Kitchen Design
New This Week: 6 Kitchens With Beautiful Blue Cabinets
The color provides a rich and soothing backdrop for a range of wood tones and metal finishes
Blue is a great color for kitchen cabinets. It’s inviting and complements every tone of wood there is. Blue can read like a neutral, and can support warm brass and stainless steel with equal success. Blacks, browns, whites, grays, yellows — blue will work with them all. For proof, consider the following kitchens with beautiful blue cabinets.
1. Green-Blue Greatness
Designer: Susan Bednar Long of S.B. Long Interiors
Location: Dallas
Size: 264 square feet (25 square meters); 12 by 22 feet
Homeowners’ request. Update a dark, 20-year-old kitchen. “I felt the biggest thing to impact the space was to change the color of the cabinets,” says designer Susan Bednar, who used Houzz to gather ideas for paint colors and overall themes.
Blue cabinets. Inchyra Blue by Farrow & Ball. “Most of the house has stained wood trim, casing and doors,” Bednar says. “I felt the green-blue paint color was a great complement to the warm orange-toned stained wood, and the color would modernize the space but still be bold enough to work with the stained wood.”
Other special features. Honed gray quartz countertops. Large stainless steel vent hood.
Designer tip. “Streamlining the items inside glass cabinets to all white [makes them pop] against the blue and presents a clean, modern look,” Bednar says.
Wall paint: Simply White, Benjamin Moore
Find a kitchen designer
Designer: Susan Bednar Long of S.B. Long Interiors
Location: Dallas
Size: 264 square feet (25 square meters); 12 by 22 feet
Homeowners’ request. Update a dark, 20-year-old kitchen. “I felt the biggest thing to impact the space was to change the color of the cabinets,” says designer Susan Bednar, who used Houzz to gather ideas for paint colors and overall themes.
Blue cabinets. Inchyra Blue by Farrow & Ball. “Most of the house has stained wood trim, casing and doors,” Bednar says. “I felt the green-blue paint color was a great complement to the warm orange-toned stained wood, and the color would modernize the space but still be bold enough to work with the stained wood.”
Other special features. Honed gray quartz countertops. Large stainless steel vent hood.
Designer tip. “Streamlining the items inside glass cabinets to all white [makes them pop] against the blue and presents a clean, modern look,” Bednar says.
Wall paint: Simply White, Benjamin Moore
Find a kitchen designer
2. Peacock Punch
Designer: Leandra Fremont-Smith Interiors
Location: Northeast Harbor, Maine
Homeowners’ request. “The clients requested a palette of blues and greens throughout the home, reminiscent of the sea glass the wife had collected on Mount Desert Island beaches in her youth,” designer Leandra Fremont-Smith says.
Blue cabinets. Blue Lagoon by Benjamin Moore. “The original kitchen cabinets were painted a simple white, so to enliven the space and stick with the sea glass color scheme, we painted the cabinets a vibrant peacock blue,” Fremont-Smith says. “It also contrasts well with the red painted floor and provides more visual interest.”
Other special features. Playful plaid backsplash. Red painted lanterns (Ladybug Red by Benjamin Moore). Colorful Roman shades. “The teals, greens and bright yellows in the shades not only complement the surrounding tones in the room, but also mimic the garden seen through the kitchen windows,” Fremont-Smith says.
Designer tip. “Don’t be afraid to use bright or vibrant paint colors on your kitchen cabinets,” Fremont-Smith says. “But add other bold statements throughout the space to balance the effect.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The first peacock-blue paint color we selected for the cabinets was not the shade I had envisioned,” Fremont-Smith says. “Luckily I work with painters that I trust, and they sent me photos of the first panel they painted to verify it was the color I wanted. Even from the photo I could tell it needed to be darker and more blue. So we selected a new paint color, went through the process again, and the second time it was the perfect shade. Always double-check the paint color on a single panel before you paint the entire kitchen.”
Wall paint: Wimborne White, Farrow & Ball; floor paint: Country Redwood, Benjamin Moore; Roman shade fabric: Citrus Garden in color Pool, Schumacher
Shop for counter stools
Designer: Leandra Fremont-Smith Interiors
Location: Northeast Harbor, Maine
Homeowners’ request. “The clients requested a palette of blues and greens throughout the home, reminiscent of the sea glass the wife had collected on Mount Desert Island beaches in her youth,” designer Leandra Fremont-Smith says.
Blue cabinets. Blue Lagoon by Benjamin Moore. “The original kitchen cabinets were painted a simple white, so to enliven the space and stick with the sea glass color scheme, we painted the cabinets a vibrant peacock blue,” Fremont-Smith says. “It also contrasts well with the red painted floor and provides more visual interest.”
Other special features. Playful plaid backsplash. Red painted lanterns (Ladybug Red by Benjamin Moore). Colorful Roman shades. “The teals, greens and bright yellows in the shades not only complement the surrounding tones in the room, but also mimic the garden seen through the kitchen windows,” Fremont-Smith says.
Designer tip. “Don’t be afraid to use bright or vibrant paint colors on your kitchen cabinets,” Fremont-Smith says. “But add other bold statements throughout the space to balance the effect.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The first peacock-blue paint color we selected for the cabinets was not the shade I had envisioned,” Fremont-Smith says. “Luckily I work with painters that I trust, and they sent me photos of the first panel they painted to verify it was the color I wanted. Even from the photo I could tell it needed to be darker and more blue. So we selected a new paint color, went through the process again, and the second time it was the perfect shade. Always double-check the paint color on a single panel before you paint the entire kitchen.”
Wall paint: Wimborne White, Farrow & Ball; floor paint: Country Redwood, Benjamin Moore; Roman shade fabric: Citrus Garden in color Pool, Schumacher
Shop for counter stools
3. Terrific Teal
Designer: Neil Jonsohn of U31
Location: Toronto
Homeowners’ request. A hardworking, functional, bright and contemporary kitchen.
Blue cabinets. Pebble Drift by Dulux. “The clients were not afraid of color and wanted something outside the norm, making it very clear they didn’t want a white kitchen,” designer Neil Jonsohn says. “The teal-blue has enough depth to almost read as a neutral. We combined it with the warmth of walnut and aged brass, which balances the coolness of the blue.”
Other special features. Quartzite countertops and slab backsplash. Porcelain floor tiles. Walnut base cabinets and island. “The island breakfast bar is supported with brass legs, which repeats the warm metallic of the hood cover, bringing it forward into the breakfast room,” Jonsohn says. “The porcelain floors replicate the look of a French limestone with subtle undulations in its surface, which plays with the light.”
Designer tips. “Because we wanted to open out the kitchen to the views of the farm fields and conservation areas beyond, we decided against upper cabinets in lieu of windows at the cooktop and sink,” Jonsohn says. “In order to provide the required storage, we used full-height cabinets, which frame out each elevation. This helped preserve the views as well, making the kitchen feel larger without sacrificing storage.”
Wall paint: White Dove, Benjamin Moore
Designer: Neil Jonsohn of U31
Location: Toronto
Homeowners’ request. A hardworking, functional, bright and contemporary kitchen.
Blue cabinets. Pebble Drift by Dulux. “The clients were not afraid of color and wanted something outside the norm, making it very clear they didn’t want a white kitchen,” designer Neil Jonsohn says. “The teal-blue has enough depth to almost read as a neutral. We combined it with the warmth of walnut and aged brass, which balances the coolness of the blue.”
Other special features. Quartzite countertops and slab backsplash. Porcelain floor tiles. Walnut base cabinets and island. “The island breakfast bar is supported with brass legs, which repeats the warm metallic of the hood cover, bringing it forward into the breakfast room,” Jonsohn says. “The porcelain floors replicate the look of a French limestone with subtle undulations in its surface, which plays with the light.”
Designer tips. “Because we wanted to open out the kitchen to the views of the farm fields and conservation areas beyond, we decided against upper cabinets in lieu of windows at the cooktop and sink,” Jonsohn says. “In order to provide the required storage, we used full-height cabinets, which frame out each elevation. This helped preserve the views as well, making the kitchen feel larger without sacrificing storage.”
Wall paint: White Dove, Benjamin Moore
4. Warm Blue Wonderfulness
Designer: Jacqueline Wedman of Dragon Seed Interior Design
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Size: 400 square feet (37 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. This project was part of a show home for Dolce Vita Homes.
Blue cabinets. Into the Stratosphere by McCormick Paints. “The kitchen in this space was small, so there wasn’t a lot of opportunity to add interest with architectural detail,” designer Jacqueline Wedman says. “Using the blue cabinets allowed us to add a wow factor.”
Other special features. Walnut upper cabinets and range hood. Washed-oak flooring. Quartz countertops. White tile backsplash in a wavy pattern. “Champagne-bronze hardware added the warmth needed to add a bit of tension to the space,” Wedman says.
Designer tip. “Cladding the hood fan with the same walnut material [as the upper cabinets] helps keep the cabinets from looking cluttered,” Wedman says.
Designer: Jacqueline Wedman of Dragon Seed Interior Design
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Size: 400 square feet (37 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. This project was part of a show home for Dolce Vita Homes.
Blue cabinets. Into the Stratosphere by McCormick Paints. “The kitchen in this space was small, so there wasn’t a lot of opportunity to add interest with architectural detail,” designer Jacqueline Wedman says. “Using the blue cabinets allowed us to add a wow factor.”
Other special features. Walnut upper cabinets and range hood. Washed-oak flooring. Quartz countertops. White tile backsplash in a wavy pattern. “Champagne-bronze hardware added the warmth needed to add a bit of tension to the space,” Wedman says.
Designer tip. “Cladding the hood fan with the same walnut material [as the upper cabinets] helps keep the cabinets from looking cluttered,” Wedman says.
5. Gorgeous Gray-Blue
Designer: Tanya Soon of Lacey Construction
Location: Mission, British Columbia, Canada
Size: 274 square feet (25 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. Update the kitchen by adding new cabinetry, an island and more storage. “The overall feel is updated farmhouse, keeping the integrity of the 100-year-old heritage home while bringing light and function to the space,” says designer Tanya Soon, whose clients used Houzz photos for inspiration.
Blue cabinets. Smoky gray-blue.
Other special features. V-groove white ceiling planks. Glass-front upper cabinets. Glazed clay tile backsplash.
Designer tip. “We brought the feel of farmhouse in a modern way using fresh colors,” Soon says. “The family are farmers, and we love how the tone of the kitchen remains farmhouse at heart.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Working in a heritage home presents unique challenges,” Soon says. “There were angles and mechanical runs that we had to work around. We found HVAC ducting in the corner of the kitchen that fed the upstairs bedrooms, and had to build out the wall to accommodate the ducting while keeping the flow of the room and the open aesthetic.”
Cabinets: Marr-Tech Kitchens
Designer: Tanya Soon of Lacey Construction
Location: Mission, British Columbia, Canada
Size: 274 square feet (25 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. Update the kitchen by adding new cabinetry, an island and more storage. “The overall feel is updated farmhouse, keeping the integrity of the 100-year-old heritage home while bringing light and function to the space,” says designer Tanya Soon, whose clients used Houzz photos for inspiration.
Blue cabinets. Smoky gray-blue.
Other special features. V-groove white ceiling planks. Glass-front upper cabinets. Glazed clay tile backsplash.
Designer tip. “We brought the feel of farmhouse in a modern way using fresh colors,” Soon says. “The family are farmers, and we love how the tone of the kitchen remains farmhouse at heart.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Working in a heritage home presents unique challenges,” Soon says. “There were angles and mechanical runs that we had to work around. We found HVAC ducting in the corner of the kitchen that fed the upstairs bedrooms, and had to build out the wall to accommodate the ducting while keeping the flow of the room and the open aesthetic.”
Cabinets: Marr-Tech Kitchens
6. Marvelous Midnight
Designer: Adi Bitton of Interiors by Bdesign Group
Location: Miami Beach, Florida
Size: 185 square feet (17 square meters)
Homeowner’s request. A sleek, nautical, modern kitchen.
Blue cabinets. Custom midnight blue. “The client wanted to make his kitchen different and bring the ocean feel into the unit,” designer Adi Bitton says.
Other special features. Large black quartz sink. Brass hardware, faucet and accents. Custom-designed dining table with tempered-glass base.
Cabinets: Italkraft
More on Houzz
7 Tricky Questions to Ask When Planning Your New Kitchen
Get more kitchen design ideas
Find a kitchen designer near you
Shop for kitchen products
Designer: Adi Bitton of Interiors by Bdesign Group
Location: Miami Beach, Florida
Size: 185 square feet (17 square meters)
Homeowner’s request. A sleek, nautical, modern kitchen.
Blue cabinets. Custom midnight blue. “The client wanted to make his kitchen different and bring the ocean feel into the unit,” designer Adi Bitton says.
Other special features. Large black quartz sink. Brass hardware, faucet and accents. Custom-designed dining table with tempered-glass base.
Cabinets: Italkraft
More on Houzz
7 Tricky Questions to Ask When Planning Your New Kitchen
Get more kitchen design ideas
Find a kitchen designer near you
Shop for kitchen products
Comments (52)
See 49 more comments
Rhonda Riggs
last year
PROMcMillan Remodels
5 months ago
Love blue cabinets! We recently completed a kitchen remodel for a client who was tired of seeing white cabinets and wanted to use blue accents with a medium taupe Gray.
Sponsored
Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting gallery. 270 locations nationwide!
buster57