4 Stylish New Kitchens Featuring Green Cabinets
See how designers pair green cabinets with wood, stone and brass to bring depth and character to kitchens
Green kitchen cabinets are many designers’ go-to choice for adding depth, personality and a connection to the natural world without sacrificing sophistication. The right shade can feel earthy or elegant, bold or quietly grounding, depending on the materials around it. In the following four kitchens, designers pair green cabinetry with warm wood, natural stone and carefully chosen neutrals to create spaces that feel full of character.
2. Fresh Farmhouse Feel
Design-build team: Chip Duggan (owner), Gabriel Whitlatch (lead designer), David Klein (drafter and project manager) and Niko Thomas (interior designer) of Liminal Shift
Location: Portland, Oregon
Size: 189 square feet (18 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “This turn-of-the-century farmhouse had a very dark, cramped and poorly functioning kitchen with a tiny, closed-off dining room,” says designer Niko Thomas. “By removing the wall separating the two spaces and reorienting the kitchen toward the south-facing windows, we achieved a feeling of openness, maximized natural light and modernized storage and function. The surfaces needed to be hard-wearing and easy to clean because the clients live a rural, outdoorsy lifestyle and cook a lot, so we kept this in mind in every selection.”
Green cabinets. Sage Wisdom by Benjamin Moore. “The clients wanted the kitchen to feel fresh and classic but not basic,” Thomas says. “We chose warm-tone woods — red oak for the floor and alder for the lower cabinets — that provide a perfect contrast to the cool sage green. By keeping the lower cabinets a natural wood tone, we ensure that this heavily used kitchen will not look dinged-up over time. Painted uppers don’t see nearly as much wear and tear as painted lowers. The light neutral backsplash tile, countertop and wall color were all selected to be the subtle, calm elements, keeping the focus on the cabinetry.”
Other special features. “The apron-front sink and beadboard inset panels on lower cabinets enhance the farmhouse aesthetic,” Thomas says. “We chose simple, classic light fixtures that evoke the era of the home, complementing the strategic ambient lighting design. The space is now fully illuminated with layers of light at different levels, giving flexible options for tasking, general use of the space or lower light for dining and the option of a late-night subtle glow.”
Designer tip. “Choose neutrals that share the undertone of the predominant color in the space,” Thomas says. “For instance, the wall color (Nuance, Sherwin-Williams) and barely gray tile in the room have a subtle green-gray undertone that connects with the sage green cabinets.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “When the wall paint went up, it was absolutely the wrong color,” Thomas says. “Turned out I had incorrectly noted the brand and another brand had a color with the same name. Nuance from Benjamin Moore is yellow and Nuance by Sherwin-Williams is a soft green-gray neutral. Luckily it was not on the cabinets or a huge area. We just had to redo it. That is unfortunately the reality of remodeling — sometimes things have to be redone and we eat the cost to fix our mistakes.”
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Design-build team: Chip Duggan (owner), Gabriel Whitlatch (lead designer), David Klein (drafter and project manager) and Niko Thomas (interior designer) of Liminal Shift
Location: Portland, Oregon
Size: 189 square feet (18 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “This turn-of-the-century farmhouse had a very dark, cramped and poorly functioning kitchen with a tiny, closed-off dining room,” says designer Niko Thomas. “By removing the wall separating the two spaces and reorienting the kitchen toward the south-facing windows, we achieved a feeling of openness, maximized natural light and modernized storage and function. The surfaces needed to be hard-wearing and easy to clean because the clients live a rural, outdoorsy lifestyle and cook a lot, so we kept this in mind in every selection.”
Green cabinets. Sage Wisdom by Benjamin Moore. “The clients wanted the kitchen to feel fresh and classic but not basic,” Thomas says. “We chose warm-tone woods — red oak for the floor and alder for the lower cabinets — that provide a perfect contrast to the cool sage green. By keeping the lower cabinets a natural wood tone, we ensure that this heavily used kitchen will not look dinged-up over time. Painted uppers don’t see nearly as much wear and tear as painted lowers. The light neutral backsplash tile, countertop and wall color were all selected to be the subtle, calm elements, keeping the focus on the cabinetry.”
Other special features. “The apron-front sink and beadboard inset panels on lower cabinets enhance the farmhouse aesthetic,” Thomas says. “We chose simple, classic light fixtures that evoke the era of the home, complementing the strategic ambient lighting design. The space is now fully illuminated with layers of light at different levels, giving flexible options for tasking, general use of the space or lower light for dining and the option of a late-night subtle glow.”
Designer tip. “Choose neutrals that share the undertone of the predominant color in the space,” Thomas says. “For instance, the wall color (Nuance, Sherwin-Williams) and barely gray tile in the room have a subtle green-gray undertone that connects with the sage green cabinets.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “When the wall paint went up, it was absolutely the wrong color,” Thomas says. “Turned out I had incorrectly noted the brand and another brand had a color with the same name. Nuance from Benjamin Moore is yellow and Nuance by Sherwin-Williams is a soft green-gray neutral. Luckily it was not on the cabinets or a huge area. We just had to redo it. That is unfortunately the reality of remodeling — sometimes things have to be redone and we eat the cost to fix our mistakes.”
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3. French Country Twist
Designer: Tina Harvey of True Identity Concepts
Design-build firm: Old World Craftsmen
Location: Pound Ridge, New York
Size: 294 square feet (27 square meters); 14 by 21 feet
Homeowners’ request. “Our goal was to transform the heavy ’80s Tudor style into an airy European-inspired kitchen with a modern French country twist,” says designer Tina Harvey. “We wanted to prioritize more natural light through additional windows, replace dark cabinetry with soft, creamy tones and create a chef-driven space for the homeowner by incorporating professional-grade appliances, a statement hood and range, and a central island for a better flow and workspace.”
Green cabinets. Amaranth green from Greenfield Cabinetry. “We used green Amaranth cabinetry paired with warm, creamy cabinets — a classic move that kept the space from feeling too heavy or sterile,” Harvey says. “The combination allowed the introduction of numerous earthy and organic colors and textures that paired well with exterior views and the connected spaces. Since the black-framed windows contrasted with the green, we anchored the black color scheme by mirroring it onto the countertop with a dark gray quartz. The antique brass finishes served as the perfect jewelry for the space, warming up the cool undertones of the green and gray.”
Other special features. La Cornue range. Custom hood with hand-distressed white oak corbels and details. Colorful tile backsplash. Porcelain tile flooring. Integrated wine storage on the island.
Designer tip. “We integrated our homeowners’ lifestyle stories — traveling to European countries, buying vintage rugs and artwork and building the narrative of each space through design,” Harvey says. “These shared experiences, combined with the homeowners’ desired use of the spaces, allowed us to tailor the design to their specific functional and aesthetic needs, resulting in the charm of this European-style kitchen.”
10 Easy Ways to Refresh Your Kitchen
Designer: Tina Harvey of True Identity Concepts
Design-build firm: Old World Craftsmen
Location: Pound Ridge, New York
Size: 294 square feet (27 square meters); 14 by 21 feet
Homeowners’ request. “Our goal was to transform the heavy ’80s Tudor style into an airy European-inspired kitchen with a modern French country twist,” says designer Tina Harvey. “We wanted to prioritize more natural light through additional windows, replace dark cabinetry with soft, creamy tones and create a chef-driven space for the homeowner by incorporating professional-grade appliances, a statement hood and range, and a central island for a better flow and workspace.”
Green cabinets. Amaranth green from Greenfield Cabinetry. “We used green Amaranth cabinetry paired with warm, creamy cabinets — a classic move that kept the space from feeling too heavy or sterile,” Harvey says. “The combination allowed the introduction of numerous earthy and organic colors and textures that paired well with exterior views and the connected spaces. Since the black-framed windows contrasted with the green, we anchored the black color scheme by mirroring it onto the countertop with a dark gray quartz. The antique brass finishes served as the perfect jewelry for the space, warming up the cool undertones of the green and gray.”
Other special features. La Cornue range. Custom hood with hand-distressed white oak corbels and details. Colorful tile backsplash. Porcelain tile flooring. Integrated wine storage on the island.
Designer tip. “We integrated our homeowners’ lifestyle stories — traveling to European countries, buying vintage rugs and artwork and building the narrative of each space through design,” Harvey says. “These shared experiences, combined with the homeowners’ desired use of the spaces, allowed us to tailor the design to their specific functional and aesthetic needs, resulting in the charm of this European-style kitchen.”
10 Easy Ways to Refresh Your Kitchen
4. Grounded in Green
Designer: Rebecca Eaton of Heritage Design Studio
Location: Keller, Texas
Size: 228 square feet (21 square meters); 12 by 19 feet
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners love green and wanted several different shades of green throughout the home,” says designer Rebecca Eaton. “Their prior layout provided too little space for the family’s love of baking and entertainment.”
Green cabinets. Dard Hunter Green by Sherwin-Williams. “To complement the green, we introduced peripheral oak cabinetry using Minwax Sawyer wood stain,” Eaton says.
Other special features. Green accent backsplash tile over the range. Marble-look quartz countertops. Pullout stand mixer.
Designer tip. “Listen to what the client wants and figure out a way to make it timeless,” Eaton says.
“Uh-oh” moment. “The family collects a magnet anytime they visit a new place,” Eaton says. “Early on it was known that there would not be enough room to house a secondary refrigerator, which would have been the holding place for the magnet collection. To compensate, we came up with the idea to make one of the unused walls in the pantry into a metal-plated wall. This gave enough room to hold the current collection of magnets and the ability to add several more.”
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Designer: Rebecca Eaton of Heritage Design Studio
Location: Keller, Texas
Size: 228 square feet (21 square meters); 12 by 19 feet
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners love green and wanted several different shades of green throughout the home,” says designer Rebecca Eaton. “Their prior layout provided too little space for the family’s love of baking and entertainment.”
Green cabinets. Dard Hunter Green by Sherwin-Williams. “To complement the green, we introduced peripheral oak cabinetry using Minwax Sawyer wood stain,” Eaton says.
Other special features. Green accent backsplash tile over the range. Marble-look quartz countertops. Pullout stand mixer.
Designer tip. “Listen to what the client wants and figure out a way to make it timeless,” Eaton says.
“Uh-oh” moment. “The family collects a magnet anytime they visit a new place,” Eaton says. “Early on it was known that there would not be enough room to house a secondary refrigerator, which would have been the holding place for the magnet collection. To compensate, we came up with the idea to make one of the unused walls in the pantry into a metal-plated wall. This gave enough room to hold the current collection of magnets and the ability to add several more.”
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Designer: Heather Safferstone of Safferstone Interiors
Location: Merion Station, Pennsylvania
Size: 252 square feet (23 square meters); 10½ by 24 feet
Homeowners’ request. “The client purchased a historic home with beautiful architectural bones, but the existing kitchen was tucked into an oddly angled room at the side of the house,” says designer Heather Safferstone. “It felt disconnected from the way the family actually lived, cooked, gathered and hosted. As part of a large-scale, two-story renovation, the homeowners added a generous new kitchen adjacent to a large family room, along with a breakfast room, full bath, home office and a new primary suite above. The goal was to create a kitchen that felt deeply connected to the home’s traditional character while supporting the rhythm of modern family life.”
Green cabinets. Pewter Green by Sherwin-Williams. “The client and I loved the idea of a green kitchen from the beginning, but her husband was initially a bit hesitant,” Safferstone says. “Like many homeowners, they had that familiar ‘What is best for resale?’ moment, so we originally considered a more classic off-white kitchen. The turning point came from the adjacent family room. We selected a dark green velvet for two sofas, and once they were delivered, the clients saw how beautifully that depth of color grounded the space. It gave them the confidence to carry green into the kitchen in a much more committed way. Rather than limiting the color to the island, we used Pewter Green on the perimeter cabinetry and introduced a walnut island at the center of the room. The walnut adds warmth and keeps the kitchen feeling collected rather than overly matched.”
Other special features. Mont Blanc quartzite perimeter countertops and backsplash. Soapstone island countertop. Warm brass details. “Because the clients keep a kosher kitchen and frequently host large Shabbat dinners and holiday celebrations for family and community, function was essential,” Safferstone says. “They needed ample prep space, thoughtful storage, durable materials and a layout that could support serious cooking and entertaining with ease. A large island became one of the key solutions, providing generous prep space, additional storage, two dishwashers and two trash pullouts flanking the sink for convenience during cooking and cleanup.”
Designer tip. “Worry less about resale and be willing to design for yourself,” Safferstone says. “Find your design muse within the project and run with it. Maybe it’s an architectural element within the home you want to tie into or, in this case, the color of the sofa in the next room.”
Stools: Poly & Bark; pendant lights: Hendricks small, Ralph Lauren, Visual Comfort; project photography: Rebecca McAlpin; styling: Gabrielle Langdon
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