The TOP 20 Paint Colors to Update Wood Cabinets, Trims, & More
When it comes to updating a room with wood cabinets, trim, or flooring, it can be hard to know which colors coordinate best. With a wide range of neutral colors, vibrant shades, and undertones, how do you know which will complement your wood?
You start by asking yourself these questions…
1. Do you want to ENHANCE the beauty of your wood and make it come to life? In other words, do you want to CONTRAST with it?
2. Would you rather soften or camouflage the strength of your wood stain and its undertones?
3. Do you lean into colors that are lighter and more subtle (knowing that they’re often a bit more high contrast with the average wood finish)?
4. Do you like colors with a bit more depth and body? Depending on the color or neutral you choose, these can be high or low-contrast.
Whatever you’re looking for, I bet I’ve got it (except for sanity, which is in short supply around here).
The idea behind this blog post is that you don’t want to paint your wood cabinets or lovely wood trim. You want to keep them, enjoy them, and find the best paint colors to go with them – sounds good to me.
But before we get into the nitty-gritty, you need to decide whether you want to accent your wood or blend or camouflage it.
- Warm or cool paint colors that are considerably lighter or darker than the wood tone will accent it more than colors with the same depth. Why? Because not only will you have contrast in color temperature, but in color DEPTH!
- If you want to jazz things up, choose colors that don’t have TOO much gray in them, as these will offer more contrast and energy against your wood.
- Even if you THINK you want to blend in your wood cabinets, you might be surprised at how awesome a well-chosen cool color can look.
However, if you want to downplay a strong wood stain, you’ll want to avoid cool tones and lean into warmer shades…
- Keeping the paint color a similar depth to your wood is a great way to keep things seamless. However, it can look pretty boring if you choose a warm color. As it relates to warm colors, while it will increase the contrast between your walls and your wood finish, it’s better to go a bit lighter (OR darker) than your wood’s depth or shift into a slightly cooler (but not COLD) shade. This will add a bit of thoughtful layering without overexposing your wood. (There are so many jokes I could make…)
- When it comes to cream, beige, and brown, find ones with undertones similar to those in your wood. This helps to keep things muted and subtle and prevents clashing undertones.
- Some cream, beige, and brown paint colors can pick up a wink of green, which can look a wee bit murky against many warmer woods (especially red or pink tones commonly found in cherry).
- If you’re hankerin’ for some serious color, you might need this blog post instead.
YELLOW-TONED WOOD STAINS
Yellow-stained wood finishes were especially popular in the 90s and fell a bit out of favor in the early 2000s. As for undertones, yellow-toned woods are often committed to yellow but can slide slightly into yellow-orange or, more rarely, yellow-pink or yellow-green.
WHAT COLORS TONE DOWN YELLOW WOOD STAINS?
If you want to make your yellow stain look LESS yellow, you might need to lean into it a bit with the following colors…
- Cream paint colors with similar undertone profiles, i.e., if your wood is yellow-orange, you’ll pick a shade of cream that blends yellow-orange (like Benjamin Moore Navajo White.) The idea is that if you go with it a bit, rather than directly contrasting it with a totally different color, it can soften its effect.
- Subtle tan paint colors. Whereas beiges lean more on orange, tan paint colors lean on a yellow undertone (most often, yellow-green). A color like Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan or Sherwin Williams Canvas Tan can look pretty, just make sure it doesn’t clash if your wood happens to have a bit of pink or orange mixed in (and sometimes you just don’t know until you compare the samples to your wood stain).
- Some greiges look great with yellow stains. While there could be a minor degree of accenting, depending on the greige you choose, many greiges (with their green-yellow) undertone are beautiful partners. Of the options listed below, they’re the LEAST likely to blend out the wood tone, but also won’t OVERreact (depending on the greige).
I don’t have many photos showing yellow-toned wood, as orange and red are far more common. And while this wood floor below is a bit more orange-pink, the muted cream of the cabinets keeps the palette low-contrast…
The staircase in this next photo has a wood stain with yellow-orange undertones, Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray is on the walls…
Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray
Not only does the blue-green undertone of Stonington Gray contrast with this wood, but the DEPTH of it does as well. Notice the degree of contrast between the depth of the walls and the stairs/railings.
WHAT PAINT COLORS GO WITH & ‘ACCENT’ YELLOW WOODS?
These colors will make your wood pop a bit (pun intended…wink wink – I can’t help myself). This means that if you love your wood stain and want to contrast and accent it, these are the colors you’ll want to explore (you’ll see references to SPECIFIC colors shortly).
- Paint colors that are blue-green blends or blue-green-gray blends (specific colors are coming up shortly!)
- Gray with blue-green undertones.
- Warm gray with a violet undertone (not as great with yellow-green stains). Of the cooler tones, this is a more subtle, passive approach.
As shown in this next photo, colors that are cooler than your wood will help highlight it…
Benjamin Moore Light Pewter
ORANGE-TONED WOOD STAINS
Orange wood stains are super common in oak cabinets; especially golden oak and some honey oak. However, you can find orange on almost any wood species, as the stain that’s applied to the wood can have orange in it!
While yellow-toned woods are usually pretty darned yellow, orange-toned woods easily lean into yellow or red, but the dominant undertone is still orange.
WHAT COLORS TONE DOWN ORANGE WOOD STAINS?
If you’re considering using cool colors on your walls, think again. Sure, they can look GORGEOUS, but they will highlight the warmth and color of your wood finish, whether it’s cabinets, floors, trims, or furniture. To downplay an orange-inspired wood stain, check out…
- Muted beige blends, preferably in the off-white to light depths (specific colors are coming up shortly).
- Warm gray with a violet undertone can be an interesting approach without hitting things too hard, although some accenting can occur.
- Some greige/taupe colors can be quite pretty for a moderately balanced approach. However, beige is your BEST bet.
Benjamin Moore Gray Owl contrasts with the wood door.
Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray still contrasts, but it’s not as warm-cool as Gray Owl.
WHAT COLORS GO WITH & ‘ACCENT’ ORANGE WOODS?
If you’re an exhibitionist and want to show off your wood, these colors will do the trick! You’ll see references to specific colors shortly.
- Paint colors that are blue-green blends or blue-green-gray blends.
- Gray with blue-green undertones.
- Warm gray with a violet undertone can be particularly striking without being OVERLY contrasting.
RED, PINK, OR CHERRY WOOD STAINS
Red or cherry-toned woods are often the strongest, adding depth and color to a room. Depending on the combination of wood and stain choice, red-toned woods can also look slightly pinkish (pink being the light version of red) or give off a subtle purple cast.
While sometimes it’s hard to tell what undertone a wood stain has, there’s one hiding there. This next wood finish has a slight pink undertone…
WHAT COLORS TONE DOWN RED OR PINK WOOD STAINS?
While leaning into red (pink) can be scary, it’s often the best way to mute the STRENGTH of your red-stained wood…
- Taupe paint colors share a similar undertone (taupe has a touch of pink in it).
- Warm gray with a violet undertone can be an interesting approach, especially, but not exclusively, one with a bit more depth.
- Some beige paint colors lean into orange-pink, but it depends on the exact wood stain/strength.
The burnt-red hue of the walls in this next kitchen isn’t favoring the gorgeous orange-red cabinets; this is a case of WAY too much of a good thing…
WHAT COLORS GO WITH & ‘ACCENT’ RED OR PINK WOODS?
Red or pink-toned woods can be super fun to play with as they respond SO well to cool colors. So, if you’re a bit of an exhibitionist and want to show off your wood, these colors will do the trick! You’ll see references to SPECIFIC colors shortly.
- Paint colors that are blue-green blends or blue-green-gray blends will really light things up!
- Gray with blue-green undertones.
- Warm gray with a violet undertone can be a more modest approach (it’s one of my favorite choices with red stains).
In this next photo, Sherwin Williams Jogging Path provides a nice subtle highlight to the red furniture stain and red oak flooring…
Now that you’ve done your homework, it’s time to look at REAL COLORS! Remember…
MANY wood finishes will pick up more than one undertone.
This means that not ALL of these paint colors will look good with ALL wood stains, but they should get you pointed in the right direction!
1. BENJAMIN MOORE CLASSIC GRAY OC-23
Classic Gray is a nice, slightly warm gray for a soft, subtle look. This gentle shade of off-white has vague violet-pink undertones that suit MANY wood finishes. Its passive approach won’t blend with your cabinets but won’t highlight or accent them.
Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Classic Gray
While Classic Gray is more or less a warm shade of gray, in some rooms, it can lean a bit more into its warmth, looking a bit more taupe. If Classic Gray is CLOSE but not hitting the mark, Sherwin Williams Egret White has a similar approach, as does Benjamin Moore Silver Satin.
WOOD STAINS THAT DO & DON’T LOOK GOOD WITH CLASSIC GRAY
Classic Gray doesn’t work well with yellow-green stains but tends to humor a range of yellow, orange, and redwood stains.
2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS REPOSE GRAY SW 7015
Repose Gray is a warm gray paint color that’s SUPER unpredictable. While it can pick up a slight touch of green, it can just as easily wink at violet or even a touch of blue! Make sure you sample Repose Gray CAREFULLY and read its FULL COLOR REVIEW.
The 10 Best Sherwin Williams Gray and Greige Paint Colors
Repose Gray is often used as a ‘whole home’ paint color. This is because its unpredictability has it looking a bit different depending on a room’s exposures/finishes/etc… Some people LOVE this flexibility, whereas others want to know a bit more about the color/undertone they’ll likely get.
Colors similar to Repose Gray but with slightly different intentions include Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray and Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray.
WOOD STAINS THAT DO & DON’T LOOK GOOD WITH REPOSE GRAY
It’s always hard to say with Repose Gray. With its slightly dirty undertones, Repose Gray is especially pretty with more ‘brown’ wood tones – ones without dominant yellow, orange, or red (pink) undertones. In other words, it can handle a ‘bit’ of undertone, as long as it’s not overpowering or overly noticeable.
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Repose Gray
3. SHERWIN WILLIAMS KILIM BEIGE SW 6106
Kilim Beige is a soft, subtle, and versatile shade of beige. While Kilim Beige has a main orange undertone, it can entertain various finishes and wood tones.
Sherwin Williams Kilim Beige is a soft complement to the wood floor, stairs, and railings.
How to Mix and Match Wood Stains & Finishes
However, thanks to the Tuscan and beige-on-beige homes built in the early 2000s, colors like Kilim Beige have gotten a bad rap. And I’ll admit, some of them are pretty dated looking. However, there are some FABULOUS, modern shades of beige available these days.
So, if Kilim Beige is close, but you need a color with slightly different undertones or depth (or that’s a bit more modern-looking), check out Sherwin Williams Natural Linen and Benjamin Moore Muslin.
The 14 Best MODERN Beige & Tan Paint Colors
WOOD STAINS THAT DO & DON’T LOOK GOOD WITH KILIM BEIGE
Kilim Beige doesn’t look as good with red-stained woods that lean red-violet or have a decent degree of yellow. However, it’s especially nice with orange woods or those with a mild red stain (like the stain on the stairs in the above photo).
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Kilim Beige
4. BENJAMIN MOORE ABALONE 2108-60
Abalone is a mix between gray, brown, and purple. The purple is subtle but adds a decent dose of color to get things out of the gray range. Abalone is also light enough to help offset a bit of the visual weight of darker cherry cabinets while still contrasting with white trim. I love how the purple taps into the wood tones without being ‘obvious’ about it (shown below).
The 9 Best Purple Paint Colors
While Abalone is perfect for many rooms, if you need a shade with a similar but slightly different approach, check out Benjamin Moore Collingwood, Barren Plain, and Balboa Mist. A few of these have a bit less violet than Abalone. There are some other beauties HERE, too.
WOOD STAINS THAT DO & DON’T LOOK GOOD WITH ABALONE
Abalone is SO stinkin’ pretty with red hue woods, especially red-violet ones (above). However, it also suits some yellow woods, as long as they aren’t yellow-green and many orange stains.
Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Abalone
5. BENJAMIN MOORE COLLINGWOOD OC 28
Collingwood is a beautiful warm gray with a subtle purple undertone. The undertone is quite passive, so this is a ‘gray-centric’ color. It can look wicked pretty with red or violet-toned wood finishes. Most grays can lean into ANY of the three cool gray undertones with the right lighting or exposure, but Collingwood usually holds pretty steady with its commitment to violet.
Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Collingwood
While Collingwood is the perfect warm gray for many spaces (and one of the most popular), your wood might need something a bit different. Check out Benjamin Moore Nimbus, Balboa Mist, and Sherwin Williams Alpaca.
WOOD STAINS THAT DO & DON’T LOOK GOOD WITH COLLINGWOOD
Collingwood is flexible toward MOST wood tones, depending on your intentions. It can be a bit fussy with some yellow stains (yellow-green) as it prefers more legit yellow, orange, or pink undertones. My FAVE combo is Collingwood with red-stained woods.
Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Collingwood
6. BENJAMIN MOORE GENTLE CREAM OC 96
Gentle Cream (also known as Barely Beige) is a great way to create a warm and inviting room without it looking overly golden. With its almost ‘butterscotch’ undertones, this color will sit pretty neutral with oak and other woods without camouflaging or accenting them.
If you’d like to sample a color similar to Gentle Cream, check out Benjamin Moore Navajo White and Sherwin Williams Casa Blanca.
WOOD STAINS THAT DO & DON’T LOOK GOOD WITH GENTLE CREAM
Gentle Cream can be a gorgeous partner to yellow and orange hue woods but can be fussy with red tones, depending on the exact blend.
Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Gentle Cream
7. SHERWIN WILLIAMS CANVAS TAN SW 7531
Canvas Tan is a relatively neutral tan paint color that isn’t too flat or greige-toned for orange-toned woods or too golden warm, making it flexible for various wood stains, as shown below.
And while Canvas Tan is one of the more popular warm neutrals, check out Sherwin Williams Neutral Ground, Natural Tan, and Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan as well.
WOOD STAINS THAT DO & DON’T LOOK GOOD WITH CANVAS TAN
Canvas Tan is a bit fussier than some of the others and doesn’t love closer partnership with overly red stains (the dining set above is as close as you want to get). It’s also hit-and-miss with some orange-hued woods. It BEST suits yellow woods, especially ones that might lean a weee tiny wink into green.
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Canvas Tan
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8. BENJAMIN MOORE STONINGTON GRAY HC 170
Stonington Gray is a stormy gray with a soft blue-green undertone; it’s a beauty if you want a subtle accent to your wood tones. While gray is falling out of fashion, some classic shades, including grays like Stonington Gray and Benjamin Moore Collingwood, will have more of a lifetime.
What’s the Difference Between Stonington Gray and Gray Owl?
If you’re looking for a shade similar to Stonington Gray, check out Sherwin Williams Tinsmith, Silverplate, and Big Chill.
WOOD STAINS THAT DO & DON’T LOOK GOOD WITH STONINGTON GRAY
There’s not much Stonington Gray can’t do if you want to highlight your wood (without going over the top). Stonington Gray is friendly to most wood stains, including oak, maple, and cherry stains.
Paint Colour Review of Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray
9. BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE OC-17
While not everyone thinks of white when it comes to wood finishes, it can be a great way to offset wood cabinets, floors, and trims—it’s all about choosing the right white. Lucky for you, you have a little Ginger in your back pocket to let you know that White Dove is a great place to start.
White Dove is a soft, warm white, so it’s not stark or cold. However, it’s also not so warm and creamy that it’s OVERLY yellow (that could be open to perception, but it’s generally pretty popular).
In the above photo, notice how the flooring, oar art, stair railings, and rattan pendants all have a chance to shine thanks to the simple foundation the White Dove walls offer. In particular, White Dove looks gorgeous with natural woods similar in depth and approach to the above finishes.
If White Dove is right up your alley, compare it to Sherwin Williams Alabaster, Benjamin Moore Simply White, and Chantilly Lace to see which best complements your particular wood stain.
Or even BETTER, check out this curated bundle of my FAVORITE white paint colors for the average home! Hands down, these are the best shades of white to sample and compare – don’t both with any others!
FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore White Dove
10. SHERWIN WILLIAMS NATURAL LINEN SW 9109
With trends leaning warmer, Natural Linen is bound to be a popular shade. With a light-depth, more modern approach to beige, Natural Linen’s warm, flexible undertones are a soft and subtle partner to many types of wood stains, including most oaks.
Natural Linen is DARN pretty, but if you need a color with a bit more this or that, check out the similar approach of Sherwin Williams Rivers Edge, Kilim Beige, and Benjamin Moore Muslin.
The 15 Best Paint Colors to Update Golden or Honey Oak
WOOD STAINS THAT LOOK DO & DON’T LOOK GOOD WITH NATURAL LINEN
Natural Linen is a versatile warm neutral that suits a wide range of wood stains, especially those with orange (orange-yellow, yellow-orange) undertones. It can be a bit fussy with overly redwood stains and cherry wood.
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Natural Linen
11. BENJAMIN MOORE JOCKEY HOLLOW GRAY HC 108
Jockey Hollow Gray is a gorgeous shade of greige with a decent green undertone. While it WILL accent the warmth of your cabinets, the neutral base keeps things a bit more in check.
WOOD STAINS THAT LOOK DO & DON’T LOOK GOOD WITH JOCKEY HOLLOW GRAY
Jockey Hollow Gray is a heavier approach than the others and is a beautiful complement to yellow and orange stains. I’m not as BIG of a fan of red hues, but that’s a personal opinion, as some will love it.
The 12 Best Paint COLORS to Go With Wood Stains
12. SHERWIN WILLIAMS SILVERPLATE SW 7649
Silverplate is a slightly stormy gray with a vague blue (blue-green) undertone. While it CAN look cool, Silverplate isn’t traditionally cold. On the other hand, it’s not very warm but has a stormy softness.
The subtle undertones of Silverplate will slightly enhance any wood tone, but it’s a great way to create a more modern look with your yellow-toned wood (shown below).
And don’t forget about LRV when choosing a paint color! How to Use LRV to Pick a Paint Color
WOOD STAINS THAT DO & DON’T LOOK GOOD WITH SILVERPLATE
Silverplate isn’t BAD with many wood stains and humors most. As shown above, I love how Silverplate plays with a yellow-orange stain. And while it certainly suits red well enough, it’s not my PERSONAL fave.
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Silverplate
13. BENJAMIN MOORE GRAY CASHMERE 2138-60
Gray Cashmere is a soft gray with a strong blue-green undertone, making it almost whimsical with its fresh feeling (it usually favors blue over green). Gray Cashmere is similar to Sherwin Williams Sea Salt but has more gray in it, leaving a whisper of color without being too powerful. This color will accent wood tones, not soften them.
Thinking about updating your countertop and backsplash?
Check out my CURATED KITCHEN PALETTES for wood cabinets!
WOOD STAINS THAT DO & DON’T LOOK GOOD WITH GRAY CASHMERE
Gray Cashmere isn’t SUPER fussy about its wood tones, although I’m not a huge fan of it with DARK espresso finishes. Gray Cashmere is especially pretty, with most of the woods in yellow hue, offering a soft contrast.
14. SHERWIN WILLIAMS HERON PLUME SW 6070
Heron Plume is an interesting off-white stuck between gray and taupe. Because of this, it can shift a lot depending on your room’s exposure. While its undertones aren’t overpowering, they can flash through depending on the finishes you partner it with.
Thanks to its undertones, Heron Plume can be particularly stunning with some mahogany wood finishes, as well as those with a bit more of a red-violet wood. However, some find Heron Plume a bit too violet or too subtle for their particular stain. Compare to see which works best for you – Heron Plume, Sherwin Williams City Loft, Benjamin Moore Classic Gray, and Sherwin Williams Egret White.
WOOD STAINS THAT LOOK DO & DON’T LOOK GOOD WITH HERON PLUME
Heron Plume can be STUNNING with redwood stains, as its subtle violet undertones suit many red hues. It’s also pretty with orange-toned woods but can be a bit fussy with some yellow woods.
15. BENJAMIN MOORE EDGECOMB GRAY HC 173
Edgecomb Gray is one of the most popular colors, sitting nicely between gray and beige, with no obvious preference for either. Its undertones are also passive, catering to neither greige (green) nor taupe (violet-pink). Edgecomb Gray won’t really highlight nor blend in with most woods unless you have DARK wood, which would be highlighted via the degree of contrast, not the color.
V1 Real Estate Photography with Kylie M.
Edgecomb Gray is also JUST as pretty lightened 25% and 50%. While technically this makes a ‘new color’, you’ll find the roots of Edgecomb Gray running through them.
If you want to look at similar colors, but a bit more ‘this or that’, check out Sherwin Williams Modern Gray and Egret White.
WOOD STAINS THAT DO & DON’T LOOK GOOD WITH EDGECOMB GRAY
Edgecomb Gray can handle wood stains with muted OR strong undertones, making it super versatile. However, be careful when partnering it with gray-wash woods, which can have too much violet undertone for Edgecomb Gray.
Remember to pay attention to your room’s exposure too!
Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray
16. SHERWIN WILLIAMS COLONNADE GRAY SW 7641
Colonnade Gray is a soft, light-medium warm gray, borderline greige. Because of this, it favors a very slight green undertone but can easily flash into the others depending on your exposure/interior finishes.
WOOD STAINS THAT DO & DON’T LOOK GOOD WITH COLONNADE GRAY
Colonnade Gray looks gorgeous with many yellow and orange-hued woods and more muted brown stains. It can also work with red ones but can enhance the red, so watch for that.
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray
17. BENJAMIN MOORE CHELSEA GRAY HC-168
While I could’ve chosen from a wide range of dark charcoal grays that look amazeballs with wood stains, Chelsea Gray was the first color to pop in my lil Ginger brain.
While Chelsea Gray doesn’t look as green as it does on the above island, it does have green undertones that can show up at the party (often uninvited). And, of course, you’ll want a few comparables, so be sure to include Benjamin Moore Amherst Gray, Sherwin Williams Classic French Gray, and Grizzle Gray.
FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray
I rely 100% on photos from my Online Color Consulting clients—thank you to everyone who sent them in!
18. SHERWIN WILLIAMS AESTHETIC WHITE SW 7035
While it’s harder to get a read on Aesthetic White with wood trim, it’s a WICKEDLY pretty and modern approach to beige…
Aesthetic White is an off-white beige that’s more trendy than traditional shades of beige because of its depth and the touch of gray it harbors.
As shown with wood trim in the above photo and this next photo, Aesthetic White is a great partner to orange-red-toned woods but can accommodate other stains as well (as long as they aren’t overly pink-red).
When comparing other colors with Aesthetic White, I often land on Sherwin Williams White Duck, Shoji White, Accessible Beige, and Natural Tan.
FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White
19. SHERWIN WILLIAMS WHITE HERON 7627
White Heron might tiptoe in on its little webbed feet, but it sure does make an impact in the right space. And the impact doesn’t need to be all about the ‘wow’ factor; sometimes it’s just about…
The right color in the right space.
But don’t assume you know what you’re getting with White Heron! While it can nod politely to a touch of pink or taupe, it can also lean into cream, making it HUGELY versatile with a wide range of wood finishes and stains.
Of course, you should never pick a color without comparing it to similar shades. I also recommend exploring Sherwin Williams Heron Plume, Egret White, White Duck, and Benjamin Moore Classic Gray. Notice the ebb and flow between undertones and depths to see which one your particular wood responds to (we all know what Tim’s wood responds to…ME—wink, wink).
FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams White Heron
20. BENJAMIN MOORE COVENTRY GRAY HC 169
Coventry Gray is a stormy, subtle shade of gray with a whisper of green-blue undertones. This cool approach contrasts so nicely with warm-toned woods.
FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Coventry Gray
WHAT WOOD STAINS DO & DON’T LOOK GOOD WITH GRAYS LIKE COVENTRY GRAY?
While woods with a strong red undertone look okay with a color like Coventry Gray, it hits its stride with orange-stained woods or those with a muted yellow.
DON’T FORGET TO SURROUND YOUR WOOD WITH UPDATED FINISHES!
Aside from paint, one of the best ways to update a kitchen with wood cabinets is to surround it with modern finishes! While I have some great ideas HERE, I’ve also created CURATED KITCHEN PALETTES to make your life a heck of a lot easier!
Want more?
5 Ideas to Update Oak Cabinets – (PART 1 in series)
MORE Ideas to Update Your Wood Cabinets – WITHOUT a Drop of Paint! (PART 2)
The Best Hardware to Update Wood Cabinets (PART 3)
The Best Paint COLORS to Update Wood Cabinets & Trim (PART 5)
How to Coordinate Different Wood Stains and Finishes
Should You Paint Your Cabinets – A Questionnaire
The Best Paint Colors to Go With Honey or Golden Oak Cabinets, Flooring, & Trim
Get the Online Paint Color Expert that DESIGNERS hire!
Check out my Online Paint Color Consulting & E-Design Services!
WRITTEN IN 2020, UPDATED IN 2023 JUST FOR YOU!
Hi Kylie!
Thank you so much for this article, it reassures us in our choice of Classic Gray for our MCM home. I’m torn on a ceiling color any suggestions? Chantilly Lace, White Dove or Simply White???
Thank you,
Katie
Author
Hi Katie, I might actually look at Oxford White!
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom! I can see now why I could never get things just right in my living room. Amber colored trim & pink beige carpet. In a 9 year old house. Oy!!! The builder was either drinking too much, or needed more to drink! Anyway, we are planning to replace the carpet with wood floors, but leave the painting dilemma to the future owners. However, I’d like put on it a fresh coat of neutral paint. I’m partial to the grays that have green undertones – like Stone Harbor & I love Sedate Gray, but from what I’ve read, green is not a favorite undertone of most people. It does make the trim look nice (as nice as orange trim can get!) but will green be a total turn off? I love Gentle Cream, too, but I’m afraid it’s too light & will make the trim pop to much. The nice thing is I have 3 living spaces worth of furniture to choose from to put in the living room, so I can decorate around almost any wall color. I don’t want to over think this – okay, it’s too late for that. We’re moving & I just don’t want the walls & trim to be an eye sore. Can I pull off a miracle here?
You are a genius!!! Thank you!!! To lighten our house, we took out 75% of a wall between a dining room and kitchen. Only a small pony room remained. Well, along with honey maple cabinets and black granite and beige fake marble tile floor in the kitchen the prior homeowner installed 10 years ago, and 1960s white oak in the dinning room, along with gray and white marble backsplash we added 1 year ago, .
We followed your advice for YELLOW wood! BM Collingwood! At 25% lighter, it was still too dark for the space we were working to brighten! At 50% lighter it’s breathtaking! And it’s upgraded the look to a modern Greige!
THANK YOU!
Author
Well Mary, that just made my day – thank you, I’m so glad you found the info helpful!
What are your thoughts of colonnade grey for orange wood tones? North facing home! So glad I found your page!
Author
It is okay, it can sometimes flash a bit cool, so it depends on your exposure. I might prefer it more with southern light and orange wood over northern light. 🙂
Hello,
This might sound stupid but I have a tendency to overthink things a bit…Thanks to your blog I choose a color and I painted my laundry room, that faces south, BM White Dove..it’s gorgeous. Washer and dryer are white.. tan tile..my problem..picking out a shelf color…for the walls..why do I struggle with this?
Well…I could do white..or a wood…but which one, home depot had like 6 different types of wood..I wanted to cry. I freeze up and can’t make a decision..Is this normal? Anyway..white might be nice..but boring.. I do like a calm, serene look..is dark to much contrast? .Any suggestions are helpful.
Fabulous post Miss Kylie! Can you tell me the color of the kitchen walls in the first picture? It’s gorgeous! Much thanks!
Author
Hi Cindy! If it’s literally the first picture, the colour is SW Pure White (you can find the full blog post on my home page!). If it’s the first ‘kitchen’ photo, that’s SW Mindful Gray :).
Your design majesty, please help!
I know the post is dated, but really struggling here mama
Kitchen is early 2000s builders brown as far as the eye can see….and facing North. Brown foor, granite, cupboards.
Learned from your other posts I was leaning towards warmer Cloud White to offset the North, but now back to square 1 because it’s not a cool color to contrast the wood. *cries. Pale Oak was possibly planned for other rooms
I plan on utilizing your multi-room design services, but am waiting until I got this darn kitchen paint out of the way
Author
Hi Stacy! I think Cloud White sounds good! I mean, a cool colour would contrast the wood and make it ‘pop’ as it would be warm against cool. HOWEVER, contrast, as in ‘lighter vs darker’ is also a great way to do things – from what I’m reading there, I don’t see a problem at all!
Hi Kylie,
I love this post.My home is all oak floors and trim,it leans toward being orangey.How do you feel about Benjamin Moore Sonnett? I’m looking for a neutral.
Hi Kylie
I’m hoping you can PLEASE help me. We just move into a house with stained pine wood ceilings and walls in an orange brown. The kitchen cabinets which are all part of the same room are the same color along with the wood furniture. The room is pretty open to another room that we painted BM polished slate. I know more dark. The room faces south east with not much natural light coming in so pretty dark most of the time. I’d like to paint the walls in a warm off white but leave the ceiling and trim as is. I’m worried about picking a color that would be too warm with all the warmth in the ceiling and cabinets and with the green ajoining room I really don’t want anything that comes off as yellow. I think I’ve read ALL your blogs and I’m looking at all your favorite off whites. I’m leaning towards colors like Navajo White, White Down or maybe something with a little more color like bone white. I’m thinking Gentle Cream may pull too warm with all the other wood and warmth of the polished slate in the next room. White Down, with the grey could tone down the warmth some or not compliment the wood enough? I’m also afraid of going too light if that may reflect the orange in the ceiling. I want the feeling of warmth and light and fresh but not too stark or too dark with all the other dark colors. So I’m stressing out as my husband is priming the walls now. I also have medium grey sofas and a lighter beige carpet if that makes a difference. I’d really appreciate any advice you can give me!
Hi Kylie
There’s a picture on your website where tou changed fro dark to light in your family room. Bedtime your gray couch is a couch (or pub-like table with gray chairs. I have looked at every piece of furniture online, virtually (no pun intended!) EVERYWHERE links would take me— which is how I found you! I’m kinda wishing you were my BF or next door neighbor right about now!
Anyway, can you point me to a piece like that? ? Looking for that wood and metal, but there’s a lot going on in my (previously owned) home with open floor plan. Where can I (or you) find that piece? Thanks
Trying again without typos! Picture where *YOU changed *BEHIND your gray couch
Thanks… again
Goodmorning Kylie,
I previously sent a message, but 3fir the life of me I cannot find it 🌝.
I’m in a pickle, and hoping you’ll ease up some of these difficult decisions im enduring.
My master bedroom is in the back of my home, North and west, with one window on the West and one on the North. I’m in a colonial on 2nd floor. The window on the West oversees my neighbor’s house and roof, house being a light beigh, and roof like a beighy-orange. The North just overlooks a wooded lot, but is a ways from my window and backyard. My furniture is a dark oak, orangy-red, and i think I see some hues of yellow. Oh, my room right now is a very dark olive, and it just has to go. 🌝
I’ve re-read several of your blogs so many times and just overwhelmed between the direction of the windows and/or furniture color, and what could possibly be a great color for walls, trim and ceiling.
I do already have dover white on trim, and some added to ceiling paint throughout my home, Nomadic Desert and Dover in South living room, but future advice moving forward is greatly appreciated if you wouldn’t mind.
I read you like matte on walls, and satin on trim and have never done that. I usually do satin on wall, and semi-gloss on trim. Is changing up for bedroom okay to try in bedroom.
Again, thank you, and hope and the fsmily are well dyuring this difficult time we’re in.
Kelly
Hello Colour Guru!
Your site is the Best! After reading blogs and reviews for a few weeks I just found this one which suits my situation, re orange toned trim, floor and furniture in a well lit northern exposure.
But…..I want to go white. (Hay….I heard you gasp!!).
Re….my target being Scandinavian Farmhouse.
I’ve read all the info on choosing whites, and exposures and I’ve narrowed it down to BM Simply White or White Dove. Leaning more to Simply White but will know more once the Samplize order arrives. Current colour is BM Vellum so really don’t want to go into yellows again.
Any other suggestions, Neighbour?
TIA,
Karen in Nanaimo
Author
Hey Karen!!!
Okay, so I’m a sucker for White Dove and its subtle softness. Simply White is beautiful, I just wouldn’t want its yellow to pop up in any awkward way against your orange-hues. Have you checked out SW Alabaster as well??? I mean, ALL of these have a yellow undertone, that’s what makes them warm, but we can get it quite muted :).
I am in love with BM Balboa Mist and my kitchen cabinets were a natural maple that have yellowed. Would this work?
Author
I’ve found Balboa Mist to be quite pretty with some woods that have some yellow to them. Sometimes it’s more about the surrounding finishes like the countertop/backsplash, more so than the cabinets themselves!
Hi there,
What paint would you suggest for a little girl’s room? Oak trim throughout with a light gray carpet. I would love a pale shade of pink.
Author
Have you checked out one like BM First Light or Pink Bliss? They’re lovely!
This was a lovely article. Thank you. I do have a question. I am thinking of updating my kitchen. My floors do not need any work. They are stained with a vibrant orange undertone (Wood stain is Minwax Colonial Maple). If I want to “accent” my orange wood floor and trims in my kitchen (and adjoining family room that gets lots of light), what colors would you recommend I look at for the KITCHEN Cabinetry, backsplash and walls?
Thank you in advance!
Your posts are so helpful, and I have shared them with others who are looking for paint colors.
Would pure white work as a trim color with natural linen?