It’s cuckoo so many folks think “white kitchen” is somehow a singular look. Dig into my archives to see otherwise! Since the possibilities are endless, and they are often NOT a yawn, there is always room for more white kitchen cabinet paint ideas. We started our survey of lovely paint colors HERE.
More White Paint Colors for Kitchens
Let’s switch gears, kittens, and peek at a warm white to consider.
3. Sherwin-Williams SW Alabaster 7008
If you’re after a warmer white to feel calming and cozy, you may want to sample the wildly popular Sherwin Williams Alabaster 7008.
What is it like? Sherwin-Williams claims it will satisfy “When you want the brightness of a white without sacrificing a warm coziness.”
The brand also refers to Alabaster as “a soft, warm but balanced white to turn up the peaceful.”
I tend to agree that peaceful is an accurate description. If you dig in my archives and search “Brittany Jones” you’ll find that designer’s Texas home where Alabaster plays a starring role.
Look closely at how the cabinets above don’t “match” the white of the farm sink or the greyish-white Arabescato marble counters. Creating a beautiful white kitchen isn’t about matching whites. Mixing whites and neutrals keeps it all feeling authentic, custom, and layered with character. Even though differences are subtle, the look is prevented from falling flat.
Which Coordinating Colors Go With Alabaster and Which Don’t?
You may want to look at SW Townshall Tan 7690 as well as SW Dakota Wheat 9023. So many paint colors work well with Alabaster that I think we all lost count of how many kitchen designs by Joanna Gaines featured the white.
Alabaster is often fitting for 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.
4. Benjamin Moore COLLINGWOOD
The first thing to note about this interesting white is how it doesn’t have “white” in the name. Also known as OC-28, Collingwood is a lovely, sophisticated white Benjamin Moore calls “A widely appealing shade of gray with lightly cool undertones.”
Why include it with whites when the brand calls it gray? It is versatile and chameleon-like. And as long as you see the above kitchen and think, “yep, that’s a white kitchen,” it could be a contender. It can appear slightly warm despite this hue’s cool undertones. Does it look grey? Putty? Stone-like? The mystery around this color and the fact it isn’t easy to pin down actually makes it a more appealing and sophisticated option.
The LRV for Collingwood is 61.52 which means it is still at the lighter end of the spectrum, reflecting a fair amount of light. However, Collingwood reflects a lot less light than Chantilly Lace which has an LRV of 90.
One of qualities I appreciate about Collingwood is the magic it works with cooler walls and marble counters. A lot of folks freak out when they have to choose a white countertop material that will work best with their white cabinetry. However, if you view enough images online, you’ll begin to see how the variations are endless.
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 the Right White for Your Cabinets?
There are plenty more colors without “white” in their name that may be the right option for your kitchen cabinets. In my own home (a traditional Georgian), we wanted to keep things light, understated, and neutral in the kitchen. A custom light grey worked best.
At full strength, it was too dark. Since the kitchen receives plenty of natural light, the cabinets often appear light blue from the yellow sunny light…just what I was after. I was fortunate enough to choose the cabinet color after the counters were installed, but I know this isn’t typical.
5. Benjamin Moore WHITE SAND 964
Here’s a color with which I have experience since I chose it for nearly all of the walls of a French country house we built. White Sand is warm and will look great with a range of countertops.
What I love about a color like White Sand for cabinets is how it is similar to the tone of a wood species such as white oak. It also reminds me of natural linen, and various whites for wall color, trim, and counters will work well.
Here’s another shot of White Sand on walls in our dining room where the hutch and furniture is painted BM Whit Dove:
Is The Thought of Making a Mistake Paralyzing You?
A word of caution. Even when you feel confident you landed on the right white and other design elements for your kitchen design, second thoughts may surface as each layer takes shape. It’s very common to freak out. It’s a big investment. With the sea of choices you may think you chose poorly.
But you probably don’t yet have enough data to freak. (I don’t mean you shouldn’t lose your mind if appliances don’t fit…that’s a problem). Just bear in mind that when only a single layer is in place, you probably can’t assess the final look. When all your attention goes to the one thing before others are in place? Inaccurate assessments can happen. I’m a real life renovator where premature freakouts are routine along the journey.
Choosing the best white is never a cake walk since every project is different. Sometimes you’ll know a sample is wrong immediately. Other times, it’s a mystery. One thing that isn’t mysterious? Nobody likes re-painting when it’s wrong! So it pays to be thorough with sampling.
BONUS TIP for Choosing the Best White
BONUS TIP:
If a paint sample isn’t providing enough confidence to choose a cabinet color, paint a piece of cast-off furniture and live with it in the space. (It’s easy to score curb-side finds or a free FB Marketplace piece for experimentation.)
Ready to order samples of a few of these colors? Visit Samplize to get them delivered directly to your door.
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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