Should Your Kitchen Cabinets and Walls be the Same Color?

Published: November 18, 2021

Updated: October 30, 2023

Picking a color for your kitchen cabinets—and your kitchen in general—can be a challenging decision with endless possibilities. When you find a color you like, it can be tempting to use it on everything in sight. However, should your kitchen cabinets be the same color as your walls?

Kitchen walls and cabinets don’t need to be the same color, but that certainly doesn’t mean they can’t. In fact, it can create an alluring, uniform look! Kitchen cabinets naturally draw the eye with the amount of space they cover. Matching them to the wall expands this block of color, giving the whole kitchen an artfully cohesive aesthetic that is sure to turn a few heads.

On the flip side, you risk creating a bland look if you don’t consider how the rest of your kitchen will play into your color choice. What other colors are you going to pair with it? Will there be enough contrast? How will you create intrigue? These are just a few of the questions you need to ask when making this color choice

Read on for everything to consider when matching your kitchen walls and cabinets. Find out how to add contrast with other elements, when matching cabinets may not be the best idea, and more tips and tricks.

01
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Two-toned Cabinets Help Avoid Monotony

Photo: desertdecor

Try painting your upper and lower cabinets different colors for a look that is anything but boring. Match one set of cabinets to the wall and then in the other set a different color. Choosing two-toned kitchen cabinets in solid colors is terrific if you’re going for a clean and minimal look. Prefer something a bit more rustic or traditional? Pairing painted cabinets with wood cabinets is another great option.

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Create Contrast in Other Areas

Photo: eachdayisacelebrationinc

White cabinets and white walls can make any kitchen feel fresh and vibrant… but without contrast, it can just as quickly make a space feel sterile and bland. Creating contrast in other areas is a must to bring life to your kitchen. This kitchen goes for a bold look with a black oven and range hood cover and wood cabinets lining the lower half of the kitchen to add warmth.

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Paint Above the Cabinets for a Pop of Intrigue

Photo: a_bit_of_rustic_and_vintage

The most wow-worthy kitchen designs often have a few unexpected elements, which is exactly what adding color above the cabinets does for a minimalist kitchen. A strip of contrasting paint above the cabinets will help draw the eye up and add a whole new layer of allure. To create a more intricate look, you may even want to consider decorating the top of the kitchen cabinets.

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Pops of Bold Color Offer a Vivid and Energetic Look

Photo: lala_earth

Nothing says fun like a few pops of color! They also work really well when you have a big block of blank canvas to work with, thanks to matching walls and kitchen cabinets. You can incorporate bold hues by displaying colorful dishware on open shelving, adding a vase full of fresh blooms, decorating the countertop with accessories, or creating a vignette with antique finds on an island.

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Create Contrast with Appliances

Photo: blessed_and_farmhouse_obsessed

Adding appliances in contrasting colors or finishes is a simple and chic way to create contrast in a kitchen with matching cabinets and walls. You need appliances anyway, so why not make them pop?

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Textured Walls are a Go-To for Avoiding a Bland Look

Photo: ahoneyofafarmhouse

Plain-painted walls are great for embracing a minimalist look. However, if you want to craft a look that feels rich and layered, add some texture to your walls, such as shiplap, installing a backsplash, or using a textured painting technique.

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Multi-Colored Backsplashes Tone Down the Matchiness

Photo: athomewithjenna

If you find that perfectly matching kitchen cabinets to the walls feels too conservative, then look for a backsplash in varying shades—with one of the colors matching your cabinets. It will still be a great match, but it also adds intrigue and texture!

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Varying the Backsplash Tile Creates Intrigue

Photo: adventuresindecorating1

When your backsplash matches your cabinets, you miss out on some of the intrigue and contrast these elements may offer. However, not all hope is lost—the space under the range hood is a great place to add some patterned or ornate tile to juxtapose your matching cabinets and walls. Spanish tile is a favorite of a farmhouse and coastal homes alike. However, tiles that create pictures, like a rooster, would also look great in cottage-style homes.

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Cabinets in Open-Concept Spaces Don’t Just Belong to the Kitchen

Photo: austincreekfarmhouse

Kitchen island cabinets that sit between the kitchen and living room (or dining room) should be treated with extra care because you need to consider the color scheme of both the kitchen and adjoining rooms. If you want the island to offer subtle visual division between spaces, matching the walls and cabinets may not be best—try a contrasting paint color instead. However, if you want it to softly flow in your space, then cabinets that match the surrounding walls will work.

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Contrasting Countertops Break up Large Blocks of Color

Photo: olamaria_home

In every good design, the eye needs some blank space to rest. However, too much of a good thing can make a kitchen feel dull and uninspired. Luckily, using contrasting countertops will break up any monotony created by matching cabinets and walls. Can’t afford new countertops? Try redoing your countertops with contact paper.

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Go Big with the Ceiling

Photo: taysandcodesign

The chic uniform look of matching kitchen cabinets and walls creates a fantastic opportunity to get creative with your ceiling. From barn wood planks to tin tiles to dramatic colors—the options are endless!

Zakhar Ivanisov

Meet Zakhar Ivanisov, a Seattle-based entrepreneur and design enthusiast at the helm of Soul & Lane. With a heart full of passion, Zakhar blends his business acumen and a keen eye for aesthetics to create spaces that are as inviting as they are stylish. His venture into the world of home decor and organization reflects a unique fusion of entrepreneurial spirit and a genuine love for transforming living spaces.

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