Add A Pop Of Color To Your Kitchen With These Stunning Blue Cabinet Ideas
So you want to paint your cabinets blue but don't know where to start? While it may feel like an odd color to pursue, blue is a great color for the kitchen, and blue cabinets are more popular than you think. Not that you have to follow every design trend that pops up on TikTok, but you really wouldn't be an outlier if you wanted to ditch the safety of white or wood cabinets. Color is back in the good graces of interior design. Blue is a versatile color choice that can be incorporated into many different aesthetics, so the world is your oyster. However, with a lot of options comes a lot of pressure, and it can be hard to figure out where to start with paint. Below are a few styling tips to get your creative juices flowing as you add a pop of color to your kitchen.
Add accents of copper and gold
Blue is considered "cool" in color theory, but that doesn't mean that your kitchen needs to be frosty. In @villaamoruso's kitchen, deep blue cabinets and white walls are balanced with warm wood and pieces of copper. The custom-made range hood stands out the most, but you don't have to go quite that big to have a similar feel. Even the kettle stands out in this room. Look for a brass or copper kettle for an instant pop of color. Gold can also be used, though it is a bit brighter.
Use multiple shades of blue
On the other hand, why not lean into the blue? This TikTok user (@howardsfinefineshes) helped his clients move away from beige and brown by painting their cabinets a navy blue with a very light shade on the walls of the adjoining dining room. Cool colors tend to make small spaces look bigger while their warm counterparts can have an opposite, cozy effect. Try a light blue wall color in your kitchen. Blues are considered soothing and fresh typically, so leaning into multiple shades is sure to have you taking deep breaths and thinking calm thoughts.
Create contrast between upper and lower cabinets
There are no rules in the blue cabinet game. You don't have to commit to painting every cabinet the same color. In fact, you can make your kitchen look more dynamic by being selective with your paint choices. YouTube user @TheCompletekitchenandBath keeps the darker colors near the floor. The upper level of cabinets are all a bright white along with the walls and ceiling, while the lower cabinets are a dark blue above the dark brown wood floor, providing a nice color contrast in the kitchen.
Pair blue with marble tile
Just like how we wear clothes that will subtly bring out our eye color, we can make our cabinets pop with the smallest detail. For @ready.set.reno, the Dockside Blue paint seems to glow with the marble backsplash and countertop. The lines and splashes of gray in the otherwise white stone really accent the blue without overwhelming the room or making it feel smaller. There are also lots of practical reasons to choose a marble backsplash for your kitchen. This tile from Home Depot has a similar look for inspired readers.
Try a monochromatic kitchen
They say that you should know the rules so that you can break them in style. This kitchen is the perfect example! They painted all of the cabinets, walls, and trim in this kitchen the same Blustery Sky blue. While the color is beautiful on its own, @thetatteredpew stepped it up a notch by adding touches of warm wood on the island with rattan hanging lights and by installing a white and grey marble countertop. Both of these details should feel like they are opposing, but they bring balance instead.
Don't neglect the floor
When styling blue cabinets, don't forget that you have to also consider a complementary kitchen floor. Where wall and ceiling color can make a room expand or contract, the right floor choice can elevate, highlight, or complement the cabinets themselves. TikTok user @lessspaceuser supports their "midnight blue" look with a patterned tile that immediately draws the eye. First, you look at the floor before letting your eyes wander up the cabinets, to the walls, and then to the ceiling. A pattern similar to this tile from Home Depot would be perfect.
Keep small kitchens light
TikTok user @theinspiredroom describes their kitchen as "tiny," but we think "cozy" is a better word for it. The narrow room of this adorable cottage home could very easily be cramped, so a light and airy color is a must. The Languid Blue walls are minty fresh with some gorgeous tile as the backsplash accentuating the greenish hue. As we mentioned before, white walls help make the space look bigger too. Even paired with the white though, if the cabinets had been any darker or bolder, the room would have felt way too small.
Play around with hardware
If you're committing to bringing color into your kitchen, don't forget the impact that pulls and knobs can have as well. Though you can leave them off entirely, there's more potential to direct the eye with direction, size, and materials by choosing the right pieces for your kitchen. In the TikTok above, the thick, gold pulls pair well with the hanging lights and match the width of the drawers. You can choose subtle knobs or more ornate pulls such as these pieces on Etsy. Don't forget about these affordable options at IKEA too. Check out these tips for how to choose the right drawer pulls.
Bring on the airy baby blue ambiance
Blue can also be a light and airy addition to your kitchen with a baby blue paint choice. The concept shared by @hemmeconstructionllc has a rustic feel with the visible woodgrain and big range hood, but it's the coordination of cool colors that makes the room feel breezy. It may be difficult to hunt down a specific shade, but as long as you choose a more pastel blue, you should have good results. Seashore Dreams and Spacious Skies by Behr make a good starting point.
Go functionally rustic with butcher block countertops
Bold blue deserves bold countertops. The term butcherblock countertops refers to a method of pressing and gluing pieces of wood together into a solid block great for farmhouse-style kitchens. They are cheaper than natural stone, but higher quality than laminate. Because butcherblock can be made from a variety of woods, you can customize your color scheme, ranging from light to dark. In @tawnathia's kitchen, the wood used for the counters and the floor match, and the room looks more cozy than many of the other kitchens we've seen on this list. Look at different styles to find out what wood countertop is right for your kitchen.
Blend navy tile and navy cabinets for an industrial look
We've talked about doubling down on blue, but @carlarockmore's kitchen is on the next level. The navy tile and navy blue lacquer finish are so dark but somehow manage to stand out, likely due to the shine they both emit. This kitchen feels a bit industrial but also looks like something out of a "Harry Potter" movie. These Bayou Marine Blue subway tiles would be perfect for recreating this look in your own kitchen.
Toe the line between green and blue
Color can be tricky. The line between green and blue can be strangely blurred and even take on a chameleon-like ability to shift between the two in certain lights. The paint color Smoky Green by Benjamin Moore is a mix of blue, green, and gray. For styling tips, @angelagracedesign's kitchen is the perfect blend of a soothing blue-green space. The creamy countertop and white tile create space, and the wood floor and black pulls ground the room. The beautiful branch decor makes the paint look a bit more green in the video.