Creative Kitchen Cabinets for a Stylish Kitchen
The color, design, and layout of cabinets play an important role in any modern kitchen. When planning your kitchen cabinets you’ll need to strike the perfect balance between practical storage and beautiful aesthetics.
Quick summary:
Kitchen cabinets don’t have to be plain or predictable. A new color, an unusual layout, or a different material can completely change the look of your kitchen. Try soft pastels or bold glossy shades, add open cubbies or extra-height cabinets, or introduce materials like metal grates and stainless steel. Even a small change can give standard cabinets more character and help your kitchen feel more personal.
The kitchen isn’t just a place to keep utensils, cutlery, and cookware. It also needs to be a comfortable and stylish environment to prepare delicious meals and entertain guests.
With that in mind, we’ve put together this list of creative ideas to transform standard kitchen cabinets into something more special and unique.
In this article:
Experiment With Color
Color can be used in so many ways to bring your kitchen cabinets to life and improve the overall feel of your kitchen. You’ll need to decide what kind of color scheme suits your individual personality.
Pastels add subtle character
For a soft and neutral look, you can use pastel-colored cabinets. This example uses pistachio green to add freshness to the room:
Strong bold tones make a statement
Alternatively, you may prefer darker bolder colors. These glossy cabinets use cherry red for a sleek and modern look:
Contrasting cabinet interiors
If you have glass-fronted or open cabinets, why not go for a different colored interior? You can match the interior color to a kitchen feature to bring the room together. It also gives you a chance to experiment with brave vibrant colors:
Consistent color themes
If you have an open-plan living space that combines your kitchen, living room, and dining room, try to maintain a consistent cabinet color and design throughout. This example uses a deep blue color scheme with gold brass details that continues beyond the kitchen area:
Alternative Cabinet Designs
To stand out from the crowd and create a seriously original kitchen, you’ll need to think outside the box. One way to do this is by swapping industry-standard cabinet designs with something more dramatic.
Open cubbies
If you don’t require huge amounts of storage space, consider installing several small open cubbies. They bring the convenience of standard shelving but include separate compartments, allowing you to organize items or showcase a collection:
Triple-tier cabinets
For rooms with high ceilings, why not take advantage of that extra space by fitting triple-tier cabinets. You’ll need a step ladder nearby to access the very top, or else install a library ladder-like in this example:
Mix and match designs
Use a checkerboard layout to mix both open and closed cabinets. Open cabinets provide easy access and let you showcase beautiful glassware. While closed cabinets allow you to store away less interesting kitchen utensils.
When mixing different wall cabinet styles, you should keep base cabinets simple to prevent the kitchen from becoming over-elaborate:
Experiment With Materials
Traditional wooden and glass-fronted cabinets can lack fun and excitement. Try breaking from the norm by using alternative materials.
Metal grated cabinets
Why not replace standard glass doors with metal grates? This unique twist will add flair to your kitchen. Cleaning will also become easier as you say goodbye to those stubborn smudges and smears:
Stainless steel cabinets
Or for a premium industrial look, check out these stainless steel cabinets. Their reflective surface not only makes the kitchen appear bigger and brighter but it’s also much easier to wipe down and maintain:
Good Luck Creating Your Dream Kitchen
All the kitchen designs in this post were created with RoomSketcher. Use RoomSketcher to draw your kitchen floor plan, try different cabinet layouts, and experiment with colors, materials, countertops, and finishes. You can then view your ideas in 3D and compare different options before deciding what works best.
Common Questions
Focus on one of three elements: color, design, or material. Repaint or reface the cabinets in a pastel or bold shade, introduce a different cabinet style such as open cubbies or triple-tier units, or replace traditional wood and glass-fronted doors with unexpected materials like metal grates or stainless steel.
Pastel-colored cabinets create a soft, neutral appearance. A shade like pistachio green adds freshness without overwhelming the room. For a stronger statement, darker bold tones such as glossy cherry red can feel sleek and modern.
This works especially well with glass-fronted or open cabinets. Painting the interior a different color allows you to coordinate it with another feature in the kitchen and helps tie the room together. It is also a low-risk way to experiment with a vibrant shade you may not want to use on the cabinet doors.
Yes! A checkerboard arrangement of open and closed units offers both display space and concealed storage. Open cabinets provide easy access and a place to showcase glassware, while closed cabinets hide less attractive utensils. When combining different wall cabinet styles, keep the base cabinets simple to avoid making the kitchen feel too elaborate.
Triple-tier cabinets make use of vertical space that might otherwise be wasted. A step ladder will be needed to reach the top row, or a library-style ladder can be installed as a permanent solution.
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