White Kitchen Cabinet Paint Favorites to Help You Decide Now!

White Kitchen Cabinet Paint Colors Favored by Designers brings together an eclectic inspiration gallery of lovely kitchen photos with beautiful cabinetry, classic design features, and timeless architectural elements. White kitchens are a non-negotiable for plenty of homeowners who admire a clean, light, bright scheme to stand the test of time. (Even more inspiring white kitchens to explore if you love warm whites here.)

SW Alabaster on kitchen cabinets in a gorgeous timeless kitchen with Holborn lanterns over island - Thompson Construction. #swalabaster #sherwinwilliamsalabaster #kitchencabinets
Sherwin-Williams Alabaster – Design: Thompson Construction

Which White Kitchen Cabinet Paint Colors Do Designers Favor?

Even when you decide it’s a white kitchen you desire, the decision likely marks only the beginning of the journey. The perfect white for your kitchen design requires a bit of thought and research.

Will a warm white, a cool white, a greyed white, or an off white be the best white paint for your project? Make sure to review plenty of images and sample at least a handful of paint colors before deciding. This post may help you narrow down some tried and true white kitchen cabinet colors designers tend to rely upon time and time again.

Hello Lovely Studio's serene kitchen with window seat, Belgian linen, and white oak flooring.
Hello Lovely Studio – Walls: BM White OC-151

How Does Knowing Designer Favorite Paints Help?

While a lot of folks think a neutral paint color is a neutral paint color or that all whites are pretty interchangeable, it’s not true! Each white hue has gradations, undertones, and formulaic color combos that influence the paint color’s LRV (light reflectance value).

Two tone timeless white kitchen with floating shelves and design by Whittney Parkinson. #floatingshelves #whitekitchens
Whittney Parkinson – In this two-tone bespoke kitchen scheme, two different whites (a warm tone and a cooler white) harmonize.

Viewing lots of images can be helpful. Even though the way a particular color presents in an image may appear far different in your own kitchen (due to post-editing and time of day photos were snapped), it provides a starting point to sample a few promising contenders.

BM White Dove OC-17

I’m going to make your quest a ton easier in one fell swoop. Start with a sample of WHITE DOVE which is an off white that is WILDLY adored. There’s a chance it won’t be your best option, but using it as a reference will help you analyze what you’re after by knowing what isn’t working.

White Dove (Benjamin Moore) painted cabinets in a lovely custom kitchen by Caitlin Creer. #bmwhitedove #whitekitchencabinets
BM White Dove – Design: Caitlin Creer Interiors

For example, I tend to like White Dove for vintage furniture pieces I paint. But if I am after a more modern look in a kitchen, I might reach for Chantilly Lace instead. Benjamin Moore says unerring style defines White Dove as a clean and classic white, and the rest of the planet seems to agree.

The light reflectance value of this off white is 83.16 – it will reflect some serious light. Should you also paint the walls, ceiling, and trim the same color? You totally can. To decide whether a monochromatic look is for you, keep viewing images (dig into my archives and search “white kitchen”) to see what your eye prefers. When there is subtle contrast for walls and cabinets, it can be beautiful. And when there’s a more fluid, seamless sea of white, it can also be gorgeous.

BM White Dove on kitchen cabinets in a gorgeous design by @gablebuilding. #bmwhitedove #whitedovekitchen
BM White Dove in a kitchen by @gablebuilding

So what you’re doing as you study and expand images is NOTICING any pattern where you respond positively. If you’re after a tranquil mood, which photos elicit that response in you? Now note the contrast level between walls/cabinetry/ceiling/trim. Low contrast? High contrast? Almost no contrast at all?

Try These Colors That Work Well With White Dove

Beautiful on cabinetry, try these three beautiful neutrals in combination with it for accents, interior trim, exterior details, and walls. Balboa Mist OC-27, Kendall Charcoal HC-166, and Revere Pewter HC-172 are colors to consider.

Detail of BM White Dove painted cabinets in a lovely design by @amanydesignstudio. #bmwhitedove #whitedovecabinets
Are your cabinet doors right for this versatile, flexible, adored white? BM White Dove – Design: @amanydesignstudio

Freakouts are Common With Kitchen Designs!

A word of caution. Even when you are confident you have found the right white and neutral colors for your project and feel energized by the plan, doubt can creep in as each layer of the design begins to take shape.

White Dove painted kitchen by Modern Midwest Nest. #whitepaintcolors #whitedovepaint #benjaminmoorewhitedove #whitekitchens
Do White Dove kitchen cabinets make sense for you? BM OC-17Modern Midwest Nest

This is truly a normal response. After all, you’re investing a lot of time, energy, and funds into a project that needs to serve you well for years. But you probably don’t yet have enough data to justifiably freak out. (I’m not talking about how appliances and fixtures look or fit into the space…addressing paint colors mainly here!).

BM White Dove kitchen cabinets and walls in a lovely country design - photo by Lincoln Barbour. #bmwhitedove #whitecountrykitchen
BM White Dove – Photo: Lincoln Barbour for Country Living

Just know that when there is just one layer, you honestly cannot assess how the end result will look. All of your attention, for example, may go to just one thing before all of the pieces are there.

BM White Dove OC-17 on kitchen cabinets and shiplap in designer Sherry Hart's kitchen (Michael Ladisic) in AHL magazine. #bmwhitedove
White Dove OC-17 – Design: Sherry Hart in AHL (Photo by Anthony Masterson)

I speak from experience as a real life renovator who has freaked out prematurely more times than I can say. The thing is, I now anticipate the freakouts and because of experience have learned to trust that all will be well as the layering proceeds. When you invest time into the thoughtfulness of the design before a single decision is made, it will serve you later.

Easiest way to see if a paint color will work? Order samples with Samplize and have them delivered straight to your door.

BM Chantilly Lace OC-65

Chantilly Lace is a brighter white than White Dove and may be a great choice for your cabinets. Two kitchens that spring to mind right away? My friend Loi Thai’s gorgeous classic kitchen (Tone on Tone)…

Chantilly Lace cabinets in a classic Nordic French white kitchen with light grey painted floors, topiaries near window, and classic pendants (Circa Lighting) over island - Loi of Tone on Tone. #whitekitchens #toneontone #bmshoreline #bmchantillylace
Loi Thai’s kitchen with Chantilly Lace

and Erin Fetherston’s California modern farmhouse interiors where the color plays a starring role:

Come explore California Modern Farmhouse Style Interior Design Inspiration like this charming kitchen (Erin Fetherston) with midcentury and white elements! #modernfarmhouse #interiordesign #breakfastnook #kitchens #erinfetherston #midcenturymodern #californiastyle
Erin Fetherston’s California kitchen with Chantilly Lace on walls and trim

I have noticed a pattern of Chantilly Lace being favored by minimalists, modernists, and Midcentury Modern fans while White Dove is the number one choice of vintage lovers and traditionalists.

BM Chantilly Lace painted kitchen cabinets in a lovely design by Plain and Posh (photo by @pictureperfecthouse). #chantillylace #whitekitchencabinets #bmchantillylace
BM Chantilly Lace – Design: Plain and Posh (Photo by @pictureperfecthouse)

Of course there are plenty of exceptions, and your home and its unique lighting may cast its own vote!

Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace paint color swatch. #chantilllylace #bmchantillylace
BENJAMIN MOORE Chantilly Lace – tap image to get a sample

In terms of whites, Chantilly Lace is a very crisp and bright off white. It is also known as 2121-70 and considered a classic go-to white eliciting images of fresh cotton and pure silk. 90.04

Chantilly Lace (Benjamin Moore) painted cabinets in a lovely white kitchen by Simplicity for Designs (photo by Audrie Dollins). #bmchantillylace #whitekitchencabinets
BM Chantilly Lace – Design: @simplicityfordesigns (Photo by Audrie Dollins)

We often see Chantilly Lace combined with light and medium greys, and don’t avoid grey because you think it’s too common a pairing. There are good reasons such pairings are repeated, and there are a million additional ways to add personality and distinction to your design.

Ideas for Other BM Colors Coordinating with Chantilly Lace

Ice Mist 2123-70 is similar to this white so take a peek. Horizon OC-53 is a muted grey-white that works great coordinating with Chantilly Lace, and a lot of designers are crazy about it. It has this atmospheric, ethereal factor you may be after.

Shaker kitchen with 30" Reinhard fireclay farm sink, Viatera Minuet quartz, and polished venatino marble subway tile backsplash - Hello Lovely Studio. #farmsink
Hello Lovely – Off white cabinets in my kitchen were close to White Dove, while the trim, ceiling, and walls were painted BM OC-151.

Additional BM whites that match Chantilly Lace are Benjamin Moore White OC-151 and BM Brilliant White OC-150. OC-151 is the white that was perfect for walls, trim, and ceiling in our former kitchen because of its very cool blue undertones. You can see it in Lisa Furey’s kitchen on cabinets, walls, and everywhere in this beautiful coastal property:

I found BM White (LRV is 83.56) not terribly different than primer. With our strong yellow sunlight, I needed serious undertones to cut through it.

How to Choose Perfect Paint Colors Every Time - instructions from Hello Lovely. #paintcolors #choosingpaint

Sherwin-Williams SW Alabaster 7008

If the kitchen at the very beginning of this post at top stole your heart, then maybe you’ll want to sample Alabaster 7008.

SW Alabaster on kitchen cabinets in a gorgeous timeless kitchen with Holborn lanterns over island - Thompson Construction. #swalabaster #sherwinwilliamsalabaster #kitchencabinets
Sherwin-Williams Alabaster – Design: Thompson Construction

About this Sherwin-Williams white, the brand says it will satisfy “When you want the brightness of a white without sacrificing a warm coziness.”

Sherwin-Williams also calls this warm white a: “soft, warm but balanced white” to “turn up the peaceful.”

Rustic elegant French country farmhouse kitchen with beautiful stucco range hood, copper pots, reclaimed Chicago brick backsplash, arabescato marble counters, and lanterns over island. Brit Jones Design. See more Gorgeous European Country Interior Design Inspiration on Hello Lovely. #europeancountry #frenchfarmhouse #interiordesign
Brittany Jones – SW Alabaster painted cabinetry

Peaceful is an accurate description, and you can see how this warm white played a key role throughout the interiors of a new build in Texas by Brittany Jones that only looks Old World:

Rustic elegant French country farmhouse white kitchen with farm sink, reclaimed Chicago brick backsplash, and window overlooking courtyard. Brit Jones Design.
Brittany Jones – SW Alabaster in a lovely French country white kitchen

Just an incredible combination of warm and rustic with the Chicago brick backsplash and cool white marble.

What Coordinating Colors Work Well With Alabaster and What Doesn’t?

Peek at SW Townshall Tan 7690 and SW Dakota Wheat 9023, and know that lots of colors work dreamily with it. So much so that I think we all lost count of how many kitchens designed by Joanna Gaines featured this color! Alabaster was used on the walls and trim of this showhouse in Atlanta (2017), but the post-editing likely makes it appear much brighter.

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 – color on cabinets: F&B Light Blue; walls: SW Alabaster

Alabaster is often fitting for farmhouse, country, vintage style, French country, and Old World kitchen styles. However, it may be too creamy or appear yellowish in certain lighting conditions which is why it’s so important to sample it first.

BM Collingwood

Also known as OC-28, Collingwood is a gorgeous, sophisticated white Benjamin Moore calls “A widely appealing shade of gray with lightly cool undertones.”

BM Collingwood on kitchen cabinets in a lovely white kitchen by @jlv_creative. #bmcollingwood #whitekitchencabinets
BM Collingwood – Design: @jlv_creative (Photo: Margaret Wright)

It’s one of those atmospheric neutral whites that can appear slightly warm despite the cool undertones. Is it grey? Putty? Stone-like? That mystery about this color and the difficulty pinning it down to one or several things is what makes it all the more appealing.

The LRV for Collingwood is 61.52 which means it is a lighter color reflecting a fair amount of light in the room. Yet it isn’t as light as a highly reflective white such as Chantilly Lace which has an LRV of 92.

BM Collingwood on kitchen cabinets in a beautiful white kitchen with Chantilly Lace walls - design by AKBDesign. #collingwood #bmcollingwood #chantillylace
A lovely kitchen designed for actress Karine Vanasse by AKB Design; Cabinetry: @cuisinesmiralis

I also love the combination of the warm Collingwood with cooler walls and marble counters! A lot of folks freak out when they must decide on a coordinating white countertop material to harmonize with their white cabinetry.

However, if you view enough images online, you’ll notice the variations are endless. Mixing whites (warm with cool, light grey counter with warm white cupboards, etc.) isn’t just okay, it’s also gorgeous and sophisticated. I’m wary of the word “match” these days and prefer thinking about harmony and relationships instead.

See more of the kitchen with above in this house tour.

Which Colors Look Great with Collingwood?

As far as complementary light neutrals to contrast lightly, see Icicle OC-60, which is a warm white that works well with Collingwood. Also consider BM White Dove OC-17. A taupe hue such as River Reflections 1552 and the deeply sophisticated blue-gray Gentleman’s Gray 2062-20 both harmonize with it too.

Is a Light Grey Color The Best White for Your Kitchen?

Don’t forget about all of the colors with “white” missing from their name which may be great options for your kitchen cabinets. I wanted to keep things light, muted, and neutral in our kitchen, and a tweaked grey was best.

Renovated kitchen with Viatera Muse countertops and Sherwin Williams Eider White paint color. Cabinets are 50% Farrow & Ball Pavilion Gray - Hello Lovely Studio.
Hello Lovely – cabinets are painted Farrow & Ball Pavilion Gray 242 at 66% strength (2/3 Pavilion Gray, 1/3 pure white)

At full strength, it is too dark grey, but lightened up was felt just right. With sunlight, the cabinets often appear light blue…just what I was after. The kitchen’s design began with the countertop material (Viatera Muse), and then the bright white choice helped narrow down options for the cabinet color.

Benjamin Moore CLASSIC GRAY

Here’s another grey color painted cabinet possibility. BM Classic Gray is very similar to the custom color I mixed for our kitchen. Classic Gray is an incredible greyed-white I have used with great success.

Benjamin Moore Classic Gray actually reads like a white since it is the lightest, quietest of light greys to add atmosphere but not drama to your walls.
BENJAMIN MOORE Classic Gray – tap image to get sample

Farrow & Ball Lamp Room Gray is another beautiful option for a neutral:

Lamp Room Gray (FB) painted cabinets in a traditional kitchen with classic style and sophistication from Park & Oak. Come see inspiring photos and learn 16 simple yet sophisticated kitchen design ideas.
Farrow & Ball Lamp Room Gray on cabinets in a kitchen by Park and Oak

How to Choose the Best White When You’re Nervous About a Mistake

I personally don’t find choosing the best white to be a cake walk. Every project is different. So many choices! Sometimes you know a sample is wrong immediately. Other times, it’s a mystery. When it comes to paint for cabinetry? A tall order since nobody plans to re-paint in a year!

If you’re a DIY type, one of the best ways to give yourself some reassurance is to paint the color you’re leaning toward on just one piece of furniture or an extra door front. Live with it, see how the color changes through the day as the light changes, and then decide whether it’s the one.

It’s also easy to score curb-side finds and FB Marketplace bargains should you need an old piece for experimentation.

If you paint the island first, this may also give you an idea of whether you might want a two-tone design for your kitchen. For example, a warm white or light putty or muted grey on the island with crisp white cabinets for uppers.

More Kitchen Resources to Consider

Ready to order samples of a few of these? Go here to Samplize to have them delivered directly to your door.

If you love neutrals and white, please peek at these decorating resources that may appeal:

Peace to you right where you are.

-michele

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Let’s SHOP!

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