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What Color Paint Goes With Light Wood Kitchen Cabinets

The Top 16 Paint Colours to Update Wood Stains – Specifically Red, Yellow and Orange Undertones

Partner Post to 5 Ideas: How to Update Oak Cabinets Without a Drop of Paint!

There are SO many colours of wood in the world – you name it, it's out there. And while some of these colours can be timeless, there are many versions that can be challenging (understatement) to modernize and update.

Ideas to update wood cabinets, oak, cherry or maple with new hardware and backsplash. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint color advice and blog

Why do I call them colours of wood not species of wood? Because wood is often stained a different colour than its roots (literally) suggest, so I'm going to base things on the overall 'colour' that you see – not the history of the tree!

The best paint colours to update oak, wood cabinets, floor, trim and more. Kylie M INteriors Edesign, Diy decorating blog

Farmhouse dining room table, Pier 1 chairs. Pure White walls, south facing room. White spindle back chair style from Wayfair. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint colour advice blog

This is going to be TREE-LY exciting, so let's get started!

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, you need to decide whether you want to accent your wood or whether you want to blend or camouflage it a bit.The best paint colours to accent oak, maple, cherry or warm toned woods. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint colour advice.

  • Warm or cool paint colours that are a few tones lighter or darkerthan the wood tone will accent it more than colours that are the same depth. However, cool colours will do a BETTER job than warm colours when it comes to ACCENTING wood tones
  • If you REALLY want to jazz things up, choose colours that don't have TOO much gray in them as these will give more contrast and energy against the woods
  • Even if you THINK you want to blend in those wood cabinets, you might be surprised at how awesome a well-chosen cool opposite can look!

The best paint colours to camouflage, blend in or update wood, oak, maple cabinets, furniture, flooring or trim. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint colour advice and blogger

  • Keeping the paint colour a similar depth to your wood is a great way to keep things seamless, but can be a bit bland looking if you choose a warm or neutral colour. It's better to go a bit lighter OR darker than the depth of your wood or to shift into a slightly cooler tone
  • When it comes to cream, beige and brown, you'll want to look at creams that hold similar undertones to the ones in your wood
  • Some cream, beige and brown paint colours can pick up a wink of green, which can look a bit fugly and murky against some warmer woods

Yellow-toned wood finishes

Yellow-toned woods are often pretty committed to yellow, but can also slide slightly into orange and more rarely, they can pick up a wink of pink or green.

Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray paint colour. Stairwell, yellow toned wood stairs. Kylie M INteriors Edesign, virtual online paint colour consultant

Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray

Orange-toned wood finishes

While yellow-toned woods are usually pretty darned yellow, orange-toned woods easily lean into yellow or red, but the dominant undertone is still orange.

Entryway or foyer with solid fir door and reclaimed wood flooring, board and batten walls. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, edecor and online paint color consulting blog

Benjamin Moore Gray Owl

Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray with golden oak trim, fireplace and wood flooring. Kylie M INteriors Edesign

Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray

Red or cherry wood finishes

Red or cherry toned woods are the richest of the bunch, adding depth and colour to a room. Red-toned woods can also look slightly pinkish (pink being the light version of red) or can give off a subtle purple cast at times.

Bedroom Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter, best warm gray greige paint colour. Wood headboard, rose pink accents. Kylie M INteriors Edesign, online paint colour expert and decorating blog

Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter, red orange toned wood floor. White wainscoting. Best gray paint colour. Kylie M interiors edesign, online paint color consulting

Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter

So remember, MANY wood products will pick up on more than one undertone. This means that not ALL of these paint colours will look good with ALL wood stains, but they should get you started in the right direction!

1. Benjamin Moore Classic Gray OC 23

For a soft, subtle look, Classic Gray is a nice slightly warm gray which won't blend in, but certainly won't 'highlight' your cabinets. I usually recommend darkening Classic Gray by about 25%, just to give it a wink more body.

Benjamin Moore Classic Gray, bathroom, maple cabinets, beige tile floor, black granite. Kylie M Interiors E-design, online paint color consulting, ecolor

Read more: Paint Colour Review of Benjamin Moore Classic Gray

2. Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray SW 7016

Mindful Gray is a warm, light-medium gray with a soft purple undertone (and a wink of green). While I might not partner it with OVERLY yellow cabinets, it can handle a little warmth.

How to update oak kitchen cabinets and floor. Greige subway tile, quartz countertop, Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray paint color. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint color consulting

Read more: The 10 Best Sherwin Williams Gray and Greige Paint Colours

3. Sherwin Williams Kilim Beige SW 6106

With a nice range of warm undertones, Kilim Beige is a soft, subtle and versatile choice. Kilim Beige is similar to BM Muslin, which will look a bit calmer. Both of these colours can pick up a weeee tiny wink o' red (pink) and aren't as great with yellow-toned woods.

the best paint colours for red or cherry toned oak flooring, Sherwin Williams Kilim Beige. Kylie M Interiors E-design

Sherwin Williams Kilim Beige in stairwell and hallway with metal, wood railing and carpet runner. Kylie M Interiors E-design

Read more: How to Mix and Match Wood Stains and Finishes

4. Benjamin Moore Abalone 2108-60

Abalone is a mix between gray, brown and purple. The purple is subtle but adds a decent dose of colour to get things out of the gray range. It's also light enough that it can help offset a bit of the visual weight of darker cherry cabinets while still contrasting with white trim. I love how the purple taps into the wood tones without being 'obvious' about it (shown below).

Benjamin Moore Abalone, gray, warm greige paint colour with purple undertones. HOme staging tips and ideas

open layout kitchen and dining room with island, quartz countertops and benjamin moore abalone and sandlot gray with purple travertine backsplash

Read more: The 9 Best Purple Paint Colours

5. Benjamin Moore Collingwood OC 28

Collingwood is a beautiful warm gray-greige with a subtle purple undertone. The undertone is quite passive and this colour still leans heavily into gray, only nodding politely towards greige/purple. It can look QUITE lovely with wood finishes that have red or purple undertones. Most grays can lean into ANY of the 3 cool gray undertones with the right lighting, but Collingwood usually holds pretty steadily.

E-design and online colour consultation by color expert and blogger Kylie M INteriors. Benjamin Moore Collingwood in a hallway with dark wood flooring and black metal railing

Read more: Paint Colour Review of Benjamin Moore Collingwood

Benjamin Moore Collingwood in a staircase with dark wood stair treads, black handrail. Kylie M INteriors E-design and online color consulting blog

6. Benjamin Moore Gentle Cream OC 96

Gentle Cream is an awesome way to create a warm and inviting room, without going overly golden. With its almost 'butterscotch' undertones, this colour will sit pretty neutral with oak and won't entirely camouflage nor accent it.

Living room with south west facing exposure and rock fireplace with mantle. Benjamin Moore Gentle Cream. Kylie M E-design

Read more: Paint Colours Review of Benjamin Moore Gentle Cream

Benjamin Moore Gentle Cream colour review by Kylie M Interiors. In guest bedroom wtih blue accents

Read more: The 5 Best Cream Paint Colours

7. Sherwin Williams Canvas Tan SW 7531

Canvas Tan is a relatively neutral tan paint colour that doesn't fall too flat or greige toned for orange-toned woods NOR too golden warm, making it flexible for a variety of wood stains, as shown below…

Sherwin Williams Canvas Tan with light maple wood flooring and stairs. Kylie M Interiors Online Color Consulting and e-decor and design

Sherwin Williams Canvas Tan in open layout living and dining with vaulted ceilings and fireplace. Kylie m Interiors paint colour

Let's take a quick break to talk about paint samples…

Undoubtedly, you'll be heading out in the near future to grab paint samples – stop right there! I want you to check out SAMPLIZE . Samplize offers peel and stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots. Here are just a FEW reasons why I recommend Samplize to my clients…

  • Samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1-3 business days, depending on location
  • At $6.99, they're more affordable than the samples pots/rollers/foam boards that are needing for traditional paint sampling
  • If you keep the samples on their white paper, you can move them around the room

Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE

8. Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray HC 170

Stonington Gray is a beauty if you want a subtle accent to your wood tones. It's a gray with a soft blue undertone that can sometimes go a wink blue-green.

Farmhouse wood diy dining table, gray upholstered chairs, Stonington Gray paint color and round chandelier. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint color consultant

Contemporary mix traditional dining room. Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray, wainscoting, chandelier, dark wood floor, coffered ceilings. KYlie M interiors E-design

Stonington gray and Gray Owl. colour review undertones. Kylie M Interiors Edesign online

Read more: What's the Difference Between Stonington Gray and Gray Owl?

The best paint colors for your room. Benjamin and Sherwin. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint colour consulting. Home Decorating and diiy ideas blogger.market

Click HERE or on the above image to see available packages

9. Sherwin Williams Sea Salt SW 6204

Sea Salt is a lovely complement to most woods if you're wanting a fun, fresh look. Sea Salt is a light-toned green blend with a gray-blue undertone to calm it down. Yes, it will slightly accent your wood stain, but it will look BEAUTIFUL! Read ALL about Sea Salt in its colour review.

Sherwin Williams Sea Salt in home office, kids homework room with gallery wall. Kylie M INteriors Edesign, client photo

10. Benjamin Moore Mountain Air CC 636

Mountain Air is a beautiful way to accent the warm tones of your orange-toned cabinets or flooring. It's a slightly fresher choice with its subtle, earthy, gray-green blend, as shown in my client's bedroom below…

Benjamin Moore Mountain Air in bedroom with wood. Kylie M Interiors E-design (2)

Read more: The 8 Best Blue and Green Paint Colours

Benjamin Moore Mountain Air in bedroom with wood. Kylie M Interiors E-design (3)

11. Benjamin Moore Sandy Hook Gray HC 108

Sandy Hook Gray is a greige with a decent green undertone. While it WILL accent the warmth of your cabinets, the neutral base keeps things a bit more in check.

Benjamin Moore Sandy Hook Gray in entryway with orange toned oak floor and fir front door. Best paint colours for wood. Kylie M Interiors E-design and Online Color consultant

best paint colours for a stairwell with a light or yellow toned oak railing and risers. benjamin moore Sandy Hook Gray and Gettysburg Gray

12. Sherwin Williams Silverplate SW 7649

Silverplate is a cool, slightly stormy gray with a vague blue undertone. And sure, the blue might enhance things slightly, but overall it's a great way to create a more modern look with your yellow-toned wood (shown below).

Sherwin Williams Silverplate in dining room with oak floor and dark wood furniture. Kylie M Interiors e-decor, e-design and online colour services

And don't forget about LRV when choosing a paint colour! How to Use LRV to Pick a Paint Colour

13. Benjamin Moore Gray Cashmere 2138-60

Gray Cashmere is a soft gray with a strong blue-green undertone, making it almost whimsical with its fresh feeling (usually favours blue over green). It has more gray in it than Sea Salt so it adds a whisper of colour without being too powerful. Again, this would accent wood tones, not soften them.

Country farmhouse style kitchen with Cloud Whtie cabinets, black granite, butcher block island. Benjamin Moore Gray Cashmere. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint colour expert blog

Benjamin Moore Gray Cashmere in kitchen eating nook with built in bench, cushions and round farmhouse style table. Kylie M Interiors Edesign, online paint colour blog and consulting

14. Sherwin Williams Heron Plume SW 6070

Heron Plume is an interesting one that can shift a lot depending on the exposure of your room. Its bones are like a creamy/greige with a soft, slightly purple/pink undertone that can flash through.

Sherwin Williams Heron Plume kitchen with granite, wood cabinets, blue island, southwestern style. Kylie M E-design, online paint expert. Before photo

15. Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray HC 173

This is another fave.Edgecomb Gray is the PERFECT greige, sitting nicely in between gray and beige with no obvious preference either. This is not going to highlight nor blend in with most woods unless you have DARK wood, which would be highlighted via the contrast, not the colour.

Kylie M Interiors Edesign online paint color consulting. Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray, best greige paint colour in living room family room with stone fireplace

Read more : Paint Colour Review of Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray

16. Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray SW 7641

Colonnade Gray is a soft, light-medium warm gray. It favours a very vague, soft green undertone, but can easily flash into the others depending on your exposure/interior finishes.

Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray with golden oak trim and wood fireplace surround. Kylie M Interiors Edesign

Read more: Paint Colour Review of Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray

And because I rely 100% on photos from my Online Colour Consulting clients, I don't always have a photo of the colour I want to chat about. But, I don't want you missing out on a few more paint colour ideas…

Sherwin Williams Rainwashed SW 6211

Rainwashed is a beautiful blue-green with a soft gray backdrop to calm it down. It's quite similar to Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue.

Sherwin Williams Softer Tan SW 6141

Softer Tan is a warm tan with subtle orange, yellow undertones. With its beige base, it would be your best bet to start blending those cabinets in, while still staying on the lighter side.

Still not sure what the best colour for your home is?

Check out my Online Colour Consulting and E-Design Services!

The best gray or grey paint colors for your room. Benjamin or Sherwin. Edesign, online paint colour services Kylie M Interiors. diy home decorating ideas blogger.market

Kylie M Interiors Edecor and Edesign

Read more

How to Coordinate Different Wood Stains and Finishes

How to Update Oak Cabinets Without a Drop of Paint!

The Best Paint Colours to Update Dark Wood (trim, cabinets and more…)

KYLIE M INTERIORS E-DESIGN, E-DECOR AND VIRTUAL ONLINE PAINT COLOUR CONSULTING      DIY DECORATING ADVICE BLOGGER      SPECIALIZING IN THE BEST BENJAMIN MOORE & SHERWIN WILLIAMS PAINT COLORS

What Color Paint Goes With Light Wood Kitchen Cabinets

Source: https://www.kylieminteriors.ca/the-best-paint-colours-to-go-with-oak-wood/