Classic white continues to be one of the most popular colours for kitchens. They never look dated and always remain 'in style'. When my clients ask my opinion on what colour they should select for their kitchens, I always recommend that they consider white. You can always add some interest to your kitchen through the use of colour and texture elsewhere in the room. In this post, we explore the benefits of a white kitchen and offer suggestions on how you can opt for white while ensuring your kitchen still looks and feels interesting.

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Why You Should Go With a White Kitchen

It’s a simple reason, really. A white kitchen has a classic, basic look that stands the test of time. It will always remain in style. It works well with any style of décor. Your home can be country, traditional, modern, or vintage, and as long as you select the right style of cabinet doors and drawers, a white kitchen will go well with any décor.

Opting for a white kitchen is the ultimate neutral! Everything goes with it, even other neutrals like grey, beige, and black. The colour white also evokes a positive emotional reaction. It looks clean and fresh and represents purity. Overall, it’s considered a happy colour.

One of the other benefits of white cabinets in comparison to darker cabinets is that they brighten up the space. Unless you have tons of natural light in your kitchen, dark cabinets can make the space look dark and unwelcoming. White will reflect light and make the space look larger. When a room is painted a dark colour or the cabinets in the kitchen are dark, our eyes register the absorption of light and tell our brains that the room is smaller. This incorporates the science of perception into design.

White kitchen cabinets also make your home very marketable when selling. Buyers can be put off by dark cherry cabinets if they don’t like the look of wood. White is a universal colour that will appeal to most buyers.

Many of our clients like to change up the look of their home every 5-8 years, sometimes even more often than that. By opting for white cabinets, this makes it possible with limited cost. For example, you could change your backsplash, the colour of the walls, the accessories in your room, or even your countertop, and create a whole new look in your kitchen. The biggest expense in your kitchen is the cabinets, so by opting for a neutral white, you have limitless choices to change things up as frequently as you like.

What are the cons of white kitchen cabinets?

One of the biggest cons of a white kitchen is that it’s hard to maintain a spotless kitchen! Similarly to a mirrored backsplash, it looks great when clean but not so much when it’s spotted. White kitchen cabinets don’t get any dirtier and aren’t any harder to clean than dark or wood cabinets. However, smudges and dirt will show up more on white. You will also find that scratches, dents, and worn corners will be easier to see on white cabinets.

White cabinets will also discolour over time if exposed to a lot of direct sunlight. To avoid this problem, you can select a slight off-white or even go with a colour like Benjamin Moore’s Cloud White which won’t show the discolouration as much. As long as you buy quality cabinets, they will last as long as any other cabinet.

Another con of white cabinets is that they can appear cold and clinical if there are no pops of colour elsewhere or texture and interest throughout the room. For ideas on how to combat this, continue reading.

What if I want an entirely white kitchen?

Many of my clients really like the look of an entirely white kitchen—white cabinets, white paint on the walls, a white backsplash, and a white countertop. There is a concern that this can look monotone and boring. Have you ever been in a paint store and had a look at the colour options for white? There are tons of shades of white, and as long as you use different shades of white throughout your kitchen, you can make your all-white kitchen work.

With countless shades of white, you can opt for white that has a yellow, blue, grey, or green undertone. Cool whites will look lighter, while warm whites will look darker. You can also create a different look by opting for glossy, matte, or satin finishes. You might even want to consider a distressed white stain on your cabinets. For a free download of different shades of white from Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams and a description of the undertone of each, click here. No opt-in is required.

Many countertop fabricators are even offering glossy or matte finishes for their countertops. Bear in mind that a high gloss finish on any surface will be reflective and will reflect the colour of the trims and accessories you have nearby.

You can also add interest to your all white kitchen through the use of texture. For example, white subway tiles have a timeless look, are affordable, and add a lot of texture to a kitchen. However, you don’t have to opt for the standard 3x6 tiles and install them using the brick lay method. What about installing them in a herringbone design? Or selecting ones with a matte finish? What about a bevelled edge to the tiles? Or... what about opting for 4x12 or 4x16 subway tiles? You can even purchase glass subway tiles for a completely different look!

What other ways can I make my white kitchen look interesting?

The biggest thing you need to keep in mind when designing a white kitchen is to ensure it doesn’t look cold and clinical but still looks exciting and interesting. There are many ways to do this.

Colour is one of the simplest ways to add interest to a white kitchen. This can be done through the backsplash, towels, wall paint, or a countertop. You can even add a splash of colour with the appliances. Stoves come in many different colours now. This can become the focal point of the room.

Accents and accessories are a great way to add colour as well. A teal or red kettle or mixer, a vase of flowers, or some colourful artwork can bring a white kitchen to life. Consider an accent rug on the floor in front of the cabinets. Pick a runner with lots of colour and pattern, and you’ll be adding texture to your kitchen as well. Even a brightly coloured tablecloth or curtains on the windows will add texture and interest to a room.

To help prevent your white kitchen from becoming boring, try adding some glass upper cabinets to your design. The best place to add glass is in the upper corner cabinets. However, you can add glass anywhere it suits your taste. Just be careful not to put glass uppers too near a stove or sink where splashes of water or grease can take away from the beautiful effect.

Decorative cabinet fronts will also add texture and interest to your white kitchen. Opt for decorative edges and profiles to add some interest. Don’t go too overboard, though. Every routered edge you add means there’s a spot that will collect dust.

You can even change the light valance. The valance doesn’t have to be straight and square. It can be carved or have other details for an added bit of interest.

Try some open shelving to break up the flow of the upper cabinets. If you want to make the shelves a bit of a focal point, paint the back wall of the shelves a different colour.

An all-white kitchen also provides a great opportunity for a unique focal point. For example, you can opt for a darker-coloured island, which will still provide you with a mostly white kitchen but make the island the focal point of the room. Want to add a little more interest? Purchase bar stools for the island in fun colours or textures.

Choose your lighting strategically in a white kitchen. You want your lighting to highlight areas of interest. For example, pendant lights over the island will highlight the island, or undercabinet lights will draw attention to the countertop. Your lighting can also add texture and interest to a room, so consider what feeling or look your lighting will create when selecting it. Don’t just purchase a light because you like the look of it. Make sure it suits the room and evokes the feeling you are going for.

There are definitely pros and cons to a white kitchen, but overall, the thing I love the most about a white kitchen is that it’s easy to make changes when you get tired of the look. Keep the cabinets as is, but change out the lighting, countertop, backsplash, paint colour, flooring, or even just the accessories. You’ll be amazed at how different the space will look if you even change one of the elements above. If you’re planning a new kitchen, consider white! It’s the ultimate neutral that goes with everything!