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Kitchen Cabinet Colour Schemes

By Homely.com.au

Feb 18, 2021

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Are you thinking of renovating your kitchen in the new year? Maybe you want to give your kitchen a little refresh? After a tumultuous year, many homeowners are considering how they can improve their home, both from a functionality and aesthetic point of view.

By far, the easiest way to change the look of your kitchen is with colour, so here are the kitchen cabinet colour schemes you’ll be seeing everywhere in 2021.

kitchen cabinet trends 2021 Husk&co. green mint
Image: Husk&Co.

On-trend kitchen cabinet colours for 2021

Two-toned

Gone are the days of boring all-white kitchens, with many homeowners now choosing to experiment with different colour and material pairings in their kitchen design. A popular example of this is selecting an extra kitchen cabinet colour for your bottom cabinets to that on your top cabinets.

Starting with a crisp white, pair it with a deep colour that provides a great contrast. Usually, the darker colour will be on the bottom cabinets/island and the white on top cabinets to keep the space feeling open and airy. Popular colours in two-tone kitchens include black, deep navy and forest green. If you don’t want to use colour, a white and timber combo will give you a more muted, but still stylish, look.

kitchen cabinet colour trends 2021 two-tone
32 Henzell Terrace, Greenslopes QLD

Dark and moody

While pale timber dominated kitchens in 2020, darker woods like walnut are making a comeback due to their versatility and elegance. Don’t be worried about walnut cabinets making your kitchen look too formal or old-fashioned, choosing a flat profile kitchen door will keep your kitchen looking modern.

2021 kitchen cabinet trends walnut
44 Shakespeare Street, Bulimba QLD

A darker kitchen looks excellent in an open plan living area as it will draw the eye in and make a statement but make sure you pair your dark kitchen cabinetry with white benchtops to add some contrast. The best thing about dark timber cabinets by far is that you’re less likely to see fingerprints and grime on the doors!

kitchen cabinet colour trends 2021 dark moody
502/141 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW

Green with envy

Made popular by Jimmy and Tam on the 2020 season of The Block, adding a touch of green to your kitchen will be one of the standout kitchen trends of 2021. The calming, ambient effect of the colour green makes it a perfect kitchen cabinet colour.

2021 kitchen cabinet colour trends green
15 Pine Avenue, Hahndorf SA

There are so many different shades of green you can use in your kitchen from bold shades like turquoise or emerald to more muted pale mint or sage. If you’re not too keen on the idea of going green, using it as a feature colour on your kitchen island will help to incorporate it without it being too overpowering. But, you would be surprised at how good an all-green kitchen can look, like these mint green kitchen cabinets by Husk&Co.

Blue is best

While we predict green to be the golden child of 2021, blue cannot be overlooked. Navy and midnight blue continue to feature in kitchens all over Pinterest and home design magazines, oozing elegance and class while powder blue kitchens are popular with country style homes.

Pair your blue kitchen cabinets with lighter benchtops, and either silver or brass door handles to complete the look. Door profiles that look great in blue include shaker style, heritage style and beadboard country style.

kitchen cabinet colour trends
51 Melbourne Avenue, Camp Hill QLD

Nice neutrals

You can still make a statement with your kitchen without going for a bold colour scheme. Rich neutrals like taupe, nude, sand, camel and deep grey will be popular kitchen cabinet colours in 2021 with designs featuring one or two neutral colours and different shades throughout the room to create a feeling of warmth.

kitchen cabinet colour trends taupe 2021

These colours will not only be featured in kitchen cabinets but also reflected in material choices as well. Neutral stone and marble benchtops will be paired with brushed brass tapware, and kitchen hardware and neutral timber shelving hung next to enclosed cabinets. Three Birds Renovations recently completed a kitchen renovation that perfectly encompasses the neutral kitchen look if you want to get inspired.

kitchen cabinet colour trends brushed brass
Adding colour with accessories

It’s not just hot paint colours that can help to bring some colour into your kitchen. Using accent hardware and coloured kitchen appliances means you can stick to a neutral kitchen colour palette but still incorporate different colours to make a bright statement.

kitchen cabinet trends coloured accessories

Think brushed gold cabinet handles or brightly coloured appliances like a Smeg oven or fridge to elevate your kitchen cabinets and add some refreshing colour.

kitchen cabinet colour trends 2021 smeg fridge

When deciding on the colours of your new kitchen, don’t be afraid to try new things and embrace being unique. Use paint and material samples, online inspiration and the colours in the rest of your home to help you choose your new kitchen colours for 2021. If engaging a kitchen cabinet maker, they’ll also be able to help advise you on the best colours and materials that will suit your space and home.