Longer cabinet calls for painting it the color of the lower cabinets. Or so I think.

But if you choose black it will be very strong contrast with the rest of the uppers. So I'd take it into account, and go for a lighter gray-if you like it of course

Or I'd choose stained lowers(not a really dark stain though), white uppers. Very pretty, practical too. And I think can handle the contrast better, in such occasions.

Do you know your appliances color?

Seeing the space is always helpful..everybody's kitchen is different. I wanted to go for two-toned look myself..arrived to conclusion my kitchen wouldn't handle it well. Very uneven amount of lowers vs uppers. Would look choppy in my place. Might look amazing in yours.

Aprilneverends,
Appliances will be stainless.

People usually do full height same as lowers.

I think two colored cabinets looks choppy. Kitchens by definition ARE choppy - multiple doors in and out of the room, windows, cabinets etc - very little blank wall - just lots and lots of small areas. The more uniform you keep your colors, the larger the room will look, the less choppy it will look, and the more "peaceful" it will look. It's taken me 33 years to finally "get" this and I can't believe the difference it makes in my own kitchen and I'm a designer!

I have the same question. My plan was stained cherry on the bottom and white uppers. I think the white may look better. Have a look at this picture.

and another view

We have black stained lowers and white uppers. We didn't do wall ovens, but did do pantries on either side of the fridge. We did that whole unit around fridge white. Unfortunately, I don't have pics as we had a house fire and during the restoration changed to a bigger fridge and got rid of the pantries (kept the two colours tho 'cause we love it so much).

Daisychain,

Matte black and matte white? What dis you use for hardware?

Amy J,

In photo, I'd prefer all white and island in cherry.

I think it's more of a satin finish than matte - definitely not glossy. We used brass bar pulls. Sorry, it's not a very good pic but all I could find right now.

I think matching the bottom color is better and gives you a focal point. I have two tone and have my tall cabinets matching the uppers. I did that because my bottom is stained dark only on the island and under the rangetop.

You can see pictures in thread "Custom mixed with IKEA".

I agree with Anglo that all one color is more cohesive but I had a picture in my head that didn't go away and it was two toned.

I ordered two toned and made the tall cabinets white to match the uppers. No pics yet--they're installing on Saturday (yay!) I like wood but thought that all wood, especially the tall wood cabinets would seem too "in your face".

I don't disagree that two toned looks more chopped up, but personally I like the cabinets to look more unfitted.

Here's one of the kitchens I have pinned. I think it's hard to imagine the fridge cabinet being stained.

You've probably seen this one as it seems to be the most pinned kitchen on the internet, but it also has the dark lowers and white around the fridge. I think either way works, it's just what you prefer personally.

Do you have a preference with which color you prefer to be the primary versus the secondary?

I have to say, I'm with AprilNeverEnds, for me it's just too many disperate finishes in a kitchen to also break up cabinet finishes. With already different flooring, backsplash, counters, wall color, appliances.. that's already enough for me before I start feeling overwhelmed by unbalance. I don't mind a contrasting island, but that's as far as I'd go.

Having said that, DaisyChain's pulls it off better than I've ever seen before because the wall color blends with the cabinetry, the floor is very light and the backsplash matches the cabinetry as well. And, appliances blend with her lowers.

I guess I just don't like it with natural wood lowers because the appliances and such, start to look like a checkerboard.

Well it all depends. With the refrigerator, or ovens coming to the floor or almost to the floor, it will seem much more logical to make the rest of the surrounding cabinetry in the color of the uppers. If it's pantry-it will be harder to pull off. Depends how much of the cabinet is seen. And yes, on the flooring too. Meaning: depends on a specific kitchen. That's why I wanted to see the pictures if possible. But if no it's fine..took me some time to become comfortable posting pics of my rooms..and I'd say I'm still not quite there. Home is a very personal..thing.

I absolutely love two toned kitchens..yes, they're probably less peaceful, but not everybody is after peaceful. some people want dynamic environment for example, or invigorating.

I just think there should be certain conditions met, in order to pull it off. As I said, I dreamed about two tone kitchen, but after long consideration-I decided my kitchen wouldn't support it.

(you know what colors I wanted? Aubergine for lowers, fuchsia for uppers..our cabinetmaker really loved the idea, and was a bit disappointed in my more stereotypical final choice..:) Of course I had an inspiration picture too. Couldn't take my eyes off it)

I'm partial to stain plus color too, for many years already. But also wouldn't fly in our kitchen since the flooring was to be wood already..small kitchen, too much stain.

In short, it depends.

Sorry AprilNeverEnds - that was my mis-reference. I meant to say, I'm with Anglophilia in her feelings about how in some kitchens it can look choppy.

I agree, photos would help, if OP is willing to share.

My tall cabinets are two colored.

I am about 6 weeks away from starting my remodel, and I chose medium maple bottoms and creamy white uppers. The cabinet surrounding the refrigerator will be the upper color. My condo kitchen has zero architectural interest, and I think the two-tone cabinets will give it more pizzazz. And since it is not a large room, I was reluctant to have darker cabinets up to the ceiling. Also, after talking to the kitchen guy, the touch-up possibilities for the stained finish vs. the painted finish seemed more doable. I have a white kitchen now (old, but still white), and it does nothing for me. I am very excited!

maple plus creamy white sounds truly wonderful. well, i love maple..it's one of my lighter-wood favorites.

Aprilneverends,
It is a new build and only at blueprint stage. I am dreaming about the kitchen to be!
I love marble like counter, being white with gray. Love white tile for backsplash. White painted cabinets is for sure.
Island: probably contrasting colors whether black or gray.

I am pondering base cabinets being a different color; match the island. The cabinet which will house the steam oven and convection/electric oven is tall cabinet from floor to top of upper cabinets probably, this my question on what color that cabinet should be.

Daisychain01,
Can you post the link to your pics of the gray and white kitchens? I love them.

caligirl5 - you shared my other favourite inspiration photo! Sounds like we are on similar tracks. Love to see some pictures/hear about your choices of counter tops, flooring, hardware with the 2 tone cabinets.

Got it..I think

I have a huge board on kitchens and baths..a board on Pinterest I mean..but I didn't find much black and white there..so I just tried to search "black and white kitchen cabinets"..not all the results that I kinda liked were black and white, or answered other criteria, but still.

I'll attach several of these here so it's easier to see how they made it work

Sure Amy! (apologies to the OP for the sidebar) I'm aiming closer to this inspiration photo. I've picked out most of the finishes, but not much installed yet.

Here's what I've picked outr:

Cabinets: Conestoga, lowers are cherry stained Nutmeg and uppers/tall Antique White

Floors: Red oak with reddish stain (continuing from dining room)

Counters: honed black mist granite

Hardware: not sure yet. I've decided on all handle pulls, no cup pulls or knobs. I think ORB is safest choice, but I'd love to find something that looks distressed. The metal finishes are already a little bit of everything ([my lighting thread[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/feedback-on-kitchen-and-bath-lighting-picks-dsvw-vd~4479330) and [my door knob thread[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/door-knobs-for-craftsman-bungalow-dsvw-vd~4513029))

From pics, this is my favorite:

what i did pay attention to, while exploring my two thousand or so pics..when they use marble the kitchen is more traditional, very elegant, right? so they will leave one element out, like Coco Chanel:) They'll either skip two toned but do contrasting island. Or they'll do shelves instead of uppers, or uppers with large amount of glass. They'll make the look softer-by using maybe wood, or soapstone sometimes, on the island, or introducing maybe some warm metal finishes. But they'll try to keep something out, to still keep the kitchen being this lady who leaves one accessory at home.

Now when the style is modern, or very contemporary-color blocks look great, and even more than two..I didn't include them here but you can really go wild there with colors-because the doors themselves are so sleek, and handles are usually are very non-obtrusive or not there at all. So kitchens 3 and 4 they're example of very sleek kitchens like that,,and yes, on fourth they matched the long cabinet to the island-yet it works because the inner sense of that kitchen is very geometrical so to say..and not a lot of other elements are taking your attention, it concentrates on this color blocking.

The kitchens that I love the most that are either very colorful or keep one color of the cabinets but introduce lots of other surfaces or say have a bit unfitted look-they tend to be more casual..maybe a bit rustic or cottage, or a bit bohemian, or maybe pretty classic like these great English kitchens..I can't pinpoint the style since they're definitely not done in one style-but they have this more relaxed look, like "I just threw it on, and I don't care". So they can have marble, yes. But they still, at least seemingly, won't care. And they will introduce maybe one element more-like a wooden table instead of an island, or bold lights, or..insert your own.

I'm not sure I'm making much sense since I'm writing as I'm trying to analyze it myself..but that's what I see when looking at two toned cabinets.

So when I wanted to go with it my inspiration was definitely closer to this thrown together(can you say that?) style..and it fitted the character of the house.

You know your future house character, and your own style..so it will be your call where you want to add and where you feel like you need to leave something out. There's no set rule. You have your space..in blueprints yet, but the space as you imagine it, within the context of your future house..what do you want it to say? What feeling you want it to give to you? What character it will have?

General concept gives ideas about smaller details I think. Hence my unclear post:)

Aprilneverends,
Kitchens 3 and 4?

well I meant from the images i attached..third and fourth image. Sorry I realize I've been rambling:)

they use lower cabinet color for their long cabinet in the second pic as well (the warm white and teal kitchen)..I think it works really well because the adjacent cabinets have glass in them. So you have the contrast but at the same time it is softened, by this glass. Gives you this feeling of transition, somehow.