3 min readPictured above: A creamy white kitchen designed by Sarah Stacey.
A fresh coat of paint is undoubtedly the fastest way to upgrade any space, but that doesn’t mean you should get hasty about putting down your drop cloth. In a room as pivotal as the kitchen, choosing the right hue can make or break your entire design. After all, so many of our favorite design details, like mosaic backsplashes, countertop stones, fixture finishes, and cabinet colors, all hinge on color.
It might be tempting to use social media as your palette inspiration, but while we’re all for staying on trend, do proceed with caution. A color that is making its rounds on social feeds today is likely to lose its appeal quickly.
So, we asked designers which one paint color is guaranteed to outlast the trend cycle and look great for years to come. And though it may seem basic to some, a neutral cream or greige is the only kitchen paint color that’ll never go out of style.
“It has just enough warmth to soften natural stone, wood, and metal finishes, but it never feels too yellow or gray,” says interior designer Louis Lin.
A slightly more layered take on the classic white kitchen, creams with soft, earthy undertones bring a layered feel to the space along with a reflective quality that keeps the room feeling grounded, welcoming, and airy without having to tap into a warmer palette, which can get tricky fast. Even more, the neutral tone is a true winner when it comes to versatility. Bold moody accents, copper cookware, or even bright green leaves will find a place to belong against the almost white background.
Lin’s favorite hue to tap into is Benjamin Moore’s Pale Oak, noted for its ability to pull both warm and cool tones depending on light direction and intensity. This shifty shade features a taupe undertone that is stable enough to ground your designs yet adaptable enough to fill your home with golden hour ambiance.
“It's the perfect greige that adapts beautifully to both taupe and beige color schemes,” says Lin. “It instantly elevates a stark white backdrop into a layered, nuanced neutral that complements any accent color.”
For designer Sarah Stacey, Sherwin-Williams’s Casablanca is a perfect soft white, especially in sun-soaked kitchens.
“It works beautifully in north, east, and west-facing rooms,” Stacey explains. “I love using Casablanca in an especially sunny kitchen because it is so creamy and warm that it can pass as a light yellow!”
Boasting a slightly higher light reflectance than Pale Oak, this shade reads warmer rather than neutral, with notable yellow undertones and strong pigment defining its aesthetic. Still categorized as a white hue, the color is a less committed take on the butter yellow craze.
Designer Blair Moore couldn’t agree more. The interior designer loves a buttery yellow undertone, and it’s even better when she can style it using deeper browns and softer sage greens.
“Right now I'm absolutely swooning over warm, nutty butternut tones: soft yellows, rich browns, and layered earthy hues,” says Moore. “I'm currently working on a few kitchens that pair buttery yellow undertones with rich nutty cabinetry and subtle sage accents, and I'm completely obsessed with the combination. It feels timeless, inviting, and just the right amount of fresh.”
Finally, while neutral tones are the most tried-and-true paint colors for a kitchen, if this really isn’t your style, you can go in a moodier direction. Data from Zillow has shown that homes with charcoal gray and deep plum kitchens are pulling in higher offers than their light and airy counterparts, and these cozy cook spaces don’t seem to be going anywhere in the near future.
