20 Kitchen Cabinetry Trends We Love

By BH&G Editors

Updated June 28, 2019

Many kitchen components, including appliances, color schemes, and decor, are subject to fads and fashion, but a look at popular cabinet choices can help you zero in on the style you'll still love down the road. These kitchen cabinet ideas are versatile and timeless. Whether you're painting kitchen cabinets or replacing them entirely, we've got you covered.

Start Slideshow

1 of 20

Playing Peekaboo

Glass-front cabinet doors give the eye a break from wall-to-wall cabinetry and create display space for collectibles, pretty dishes, and glassware. Add just a few glass doors to your current kitchen design to create a light and fresh look. Here, glass panels help visually lighten the look of rustic wood floor-to-ceiling cabinetry.

Advertisement

Advertisement

2 of 20

The New Neutral

Blue is one of the most popular colors of the year, and that's no exception for kitchen cabinets. Found frequently in nature, subtle shades of blue are quickly becoming a new neutral. Pair dusty blue cabinets with natural wood accents and industrial materials.

3 of 20

Accent Hardware

Direct attention to your kitchen cabinet doors with accent hardware. Here, purple cabinets stand out even more with striking gold cabinet pulls. You can also find unique antique knobs and pulls at vintage stores and flea markets.

Advertisement

4 of 20

Floor-to-Ceiling Cabinetry

In this kitchen, the wall opposite the cook zone is dedicated to storage with kitchen cabinets. This feature is often seen along with other kitchen trends, such as open cabinetry and oversize windows. When storage is reduced from other areas, a floor-to-ceiling bank of cabinets can house everything from everyday dishes to small appliances to linens.

5 of 20

Mix and Match

For a modern twist on traditional cabinetry, use a different color for upper and base cabinets. This kitchen takes the look a step further by pairing Shaker-style base cabinets with raised-trim upper cabinets. The warm shade of gray continues on the kitchen's patterned tile floor.

6 of 20

Go Gray

Gray continues to be a favorite paint color for walls and cabinetry alike. The neutral shade can read cold or warm, depending on its undertones. To find the right gray for kitchen cabinets, consider how much light the room gets, plus the tones of surrounding paint colors.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

7 of 20

Open Range

Kritsada Panichgul

If wall space is limited, opt for narrow open shelving options to display favorite dishes and keep spices within close reach while cooking. Without overhead kitchen cabinets, the kitchen feels open and airy, a design trick ideal for a small kitchen. You can also squeeze storage out of base cabinetry built into both sides of a kitchen island.

8 of 20

Traditional Details

David Tsay

To add vintage, traditional, or cottage flair to your kitchen cabinets, utilize custom trimwork and secondhand hardware. In this kitchen, cabinets above the range feel like a work of art thanks to intricate corbels and a small mantel. Brass cup pulls on base cabinets add patina.

9 of 20

Light and Simple

Michael Luppino

White or greige Shaker-style doors create a light and clean look in a kitchen. White kitchen cabinets are enduring and versatile, appearing in cottage, traditional, and even modern kitchens. Choose simple hardware to keep with the classic look.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

10 of 20

Top White Paint Colors

Wondering how to paint kitchen cabinets the right color? See our picks for no-fail white paint colors for cabinets. These colors will brighten your space and make it look larger.

11 of 20

Efficiency Inside

Gordon Beall

Twenty years ago, kitchen cabinets were considered custom if they included a lazy Susan and a built-in spice rack. Now storage options are plentiful and mainstream, including pullout trays, bread boxes, and narrow spaces that would otherwise have false cabinet fronts utilized as customized spots for pans such as cookie sheets and muffin tins. Ask your local hardware store about additional kitchen storage cabinets.

12 of 20

Built-In Appliances

Jeff Herr

Appliances might be more intelligent, efficient, and feature-packed than ever, but that doesn't mean they're grabbing the spotlight in today's kitchen. See if you can disguise appliances as kitchen cabinet doors. Here, the fridge is hidden behind matching cabinet doors at the end of the island to maintain a cohesive look.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

13 of 20

Display Cubbies

Kim Cornelison

For tight areas between kitchen studs, consider open cabinets. These narrow cubbies serve as both display space for cookbooks and favorite tools as well as for keeping spices handy for cooking. Paint them the same color as surrounding cabinets for a built-in look or make them stand out by painting the trim with a contrasting color.

14 of 20

Mix Materials

Paul Dyer

You're not limited to colors when it comes to mixing up your cabinetry. This kitchen pairs dark blue glass-panel upper cabinets with flat-panel rustic wood cabinetry. The wood tone continues onto seating to warm up a stone island.

15 of 20

Mismatched Island

Edmund Barr Photography

A cabinet or island in a color or wood that's different from the rest of the kitchen works much like a patterned scarf with a solid-color shirt. More than a finishing touch, it breaks up the monotony to become a pivotal design piece. This kitchen mixes contemporary black kitchen cabinets with a traditional white island, bringing warmth and dimension into the space. It’s also an option to treat a hutch or a section of cabinetry in the same manner.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

16 of 20

Customized Drawers

Werner Straube

Cabinets and drawers now conceal custom features. Where you'd expect to find swinging doors that open to reveal storage inserts, there are pullout doors attached to shelves for pots and pans, holders for recycling and garbage bins, and racks for canned and dry goods. Drawer inserts can be set up to hold dishes, silverware, or cutlery. Kitchen pantry cabinet inserts are often customizable and help to maintain a clutter-free kitchen.

17 of 20

Mixing It Up

Brie Williams

Cabinets, drawers, and open shelving meet any and all storage needs when combined in this kitchen. Mixing types of kitchen storage cabinets keeps the design feeling fresh and avoids a room full of heavy cabinetry. The corner unit takes advantage of the small, but valuable, wall space around the window.

18 of 20

The Look of Furniture

Emily Followill

Call it the European influence or a return to this country's early-1900s notions: Many of today's kitchens are assigning furniture duties to cabinetry. Some pieces are freestanding, but others simply appear to be, emulating the look of china hutches, turned-leg tables, and buffets.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

19 of 20

Colorful Accents

Robert Brinson

Add a pop of color to glass-front kitchen cabinets or open shelving with bright paint or bold wallpaper. Accent with contrasting accessories to complete the room's color scheme. Using bold color in a small area is high-impact—and an alternative for the color-averse.

20 of 20

Detailed Embellishments

Jeff Herr

Gone are the days when kitchen cabinets were unadorned boxes. Today's most interesting styles take their finishing touches from furniture and architecture. Add-ons such as undercounter corbels, fancy feet, and arched openings achieve a focal-point status that's more a result of style than location. Carvings, cutouts, and moldings add emphasis to a cabinet's decorative aspects.

Up Next

Advertisement