Nail The Once-Dated High Gloss Kitchen Cabinet Trend With These Helpful Tips

Gloss sheens are a good choice for cabinets in spaces like the bathroom and kitchen because they help the paint last longer since they withstand moisture in the space and are easy to clean. With kitchen cabinets, you'll typically see a semi-gloss sheen more than the uber-reflective high-gloss, although that was once a hot trend. People loved the high gloss look for the futuristic vibe it gave the space, but the muted matte look eventually took over. Now though, it seems like high gloss kitchen cabinets are back and looking even better and you can hop on the trend successfully by using the right colors and contrasting finishes.

One of the major mistakes everyone makes when buying paint is not knowing the type of finish they're getting. In addition to the level of shine, the different kinds of matte and shiny also vary in their durability and application style. A sheen's relationship with light is another important thing to know so you can consider that alongside the color you choose and the light distribution in the room. Colors and finishes go hand in hand to create a good look in the kitchen.

High gloss offers a lot of movement, so it helps to choose a more laid-back color if you would like to balance that out. White, gray, and light cream are really good for a clean, modern look while colors like red and green can be used to make the cabinets the focal point of the room. The second tip for nailing this trend is to mix finishes. If the cabinets have a high gloss sheen, the walls, backsplash, and floors definitely don't need to be and will look great in matte. You don't even have to use the gloss for all the cabinets and can limit it to the top rows. The presence of other textures like wood and brick can also balance out the glossy effect while adding another dimension of visual interest.

Maintenance is important for high gloss surfaces so keep these cabinets looking good by regularly wiping them down with a microfiber cloth (sprayed with water when it's a proper clean) to get rid of hand and other prints that may get on them. One more tip we want to throw out there with this trend is to consider other surfaces to apply a gloss finish. If you're not a fan of shiny cabinets, you might be more on board with having a glossy backsplash tile in a rich color be the star of your kitchen.