When designing your home, there’s a lot of thought going into it. What kind of style do I want? What size of kitchen or bathroom do I need? Should I have open shelves or closed cabinets? Another very important question you probably thought of is “what color should my cabinets be?” Whether you’re thinking of ocean blue bathroom cabinets for your kids or a dark stained wood walk-in closet for you and your spouse, we’re here to help.

Factors Affecting Your Choice in Cabinet Color

The color of your cabinets undoubtedly affects various aspects of your home. In some spaces like your kitchen, it’s the most visible feature and defines first impressions. As with any design choice, there is no definite right or wrong answer. When deciding between light or dark cabinets, there are factors to take into consideration.

Size of your space

First you need to look at the size of your space. Is it small and cramped or is it wide and spacious? On top of the absolute measurements, you also need to consider the amount of light, especially natural light. A well-lit space feels much larger than a dimly lit one. Even more so if the light comes from large windows. A lighter colored cabinet can make small spaces feel larger. Conversely, dark cabinets can make overly large spaces feel more compact and welcoming.

Design Style

The design style of your space also helps narrow down your cabinet color options. A sleek and contemporary kitchen can look good with darker or bolder colors. You can even opt for some bold hues like bright reds or blues.  On the other hand, more traditional or ornate cabinet styles could work better in a classic white or an elegant stained walnut finish.

Your Personal Tastes

In line with design style, your personal tastes and habits should also come into play when choosing between light or dark cabinets. If you greatly prefer dark cabinets, then you can find a way to make it work even if you have a small kitchen or bathroom. If you prefer the feeling of openness, then white cabinets might just be what you’re looking for. Aside from those, you also need to consider the many items you decorate with. For kitchens, this could mean the small appliances on your counter top or your dinnerware. Ideally, these items should also work in tandem with the color of your kitchen cabinetry to create a pleasing and visually harmonious space.

Resale Value

Is this your forever home or will you move out within the next 5 years? If you’re looking to sell your house someday, it’s important to consider potential buyers. You may love your bright and bold blue cabinets, but others may find it too trendy. Your choice in cabinet color is most important for key spaces such as the kitchen and master bathroom. These are the two spaces that potential buyers will scrutinize the most. When the possibility of selling your home is on the table, it may be better to opt for timeless colors with a wider appeal.

Pros and Cons of Light and Dark Cabinets

Now that we’ve gone over what factors you need to consider, next we’ll look at the differences between light and dark cabinets. Each has their own pros and cons that can affect the overall look and feel of your space.

Light Cabinets

As briefly mentioned earlier, light cabinets are great for making spaces look brighter. This is because lighter colors reflect light better and allows it to bounce around the room. When combined with a large window that gets plenty of natural light, white cabinets or beige cabinets can greatly enhance your kitchen or bathroom.

Another benefit to light colored cabinets is that they’re highly versatile and easy to work with. White kitchen cabinetry goes well with many colors. This is great if you want to incorporate color elsewhere such as thru a decorative tile backsplash or thru brightly colored appliances and tableware.

One other thing you’ll commonly hear about lighter colors, especially for white or beige cabinets, is that it’s timeless. Color trends change every few years, but light cabinetry has stood the test of time. This is something to consider if you want to trend-proof your home and sell it in the future.

A downside, however, is that light cabinets don’t hide scuffs and stains that well. Consider how your family will use your cabinets and how often you’ll be cleaning. If you have small children or pets living with you, then you need to be willing to clean up often if you choose to go for lightly colored cabinetry.

For those of you that aren’t too keen on white, off-white, or beige cabinetry; do know that these aren’t the only options for light colored cabinets. These colors I mentioned can feel quite basic or boring to some. If you’re one of these people, you can still get the benefits of light cabinetry with pale grays, light pastel colors, and some lighter natural wood finishes.

Dark Cabinets

On the other end of the spectrum, we have dark colored cabinets. The more common colors for these are browns, blacks, and dark stained wood finishes. Rich grays, navy blue, deep purples, and other colors in a darker shade also count.

Using darker colors for your cabinetry can provide a sense of luxury and formality to your space. It feels elegant, sophisticated, and moody. If this slight touch of seriousness is what you prefer, then definitely look into dark cabinets.

In contrast to light colored cabinetry, dark ones add visual weight to your space. It can make a space looks “heavy” in a sense, especially with dark upper cabinets. In a small space, such as an apartment kitchen, then it can make the room feel too cramped or constrained. Conversely, if you have a large open space, the dark cabinets can help to rein it in. Dark cabinetry can make a wide area feel more welcoming, and is great for defining spaces in an open plan setup.

Another benefit dark cabinets have is that it can be easier to hide dirt and stains. Of course we should endeavor to keep our spaces as clean as possible, but sometimes accidents just happen. If you end up splashing a little bit of pasta sauce while cooking or your pets leave a scratch or two, it won’t be as obvious.

A down side to dark cabinets is that it may come off as too trendy. It’s not as universally liked as light cabinets, which can hurt resale value in the future. This is especially true if you use bolder colors such as blue, maroon, or purple. Neutral colors such as black and gray, or natural wood stains are a safer bet if you want dark colors that won’t be too hard to sell.

Two-Toned Cabinets

What if you really can’t choose between light and dark cabinets? You can actually use both! Using more than one color of cabinet can create more visual interest thru differing tones or varying textures. This can be done in multiple ways. For example, you can have white kitchen cabinets lining your walls, and use a darker accent color for your kitchen island. Another common route is to combine dark lower cabinets with lightly colored upper cabinets.

As you can imagine, trying to balance different colors in a space can be a nightmare for some. It takes a skilled eye to pull it off and make it work. Two-toned cabinets are also a more recent trend, so it’s anyone’s guess if it will hold up in 5 to 10 years. Just be sure to keep these in mind if you want to try two-toned cabinets for your home.

Choosing a Cabinet Color

This is, of course, just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to designing a beautiful interior for your home. But what’s important is to choose a color that will make you happy and enjoy being in the space. There are so many rules and guidelines out there, and hopefully this has helped you figure out what works well for you and your home.

If you’re still having trouble deciding, it’s best to consult with a design professional and see things from an expert’s perspective. When it comes your cabinetry needs, you can come to us! Wood & Co. specializes in custom cabinetry, whether it’s dark stained walnut kitchen cabinets or a bright white painted bathroom vanity, we have the tools and knowledge to meet your needs. When you’re ready to start on your new cabinetry project, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.