Kitchen Cabinet Painting: How To Select The Right Shade Of White

During a kitchen remodeling project, painting the cabinets is often at the top of the list. If you have chosen white as the cabinet color, there are some things to think about. White is one of the most popular colors to paint kitchen cabinets, but just finding the perfect shade of white can be complicated. Here are some tips for choosing the ideal shade of white for your kitchen cabinets.

Choose Your Undertone

One of the main things that can change the actual color or shade of white paint is the undertone. All white paint colors will have an undertone, such as blue, gray, yellow, peach, or pink. If you choose the wrong undertone for your kitchen, the white shade will clash. The best thing to do is get multiple white paint samples and hold them against different aspects of your kitchen. Hold them up to the walls of your kitchen, the backsplash, and the kitchen countertops.

When looking at these samples in the store, it can be hard to see the actual undertones. By holding them against these items in your kitchen, you can not only see the undertone, but decide which one works best with the rest of your kitchen.

Know the Type of Cabinet Wood

Another aspect to choosing the right undertone for your white paint is taking the wood species of your wood cabinets into consideration. Different species of wood cabinets will have different undertones, which look better with different shades of white paint. For example, walnut wood cabinets will have a beige or brown undertone, while cherry wood has a reddish undertone. You want to stick with that same undertone for the shade of white to accentuate the natural color of your cabinets. If you are also replacing the kitchen cabinets for the remodel, it is important to choose the wood species first, then choose the right shade of white paint.

Use Your Kitchen Lighting as a Tool

Another important aspect to selecting the right shade of white for your cabinets is by using your kitchen's lighting in your considerations. The hardware store selling white paint may have cabinets painted in this color to show you what they look like, but the stores have harsh, fluorescent lighting. This is not an ideal setting for seeing how the cabinets will actually look. This is another good reason to bring samples home and look at them in your own kitchen.

Turn on your kitchen lights so you can see what kind of natural lighting will illuminate the cabinets. Taping the samples onto your current cabinets is the best way to see them in the lighting. This gives you a better idea of what the best color is. If you are remodeling your kitchen and plan to change your lighting source, wait until that has been done before selecting your white shade.

To learn more about kitchen remodeling, visit Kitchen Village. 

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