Why An Interior Designer Warns Against Choosing A Cabinet Paint Color Based On Trends

If you're looking to give your kitchen a makeover without gutting it or moving house, one of the best ways is to paint your cabinets. A new coat of paint can totally transform the space, but how should you choose the right color? It's easy enough to look through an interior design magazine, or go on Pinterest and check out the latest trends, but this can be a mistake, according to House Digest's interior design expert and founder of Erika Dale Interior Design, Erika Dale. Ultimately, going for the trending paint color may later leave your kitchen feeling dated. "Interior design trends, such as cabinet paint colors, tend to change every few years, meaning way more often than the average homeowner remodels their kitchen," Dale said while speaking exclusively to House Digest. "Trendy cabinet colors sometimes lack a timelessness that gives them enough staying power to stay relevant for the entire lifespan of a kitchen remodel." 

Just look at modern home decor trends that have already gone out of style, like millennial pink and speckled granite countertops. "Picking a cabinet paint color based on trends can be a little risky, as you do not want someone to walk into your kitchen a few years from now and think, 'Yikes, I can tell they picked this color in 2024,'" Dale noted, adding "Picking something too timely will age your design faster."

So what's the big deal, it's just paint right? Not the way Dale sees it. "If you opted to update your cabinet color with the changing trends every few years, you could be looking at thousands of dollars to hire out the job each time," Dale exclusively told House Digest. "If you prefer to DIY, while the cost of materials will likely only be a few hundred dollars, the generous amount of time you will need to spend to do the job right (during which your kitchen is in shambles) is definitely something to factor in." So even if you take the project on yourself, take into account how many hours of labor you'll need to put in, and the nights of takeout you'll have to spend on.

Also, choosing your cabinet color is rarely an isolated choice. "Changing your cabinet color may seem like a standalone project, but it can easily have a snowball effect, creating a slippery slope into other kitchen updates," Dale said. "Freshly painted cabinets will suddenly make the walls look like they need a coat too, and what good are new cabinets without a fun hardware upgrade? Or perhaps your new cabinet paint color means you need to shift your entire kitchen color scheme, meaning things like furniture, drapery, or even appliances could suddenly need an update to feel cohesive with the new palette. These changes can really add up and blow the budget."

"Designing your home with colors and finishes you love is essential, because ultimately, even when trends change, you are the one living with your selections everyday," Dale explained exclusively to House Digest. That's why it's key to take time to choose the perfect design style for your space and create a cohesive color palette that you actually like. "If you pick a trendy color because it looks cool on HGTV, you are more likely to get sick of it eventually," Dale said, which leads us back to the time and money conversation. "Whereas if you pick a color you have adored for years, you'll get to finally enjoy it every day."

For those who don't want to keep their cabinets the same neutral paint color or wood stain, but aren't sure where to get started, Dale has some suggestions. "If you love bold colors, but want to ensure they will stand the test of time in your kitchen, look to dramatic, colorful earth tones like deep green, sage, navy, or regal blue-gray to inject some grounded color with roots in nature," Dale suggested. However, if you're more of a minimalist who is wary of color, Dale recommends you, "opt to paint the cabinets a neutral but bring in color in a way that requires less commitment, such as with a fun removable wallpaper, artwork, furniture, or decor."