Hot Home Trend: Color Block Your Kitchen Cabinets

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine

Getting a little mismatchy in kitchen cabinet color designs is no longer being viewed as an unfinished reno job, but instead perfectly stylish in fitting with today’s trends. These “tuxedo kitchens,” as they’re nicknamed, are where the upper cabinets may be in one color—like in all white—and then the lower cabinets are in a contrasting shade, like a gray or dark walnut. It’s essentially a way to color block your cabinets.

The idea of going with two different shades on your kitchen cabinets may make some homeowners’ a little uneasy, but it’s nothing to fear nowadays and can actually make your kitchen look more open.

Typically, with tuxedo cabinets, the lighter color is on top and a darker color is on the bottom. It can help make a kitchen seem taller when the lighter color is above. It can also create a focal point, when a contrasting color is used on a kitchen island. And the differing shades can also break up the monotony of all one color cabinets, particularly in all-white kitchens.

Some real estate studies are suggesting that white cabinets contrasted by a dark navy blue or black kitchen island is among the most common tuxedo kitchen pairings in some real estate listings too.