The 4 Best Kitchen Cabinet Colors for Stainless Steel Appliances

Looking to create a chic, contemporary vibe in your kitchen? Go with various shades of grey.

Pair your stainless steel appliances with a grey either darker or lighter than the stainless steel:

• Dark grey will give you a moodier look that will help the stainless steel pop
• Light grey will create an airier look that accents the stainless steel

We wouldn’t recommend trying to match your cabinet color with the shade of stainless steel. This could wash out the appliances, making them disappear against the cabinets.

If you like the idea of decorating in different shades of grey, go with dark grey walls for light grey cabinets and light grey walls for dark grey cabinets. Contrasting the light and dark on cabinets and walls will help avoid your kitchen from being too dark or too light.

Blue will create a classic, calming kitchen—giving you a bit of color without going overboard. The great thing about stainless steel is that it can be paired with dark or light blue cabinet colors.

Going with:

• Light blue cabinets will create a timeless look that helps brighten and open up your kitchen
• Dark blue or navy cabinets will have a warmer feel that gives your kitchen a bold, sophisticated look

Blue cabinet colors—both light and dark—work well with white walls or, if you like the idea of going with various shades, contrast your blue cabinets with a different shade of blue on the walls.

You can also pair blue cabinets and stainless steel appliances with grey accents or, for a fun, bold kitchen, other colors with cool undertones like greens and purples.

Believe it or not, the textures and warm brown colors of natural wood are a beautiful contrast to the sleek silver of stainless steel.

You can choose:

• Darker wood cabinet stains for a bold, dramatic look. Dark wood cabinets go great with bold wall colors.
• Lighter wood cabinet stains to create a lighter, warmer atmosphere in your kitchen. Light wood cabinets pair well with warm neutral wall colors (beige, taupe, off-white, etc.).

The knobs and handles on your cabinets have a big impact on the overall look and feel of your kitchen. If you’re updating your cabinets, don’t forget to update your cabinet hardware as well to finish the look.

Cabinet hardware that goes well with stainless steel includes:

• Stainless steel or brushed nickel: Matching metals—or close to it with brushed nickel—is a great way to tie your cabinets with the stainless steel appliances.
• Brass: If you’re going with a dark or bold cabinet color, the matte of brushed brass will pair well with the stainless steel—giving you that mixed-metal look—and pop against the bold cabinet color.
• Patterned ceramic: For a little added texture, go with patterned ceramic drawer pulls that match the color scheme of your cabinets.