White Kitchen Design Ideas

Whether white on white, warmed with wood, or sparked with color, white kitchens blend into any home. Discover all the reasons to love white kitchens and how to pull off the look in your home.

Start Slideshow

1 of 31

Room for All

Easy Guide to Cabinetry

Crisp white kitchen cabinets go to the ceiling in this white kitchen and create a spacious feel, while the large gray island adds weight, plus plenty of seating and prep space. A textured backsplash behind the sink gives the white palette some interest. Touches of black add to the glamor of the white kitchen design.

Advertisement

Advertisement

2 of 31

Modern Finishes

Subway tile comes in various colors, layouts, and sizes, but traditional white tiles fit any kitchen style. Used as a backsplash and paired with open shelving, the subway tile in this kitchen provides a blank slate for sparkling finishes and a bold blue range. White cabinets paired with brass hardware complement similar finishes found on the kitchen's pendant light, faucet, and range.

3 of 31

Colorful Neutrals

Home of Lee Rhodes and husband Peter Seligman.

Neutrals act as a splash of color in this all-white kitchen. White walls and base cabinets provide a blank canvas that's waiting for some color. A butcher-block island countertop, wood stools, and wood shelving disperse rich honey hues throughout the space. Although wood is a neutral, the red tone in the grain instantly warms the space.

Advertisement

4 of 31

Setting the Stage

With countertops and a backsplash as beautiful as this, there's no need to dress up the rest of the kitchen! If you have your eye on a stunning marble countertop, consider going all-white for cabinets and walls. The neutral color will let your kitchen's stone surfaces do all the talking and will even enhance its beauty. Pair white cabinets with simple nickel or chrome handles and drawer pulls to complement the gray kitchen finishes.

5 of 31

Live Large

If your kitchen is smaller than you'd like, continue the kitchen paint color into the surrounding rooms. This will remove the visual barrier and suggest a more open layout. White also bounces light around a room, making it feel more spacious. This trick can even physically expand your kitchen, because the undefined space allows you to place stools in the living room area for the breakfast bar.

6 of 31

Simple Beauty

A cool blue paint color inspired by the subtle veining in the marble countertop adds life to this all white kitchen. Simple cabinet fronts, stainless-steel accents and subway tile finish the classic look. Silver appliances and light fixtures pair great with a white modern kitchen.

Here are our favorite white kitchens.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

7 of 31

Cozy in Cream

Help a white kitchen feel cozy with a warm color palette and texture. Creamy white paint and intricate details create a tried-and-true traditional kitchen. Chicken-wire cabinet fronts and collections on display add a bit of country flair to white kitchen designs.

Download our kitchen remodeling guide!

8 of 31

Ultimate U-Shaped Kitchen

Small, but mighty, this white kitchen is all about function. The U-shape layout is practical, while the glass tile backsplash adds pretty to this hardworking space. White kitchen countertops connect all three walls and keeps the space from feeling closed-in.

9 of 31

Spice Up a Classic White Kitchen

Painting kitchen cabinets white is a bold, but smart move. See how to layer accessories in white kitchens to create a designer look. With our tips, your white kitchen will be your favorite feature in your home!

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

10 of 31

High-Contrast Space

Light pours in the wall of windows into this high-contrast white kitchen. Pops of green and yellow add playfulness to the room, while the classic white kitchen cabinets and coffered ceiling are seriously traditional. Kitchen decor ideas that reflect the nature outside are so refreshing.

11 of 31

Tradition with a Twist

Furniture-style details help this all white kitchen stand out. An oversized island is perfect for a trio of bar stools accented with cobalt blue. Precious blue and white pottery continues the color scheme around the room.

12 of 31

It's a Classic

Unlike fad colors, such as 1970s gold and avocado, white will never look dated. Straight-line cabinets with hefty hardware look solid and promise longevity. In this white kitchen design, gray granite countertops add contrast and help incorporate the stainless-steel appliances and brushed-nickel hardware into the all-white room.

Check out these pretty small white kitchens.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

13 of 31

Mass Appeal

The neutral setting of an all white kitchen is a positive feature that feels easy to live with. A combination of stainless-steel appliances, crisp white cabinets, a large island, and hardwood floors creates an appealing work space for any family. The gray-blue color of the island acts as an exciting neutral in the space.

14 of 31

Budget-Wise Decision

White appliances are usually in stock, and they often cost less than other finishes. Paired with white kitchen cabinets, you can't beat this ultra-sleek look. What's more, buying white appliances lets you splurge on other products for white kitchens such as flooring, light fixtures, and white kitchen countertops.

Here are our tips on buying appliances.

15 of 31

Wide-Open Spaces

White cabinets and appliances open up a small space, which is perfect for a smaller layout. In this white kitchen, the large island provides much of the room's counter space and is situated to provide a solid working triangle between it, the stove, and the refrigerator. The island also provides storage for cookbooks which would otherwise take up valuable cabinet space.

Here are more white kitchens we love.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

16 of 31

Open Up With Light

Pale surfaces reflect natural and artificial light to help a cramped kitchen feel bigger and brighter. Just make sure you do the research before painting kitchen cabinets white to get the best result. Affordable paint comes in hundreds of white tones. Choose a warm shade if the room faces north or east, or a cool one if it's oriented south or west.

17 of 31

Very Versatile

It's easy to update your white kitchen with the latest colorful surfaces, small appliances, and decorative accessories. Try accenting white kitchen cabinets and appliances with a painted island or put colorful dishware on display. With white as the base color, it’s easy to update and freshen up your kitchen with splashes of color.

Ideas for white kitchen cabinets.

18 of 31

Choose the Best White Cabinet Color

Painting kitchen cabinets white seems like an easy job. At least, until you see the wide variety of white paint colors. Choose the right white for your kitchen with our top white paint colors for cabinets.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

19 of 31

Disappearing Acts

In open-plan kitchens, installing white appliances with white cabinets keeps your range, dishwasher, and refrigerator from standing out. Avoid visually harsh dark holes in white kitchens without the cost of trim panels. All white can feel stark, so adding in a natural element, like this butcher-block counter, warms the space.

20 of 31

Show Off Collections

White design is the ideal backdrop for collections such as ceramic dishes and colorful glassware. It's a great way to showcase tone-on-tone ironstone or bold art pottery. Glass-front cabinets and open shelving in this white kitchen showcase dish collections.

21 of 31

Keep It Current

For a new look a few years from now, just change your cabinet hardware. Switch from subtle white-painted wood knobs to fanciful glass or ceramic accents, or try metal pulls that echo appliances, such as this white kitchen's range hood. This modern kitchen has stayed up-to-date with the latest kitchen trends.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

22 of 31

Call of Nature

Organic and natural materials such as wood, stone, shell, bamboo, and wicker feel calming and harmonious with white's cool purity. In this kitchen, wood beams, a stained-wood island, and stools with lots of texture make it much more than just another white kitchen. Kitchen decor ideas like this make all-white feel more natural.

23 of 31

Blank Slate

White kitchen cabinets and fixtures partner with sleek stainless steel and glass, blurring the line between contemporary and traditional in this kitchen. Add in some scrubbed-and-shabby country or rich traditional furnishings for even more personality. Strong pops of color add personality to the space.

24 of 31

Formal Foundation

This white kitchen is open to the dining and living room, so the homeowners chose to continue the formal look with painted cabinetry, dark granite countertops, and splashes of red, inspired by artwork in the adjoining room. Instead of backsplash tiles above the stovetop, the homeowners used a thick pane of glass, allowing light to stream in all day long.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

25 of 31

Cozy Cottage Style

White kitchen cabinets, marble countertops, and a range hood provide a neutral background for this kitchen's soft green backsplash tiles. The subtle color and texture of the glass tiles elevate the style in the mostly white kitchen. Stools fabricated to match tie the kitchen design together.

Check out these white cottage kitchens.

26 of 31

Supporting Role

Changing paint colors and light fixtures are quick, easy ways to update white kitchens. In this kitchen, the key elements are all white: cabinets, island, and tile backsplash. The homeowner added color to the room in an unexpected place: inside the coffered ceiling. The blue ceiling and colorful kitchen accessories are kitchen decor ideas that provide some serious style.

27 of 31

Mix and Match

All white kitchen cabinets doesn't mean you can't use color elsewhere in the kitchen. A colorful island adds personality to an otherwise traditional white kitchen. The blue island in this kitchen coordinates with the cool gray countertops and stainless-steel accents.

Must-have tips for painting kitchen cabinets.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

28 of 31

Modern Appeal

Flat-panel white cabinets topped with stainless steel set the tone for modern white kitchens. If your kitchen doesn’t have a built-in island, add a stainless-steel chef’s cart or a stand-alone island. Adding castors to the cart makes it a portable prep, dining, and serving space.

29 of 31

Great Sink

Even though this all white kitchen is newly remodeled, the apron-front sink, furniture-style legs, and curvaceous faucet give this kitchen an air of history. The oil-rubbed bronze cabinet pulls were inspired by dark flecks in the granite countertop and help break up the wall of white. A large window, uninterrupted by shades, lets natural light bounce around the room.

30 of 31

Whitewashed & Wonderful

The assortment of chairs around this farmhouse table is unified with a coat of white paint. Varying shades and textures of white—in the wall treatment, cabinets, appliances, floors, and chairs—bring this kitchen together but keep it from feeling flat. A normally traditional white-on-white kitchen has a collected and casual vibe.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

31 of 31

Balancing Act

The combination of reflective surfaces in this all white kitchen is offset by the natural wood beams overhead and textured rugs below. Industrial-style light fixtures and metal stools infuse the white kitchen with depth and personality. The mixing styles make this modern kitchen one to behold.

Up Next

Advertisement