• Home
  • Start Here
  • About
  • My Home
    • My Home Tour
    • Paint Colors
  • DIY/Decor
    • Decorating
      • Rental Ideas
      • Budget Decorating
      • My eBook
      • Decorating Tips
      • The Florida House
    • DIY
      • Before & Afters
    • Crafts
    • Organization
    • Holidays
  • Shop
    • Shop my Christmas Decor
    • Shop Our Home
    • Shop My Instagram
    • Favorite Throw Pillows
  • Media
    • Contact Me
    • Advertise
    • Disclosure
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Making Home Base

  • Home Tour
  • DIY Projects
  • Shop Our Home
    • Shop My Instagram
    • Favorite Throw Pillows
  • Shop My Holiday Decor

Decorating Freebies

Sign up for FREE access to the vault of a dozen decorating freebies from planning printables to decorative wall prints.

July 19, 2018 39 Comments

The Best Paint Colors for Gray Kitchen Cabinets

Filed Under: DIY, Paint 39 Comments

9383shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Cabinets with color are having a moment right now. A shade of gray is a great alternative to the all-white kitchen while maintaining a neutral space. Here are some of the best colors for gray kitchen cabinets! 

When we first moved into our current home, we didn’t have the budget to completely overhaul the kitchen, (looking back – I wish we would have found a way) so we opted to paint the existing cabinetry to update the space. At the time, it felt sort of bold to paint the cabinets gray. White kitchens were all the rage. I had experience with white cabinetry previously and felt like a darker neutral would work better for our needs. Gray kitchen cabinets are not only very on trend but because gray is accepted as a neutral, they have a very timeless look.

The six best paint colors for gray kitchen cabinets

Once you’ve made the decision to paint your kitchen cabinets gray, the hardest part begins, deciding on a paint color. In general, selecting a neutral paint color can be challenging. Grays especially have many different undertones that can appear prominent in different lighting situations. Since cabinet painting is labor intensive you want to get the color right the first time. I’ve scoured the interwebs and found six of the very best paint colors for gray kitchen cabinets. These paint colors vary in shades from dark to light as well as warm and cool. Check out each color below including a link to see the paint color in an actual kitchen.

Benjamin Moore Coventry Gray is a beautiful deep gray that has blue/green undertones. In a space with a lot of natural light you will see a subtle hint of blue. In spaces with less natural light, the color is much warmer and neutral. Of the six (including the color i selected for my own kitchen), this may very well be my favorite shade of gray because I love the cooler undertones.
See Coventry Gray in the kitchen here.

Benjamin Moore Gray Owl is another beautiful gray paint color. It’s one of the most popular selling gray paint colors on the market. It’s a light warm gray that can go cool with more natural light. This color looks best in spaces with less natural light.
See Gray Owl in the kitchen here.

Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray is a rich warm gray that looks very beautiful contrasted with white. I love seeing this color on kitchen cabinets paired with white walls and brass hardware – very chic. This color is on the bolder side since it’s a deep color but it’s still a true gray that is gorgeous on cabinetry.
See Chelsea Gray in the kitchen here.

Sherwin Williams Repose Gray is better known as a “greige” it’s not a true gray as it has some brown undertones give it a more greige appearance. It looks great in spaces with lots of natural light and in spaces that have minimal or no natural light. Repose Gray is a great go to color because it’s easy. It looks great in many different spaces and lighting situations.
See Repose Gray in the kitchen here.

Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray is another popular greige that can appear rich in some spaces and like the perfect neutral in others. It’s just a shade darker than Repose Gray and a little richer. It’s recommended for cabinetry because it’s the perfect contrast color to a cooler wall color.
See Mindful Gray in the kitchen here.

Behr Still Gray is a true medium gray. It is warmer a gray that works really well with low natural light. I used it in for my kitchen cabinets in a space with very little natural light. In spaces with more natural light the color can cool slightly with a slightly blue undertone but overall it stays a true medium gray. The color is dark enough for a great contrast to the white walls without being dramatic.
See Still Gray in the kitchen here.

 

Have you painted your cabinets? What shade did you go with?

Related Posts

  • Peel and Stick Backsplash – Removable and Rental FriendlyPeel and Stick Backsplash – Removable and Rental Friendly
  • How to Add a Peel and Stick Kitchen Backsplash in a RentalHow to Add a Peel and Stick Kitchen Backsplash in a Rental
  • Art Supply CaddyArt Supply Caddy
  • Kids Closet Makeover with an IKEA Closet OrganizerKids Closet Makeover with an IKEA Closet Organizer
  • Where to Buy Removable WallpaperWhere to Buy Removable Wallpaper

About Chelsea

Chelsea Coulston is the resident decorator, baker, and pillow hoarder around these parts. A wife to an active duty Sailor and mom of two girls, Chelsea's got a knack for decorating even the most challenging spaces (just see her military base house!) She's inspired by cool beach tones and warm natural elements that remind you of a day at the beach. After living in a half dozen rentals, she's enjoyed spending the last few years in a cute ranch style home that she and her husband have almost completely renovated themselves. Chelsea lives in sunny Jacksonville, Florida with her husband and two daughters.

Previous Post: « Good Stuff Saturday
Next Post: My 10 Favorite Pieces from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AIDA ORTIZ says

    July 21, 2018 at 5:03 pm

    I RECEIVED AN EMAIL WITH A LINK TO FREE PRINTABLES, HOWEVER, I DELETED IT ACCIDENTALLY AND MISSED THE PASSWORD. I WOULD GREATLY appreciate IF YOU CAN RE-SEND THE LING ALONG WITH PASSWORD TO ACCESS OTS CONTENTS.

    CORDIALLY,
    A.ORTIZ

    Reply
    • Chelsea says

      July 21, 2018 at 5:48 pm

      Hi Aida, I emailed you!

      Reply
      • Elizabeth Martinez says

        August 5, 2019 at 5:57 pm

        Hi!!! Love all the information you provided. I painted my kitchen cabinets BM super white and have carrara marble countertops. I am looking for a beautiful greige wall color. Can you please make a few suggestions. I have gone through at least 10 gray paints. My kitchen is east facing and everything looks too blue or too green or purple. Any help would be so greatly appreciated.

        Reply
  2. Lisa says

    July 22, 2018 at 10:43 pm

    I have old flat front cabinets. No detail . I did so much research and ended painting them Benjamin Moore Dolphin Gray. I’m really not happy with the color. I feel like they need a stain or antique or distressed . I can’t decide on a wall color. The color they say “go with” Dolphin Gray are Hint of Mint and dark brown. I don’t want that on my walls. It is a small old kitchen I would love to freshen up. Frustrated?

    Reply
  3. Angela says

    January 4, 2019 at 1:16 am

    Hi Chelsea! Thank you so much for sharing this! I am in the process of updating our kitchen cabinets and went with the Behr paint you listed here-the grey is perfect for our kitchen too! Greys can be SO difficult-I have personal experience with testing over 10 different greys on my walls. ? Anyway. I just wanted to say THANK YOU for sharing! I also read your original post with your kitchen update. Love it! Your description of the “warm grey” sold me! We’ve got about half more to go but I’m already thrilled with the color outcome! Plus the paint is drying smoothly and brush stroke free (for an affordable price too!)!! So again-thank you!

    Reply
    • Chelsea says

      January 4, 2019 at 11:11 am

      Angela – this makes me so happy! I’m glad the color is working as well for you as it does for us! 3 years later we are still loving it!

      Reply
      • Tricia Chandler says

        December 29, 2019 at 1:19 pm

        Hi, This sounds exactly like the problem Im having. Im so frustrated. Can you tell we the color of the gray she finally decided on. Thank you!

        Reply
        • Angela says

          December 29, 2019 at 4:24 pm

          Hiya! I ended up using the Behr Still Gray color for my Kitchen cabinets. Chelsea talks about using this color and the specific type of paint to get in another post I believe. Good luck to you! Almost a year later and the paint is holding up phenomenally and I still love the color just as much as I did then!

          Reply
        • Chelsea says

          January 2, 2020 at 5:38 pm

          Hi Tricia – I used the color STILL GRAY by BEHR. I had them mix it into the Behr Marquee paint at Home Depot. Hope that’s helpful. You can see more photos and tips of our kitchen cabinets on this post: https://www.makinghomebase.com/kitchen-updates-painted-cabinets/

          Reply
  4. Lisa says

    January 6, 2019 at 1:02 pm

    I painted my cabinets BM Dolphin Gray . I’m having a lot of trouble choosing a wall color. Any suggestions?

    Reply
  5. Tyler says

    January 12, 2019 at 3:06 pm

    Hi,
    We are painting our kitchen cabinets and we like Coventry Gray. We currently have White Dove on the trim of our doorways and windows, and would like your opinion of what color to paint the walls? The cabinets and the white trim will be adjacent to the walls.

    We do have Horizon in other rooms in our house (hallway, dining and living rooms).

    Any ideas for wall color in the kitchen would be helpful! Thank you!

    Reply
  6. Rox stewart says

    May 8, 2019 at 10:02 pm

    We are buying an older manufactured home that I want the gray you used for your kitchen. My only problem is that the counter tops have a true green tile around edges and backsplash. I won’t be able to afford new counter tops yet. Walls will be white with stainless appliances. Any suggestions?

    Reply
    • Suzanne Byrd says

      December 10, 2019 at 8:25 am

      Help!!! We are building a barndominium and I need help with my kitchen cabinets and built ins. We are going to have a lot of natural light… I’m painting my walls SW Pure White throughout. My kitchen cabinets and all built ins will be gray. I’m wanting a true gray but have been going back and forth with shades. My ceiling fan is a brushed nickel and my lighting is all a brushed nickel. The guy building my cabinets suggested SW gray clouds and I have been leaning towards March Wind. Help!!! If there is another color that you think would look better, please tell me. I definitely don’t want Any blue or green. Help and Thanks!

      Reply
      • Chelsea says

        December 10, 2019 at 8:23 pm

        Hi Suzanne, I’m not familiar with either of those colors so I can’t say for sure which direction I’d go. The best advice I can give is to grab samples of 3-5 colors slap them on one of the cabinets and observe it throughout the day so if any of them are giving you those blue tones you’re trying to stay away from.

        Reply
  7. Kara says

    July 12, 2019 at 8:21 pm

    I’ve been reading and researching about gray paint for cabinets for weeks and this has been the most helpful post I’ve come across. Thank you so much! Especially love being able to check out the links to see the color used in an actual kitchen : ).

    Reply
  8. Marlyn says

    July 17, 2019 at 11:24 am

    I just painted my walls repose gray and I love it!! Now I have to choose a cabinet color for my kitchen and dont know what to go with. I was looking for a little darker gray. I’m open to suggestions 🙂

    Thank you!

    Reply
  9. Roseann says

    July 27, 2019 at 3:13 pm

    This is a great article! Very helpful. What do you think of BM Stonington Grey for kitchen cabinets?

    Reply
    • Jackie says

      May 4, 2020 at 11:38 am

      I am looking at BM Stonington Grey as well for our remodel. Would love to hear the thoughts on this colour!

      Reply
      • Chelsea says

        May 15, 2020 at 11:20 am

        Hi Jackie – I haven’t personally used that color so I can’t say for sure but it does look like a nice option. My friend Jenna has a great write up on it if you are interested: https://jennakateathome.com/favorite-paint-colors-benjamin-moore-stonington-gray/

        Reply
  10. Judy says

    February 12, 2020 at 4:03 pm

    If I paint my kitchen cabinets a light gray do I have to paint the walls white? The only reason I hesitate painting them gray is the wall color. It’s open concept and I’d like all rooms to have the same color and preferably not white??

    Reply
    • Chelsea says

      February 13, 2020 at 12:10 am

      Hi Judy, you can paint the walls whatever color your heart desires. Definitely does not have to be white. That’s just what I like.

      Reply
  11. Francia Ramos says

    March 25, 2020 at 8:09 pm

    Hi Chelsea,
    I been resourcing on line to get ideas for my kitchen cabinets color and I found you website. I hoping you can answer my questions soon.

    My entire house has a beautiful peach 🍑 color light and a little darker but it looks beautiful but I been wanting to paint my kitchen gray:) and I’m in the process of doing it. Please give me your point of view would it look good peach color walls with gray kitchen cabinets???? If they do what color of handles for the kitchen would you recommend me ????

    Please help me out!!!
    Thank you so much!

    Reply
  12. Carmen Hays says

    April 21, 2020 at 3:46 pm

    My kitchen walls are shiplap and painted Sherwin Williams Alabaster. My kitchen gets tons of natural light. What do you think of BM Thundercloud for a cabinet color? Is is wam enough for a room filled with light?

    Reply
    • Chelsea says

      April 21, 2020 at 8:47 pm

      Hi Carmen, I’m not familiar with that color. I did look it up and it looks beautiful. It does pull blue so I would probably grab a sample of it and test it with the light in your home to make sure it’s what you want. My guess is that with tons of natural light it would be a lovely shade of gray.

      Reply
  13. Ruth says

    April 27, 2020 at 2:51 am

    Hi, I am currently in the process of remodeling my kitchen. I am undecided as to what color grey to paint my cabinets, wall color and flooring. Would like some advice. My countertops will be Allen and Roth quartz effervesce.

    I am thinking about SW mindful gray or ponder. Should I paint the walls a pure white? and dark grey floors??

    Reply
    • Chelsea says

      April 28, 2020 at 3:54 pm

      Hi Ruth, lovely countertop choice. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of those choices. I think a white oak floor would be nice too and bring a little warmth to the space.

      Reply
  14. Lisa says

    April 29, 2020 at 10:50 pm

    Hi! Why does grey have to be so difficult?? I have a galley kitchen with not a lot of natural light. I painted the walls Sherwin Williams March Wind & am trying to pick a grey to paint my cabinets. Suggestions greatly appreciated…

    Reply
    • Chelsea says

      May 1, 2020 at 12:50 am

      Hi Lisa, how does March Wind look in your kitchen? True gray? On the lighter side? Does it pull any specific undertones? It’s hard to suggest a color since I haven’t seen your space and depending on lighting colors can look so different. If March Wind is a true gray, I might consider going darker on the cabinets.

      Reply
  15. Susan Burrell says

    May 5, 2020 at 5:53 pm

    Hi Chelsea, we have Kitchen cabinets that are painted SW Modern Gray (warm gray/greige) and I’m having an awful time trying to figure out a wall color to go with it. I have BM Gray Owl on walls now, but it just looks all wrong….I’m sure the undertones clash or something. The kitchen has southern light. Any ideas?

    Sue

    Reply
    • Chelsea says

      May 15, 2020 at 11:19 am

      Hi Sue – have you considered a white? I love BM Chantilly Lace.

      Reply
  16. Christine says

    May 27, 2020 at 4:51 am

    My cabinet is wood brown in the kitchen I have charcoal gray couch and white and chrome televisions and bar stool . I am trying to see what Grey color should I paint the kitchen cabinets

    Reply
  17. Barb says

    July 3, 2020 at 11:11 am

    Hi Chelsea,
    We just updated our kitchen. We have slate gray GE appliances. We have Alaska Drift quartz countertops. They are a warm white with gray veining that compliment the appliances. We have a white 10″x 2″ white brick backsplash with a warm gray grout. Our sink is slate gray gray composite by Blanco and our floor is a neutral stone 12″x 24″ tile. We have white trim and doors. The problem is we have out-of-date “orange” cherry cabinets. The wood grain is beautiful, but I had no idea how badly they would fight the look of our kitchen. We don’t want to replace them, but we think they need to be painted to go with the rest of the room. Any suggestions? Thanks for your time!

    Reply
    • Chelsea says

      July 5, 2020 at 12:50 pm

      Hey Barb, what color are your walls? Are the cabs solid wood? Could you sand and restain to a color you prefer since you like the wood grain? Otherwise, painting is a great option! I have a tutorial here on HOW to paint cabinets.

      Reply
  18. Virginia says

    July 15, 2020 at 3:26 pm

    Hi Chelsea,
    We recently painted our living room walls with dunn edwards silver setting and silver bullet with a white trim baseboard in between. We are remodeling our kitchen and I don’t know if to go with SW pure white for top and bottom cabinets or add some color to the lower cabinets with a gray color (perhaps with SW repose gray). Would that be too much gray? I’m gearing towards a Calacatta gray counter top (which has gray veins through out) with black hardware and a black faucet. Any suggestions?

    Reply
  19. Jana says

    October 14, 2020 at 9:58 pm

    Chelsea hi love reading blog. I need help I live in an old farmhouse. Kitchen cabinet doors are flat. Want to paint gray. Not a lot of natural light. Hope to do shiplap on walls will paint a white not a bright white. Suggestions for a gray color. I’ve heard Sherman Williams is a good paint & Behr any help would be appreciated.

    Reply
  20. Frank Nino says

    November 26, 2020 at 6:04 pm

    Hi C,
    Hey thank you for your sharing tips.
    Would you have a link for wall color paint to compliment pearl gray cabinets?

    Appreciative,
    F

    Reply
  21. Lizette M Gonzalez says

    December 24, 2020 at 12:43 pm

    Good day dear… I love the way your kitchen came out and you gave me an excellent idea of what I would like to do with mine…

    Can you let me know what kind of paint you used… I know it was Behr, but what finish?

    Thank you so much….

    Liz

    Reply
    • Chelsea says

      December 24, 2020 at 3:25 pm

      We had the color Still Gray mixed into the Behr Marquee Paint in a Satin Finish

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hi! I’m Chelsea!

I'm Chelsea. Wife to Matt, and mama to P and Millie. I'm a fan of making and decorating things and everything blue + white. I believe that there is no such thing as too many throw pillows. Lover of iced coffee and cocktail Fridays. I'm glad you're here.

Follow Along

facebook instagram pinterest twitter

Search

Home Tour

Archives

  • Privacy Policy
  • Annie the Brave
  • How To Start A Blog
75% of the country is snowed in and I’m wearing 75% of the country is snowed in and I’m wearing shorts about to take my kids to the park. I feel a little left out. No snow day in this desert. 😭
Anyone else craving a change? Idk if it’s becaus Anyone else craving a change? Idk if it’s because we’ve spent so much time at home or what but I just want all new things. 😬 I changed out the pillow covers and that’ll do for now. Do you know this feeling??? #coastalliving #howirent #decorating #homedecorblogger #kismetcheckoutmyhouse #layeredhome #howihome #abmathome #bhghome #liketoknowit #LTKhome @liketoknow.it.home With the @liketoknow.it app you can shop everything in this space #liketkit http://liketk.it/38qta
This guy and I met at 14. Married at 20 and I have This guy and I met at 14. Married at 20 and I have been following him around ever since. Valentine’s Day is whatever but I did want to give a permanent spot for this one because I really do love him.
Removable wallpaper is a game changer! A couple mo Removable wallpaper is a game changer! A couple months ago Matt and I spent an afternoon slapping this up on our bedroom wall and it completely transformed the space. It can be super hard to put your stamp on a rental but I’m pretty pleased with the way this room turned out! #rentalfriendly #bedroom #milspouse #diyprojects #removablewallpaper #coastaldecor 
Download the LIKEtoKNOW.it shopping app to shop this pic via screenshot http://liketk.it/36TCW #liketkit @liketoknow.it @liketoknow.it.home
#ad Homeschool/General parent “pro” tip - buy #ad Homeschool/General parent “pro” tip - buy a shower caddy and stuff it full of art supplies to keep your kids from having their markers and crayons all over the place. For real though, this was a game changer. Previously, I had one hard and heavy caddy for all of our supplies that I would plop on the table during our school day but I found my kids constantly getting up to grab a pink crayon or the blue marker. Or at the end of the day things weren’t getting put away properly and the next day we couldn’t find the glue or the scissors. Now, they each have a caddy that they are responsible for. I’ve partnered with @walmart to share this simple organizing solution. The girls keep their supplies together and carry the caddy around to wherever they choose to school that day/minute. I used my Walmart+ membership again to pull this off. I was able to order all the art caddy necessities online using the W+ free shipping, no order minimum (excludes oversized/freight & Marketplace items) benefit so I can limit my time in stores. #walmartplus
Sitting here thinking about everything that’s go Sitting here thinking about everything that’s gotten me through this last year.
1. My family - having my girls home has been everything I never knew I needed. 
1a. My mom - in those early pandemic days, when we didn’t leave the house, she would meet me halfway between here and Vegas. We would sit in the middle of the desert with our masks on and just visit. I needed that so much and I know she did too.
2. My friends - it’s hard to imagine making it through this year without the friendships I have. They’ve carried me. A small group of neighbors here that would meet at the park for some outdoor fellowship and our weekly dinners made life feel a little more normal. Having regular calls with my best friend in FL was gold especially since we can’t see each other. And regular chats with @bykaithanson got me through especially in those early days.
3. Regular therapy - if I wasn’t already going before all this happened I surely would need to now. This all is very heavy stuff and having someone that is outside your circle to talk to is so important. This saves me again and again.
4. Making bread. I started making last year so when it blew up during that first quarantine I was so excited that we all were baking together. Whenever I’m feeling anxious making dough helps.
5. Exercise - this was the year I finally made exercise a priority. I love how much better I feel when I move my body each day. I’m less anxious and I’m more at peace.
6. All the technology that connects us. Marco Polo, FaceTime, texting, FB Messenger, all of it. Being able to reach all of my loved ones with the tips of my fingers has made it a lot easier when I can’t see them.
7. Television - how many shows have we binged this year? I don’t even know but I remember tackling Friday Night Lights in the beginning of the pandemic and being so sad it was over. 
8. This community. One thing I wanted in 2020 was to CONNECT with you all here and that has happened and its been wonderful getting to know each of you!
💙
We’ve been through a lot this year what has carried you? Tag a friend that’s gotten you through. 
Hoping and praying for a truly happy new year. 💙💙

Copyright © 2021 ·Captivating Theme · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress · Log in

Privacy Policy
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Necessary
Always Enabled