Straight wood floor patterns, neutral wall colors, the Eames Lounge Chair, and white kitchen cabinets: What do these all have in common? You got it! They never go out of style. And though none of those interior design elements may be considered perfectly on-trend at all times, sometimes it’s best to go with the safer bet than to follow the style of the moment—after all, your home is your home at all times.
And given the cost of installing new kitchen cabinets, it’s definitely a smart move to opt for white ones if you’re in the process of a build or a remodel. That way, as so many of the other parts of your home change and evolve over time, your kitchen will still look fresh and contemporary thanks to that one kitchen design choice.
That all said, when we say “white kitchen cabinets” we’re not talking about one look or style or even just one shade of white: There is a surprising amount of variety you can get with white cabinets, so let’s break it down.
Shades of white, shapes of doors, and hardware considerations
There are literally tens of thousands of different shades of white out there, from whites so crisp and neutral they’re like fresh-fallen snow to rich, warm “whites” that are almost in the yellow family but still call themselves something like ivory, cream, or vanilla. White is a color with a range just like any other, so don’t think you’re selling yourself short by choosing it. (Also don’t think you’re getting out of the painstaking process of choosing the right color!)
Consider your choice of white with great care. A softer, creamier white may be great for a farmhouse feel but may look painfully out of place in a sleek, modern residence. Just so, a cool white may look entirely out of place in a mountain lodge-style abode.
Next, take into account the shapes of the cabinet doors that will be best for your space. Shaker cabinet doors with inset panels defined by crisp lines are almost always a safe bet. Raised panel doors, wherein a central panel is raised up out of the main recess, can have a more traditional look that’s great for some spaces but dated in others. Slab kitchen cabinet doors, where the doors (and drawer faces) are completely flat, can work wonders in a sleek, modern home but may look out of place in many decor schemes.
Then there’s the hardware, and you really can do wonders with the knobs, handles, and drawer pulls you choose. You can opt for simple bands of wood painted the same white to match the ornate, one-of-a-kind handles that add whimsy, color, and interest to your kitchen. And as kitchen cabinet knobs and handles are much easier to change out than the cabinets themselves, this hardware can easily be updated or replaced later, refreshing the aesthetic of the space without much expense or effort.
And keep in mind the fact that you don’t have to go 100% white: The upper cabinets in your kitchen could be white while the lower cabinetry can be a finished wood or even painted a different color. This works in all sorts of interior design schemes, from a country home to a midcentury-modern residence to a Tuscan-inspired space and beyond.
In fact, contrasting white cabinetry with cabinets or shelving of another color is a great way to create visual interest in the space. But you can also create that interest with kitchen elements beyond the cabinets.
White kitchen cabinets let the rest of the kitchen shine
Ironically, one of the best things about opting for classic white for your cabinet doors is that
white lets the rest of your kitchen’s design elements show off. From a colorful or
textured backsplash; dark, rich, or patterned countertops; and butcher block to colors you
choose for the walls, appliances, lighting, and other fixtures and features in your
kitchen, white cabinets can provide the same effect as a great frame does for a picture: support
and enhance the overall aesthetic.
And because white cabinets work with everything from subway tile to paint colors of many hues
and saturation, there’s little chance they will ever clash with other elements in the kitchen.
A dark and/or richly patterned kitchen floor can look wonderful when paired with white cabinets, be it tile, hardwood, polished concrete, or another surface.
How much do white kitchen cabinets cost?
As with any kitchen cabinets, the cost here is a matter of sourcing and customization. If you go with stock cabinets, you can expect to pay between $100 to $200 per linear foot, with the fact that they are likely saving you a small percentage over a finished wood or more unique color. Go for cabinets that are prefabricated but custom finished and you will pay at least double that stock cabinet price, or about $400 to $600 per linear foot.
And fully custom white kitchen cabinets will cost well over $1,000 per linear foot. Yes, kitchen builds or remodels are pricey, but it really is the most-used room in the home. It’s also worth keeping in mind that white cabinets can help with the sale of a home if you choose to move later, as they not only look great of their own volition but also allow prospective buyers to visualize potential changes to the kitchen in a way that more unique cabinets may not.
Are there any drawbacks to white kitchen cabinets?
No single element of your home is likely to be perfect; sadly, that’s just not how life works. So, though white kitchen cabinets have a lot of great stuff going for them, we do need to acknowledge a few of the drawbacks to white cabinetry.
The first con to white cabinets? The wear and tear. Whereas wooden cabinets—which is to say cabinets finished to look like wood with grain and all—can absorb and conceal minor dents and scratches, damage stands out on white cabinets like the proverbial sore thumb.
The second issue is a similar one: They show the dirt, stains, oils, fingerprints, and all. White cabinets are notorious for looking dirty if they are not regularly and carefully cleaned.
Thirdly, we mentioned previously how white cabinets can let other aspects of your kitchen shine, but if your space doesn’t have a lot of unique design elements going on, then white cabinets can be a missed opportunity to spice up an already overly neutral or even drab interior.
And finally, white cabinets can be tricky when it comes to lighting. Pale whites reflect light
around them and can make the space too bright, while many shades of white can take on a different and unintended color depending on the lighting they reflect, be it from the afternoon sun, the high hats, a chandelier, and so forth.
We could add that some people think white cabinets are cold and sterile, but we hope we’ve dispelled that notion by now, given how many colors of white there are, how white kitchen cabinets invite all sorts of hardware, and how they work in concert with the rest of the space so very well.
