrasting hues surrounding it like the warm reddish interior wood, cool silver, and polished metal cremone bolts, it even takes on a teal quality.

Beautiful blue kitchen ideas - this hutch with glass doors in a classic kitchen has an unfitted look by Edward Deegan Architects. #bluekitchen #customkitchen
Design: Edward Deegan Architects & Interiors Photos: Karen Loffing

So important to try several colors before getting overly attached to one color you see mentioned in a caption!

Farrow & Ball Light Blue

For example, I thought for sure I would want our current kitchen cabinets to be painted F&B Light Blue like this Atlanta showhouse kitchen from 2017 where the color plays a starring role with gold tones.

Traditional blue kitchen from 2017 Southeastern Designer Showhouse - white marble counters, burnished brass range hood, and exquisite arched window with farm sink.
Southeastern Designer Showhouse 2017

However, when I sampled it here, it looked green in sunlight-filled kitchen and far different than how it presents as elegantly pale blue above.

To arrive at a just right pale blue-gray, I had to work with the amount of sunlight in the space and ultimately landed on a 66% saturation ratio of Farrow & Ball Pavilion Gray. The light warms the gray to light blue, and it never feels cloying or too pastel-like.

How to Choose the Best Blue for You

I personally don’t find choosing the best blue to be a cake walk. If you have ever tried to find the just right shade of blue for a wall, then you know. Things can go wrong in a hurry. When it comes to kitchen cabinetry or furniture, it is an even taller order since you won’t be re-painting them in a year!

Classic blue kitchen ideas with traditional architecture, custom millwork, and sophisticated design - Edward Deegan Architects. #bluekitchens #traditionalkithens #classicbluekitchen
Edward Deegan

One of the best ways to give yourself some insurance is to paint the color you’re pretty sure will work on just one piece of furniture or the island. From there, you can live with it, see if the color changes much through the day as the light changes, and decide whether to cover everything with that blue.

Classic blue painted island in a traditional style white kitchen by Edward Deegan Architects.
Edward Deegan

You may even decide you like the two-tone idea for your kitchen.

Another idea is to use the blue you are sold on in a place in your home that is less used such as a utility room or powder bath. It will give you a chance to live with the color, and who knows? Maybe you’ll fall in love with it!

Blue painted custom cubies and cabinets in a traditional mud room by Edward Deegan Architects. #mudrooms #custommillwork #bluecabinets
Edward Deegan

There are always curb-side finds and FB Marketplace bargains available if you need an old piece of furniture for experimentation.

Waterloo (Sherwin Williams) blue paint color swatch. #waterloo #bluepaintcolors
SW Waterloo – tap image to get sample

Because, again, painting cabinetry is sort of a different animal than painting walls where the commitment to the color matters but in a smaller way.

Blue cabinets and open shelves in bar area of magnificent remodeled home by Edward Deegan Architects. #bluecabinets #kitchendesign #openshelving
Edward Deegan

Picking a Blue is a Challenge But Not Like Renovating the Whole Kitchen!

If you love blue, here are some decorating resources that may appeal:

Peace to you right where you are.

-michele

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6 Comments

  1. Rebecca
    February 22, 2023 / 7:00 am

    Thank you for sharing these beautiful blue colors. I love the Lulworth Blue. I’m going with that one.

    • Michele
      Author
      February 22, 2023 / 1:45 pm

      It’s such a happy color that would make an amazing backdrop for memories made in the kitchen! Thanks for reading. 🙂

  2. Lisa D.
    February 22, 2023 / 1:31 pm

    I’m wild about Farrow & Ball’s Lulworth Blue paint color, and that Shannon Meyer Roberts kitchen with the Lulworth Blue cabinets and blue and white floral wallpaper is so pretty. It’s to die for! Do you happen to know the name of the wallpaper and who makes it?

    • Michele
      Author
      February 22, 2023 / 1:45 pm

      I’ll do some digging to see if I can locate the pattern for you! It’s an unforgettable kitchen!

  3. Transeptia
    March 2, 2023 / 6:53 am

    Blue is always favourite color to have, plus the wood works make it perfectly charming.

    • Michele
      Author
      March 2, 2023 / 1:43 pm

      Yes! Wildly popular as a favorite color. Thanks for reading.

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White Slipcovered Sofa
SHOP MY HOME!
29″ Whitewashed Table Lamp Set of 2
White Matelasse Quilt on MY BED
SHOP MY BATH!
Trees White Wallpaper Mural
Round Farmhouse Table
Myla Slipcover Sofa
Deconstructed Wingback Bed
French Farmhouse Dining Table
Milagro Heart
Slipcovered Dining Chair
Rustic Farmhouse Stool
Edgecombe End Table
Parisian Style Iron Table Lamp  33.5″
Black or Bronze Accent Table
French Stripe Basket Set
White Cotton Crochet Bed Skirt
French Country Rattan Basket Set
Marble Subway Mosaic Tile
Rattan Basket With Lid
White Ruffle Bedding
Seagrass Basket Set
Schumacher Wild Things Wallpaper
Slipcovered Sofa
Upholstered Dining Arm Chair
Shop My Breakfast Nook
White Matelasse Quilt
Tree Mural Wallpaper
Faux Potted French Lavender
Shaw Daybed
Distressed White French Country Chandelier
French Country Headboard
Oval Back Counter Stool, Set of 2
Antique Brass Pharmacy Floor Lamp
Round French Tufted Ottoman
Kinston Wood Bench
Italian Candelabra Chandelier
Slipcovered Linen Chair
Warner Upholstered Bench
Rustic Country French Dresser
Laurel Wreath Mirror
Round Farmhouse Dining Table
Reclaimed Wood Dresser
Louis Upholstered Bench
Pardon My French Doormat
Stripe Turkish Towel Throw
Pamela Arm Chair
Sweater Weave Basket
French Carved Wood Chandelier
Terracotta Pots & Basket
French Country Wood Chandelier
French Linen Dining Chair
Gustavian Cabinet
French Farmhouse Dining Table
Bar Stool
Beachy White Slipcovered Sofa
Rattan Armchair
Diptyque Oyedo Candle
Cross Back Dining Chair
French Country Candle Holder
French Industrial Metal Chairs (4)
Designer Favorite Wall Mirror
Holborn Lantern Pendant
French Country 6-Light Chandelier
Tray Side Table
French Country Upholstered Arm Chair
Wicker Trunk Set
French Ticking Stripe Pillow
Jute Area Rug
Mohair Throw
Rustic Industrial Farmhouse Shelves
Belgian Linen Sofa
White Duvet & Bedding
Rustic Wood Candlestick Set
French Market Basket
Linen Modern Wing Chair
French Country Farmhouse Baskets
Concrete Pillar Table Lamp
Boheme Madera Bench
Belgian Style Lamp
Kendall Skirted Dining Chair
White Charleston Sofa
Scrubbed Wood 5-Light Chandelier
Arched Champagne Wall Mirror
Moravian Star 1-Light Pendant
Highback Armchair
Mini Pendant Light
White Vase Set
Round Woven Placemat Set
Cashmere Throw With Fringe
Wreath Doormat
Fireclay Farm Sink (Reinhard, 30″)
White Waffle Coverlet
Light Grey Vienna Quilt
Boheme Madera Bench
Belgian Linen Duvet Set
Round Marble Side Table
Rustic Pedestal Farm Table
Rattan Hanging Chair Swing