The Best Cabinet Colors & Countertops With White Appliances

HOW TO COORDINATE A KITCHEN WITH WHITE APPLIANCES

Stainless steel is the most popular finish for kitchen appliances with black (including black stainless) coming in second…a very, very distant second. As for white, well, it squeaks in right before almond and avocado – YES, I SAID IT, AND IT’S TRUE!

Now, because white appliances aren’t popular (and because I only use photos from my Color Consulting clients), I have minimal photos of them in action. However, I have helpful tips and guidance to get you on the right track. 

In this blog post, you’ll learn why these white appliances work in this kitchen…

Thank you to my clients for sending your photos—even when they’re in mid-progress, they’re helpful! 

More importantly, you’ll learn what DOESN’T work when decorating and choosing paint colors when you have white appliances (if you have GE Cafe White, read this instead).

And this isn’t about throwing you and your love (or not) of white appliances under the bus – not at all. It’s about helping you choose colors and finishes that help your appliances look more at home and avoid potential clashes.

Let’s be honest: white appliances can be difficult to coordinate other finishes with.

Why?

White appliances are a cool, crisp white. However, with the most popular, versatile white cabinet colors being WARM, mixing these with cool white appliances can create a hot mess. Warm whites are popular because they suit more interior finishes (i.e., countertops) than cool or bright whites.

The most important thing you will read in this entire blog post is this…

You can’t have white appliances with warm white, off-white, or cream-colored cabinets.

Actually, you CAN have the above;  you can do anything you want, just don’t expect it to look good.

Why?

The cool white of your appliances will do one of the following to your warm white cabinets…

1. make them look more YELLOW in comparison to the cool white of your appliances
2. will make them look DINGY in comparison to your appliance’s cool white hue

However, here’s one exception…

GE CAFE WHITE APPLIANCES & CABINET COLORS

GE’s cafe white appliances have a WAY different approach than the standard white appliances from the previous three decades.

Image from the GE website – GE Cafe White Appliances

Not only do these units have a more streamlined, modern look, but you can also customize their hardware. Why is this so handy? Choosing the brushed bronze hardware is a great way to add some WARMTH to your palette, making BRIGHTER warm white cabinets look more at home.

Does a slightly warm white with GE Cafe White still make me a bit twitchy? YUP, but the combo is better than standard white appliances, thanks to the hardware options.

Remember, when trends shift away from brushed bronze and gold/brass-inspired hardware, you may choose to update your GE Cafe appliance hardware to a different metal finish – this is where warm white cabinets could get a little left behind. Warm-toned metal finishes help tie in warm white cabinets.

The Best Cabinet Colors with GE Cafe Matte Black

The Best Cabinet Colors with GE Cafe White Appliances

Now, let’s get back to the meat and potatoes of this blog post. I’ll even throw on a little gravy if you’re lucky…

THE BEST WHITE PAINT COLORS WITH WHITE APPLIANCES

Choosing a white paint color to go with your white appliances is a low-contrast approach, which means your appliances will blend in rather than stick out. However, this doesn’t come without very serious challenges.

These appliances are so blended in you can’t even SEE them (wink wink). 

For standard white appliances, I recommend going with your appliance’s version of white, which is a cool white, rather than against it (warm). Or, at the very MOST (if you absolutely have to), choose a white that isn’t overly creamy and warm.

These next cabinets are beautifully painted in Sherwin Williams Pure White. However, Pure White will look slightly yellow compared to white appliances – it’s a hard no from this Ginger.

I would compare a range of whites that read ‘more or less white’ or just SLIGHTLY warm (I’d order a sample of Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace, too). Sure, the most popular warm whites are easier to coordinate with countertops and backsplashes, but they’ll be too yellow for your appliances.

3 Steps to Pick the Best White Paint Color for Your Cabinets & Walls

If your surrounding finishes don’t suit cool or clean white cabinets, they likely don’t suit your white appliances either. 

I’m not trying to be mean; I’m just being honest (#truthbomb), and here’s why…

• If you’re considering buying white cabinets, these tips could prevent you from making a big mistake.
• Do you already have cool white appliances surrounded by warm finishes like beige tiles and warm-toned granite countertops? Life will go on; this is about stopping you from adding another awkward choice to your palette. For example, cool white cabinets might match your appliances but clash with warm finishes. In this case, you’re best off keeping your cabinets wood or considering a non-white color (coming up shortly).
• If you have wood cabinets and want to paint them white, you might want to think twice or at least choose your white very wisely.

THE BEST ‘COLORS’ & NON-WHITE NEUTRALS WITH WHITE APPLIANCES

If you realize that white may not be the best choice for your kitchen palette, you can explore other colors that won’t directly clash/compete with your white appliances and might even update their look.

Remember that these colors will still show a degree of contrast with your white appliances.

Again, short of the GE Cafe series, few of my clients have white appliances – most choose stainless steel for its flexibility (hence the lack of photos). However, if you’ve got white appliances and want them to look their BEST, consider the following neutral cabinet colors (as long as they suit the countertops/backsplash).

• Sherwin Williams Anew Gray
• Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray
• Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter 
• Sherwin Williams Network Gray

Is Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter the Best Cabinet Color For Your Kitchen?

A little deeper, perhaps (that’s what she said)? If you want colors with a little more oomph (super technical term), you can also explore darker colors. Just know that the darker your cabinets are, the more contrast there will be between your cabinets and appliances.

• A gorgeous medium-depth warm neutral (greige, taupe, beige, or mushroom)
• Sherwin Williams Dovetail
• other dark shades of gray
• some dark greige paint colors

When choosing an actual ‘color’ for your cabinets (e.g., blue/green), you’ll want to lean cool rather than warm. Because ‘appliance white’ is a cool shade of white, it coordinates best with cool colors like blue, green, violet, and grays with these undertones.

The Best Dark Blue & Dark Green Cabinet Paint Colors

Some of my favorite colorful cabinets include…

• Benjamin Moore Hale Navy
• Sherwin Williams Cyberspace
• A wide range of medium to dark green paint colors
• Beautiful blue-gray blends

Thanks to the white countertops, this next kitchen, with its beautiful farmhouse sink, would look awesome with white appliances…

Credit: Home Depot

I only use photos from my Online Color Consulting clients, readers, and product suppliers. Thank you for sending your photos! 

REAL HOMES, REAL PEOPLE, REAL BUDGETS! 

COORDINATING A KITCHEN WITH WHITE APPLIANCES & WOOD CABINETS

In this next kitchen, there are two great ideas for integrating white appliances with wood cabinets…

How to Update Oak or Wood Cabinets

1. The oak wood cabinets look GREAT. While they contrast moderately with the white appliances, the surrounding finishes visually support the cool white of their range and range hood.
2. White cabinets would also look smashing. Because the backsplash tile is a brighter white and the countertop is a cool, stormy gray, a bright white could be a gorgeous choice for this space (e.g., Sherwin Williams High Reflective White).

Here’s a before photo of one of my client’s kitchens. What could help these appliances look more at home?

A white subway tile backsplash.

Unfortunately (for the sake of this blog post), my above clients shifted to stainless steel appliances. However, I can show you how they updated their space with a white subway tile backsplash and a new countertop…

Had they kept their white appliances, this kitchen would look pretty, even though there would be more contrast between cabinets and appliances. The only real negative is that this higher contrast partnership would distract a bit from the beautiful new finishes and wood cabinets.

Could they have KEPT the black countertop and white appliances and JUST replaced the backsplash? You bet your booty they could’ve.

The Best White & Off-White Quartz & Quartzite Countertops

Now, if white appliances do (or could) work in the above kitchens, why wouldn’t they work in this next space?

Even though there’s a white subway tile backsplash and a white marble island countertop, the cherry red stain of the cabinets and black granite perimeter countertop would contrast too much with white appliances—there’s no way to make them look intentional. Black countertops can work with white cabinets and subway tile, but with the depth of these wood cabinets, it’s a no for me.

Now that we’ve covered paint colors, let’s look at a few tips and ideas to make your white appliances feel a little more at home!

IDEA 1: CONSIDER NON-WHITE COUNTERTOPS

If you have white cabinets and appliances, a non-white countertop could be a great move, offering your kitchen dimension, contrast, and interest.

Darker countertops (even a light gray) will help ground the space and give your eyes something firm to land on. They will also break up the monotony of the whites and soften the effect of any potentially mismatched whites.

While the above kitchen has a white cupboard panel on the fridge, it explains my point perfectly! The island is marble with gray/black, and the perimeter countertops are solid black granite.

The COOL-toned finishes shown above can visually support white appliances.

If you have a lot of black on your appliances (which a lot of the older styles do), black countertops will help to tie these details in so that they aren’t as overwhelming.

THE BEST COUNTERTOPS WITH WHITE APPLIANCES

Many countertops suit white fridges, stoves, wall ovens, and dishwashers, but MOST are either a cool or slightly warm gray…

• Caesarstone Stone Grey
• Caesarstone Clamshell (actually has a TOUCH of warmth to it!)
• Caesarstone Bianco Drift (another one with bits of passive warmth)
• Caesarstone Symphony Grey

Caesarstone Bianco Drift

IDEA 2: BRING IN THE DRAMA LLAMA

White kitchens (should you end up with one) need some contrast, drama, or visual interest. At the very least, I suggest using a soft gray countertop (as suggested earlier) or a fun, cool-toned backsplash (like marble or a cool gray, blue, or green subway tile backsplash)…

The above finishes are a great way to jazz up a kitchen with white appliances! 

IDEA 3: CONSIDER YOUR HOME DECOR & FINISHING TOUCHES

If your kitchen is largely white, you might add some warm tones and textures to balance it out. There are a few ways to do this.

1. WOOD FLOORING

Wood flooring is a natural way to add warmth and texture to a room without interfering too much with color (as long as the wood doesn’t have a STRONG stain color).

How to Mix & Match Wood Stains

2. BUTCHER BLOCK COUNTERTOPS

Ooo, I love me some butcher block countertops – especially on an island! The warmth of the butcher block adds a nice balance to this cool-toned kitchen below, as does the wood flooring…

The Best Cabinet Colors with GE Cafe White

3. WOOD CUTTING BOARDS & COLORFUL ACCENTS/DETAILS

It doesn’t take much to add some warmth and interest to an overly white kitchen. A few cutting boards, countertop stools, or small details can add function AND form to a space.

The Best White & Off-White Quartz Countertops

4. BY THE WAY, STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES ARE BEST FOR RESALE

No matter how much you love your white appliances, unless they’re the GE Cafe line, they won’t do much for your resale value (according to popular opinion). Why? Stainless steel is seen as the most updated cabinet finish – not white.

The Best Off-White & Light-Depth Cabinet Paint Colors

SUMMARY: MAKE YOUR WHITE APPLIANCES LOOK INTENTIONAL

Often, white appliances aren’t treated as part of the plan, leaving them uncoordinated and outdated.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?

• Integrate white appliances into your palette to make them look like ‘part of the plan.’ Otherwise, they’ll look like an accident or something you can’t afford to replace right now (which might be true!).
• To make white appliances NOT the feature of your kitchen – your appliances shouldn’t be the focal point unless they’re like the GE Cafe series, which are like jewelry for a kitchen. One way or another, we want the focus to be on your beautiful cabinets, countertop, backsplash, or paint color.

HOW TO MAKE WHITE APPLIANCES LOOK LIKE PART OF THE PLAN

While you don’t need to do all the items listed below, nodding at a few is a great way to integrate your appliances and create an updated palette.

• Paint your cabinets the RIGHT white paint color.
• Surround your white appliances with COOL finishes (e.g., countertop and backsplash), not warm ones.
• If your kitchen has a lot of warm finishes (countertop/backsplash/etc.), consider a warm NON-WHITE on the cabinets  or at least a medium-depth warm neutral, which can be good happy mediums.
• If the surrounding finishes are warm, leave your cabinets a wood stain and wait until you can change the appliance color.

The Best Paint Colors to Update Oak or Wood Cabinets

While this last item won’t help your appliances look purposeful, at least you won’t CONTRIBUTE to the disconnect with the wrong paint color.

CAN YOU MIX WHITE APPLIANCES WITH STAINLESS STEEL OR BLACK?

Mixing appliance finishes isn’t recommended. However, based on budget, it can be a great short-term solution if you want to transition out of white. In this case, I recommend mixing white with stainless steel—NOT black.

READ MORE

The Best Paint Colors to Go With GE Cafe Matte White Appliances

6 Budget-Friendly Home Update Ideas

The New Era of Laminate Countertops & Why They Rock

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing White Paint Colors

The Best Paint Colors for Kitchen Islands & Bathroom Vanities

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2016, UPDATED FOR YOU IN 2024