Kitchen Cabinet Colour Trends for 2022

Paint brands annually unveil their colour predictions for the following year. For 2022, one hue made all the major manufacturers’ lists — green. Unsurprisingly, it’s now showing up on more than just walls in the kitchen. Homeowners are opting for green in its many guises for cabinetry as it’s a comforting colour that echoes people’s desire to be close to nature. Thankfully, there is a shade to suit every style. Emerald and deep forest greens are best-suited for shaker-style cabinetry as they impart a sense of heritage and tradition, while mid-greens like sage and olive and those with minty tones provide a fresh update to modern flat front or slab cabinet doors.

Blue continues to be a strong colour choice, supported by recent data released by custom cabinetry maker Cabico&co, which found 18% of cabinetry selections between January 2021 and March 2022 were blue tones, nudging out green. While dark blue hues like grey-based navy are still on-trend, especially in kitchens with plenty of natural light, they’re giving way to their pastel counterparts, which help create a soothing and calming atmosphere in what is often the most hard-working and busiest room in the home.

Despite a shift to paler shades, inky black cabinetry is still having a show-stopping moment. Inherently striking, the non-colour can be used on both upper and lower cabinets to dial up the drama or just on the bottom to a create a luxe tuxedo effect when paired with white cabinets on the top.

This two-toned effect is not limited to black and white. Using different colour combinations for upper and lower cabinets, generally lighter on top and darker for the base, or a bold alternative colour for the island to really show it off and make a statement is increasingly favoured by homeowners who want a unique, one-of-a-kind custom kitchen design.

Even so, white cabinets remain most popular as they’re considered fail proof, offer a clean and timeless look and fit in with a variety of styles, from farmhouse to minimalist to traditional. While this isn’t going to change this year and beyond, there is a case for coloured cabinetry, perhaps now more than ever as more homeowners want their kitchens to capture their mood for 2022 — joyous, uplifting and optimistic.