When you’re doing a kitchen remodel, you want to make sure everything in the kitchen matches and puts off the atmosphere you’re looking for. How do you know the best countertop style to go with the color of cabinets you’re leaning towards? Cabinet Discounters, providers of Columbia kitchen cabinets and other surfaces, offers some advice.
Think of a Color Scheme
What color scheme are you thinking for your entire kitchen? This can give you a good place to start for the base elements in your kitchen. For example, if you’re thinking of getting white kitchen cabinets, you want to bring in a bit of color with the countertops. It’s important to match colors, without going overboard with one.
White and gray are two of the most popular colors used in kitchens because they’re neutral. It makes it easy to bring in color with kitchen accessories or your countertops. Even if you decide you want a monochromatic color scheme, you’ll want to get various shades of that color to make sure it doesn’t all look uniform and boring.
It’s all about contrast and finding the perfect balance. With white cabinets, it can be ideal to choose a countertop that’s another color but has flecks of white in it. You can also do a white countertop that’s swirled and mixed with another color.
Lastly, white cabinets can give you the freedom to do a solid color countertop as well. The backsplash can have a mix of that color and white to tie it all together.
Pick Complimentary Materials
The most common material for cabinets is wood. The wood you choose can set the tone for the entire kitchen. Certain kinds of wood have more knots and look rougher than other types. If you’re looking for a rustic feel, using one of these types of wood free of paint can give you the atmosphere you’re looking for.
For a more modern look, you’ll want to choose a wood with a sleek, even texture. This is easy to paint whatever color you’d like. Particularly for a modern look, there are other materials besides wood as well. They’re usually a rarer choice for cabinets, but you may find that they’re perfect for your style. Decorative laminate or plywood can be surprisingly appealing choices for cabinets.
The choice for your countertop material is just as important. Popular choices include granite and quartz, as they’re both beautiful and durable. Choosing a countertop that has a swirl or flecks of your cabinet color can be a great way to blend. Corian countertops are another solid option. They have over 100 colors, with built-in sinks and a seamless surface, making a sleek choice for a modern kitchen.
Keep the Overall Style of Your Home in Mind
Your kitchen shouldn’t feel like a separate room. It should flow with the rest of your home’s style. Before you finalize your cabinet and countertop choices, take a step back and think about the overall vibe you want to create.
If you live in a modern minimalist home, you might lean towards flat-panel cabinets in a solid color paired with a simple quartz countertop in a solid or subtly veined pattern. For a cozy, traditional farmhouse style, shaker-style cabinets in a warm wood tone or a soft white would pair beautifully with a classic granite or butcher block countertop. A rustic home calls for materials that feel natural and perhaps a bit imperfect, like cabinets with a distressed finish and a countertop with leathered granite.
The goal is to create a cohesive look. You want your choices to feel intentional, not like they’re fighting against the architecture of your house. Matching the style ensures your new kitchen feels like a natural and welcoming part of your home.
Don’t Forget About Hardware and Fixtures
The knobs, pulls, faucet, and lighting you choose are like the jewelry for your kitchen. They might be small details, but they have a huge power to tie your entire design together. They create a unified look between your cabinets and countertops.
Your hardware finish can create a bridge between the two surfaces. For example, if you have cool gray quartz countertops and white cabinets, brushed nickel or chrome hardware can enhance that cool, modern feel. If you have warm wood cabinets and a granite countertop with gold flecks, oil-rubbed bronze or brass hardware would warm up the space beautifully.
Think about the shape of your hardware too. Sleek, bar-shaped pulls complement a modern kitchen, while more detailed, classic knobs suit a traditional space. Your faucet and light fixtures should follow the same style and finish family. This attention to detail makes the design feel complete and professionally done.
Bring Your Ideas Together with Samples
It’s one thing to imagine how your cabinets and countertops will look together. But it’s another to see them side-by-side in your own home. Colors can look dramatically different under your kitchen’s lighting compared to the bright lights of a showroom.
The very best thing you can do is bring physical samples home. Get a countertop sample and hold it up against your actual cabinet door or paint swatch. Look at them together at different times of the day, like under the bright sun, in the evening under artificial light, and at night. This will show you how the colors and patterns truly interact and prevent any unpleasant surprises after installation.
Also, lay your samples on the floor and place your backsplash tile, hardware, and paint swatches nearby. This lets you see the whole color story unfold before you make a big investment. Taking this simple step gives you the confidence that all your elements will work in harmony to create the kitchen of your dreams.
Choose Cabinet Discounters
Cabinet Discounters offers custom cabinetry and materials to give you the kitchen of your dreams. Take a look at our kitchen gallery of work. Call us or schedule a showroom consultation online today!