Mix and Match Your Kitchen Cabinet Styles

Nat We mixed our kitchen up with blonde oak on the kitchen island and white cabinetry all around it - looks really nice and breaks up all the white

ryoder The photos in this ideabook are very inspirational - especially the last few with color. This brings me to an issue I have encountered in recent months - nearly all of the kitchens in design websites/books have neutral colors on the cabinets and walls, yet many designers suggest using bold colors. As an amateur who is interested in learning more about basic design strategies, I am confused as to why there is a discrepancy between the actual designs and the suggested designs. I also realize that personal tastes vary, but the choices for photos are mostly biased toward the plain. Personally, I favor a bold color for either the walls or the cabinets, but not both. And I cannot stand gray walls (can you say, "Alcatraz")!

InterDesign Studio Using out of the box IKEA cabinets, by using stainless doors over the stainless microhood it adds to the height and gives the illusion of an expensive stainless hood.

nataliewilliamson I have just designed a kitchen in two tones for my new house & so looking forward to seeing the finished product...all because of your fantastic iphone app...so many great ideas...Thanks again :)

Natalie Myers Ryoder: I believe websites and magazines show neutrals bcs it appeals to a broader audience, hence more hits or subscriptions whiledesignera prefer color bcs it let's us be creative. My advice to most people is think about why you are remodeling your kitchen. If it is to increase the value of the property you plan to sell in a few years, go neutral to appeal to a potential future buyer. If it's for your dream kitchen in a home you will live in for 10+ years make it personal and choose the colors you love.

Scott Haig, CKD I like the idea of mixing colors and textures, whether minimalist, contemporary, transitional or traditional in style. It gives the space character and some expression of style--it can take a space out of the ordinary. Neutral colors may help to sell, but I think good design always adds value. Thanks for presenting a good topic of discussion!

Pedini Kitchens Love mixing colors and have been doing it for years!
Here are a few examples:
- Brown color stain rift cut oak w. matte white lacquer.
- Grey color stain rift cut oak w. white & red glossy lacquer.
- Oak and off-white textured laminate.
- White and black all-glass kitchen.

brilliantatbreakfast I've finished refacing my old knotty pine upper cabinets with oak (it was all that was available in light wood at the time) and they look pretty good...but the base cabinets are really beat and storage-unfriendly, as they are stick-built on site. I thought of perhaps getting new base cabinets only in a dark chocolate brown and then warming them up with a beige granite countertop and light oak floor. The kitchen is smallish, only 9 x 17, with a 9 x 10 L-shaped cabinet area. Is this too small to mix cabinets like this?

Christine Bergensten I have a transitional style itchen but the cabinets on one side are black and on the other side are white. We also have an island in the center that is black beadboard with a stained espresso butcher block top. We absolutely love it.

jacksonbeth I will be redoing my kitchen this year with Carolina Heartwood Cabinetry's cabinets. We are doing the island in a lighter cabinet color -- the Raleigh -- and then the outer cabinets in the Charlotte. The two toned look is going to be awesome. This is the Raleigh cabinet:
http://carolinaheartwoodcabinetry.com/our-products/premium-paint/cobalt-black-gallery/
Has anyone else done this before?

Dura Supreme Cabinetry I love mixing and matching when it is done well. Here are a few great examples that I like...