White cabinets used to be a classic, traditional staple in a lot of peoples homes. Now, we see way more kitchen designs that feature alternative paint colors for kitchen cabinets or kitchen islands. Ranging from different shades of green, blue, gray or even black; I think we can all agree this new kitchen design trend is here to stay! Pinterest is one of the easiest ways to look up design inspiration, but a lot of the time you have no idea what colors these designers have actually used in those kitchen designs that you are pinning into your ‘Dream Kitchen’ board.
Since most of these kitchen design colors are custom, or nearly impossible to track down on google, I wanted to make sure that if you found a color you loved for your dream kitchen that you would actually be able to use it! We featured 8 of our favorite alternative paint colors for kitchen cabinets or kitchen islands that we have used over the years and color matched them to different paint companies ranging from high to low in cost. All of the kitchen designs that are featured below have color matches to Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore and Behr paint colors!
P.S: You can pin ALL of these images, including the design guide below, to Pinterest; toggle your mouse over the top left corner of the image to see the red and white ‘P’ pop up and then simply click on it!
Kitchen Design Above Featured In ‘The Rooster House Project’!
View Whole Project Blog HERE!
I love matching kitchen cabinets to the kitchen island, especially if they are an alternative color to white. This is the perfect soft green color that is a great subtle neutral while also bringing personality to a kitchen design. I was able to balance out the green color by mixing in other design elements such as a full wall of gray backsplash tile, a reclaimed wood counter top & beams, the classic Farmhouse X’s on the ends of the island, and matte black hardware. A tried and true Farmhouse Style kitchen with a few modern upgrades! All of the alternative color matches to this custom green kitchen design are featured above.
* You can also scroll to the bottom of this blog to get all of the clickable links that go directly to the Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore and Behr websites.
Kitchen Design Above Featured In ‘Building A Dream Home’ Project!
View Whole Project Blog HERE!
This kitchen design features two colors; a navy blue island paired with soft gray kitchen cabinets. Even though this kitchen design is modern, we still wanted to create a classic and timeless look for our clients. By keeping the pop of color strictly as the kitchen island, and using a soft neutral gray as the cabinet color, we were able to keep the overall look still very classic. I also used white subway tile, a gorgeous white arabesque accent tile, and simple hardware to stay true to the timeless look we were trying to achieve! All of the alternatives to this custom navy blue island are featured above.
Kitchen Design Above Featured In ‘Building A Dream Home’ Project!
View Whole Project Blog HERE!
This kitchen design was featured with the navy blue island as shown above! In this picture, you can really see the soft gray cabinet paint color, the white subway tile and the white arabesque accent tile. What makes this cabinet wall different was the addition of the painted crown molding, which accentuates the modern flair that is happening throughout the rest of the kitchen. All of the alternative color matches to this custom gray island are featured above.
Kitchen Design Above Featured In ‘Lexington Home Tour: Modern Rustic Style’ Project!
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In 2019 we wanted to go bold with a kitchen design and when I saw this black cabinet sample in the store, I knew I had to use it! We couldn’t stop with just using the black cabinet color if we wanted to go big, so we made double islands too!🥰 For this Modern Farmhouse Style kitchen design I opted out of having upper cabinets and did a full wall of white herringbone backsplash tile. I also wanted to keep the overall look classic, so we used a thick quartz with large veining for all the counter tops, added in some of our signature reclaimed wood accents in the light boxes, and finished off the look with brushed brass hardware. A black and white kitchen design is timeless no matter what the style! All of the alternative color matches to this custom black kitchen design are featured above.
Kitchen Design Above Featured In ‘1980’s Kitchen Gets A Modern Makeover’ Project!
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Peppercorn by Sherwin Williams has to be one of the most requested colors for a kitchen design with our clients, and we can see why! This island color pairs so well with white cabinets for a traditional look with a modern twist. Using Peppercorn with white cabinets creates a tuxedo look that allows you to either go bold with your tile selections or you can keep it more classic with a stunning white subway tile. Any way you choose to go, Peppercorn is the most versatile paint color for any kitchen cabinet or kitchen island design. All of the alternative color matches to this Peppercorn island are featured above.
Kitchen Design Above Featured In ‘Navy Blue Inspired New Build ‘ Project!
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Another great color combination that works for a classic look is a soft gray kitchen island paired with crisp white cabinets! This Modern Farmhouse Style kitchen is anything but subtle with its gorgeous navy blue subway tiles, so we knew we needed some visual interest in the middle of this large kitchen design. By using a custom soft gray island paint color with a reclaimed wood counter top we were able to add just enough interest to help balance out the bold backsplash wall. All of the alternative color matches to this custom gray kitchen island are featured above.
Kitchen Design Above Featured In Our Home!😁
Not all kitchen cabinets or kitchen islands are solid colors. This kitchen features crisp white cabinets and a slate colored island that still has the gorgeous wood grain popping through! This Modern Farmhouse Style kitchen design features thick leathered textured counter tops, pattern white & gray backsplash tile, and matte black hardware. The ceiling design with the reclaimed wood beams and v-groove detailing tie in the traditional elements that we all know and love from Farmhouse Style. All of the alternative solid color matches to this custom slate kitchen island are featured above.
Kitchen Design Above Featured In ‘Transitional Style Kitchen & Wine Shrine’ Project!
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One of the most unique kitchen cabinet and kitchen island combinations that we have designed for a client was this stunning transitional style kitchen, featuring natural wood cabinets and island with painted X frame ends. I wanted to balance the wood grain and the bold wall color by adding a tried and true favorite of ours by Sherwin Williams as our accent color, Repose Gray. One of the best neutral and versatile colors out there, Repose Gray is the perfect beige that will never go out of style! All of the alternative color matches to the Repose Gray kitchen island are featured above.
