17 Stunning White Kitchen Cabinets That Will Brighten Your Space

white kitchen with rustic runner rug
Photo: Adam Albright

White kitchen cabinets are a classic choice, and they're an easy way to upgrade your kitchen with just a few coats of paint. Providing a neutral backdrop, white kitchen cabinets can be left alone or dressed up with hardware or decorative details. Pair them with a bright backsplash for a colorful kitchen, or create a farmhouse kitchen by complementing the white cabinets with butcher-block countertops.

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Best White Paint for Kitchen Cabinets

white kitchen island with wooden counter
Kim Cornelison

White kitchen cabinets are always a popular choice, but with so many shades of white to choose from, how can you get the look right? Whether you're remodeling your entire kitchen or just giving the cabinets a fresh coat of paint, these are the best white paint colors to help you get started. Be sure to follow our cabinet painting guide for a fresh look that will last.

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White Kitchen Cabinets with Black Hardware

white kitchen with rustic runner rug
Adam Albright

Dark appliances tend to stand out against such a light backdrop. Create a cohesive look by outfitting white cabinets with black hardware to tie the space together. Shoot for a mix of sizes and shapes, like small round cabinet knobs paired with long rectangular drawer pulls. You can also use this trick with gold or silver hardware to match the finishes of the faucet as well.

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Add Color to a White Kitchen

white kitchen

Bring a little pep to white kitchen cabinets with a colorful backsplash. White goes with almost anything, so you can't go wrong with any backsplash color. Think about the look you want to create and the other elements in your kitchen, such as the floor and countertops, when selecting a backsplash color and material.

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Farmhouse White Kitchen Cabinets

kitchen with white cabinets and wooden countertop
Edmund Barr

White cabinets and open wood shelving give this kitchen a modern farmhouse feel that's easy to recreate. White cabinets with simple matte black hardware make the other elements of the kitchen—like the shelves and decor—stand out. To get a similar look, convert upper cabinets to open shelving or build your own floating shelves.

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White Kitchen Cabinets with Black Countertops

kitchen

Glazing and distressing give a traditional look to cabinetry, while a high-gloss finish provides a modern feel. The reflective surface of glossy white kitchen cabinets bounces light around the room and makes a space feel bigger and lighter. This trick is especially helpful if you have matte appliances since the shiny cabinets will help break up the dull textures.

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Bold Kitchen Backsplash with White Cabinets

kitchen with green wallpapers
Annie Schlechter

Even if it feels counterintuitive, painting your cabinets white is actually the best way to bring color into your kitchen. With a neutral backdrop, you can play around with different backsplash and wall color variations, like the multi-pattern look featured here. Or accent the space with colorful barstools or a fun light fixture.

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Off-White Kitchen Cabinets

runner rug in kitchen
Anthony Masterson

An off-white stain gives the wood kitchen cabinets a modern, Scandinavian style. These whitewashed wood cabinets give the bright and airy feel of stark white cabinets but with a softer tone that matches the wood floor and warm colors of the rug.

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White Kitchen Cabinets with Granite Countertops

kitchen with gas stovetop
Joyelle West

Allow your granite countertops to steal the show by pairing them with white cabinets. When accented with a white tile backsplash and plain stainless-steel hood, these gorgeous gray counters get all the attention. When pairing a stone countertop with white cabinets, make sure both finishes feature similar warm or cool undertones for a cohesive look.

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White Kitchen with Open Shelving

cottage cabinets
Edmund Barr

To create a new look without extensive remodeling, simply remove the doors from a few upper cabinets. Paint the interior of the cabinet boxes white, and show off eye-catching dishes and accessories in your new display space. For bonus color or pattern, wallpaper the back of your open cabinets.

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White Cabinets with Black Tile

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Like a little black dress, white kitchen cabinets are appropriate almost anywhere, whether your space is sleek and modern or warm and traditional. Full-overlay cabinetry—with doors that cover the entire cabinet frame—presents a minimalist profile, which works well in a modern kitchen. Pair the streamlined cabinetry with similarly styled hardware for the ultimate modern look.

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Traditional White Kitchen Cabinets

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Although white is simple, it fits well in elegant, showstopping traditional kitchens. When used in tandem with detailed moldings and trimwork, glass door insets, and rich materials such as marble and stained cherrywood, white kitchen cabinets convey formality and grace.

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White Kitchen Cabinets with Subway Tile

white kitchen

If you crave an all-white look, use texture to your advantage. Subway tiles laid in a herringbone pattern or white stone with a mottled texture add visual interest to your kitchen without breaking away from a sophisticated white kitchen cabinet scheme. Continue the same metal finishes throughout hardware and appliances to keep the look consistent.

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Versatile Cabinet Options

white kitchen

White kitchen cabinets are versatile and easy to dress up. Although usually available in laminate or thermofoil (which can be difficult to paint over), more expensive custom wood cabinets can be ordered in a painted white or cream finish with distressed or glazed details.

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White Kitchen Island

white kitchen

If you're concerned that a kitchen full of white cabinets will turn your room dull, shake it up with varied door styles. Use glass doors in select upper cabinets, or include open shelves in your plan to showcase colorful dishes. Include vibrant bar stools or countertop accessories to liven up the look.

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Black-and-White Kitchen Ideas

Kitchen

A black-and-white color combination is dramatic. When using the duo in a kitchen with white cabinets, keep the look from becoming theatrical by practicing restraint. Opt for black-and-white patterns with an organic or curvy aesthetic, rather than sharp and geometric, and use the black in small doses.

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Pair a Wood Island with White Cabinets

wooden kitchen island and stools
Nathan Schroder

With plenty of options, white kitchen cabinets don't have to be basic. If you want a warmer look, shift direction and use wood cabinetry for your island. Use the same hardware on both the white perimeter cabinets and the island, or the same countertop on both to tie the look together.

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White Cottage Cabinets

white kitchen with flowers in sink
Edmund Barr

White is a quintessential cottage hue, which is why white kitchen cabinets work so well for the style. Pair the cabinets with vintage-inspired hardware, sweet pastels, and materials such as beaded board, soapstone, or wood surfaces for the ultimate cottage style.

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