From subtle hues to dark colours, painted cabinets are a sure way to jazz up your kitchen. They’re budget-friendly, create an impact and a focal point, and can really make your room pop.
We sat down (virtually) with Zoe Henry, from Zoe Henry Designs, who has designed some of our interiors for Paragon Design Build. She ran us through a few of the painted cabinets in our developments that she designed, and shared some tips on how to make colours work for the space you want to rejuvenate.
The Creamy Whites
We used Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace OC -65 to achieve this colour. This went great with the kitchen’s shaker cabinets.
“White kitchens are classic. This colour is the whitest of whites - it’s bright, fresh and gives you that airy open space feeling. White cabinetry will work with any hardware finish. We wanted this kitchen to feel cool and contemporary, so we went for high contrasting black knobs and pulls,” says Zoe
We used Benjamin Moore Ashwood for our 653 McMillan apartment building to achieve this subtle off-white colour.
When designing a home, it’s important for our design team to make sure the building matches the community it’s being built in. Zoe went for a soft and neutral color to paint the modern style slab cabinets.
“We used a lighter and softer colour throughout this space to complement the traditional houses in the area. The black hardware adds a contrasting accent so tenants can play around with their personal styling.”
The Dark Grey
For the painted kitchen cabinets in our 224 Bertrand development, we used Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal.
“We went with a warm toned floor and embraced that with a ‘moody’ look. We painted the slab cabinets grey, and that went really well with the dark hardware. The grey colour feels contemporary and industrial and it would look great with walnut accents and a leather couch.”
Painted Cabinet Tips And Tricks
Zoe shared her top tips on what you should keep in mind when thinking about painting your cabinets.
- Back to basics
“Think about grade 3 art class and which colours would compete and contrast with each other. If you have light or white walls, you could paint the cabinets with greens, blues and deep greys to create a little jewel box in your space.”
- Take note of the countertop
“Pull colour tones from them. Pick up a bunch of paint chips and just lay them on the countertops, so it will be easier for you to see which looks best. If you have dark countertops, you can paint the cabinets white and you’ll get a cool contrasting look and ‘modern farmhouse’ feel. Alternately, you can embrace your dark countertops - I wouldn’t recommend matching it with the same colour, but play a shade lighter than the countertop and let that be the darkest focal point.”
- Two-toned kitchen cabinets
“Two-toned painted cabinets are also lovely. I recommend painting the upper cabinets with a lighter colour and painting the bottom cabinets with the darker colour, to make the room feel more open and grounded.”
- Modern look
“If your appliances are mostly black, I suggest painting the cabinets with a dark colour to achieve a sleek and seamless modern look.”
- Swatches, swatches, swatches
“Chips don’t do justice to the true colour of the paint. You can purchase little paint pots for $5 from hardware stores. I suggest buying a few of the colours you’re considering and paint them on the wall in the rooms you plan to paint. See how they dry and how they look in the light of the room. You can paint almost a whole wall with those little guys, and you can use whatever’s left for arts and crafts with the kids!”
A Way To Express Your Style And Personality
“Painting your cabinetry is a great way to completely change the mood of your space.”
Painted cabinetry is a fun way to express your style and it creates a corner of interest in your home. So, don’t be afraid to be bold and be brave! That’s how you get the kind of interiors you see in magazines.
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