Contrasting Perimeter/Island Cabinets
One of the most common ways to create a two-toned kitchen is to have a contrasting finish on the island while keeping the all the perimeter (wall) cabinets the same. We recommended keeping the perimeter cabinets light as they provide a neutral backdrop for the island finish. The kitchen island, the centerpiece of your kitchen, should be the show stopper! For a more traditional look, you can go for a warm wood stain for the island finish and pair it with a white or similar painted cabinet on the perimeter to finish the look.
Changing up the Upper and Lower Cabinets
Recently, we have seen contrasting finishes between the upper and lower cabinets. It’s a great twist to this kitchen cabinet trend! For balance, our designers recommend keeping the upper cabinets lighter in color, such as white, oyster, or light gray painted, and have the lowers be a darker shade. If you do the opposite, it looks like the upper cabinets are too heavy for the space.
Same with the design of contrasting perimeter and island finishes, you can have fun with the finish combinations. We see a lot of light painted finishes selected for the top with a darker paint or stain for the bottom cabinets, but you can also switch it up with stained finishes for a more traditional look.
