Thanks to home improvement shows and magazines, white kitchen cabinets have become extremely popular over the last couple of years. Not only do white kitchen cabinets lighten up your kitchen, but they can easily fit into your overall aesthetic whether you are going for a rustic look, a modern look, or a contemporary look. The best part about white kitchen cabinets is that their popularity has no end in sight. You should feel safe choosing white for your cabinets for many, many years to come.
Why White Kitchen Cabinets?
White kitchen cabinets are so versatile. You may think white kitchen cabinets are all the same, but they are far from it. Before you even decide on the color of your kitchen cabinet, you should look at the design of the cabinet in its raw natural form. Different designs suit different kitchens.
Modern Kitchen
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For a modern style kitchen, you will want to choose a sleek cabinet. A great choice is a slab style. It looks exactly like its name insinuates. There are no lines or raised edges, it is simply one single piece of wood with little to no detail. Think sharp, sleek, and simple when choosing cabinets for a modern kitchen and you will be good to go.
Traditional Kitchen
If you are looking for kitchen cabinets for a more traditional kitchen, a rounded or arched cabinet detail will be the best option for you. These cabinets have more intricate detail than any other kitchen cabinets. You are able to identify these cabinets based on the cathedral curve at the top. Any cabinet with detail and curvature will look great in a traditional style kitchen.
Farmhouse Kitchen
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If your kitchen and house have a farmhouse vibe to it, raised panels around the edge of the cabinet is the best option for you. These cabinets are extremely simple with sharp edges and a raw unfinished wood look to them. When painted, these cabinets will not be very smooth. You should see some of the wood detail through the paint or if you are buying the cabinets already white, there should be character in it.
Details
One of the best parts about having white kitchen cabinets is that they give you a blank canvas to do whatever you want. You do not have to worry about metal and wood colors clashing because virtually everything goes with the color white.
That actually goes for everything in the kitchen. If you have white cabinets, you can choose whichever color countertop, stools, faucets, pulls, or lighting that you want. White kitchen cabinets are just the blank canvas, it is the other details that really pull your kitchen together.
For example, an all-white kitchen allows you to have eclectic handles. If you are going for a more bohemian kitchen look, you can invest in pretty colorful glass handles and pulls for your cabinets and drawers.
Use of Accent Colors
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The best part about having white kitchen cabinets is that you can choose any accent color’s and they will look good. The important thing is not bringing in too many different shades of accent colors.
For example, if all of your accent colors are dark and bold, bringing in a couple of pastel colors may not look correct. The same goes if you choose pastel accent colors, bringing in an additional dark and bold accent colors may be too busy.
There is an exception to this. If you only have one or two accent colors in your kitchen, let’s say red and blue, bringing in different shades of red and blue would look okay. The key is sticking to your color scheme. Any more than two colors with different shades will start to get a little too busy.
Backsplash
The most common backsplash in a kitchen with white cabinets is a white subway tile or another tile along those same lines. This makes for a sleek and literal all-white kitchen look. Choosing a white backsplash is always a good idea. However, it is not the only option.
If you would like some contrast against your white cabinets or if you do not want your kitchen to appear as completely white, choosing a contrasting backsplash always looks good. Silver, black, and mint green are all great backsplash color options.
An example of a contemporary backsplash would be using faded black and white patterned tiles for your backsplash. These colors will contrast and accent your white kitchen cabinets extremely well. It is important to keep your backsplash within the same theme of your overall kitchen. Focus on whether your kitchen is more contemporary, more traditional, more modern, or any other design and choose your backsplash based on that.
Countertop
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Although one would assume any countertop can go with white kitchen cabinets, people with white kitchen cabinets typically tend to choose one of four different countertops. Going with a slick white countertop always looks good in a white kitchen and is the most common choice for people. However, black, marble, and gray all look good with white kitchen cabinets.
Due to contrast and fear of busying a simplistic kitchen design, it is not common to stray out of these four colors. Black may seem stark, but a black countertop looks great in a modern kitchen design paired with white kitchen cabinets.
Lighting Choices
White can be a stark color in a kitchen. If you light your all-white kitchen the wrong way, it can give off a cold feeling, almost like a surgical room. There are different ways to avoid this issue.
Color Of Your Lightbulb
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Did you know there are actually different shades of white you can choose when purchasing a lightbulb? Picking the right shade is essential to pulling off your kitchen the way you want it to be,
If you are going for a more modern look with sleek contrasts and all cool tones, then a cool white toned lightbulb may actually be the best choice for you. These lightbulbs emulate an almost faint blue shade, keeping the lighting and reflections very cool toned. Cool toned lightbulbs are often not the popular choice for kitchens, but they do work in some.
Cool toned lightbulbs look great in kitchens that are white, gray, or blue. The cool tone emulates and accents the other colors in your kitchen leaving you with a very crisp clean light reflection.
The more popular lightbulb option is a warm-toned lightbulb. This tone works in all kitchens and creates a more warm, cozy feeling. If you have bold accent colors in your white colored kitchen or even pastels, warm-toned light bulbs will emulate a homey-light that makes everyone want to gather around to chat.
Lighting Accessories
One of the best things about having white kitchen cabinets is that you can virtually choose any lighting pendant, chandelier, or hanging pendant you like. If you are going for a more minimalist look, glass pendants and chandeliers do not distract from the overall feel of the room, but accent it perfectly.
On the other hand, if you have an all-white kitchen, but want to make the accessories the spotlight, you can go for any finish with your lighting. Wood chandeliers work really well in the farmhouse and contemporary kitchens. Brass, gold, and silver lighting look good in traditional kitchens, but can also look good in modern, farmhouse, and contemporary kitchens, depending on the style of light you choose.
Options for Storage
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When going with white kitchen cabinets, you can choose whatever storage layout you prefer. An all-white kitchen looks great whether you decide to use enclosed cabinets, open cabinets, or glass (see-through) cabinets. Choosing how you store your kitchenware depends on the overall style of your kitchen.
White Kitchen Cabinets: Conclusion
White kitchen cabinets have become more and more popular over the last couple of years. Thanks to home improvement television shows and design magazines, people have become obsessed with the idea of white kitchen cabinets. When redoing a kitchen, it is most common to choose a sleek white design, but “do it yourself” fanatics have found painting old kitchen cabinets white is an affordable and easy way to completely update an outdated kitchen.
There are a couple important notes to take away before you start choosing your cabinets, lighting, backsplash, countertops, and accessories. What is the overall design of your house? If it is traditional, make sure to keep your cabinets arched and elegant. For a traditional house, white backsplash and white countertops look best.
Is your home modern? Made sure to keep all edges of countertops, backsplash, and cabinets sleek and smooth with no detailing. Mixing black and white looks great in a modern home. Or maybe you have a farmhouse inspired home. Marble or concrete grey countertops look great against white kitchen cabinets. Open shelving and antique colors also accent farmhouse designs very well.
No matter what your kitchen design is, choosing white kitchen cabinets is a great option. White cabinets have only become popular again in the last 10 years, and they are increasingly gaining popularity with no fading of the trend in sight.
