Two Tone Kitchen Cabinet Ideas
Are you looking for inspiration for your kitchen cabinets and in search of two tone kitchen cabinet ideas? When selecting the perfect cabinets for your kitchen, many options exist. Two-tone kitchen cabinets have become increasingly popular due to their unique style and versatility. Not only do they provide a modern and contemporary look, but they also add depth and dimension to the overall design of your kitchen. They are also a popular choice for designers, as using different colors, finishes, and materials can visually help break up areas of the kitchen.
Two-tone cabinets allow you to mix and match different colors and finishes, which creates a striking visual effect. Additionally, they provide a great way to highlight areas of your kitchen, such as an island or a set of open shelves. Whether you prefer a classic black-and-white combination or a bold and colorful contrast, two-tone kitchen cabinets are an excellent choice for anyone wanting to add personality and flair to their home.
Some popular combinations include white and gray, navy and white, and black and wood tones. However, the possibilities are endless, depending on personal preference and the kitchen’s overall style. Choosing colors that complement each other and create a cohesive look is essential.
If you’re looking for inspiration for your kitchen remodel, two-tone kitchen cabinets are a great place to start. This style of cabinetry creates a modern and timeless look and can be used to highlight specific areas of the kitchen, such as an island or a built-in pantry.
Whatever your style, there are endless possibilities for two-tone kitchen cabinet ideas to make your kitchen stand out. Please note that where I couldn’t source a photo to show a complimentary color combination with upper and lower cabinets, I found varieties of cabinets and island bases that do show how they would work together.
If you are presently researching different kitchen design options, I have created posts on blue, green, cream, white and black kitchen cabinets as well as kitchen blacksplash and farmhouse kitchen cabinet ideas.
Two Tone Cabinets in Black & White
Image Source Katie Hodges Design
An open concept kitchen and dining room by Katie Hodges Design. The white cabinets provide a dramatic contrast to the black base of the kitchen island. Although this design looks spectacular as is – with all white upper and lower cabinets, black cabinets could be switched out on the bottom as another striking design choice. Black open shelving to replace the white would also be visually appealing.
How to Pick Color Combinations for Two-Tone Kitchen Cabinets
This timeless kitchen trend allows you to play with color by using two hues of your preference or by layering neutrals on top with the color on the bottom. The rule of thumb is to use a darker color on the bottom and a lighter option up top. The darker shade on the bottom serves to ground the lowers cabinets while providing a softer appearance up top. This makes the ceiling feel taller as it draws the eye upward. While shades should be complementary, they can vary from subtle to strong contrast.
Two complementary neutrals can be incorporated, with color introduced through appliances and accessories. Contrasting the elements between the upper and lower cabinets makes for a striking, eye-catching visual.
Popular Color Choices for Two-Tone Kitchen Cabinets
I’ve provided a few of the most popular choices for kitchen cabinet color combinations below, although a wide range of options would also work well.
Two Tone Kitchen Cabinet Ideas: White and Wood Cabinets
White cabinets are sleek and sophisticated. Adding wood is a time-tested way to create a warm and inviting look in the kitchen.
This approach is perfect for those wanting a modern-rustic, country, or farmhouse feel.
Elegant & Sophisticated Two Tone White & Wood Cabinets
Image Source Shift Interiors
In this open-concept kitchen, white oak cabinets create distinct areas for the pantries on either side of the kitchen island. “It’s like a china cabinet in a kitchen,” says designer Jamie Deck of Shift Interiors.
Two Tone White & Wood Cabinets for Country Kitchen Appeal
Image Source Maison de Pax
Rachel of Maison de Pax parent’s new, beautiful rustic-transitional kitchen complete with beautiful two-toned kitchen cabinets, quartzite countertops, marble backsplash, and all the details needed for a functional and beautiful space.
Warm & Inviting Two-Tone White & Wood Kitchen Cabinets with Brass Details
Image courtesy of Corey Damin Jenkins Design
White Upper and Lower Cabinets with Wood-Based Island
Image courtesy of Orsi Panos Design
Two Tone White & Wood Cabinets
Image Source Maison de Pax
Farmhouse Kitchen with White & Wood Cabinets
Image courtesy of Savvy Interiors
Farmhouse Kitchen with White Wood Cabinets
Image courtesy of Joanna Gaines
A beautifully designed kitchen by Joanna Gaines that combines white, grey and warm wood tones.
Two Tone Kitchen Cabinets with Dark Wood Island and White Cabinets
Image courtesy of McGee & Co
This image is a great example on how well white works with both light and dark wood tones.
Two Tone Kitchen Cabinet Ideas : Blue & White Cabinets
Cabinets with a white and blue color combination work well in many design styles, including modern, farmhouse, country rustic, and coastal. White cabinets create an open and breezy atmosphere in a kitchen, and when paired with navy cabinets, they become even more elegant. Navy provides a timeless and vibrant contrast to white cabinets while creating depth. Paler blues add a soft and more subtle difference.
Two Tone Kitchen Cabinets in White & Navy Blue
Image courtesy of Heidi Callier Design
Two Tone Grey & Cream Kitchen Cabinets
Grey and Cream cabinets are a soothing and elegant pairing in the kitchen. Cream is considered a warm neutral, and as grey is a cooler color, the two balance each other perfectly. From a light and soft hue to a moody charcoal shade, a gray palette in your kitchen is understated and endlessly versatile.
Two Tone Grey & Cream Kitchen Cabinets
Image courtesy of Studio McGee
Sheer Elegance with Two-Tone Grey & Cream Kitchen Cabinets
Image courtesy of Kelsey Leigh Design
Sophisticated Two Tone Grey & Cream Kitchen Cabinets
Image courtesy of Jean Stoffer Design
Two Tone Kitchen Cabinet Ideas : Grey & Wood Tone Cabinets
Grey is a neutral shade that pairs well with almost every color, including wood tones.
Striking Two Tone Kitchen Cabinets in Grey & Wood Tones
Image courtesy of Caitlin Flemming Design
Two Tone Kitchen Cabinets in Gray & Wood
Image courtesy of Jean Stoffer Design
Two Tone Kitchen Cabinets in Gray & Wood
Image courtesy of Jean Stoffer Design
Two Tone Kitchen Cabinets in Gray & Wood
Image courtesy of Rebekah Westover Photography
Two Tone Kitchen Cabinets in Pale Gray & Cherry Wood
Image Courtesy of Jae Joo Design
Two Tone Kitchen Cabinet Ideas: Green & White Cabinets
Green and white cabinets are as versatile as blue and white and are well-suited to a wide variety of design styles. From sage green to olive, emerald, and deeper hues, green adds a stunning contrast to white kitchen cabinets.
Two-Tone Kitchen in Soft Green & White with Brass Accents
Image courtesy of Caitlin Flemming Design
Lovely White & Green Kitchen Design
Image courtesy of Erin Gates Design
Two Tone Kitchen Cabinets Green & White Cabinets
Image courtesy of Jeff Herr Photography
Two Tone Black & White Kitchen Cabinets
One of the most popular pairings for cabinet colors is black and white, as it provides high contrast, elegance, and sophistication.
High Contrast Black & White Kitchen Design
Image courtesy of Urbanology Design
Tips for Incorporating Two-Tone Cabinets
Try Using Contrasting Materials
You can also achieve contrast by introducing a secondary material that complements the tones of your primary color. Blond or dark wood and white cabinets are also a natural pairing.
Create Balance
When choosing a two-tone cabinet combination, paying attention to the color balance in your kitchen is essential. Lower cabinets tend to be painted in darker hues, with lighter tones for the uppers. Bold colors demand visual energy and work best balanced with neutral shades.
Create a Focal Point
What works in one kitchen may not work for the next. Suppose your kitchen features a row of cabinets around an appliance, such as a refrigerator or range. In that case, a contrasting color may be beneficial to highlight the architecture and create a focal point.
Contrast Textural Elements
Opting for glossy painted or wooden cabinets contrasted with concrete countertops or stone backsplashes is a great textural aesthetic that adds charm to your kitchen.
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Two Tone Kitchen Cabinet Ideas
If you're looking for inspiration for your kitchen remodel, two-tone kitchen cabinets are a great place to start. This style of cabinetry creates a modern and timeless look and can be used to highlight specific areas of the kitchen, such as an island or a built-in pantry. When it comes to selecting the perfect cabinets for your kitchen, there are many options to consider. Two-tone kitchen cabinets have become increasingly popular due to their unique style and versatility. Not only do they provide a modern and contemporary look, but they also add depth and dimension to the overall design of your kitchen. They are also a popular choice for designers, as using different colors, finishes, and materials can visually help break up areas of the kitchen.
Modern Rustic Rugged Design with Sean Anderson
I love the aesthetic look and feel of modern rustic rugged design. It's the perfect marriage of modern and traditional, with a touch of roughness that adds character and a masculine edge to any space. Think of warm wood tones, exposed brick walls, plenty of texture, and metal accents. It's a look that is both inviting and moody while playing with high contrasts. Whether it's a living room, kitchen, or bedroom, this design style is versatile and adaptable to any space. Plus, it's a great way to bring the outdoors in, with its natural materials and earthy colors. One of my favorite interior designers, Sean Anderson, is a master at creating modern rustic and rugged spaces that are tonal, dynamic and mood-setting. Black is predominantly used throughout his spaces to add depth and stunning contrast.
Modern Farmhouse Decorating Ideas
I recently viewed the McGee & Co. 2023 Summer Catalogue and thought it provided a wealth of inspiration for those looking for modern farmhouse decorating ideas. The catalogue is full of creative design tips and stunning photos of their projects, including their new spec home located in the Red Ledges community outside of Park City, Utah. Designer Shea McGee believes our home is a canvas of creative personal expression, and what you bring into your space – from textiles and textures to tones – can affect the mood and personality of any room. Thoughtfully considering fabrics, colors, patterns, and angles of each element or room can help you achieve sophisticated atmospheres to create a stunning narrative of the place you love most.
Country Decorating Ideas
Country decorating is characterized as casual, comfortable and cozy, incorporating vintage accessories, handcrafted furniture, and an eclectic mix of fabrics, textures and treasured possessions. While certain elements define country style – including natural materials, rustic decor and furnishings, a surprise pop of color such as a vibrant green, can add an up-to-date twist of country charm. Embrace country charm and take a tour of a few of my favorite country interiors with a homespun style.
Ranch Style House Home Tour
This stunning ranch style house is perched high on a hilltop and nestled among the trees claiming its rightful place on a scenic 200-acre property in Texas. The owner desired an ample yet understated home with natural and simple architectural expression that would blend effortlessly into the landscape that surrounds it. Heavy timber columns and stone walls ground the home to the site. Reclaimed siding and simple barn-like structures give the architecture a sense of history and regional belonging. Referencing the owner’s love of the old west, many of the interior walls showcase the same stone and wood that is on the exterior of the home. This gesture alludes to a time when materials were not mass produced but simply gathered from the area and formed as needed.
Beautiful Country Homes Tour
This post features tours of beautiful country homes designed by Beth Webb, an internationally recognized interior designer admired for her tactile, serene, and dynamic spaces. Beth believes beauty only works if it is calibrated by ease, and that elegance is rooted in simplicity. “Texture is my color palette,” says Beth, who uses a variety of materials and objects to create interest in a room. She mingles sinuous profiles with hard lines, juxtaposing masculine and feminine silhouettes to create compelling, sensual spaces. Layered light is another crucial element bringing a sense of warmth, romance and contentment to Beth’s interiors.
Atlanta Traditional Country Home
Today we begin a tour of a stunning Atlanta home where the pallet was inspired by the home owner’s (Jane Hight) vast collection of blue-and-white Imari porcelain inherited from her mother and grandmother. Having served as the accountant for interior designer Lauren DeLoach for several years, it was natural for Hight to enlist the designer’s help when decorating her home. When it came to a color palette, the pair looked no further than Hight’s beloved family porcelain. “While we knew we would use blue, finding the right shade took some study,” says DeLoach. “We didn’t want a too-saturated hue, but we didn’t want it too pale. We also needed another color to add punctuation marks here and there, so the salmon hue came from the Imari porcelain.”
Country Home Tour
The small and compact English-style country home is 1,400-square-feet and situated on a sweeping pasture across from the Inn at Brays Island in South Carolina. The owners hired Interior Designer, Beth Webb to create a pastoral blend of Anglo and Low Country traditions. “It’s interesting how a house this tiny can be so INCREDIBLY LIVABLE. Inside, all that extreme verticality means the rooms feel neither contained or compressed. Plus the house has a beautiful orientation on the property, so there’s a lovely dappling of light morning, afternoon, and evening. We took advantage of this as much as possible, especially in the galley kitchen, which we designed as kind of a non-kitchen kitchen, a space that looks more like a sun-splashed garden room with that huge window.”
Fall Decorating Ideas
Once leaves begin to change and the warm air of summer begins to turn crisp, it's time to start thinking about fall decorating ideas. Whether you have a cozy farmhouse or a modern rustic retreat, there are plenty of ways to add autumnal touches to your home. Remember, fall decorating doesn't have to be expensive or time-consuming. Pillows and throws go a long way in transforming a room quickly, and fall is the perfect time to trade out lightweight fabrics with materials that are heavier in weight and texture that add a sense of warmth. Use earthy hues and gorgeous knits for a well-layered look. Drape an extra throw on an accent chair or sofa to add coziness.
SOURCES
Bennett, Jessica and Robertson, Kelly. How to Pick Colors for Two-Tone Kitchen Cabinets that Don’t Clash. Better Homes & Gardens. Updated June 24, 2022.
Sanders, Kamron and McEvoy, Sean. Two-Toned Kitchen Cabinets. March 16, 2022 HGTV.
