7 Best White Paints For Kitchen Cabinets

Variety may be the secret to making kitchen cabinets stand out, but is it any wonder that, time after time, homeowners choose white cabinets? White is the truest kitchen neutral, providing a solid foundation for almost any décor. It's timeless, often easy to clean, and looks fresh and airy — all of which are qualities that attract folks who just dropped a ton of money to remodel their kitchen and want the look to last for years. 

You may be surprised to discover that there's actually a hidden world of choices when it comes to white cabinets, which are far from a monolith. There are tons of shades under the "white" umbrella (ecru! ivory! eggshell!), and plenty of finishes, ensuring that your personal take on classic white cabinets will be anything but cookie-cutter. Hopefully, these images spark your imagination and provide the inspiration you need to pick the right style of white cabinets for your own kitchen — cabinets that will evoke beauty and radiate good vibes as you whip up thousands of delicious meals for your family and friends. 

For the homeowner who craves a warm feeling, white need not automatically be excluded from the conversation. While a cool-toned white can sometimes feel sterile and clinical, an ivory or warm-toned off-white cabinet can be just the touch you need, especially combined with the natural hominess of wooden countertops. Add a live plant or two, and you have the ultimate welcoming hub for family life. 

It's true that a blue-toned white can evoke laboratory vibes in the wrong hands, but with a gray-flecked tile backsplash that accents the coolness and touches of shining glass inlays, there's no doubt that paper white has its place in a luxury kitchen. We especially love the upgrade to a vintage lighting trend over the bar, as the pendants call to mind the glass of the cabinets and reflect effortless cool in what is an unquestionably well-appointed space. 

Not accounting for functionality is a kitchen island layout mistake to avoid, and the designers of this angular island clearly thought things through. What we noticed instantly, however, wasn't the obvious usefulness of this island but the creamy, dreamy color of the cabinets. The gold hardware is unobtrusive yet probably feels great when you pull those drawers and cabinets open a dozen times a day. And when they're combined with the warm peachy tone of the walls beyond? Chef's kiss ... this is warm white done right. 

This kitchen reminds us of the "invisible kitchen" in actress Anne Hathaway's NYC home, but the beige-y white color of the cabinets does anything but fade into the woodwork. These cabinets skated in on a technicality, as ecru is one of the more outré shades of white, but we love to use this shade to point out how diverse the color family can be. The replacement of two cabinets with floating shelves really opens up what would otherwise be a small space ... we suspect this smartly designed kitchen is in a big-city apartment. 

The farmhouse vibes in this Scandinavian-inspired kitchen are unmatched, and we think the gorgeous ivory cabinets are in no small way to thank for that aesthetic. Matching a warmer white with cool silver hardware is a bold choice, but we love how the combination sets off the variety of shades and textures at play in this eclectic space. By the way, one of Martha Stewart's best kitchen tips is to leave a cutting board on the counter for easy access, and we see that the owners of this kitchen got the memo! 

This kitchen is a great example of white cabinets being a stepping stone to whatever design choices you choose to layer on top. Here, the dusty blue subway tile backsplash and rattan barstools perfectly complement the buttery shade of white cabinets. Just consider how lovely that cool white countertop looks with the cabinets underneath, really setting off the warmth of the paint! This shows that vanilla cabinets are anything but boring.

This stark black and white kitchen is so modern that it almost wraps around to retro, invoking the high-contrast design trends of the 1980s. Plain, understated decorator's white is the standard finish in many new homes, but when it's paired with rich, matte black, you'd never guess that these white cabinets were anybody's default. The black trim and handles really play up the streamlined vintage appeal as well. It seems strange to call white cabinets daring, but, in this case, how can you not?