White has been the color of choice in kitchens for ages but with the shift to more welcoming and warm color palettes, cream is back in the running. Here’s how and why to introduce this beautiful color into your design.
Why Cream Is a Good Color for Kitchen Cabinets
As the warmer, equally as versatile cousin of white, cream is an excellent choice for many reasons. Here are just a few.
Style
Cream cabinets can work well in a variety of kitchen styles, including traditional, rustic, and cottagecore. Designs today are calling for warmer color schemes and that allows cream to move away from the more rustic designs and into contemporary designs.
Color Palette
Think about the color palette of your kitchen as a whole. Cream cabinets can be complemented with a range of colors for countertops, backsplashes, and wall paint. This makes it one of the most versatile colors.
It’s important to identify the undertones of your cream color and how that will interact with the other colors in your scheme. Most cream or warm off-white colors have some amount of yellow added. Hints of other colors may be present too. Brown takes cream in a more beige direction. A hint of black will deepen cream with a gray feel. Sometimes hints of red or purple or green are in there as well.
Find your undertone by putting it up against other colors. You’ll be able to start picking out colors other than white or yellow when you compare your cabinets to something that is a pure hue.
Lighting
The amount of natural and artificial light in your kitchen can affect how cream cabinets look. For instance, fluorescent lights tend to make cream look cooler and will bring out blue and green undertones. This means that you can manipulate the color of your cream cabinets just by changing up the light. Look for the lightbulb’s “color temperature” to find the right combination for your kitchen.
Resale Value
If you plan to sell your home in the future, neutral cabinet colors like cream tend to have broader appeal to potential buyers, which can be an advantage. You’ll sell your home quicker and get more money out of it if stick to warm neutral colors.
Get cabinet color samples to be sure you’re getting the right cream for your color palette.
Why Cream Color Kitchen Cabinets Are Still in Style
Though cream kitchens may take you back to the 1990s, that’s only because they were very popular then. The last couple decades have seen a resurgence of gray cabinets. Neither gray, cream, nor white are ever out of style. They are timeless neutrals that tend to rise and fall in popularity as the decades go by. They never leave the top 10 list.
Cream is a favorite right now, but if you’re concerned about how the color will wear over the next decade, go with a lighter cream rather than a heavier one. Try to eliminate obvious undertones as much as possible and you’ll be left with a warm white that edges on cream and will have less prominence in your color scheme.
What You Should Pair with Cream Color Kitchen Cabinets
The range of color options with cream is one of the benefits of the color. As long as you are aware of your undertones and don’t clash with them, your options are wide open. Since cream is a warm neutral, the other colors you choose can help cement your style.
Countertops
Countertops are one of the largest pieces of your kitchen so these should be your primary focus when choosing colors. If you have a more rustic or cottagecore style, butcher block countertops make a great companion to cream. If you want something more luxurious, marble is a great option. Go with a warmer marble like Calacatta Gold.
For a more modern vibe, try concrete countertops. These can be created in any color to suit your warm color palette. Granite, quartz, and engineered solid surfaces also give you many options to work with, especially if you want to pick up on the undertones of your cream cabinets.
Floors
Like the countertops, floors are another big part of your design. Ceramic tiles have a naturally warm appearance, especially if you go with something natural. Hardwood is an obvious choice. The warmer woods like bamboo, oak, and hickory are great choices.
Once again, pay attention to the undertones of the wood (especially in the grain) and make sure it harmonizes with your cream cabinets.
Consider pairing cream cabinets with some textural warmth on the floor as well. A rug’s softness and literal warmth serve to enhance the warmth of the cabinets.
The best color for your kitchen cabinets is the one that makes you feel comfortable and happy in your space. Warm and cozy cream is a neutral that makes it easy to live, work, and play in your kitchen. Imagine cream in your design!
