Attention, attention! The EHD universe cannot get enough color palettes to use for dated and tired kitchen cabinets! I’m back yet again (and fair warning, this won’t be the last post in this series) with moodboards full of products in very specific color pairings for cherry cabinets. This whole thing first started when I walked you through my cherry rental kitchen refresh plan, where some of you asked me to tackle honey oak next. That post blew UP, so we decided to go back to my original design pain point and dream up some more options for anyone with a similar cabinet hardship.
Just as in the previous post, all the inspiration photos require a bit of imagination. As you can probably imagine, there is not a wealth of beautiful cherry cabinet kitchens out on the internet to build this post around. I dug up spaces with darker, warm-toned wood that could easily still work within the space if it leaned redder. In some cases, I piecemealed a color scheme based on a few images since I prefer a more robust marriage of hues.
For the moodboards, as a reminder, what you see isn’t necessarily me saying “GET THESE PRODUCTS” but rather a visual jumping-off point for you to pull your own inspiration. There’s a barstool on every board, but that just represents the color of a piece of furniture you might have in your space. Maybe the exact tile doesn’t make sense in your kitchen, but you can use it as a muse for say, what color to paint beadboard you add instead. You’re all creatively-minded people, right? You’ve got this!
Before looking over some quick rules, I also want to say that floors and countertops (of course) play an enormous role in how any of these would render out. If you’re looking to refresh your kitchen but keep your cabinetry intact for now, perhaps you have the budget to update an old Formica or tile surface with white or gray quartz. If not, there are so many DIY fixes you can try (like painting old granite or covering your counters with contact paper). The same applies to floors.
7 Things To Consider When Revamping That Heavy Cherry Kitchen
- Balance the cherry with a tone of red somewhere else in the space. Think on a dining chair seat fabric, window covering or rug, a piece of furniture, or plates on a shelf.
- Simplify the palette (keep the table and chairs the same color if you have an eat-in kitchen, or pick the same color barstools for an island as any shelving you may add if you take down uppers, for instance).
- Lighten the load of the cherry with another wood tone. If your space is small, opt for a cooler-toned neutral wood like a white oak. If you get good natural light and your kitchen isn’t closing in on you, you can push the boundaries with a rich wood such as walnut.
- Pick a hardware finish that’s anything but brushed nickel to keep it from going too “landlord” in vibe. Think polished nickel, chrome, unlacquered brass, polished brass, and even oil-rubbed bronze.
- Change the focal point. An interesting backsplash like a hand-glazed tile, a statement floor, fun pattern via your textiles, etc.
- Speaking of floors: If you can and have the option/budget, the right floors against cherry cabinetry would make ALL the difference. Avoid gray-washed or yellow-toned woods, or any tile or vinyl that feels dated.
- Match your appliances as best you can so your eye has to make sense of fewer variances.
Alright, let’s get into some color chat, shall we?
Color Palette to Try: Greige, Taupe, Cream & Chrome
The Inspiration:
There’s A LOT of color in this post, so I wanted to start with the easiest to swallow if you’re color-averse. Because cherry cabinets range in just how red they are, this one works regardless of whether your wood leans more subtly brownish-red (what I call “Mystic Pizza Julia Roberts”) or cherry Coke red-red (“Pretty Woman Julia Roberts”). While the inspiration photo above of a bathroom by Blanc Marine Intérieurs is a far cry from any cherry kitchen you’ve ever seen, I felt it was still a good representation of how charming and welcoming sticking with warm, natural neutrals could feel.
The Moodboard:
The key here is a mix of beige, greige, cream (not white) and taupe. I picked a creamy, interesting backsplash tile whose tone is mirrored in the Roman shade and lighting fixture. A greige on the walls and in the seating feels a bit updated and modern (same with the polished nickel hardware), while the darker but still neutral rug and walnut shelving grounds the lighter picks so it’s not too much contrast with the cherry.
1. Celine 4″ Hexagon Glossy Porcelain Floor & Wall Tile in White | 2. Cornforth White by Farrow & Ball | 3. Walnut Floating Shelf | 4. Signature Hardware Strasbourg 1-3/4 Inch Diameter Bar Cabinet Knob in Polished Nickel | 5. Signature Hardware Strasbourg 3-3/4 Inch Center to Center Bar Cabinet Pull in Polished Nickel | 6. Totora Oak Pendant Light | 7. Copley Upholstered Barstool – Project 62 | 8. Naira Handwoven Jute Runner | 9. Rustic Americana Roman Shades
Color Palette To Try: Sage, Burgundy, Natural Wood & Brass
The Inspiration:
For anyone following my own kitchen, you may recognize this palette (sort of…mine has the addition of blue). Red and green are complementary colors, so per the laws of the color universe, this just works. For me, though, it’s important to adjust the shade and pigmentation of both shades.
For anyone considering adding a Carrera-type stone, the bathroom above by Gachot Studios (shared through Jenna Chused’s profile) may be just the thing to get you to go through with it because WOW is it beautiful and makes me almost want a cherry-toned vanity like that. Anna Eleri posted a kitchen by one of my all-time favorites Ashe Leandro and while I’d be lying if I didn’t say that (superimposed??) duck didn’t play a part in drawing me to the image, I do think the space shows how lovely and timeless a cherry cabinet situation could feel if paired with the right elements.
And of course, this kitchen by Meet West Studio that I shared in my original kitchen post. What a triumph of marrying warm wood cabinets, a terra-cotta floor, a mahogany vintage island, and a gorgeous sage moment from the countertops up.
The Moodboard:
A chalky yet cream sage tile and paint is the perfect companion here, and a rich, deep burgundy in just a small moment like a curtain fabric is the balance you need to make the red cabinetry feel intentional. Blonde wood and soft matte brass work hard to modernize the cherry.
1. Vernici 2″x10″ Italian Subway Wall Tile | 2. SW 6177 Softened Green by Sherwin-Williams | 3. 5″ Sidra Brass Cabinet Pull – Thin Profile | 4. Pleso Solid Brass Round Cabinet Knob | 5. Hattchet 3 Piece Tiered Shelf | 6. Agnes 2.25″ Pendant – Natural Brass | 7. Rus Light Oak Counter Stool | 8. Athena Reversible Persian Rug | 9. Cotton Blend Striped Room Darkening Thermal Grommet Curtain Panels (Set of 2)
Color Palette To Try: Olive, Ochre, Blonde Wood, Cream & Brass
The Inspiration:
Here’s a situation in which I had to mentally stretch just a bit to create a color palette but I kind of love where it landed, tbh. Another take on red and green, but this time, we go with a green that has more yellow undertones (olive) combined with an orangey-goldish ochre. That first photo from Clever (a design by GRT Architects) really sold me on the buttery walls, the burgundy tiled island, and the ochre and white checkerboard floors (and you might miss it but there’s an olive bowl in the shelving that rounded out the combo for me). In the honey oak palettes post, I leaned on crisp white to lighten the load of the wood, but here, I actually don’t love a bright white with the cherry. I much prefer a non-yellow cream as a neutral like they used here.
I pulled this second shot of the seating corner by Nicola Harding & Co to show how the colors can work together to give modern or traditional/cottage-y vibes. It’s all in the textile and hardware choices.
The Moodboard:
As I mentioned, the previous board used a green with blue undertones, but here, we go yellow for a very different aesthetic. It’s super important to make sure whatever cream colors you bring in here do not turn yellow in the light of your space or else everything will look overly tea-stained and old. I picked a floral print curtain for some playfulness but I’d also love a simple, solid natural linen shade or cafe curtain if this isn’t your look. Again, we stick with balancing the cherry with more of a white oak in other wood furniture or finishes.
1. Reine 3″ x 12″ Ceramic Tile in Castle Moss Green | 2. Like Buttah by Clare | 3. Wall Shelf – Natural Oak Oiled | 4. Williamsburg Collection 3 in. (76 mm) Polished Brass Cabinet Door and Drawer Cup Pull (10-Pack) | 5. Williamsburg 1-1/4 in. Diameter Polished Brass Cabinet Knob (10-Pack) | 6. Danish Minimalist Cone Iron Acrylic 1-Light Pendant Light | 7. Latte Sarno Counter Stool in Eggshell | 8. Plaid Wool Rug – Tawny | 9. Amber Lewis for Anthropologie Rowena Curtain
Color Palette To Try: Dusty Blue, Walnut & Cream
The Inspiration:
On to blues, but specifically dusty, moodier blues with gray undertones. I first saw this color combo on Caroline Winkler’s Lazy Girl $500 kitchen makeover over on YouTube and loved it but knew it was a bit darker than I wanted in my own space. And because I couldn’t find a photo of it on Instagram, I dug around for some more inspo to show you how it could look here. Designer Anna Eleri went for a lighter French blue on the walls of a dining nook with a cherry-toned table and chairs and it feels happy, friendly, but storied. Heidi Caillier’s kitchen uses a slightly greener-toned slate but I included it to show you how powerful it could be if you really jump into the deep end here. And the sweet bathroom, also by Anna Eleri, reminded me how much I like some gray moments with cherry cabinets (like a gray and white marbled checkerboard floor, perhaps, or even a gray stone countertop!).
The Moodboard:
I’m really feeling this board, but I know in my own home, it just isn’t what I’m going for (though that bird fabric just might turn me…). Don’t let that stop you, though! Someone bring this to life, invite me over for afternoon tea and I’ll bring the plum torte to share. Isn’t that how this feels to you? Like the ideal space to sit and shovel jammy stone fruit desserts into your mouth. I went with a more ornate look for the fixtures like the milk glass shade pendant and the brass kitchen rail, but the walnut barstool and the small vertical offset tile stack on the backsplash keep things a bit more contemporary. At first, I didn’t love how the rug and the window covering fabric looked next to each other, but I trusted in my gut that IRL, they’d play nice (they just compete a bit here overlapping like that). As for paint color, the choice is yours how intense you want to go (a monochrome look would be nice if you prefer a more saturated design scheme) but I kept it light and airy with a perfect milky white.
1. Wabi Sabi River Blue 1.5×9 Glossy Ceramic Tile | 2. Morning Ritual by Backdrop | 3. Stella Kitchen Rail Bar | 4. Walnut Floating Shelf | 5. Mercer Bin Pulls | 6. Mercer Cabinet Knobs | 7. Modern Milk Glass Pendant Lights – Rowan | 8. Jackson Counter and Bar Stool | 9. Amber Lewis x Loloi Billie Ocean / Brick Area Rug | 10. Kalida Fabric, Walnut
Color Palette To Try: Salmon, Teal, Black & Silver
The Inspiration:
Please do me a favor before reading and click the arrow on the image above until you get to the seventh photo of the wavy marble sink basin and the pink-y plaster walls. Are you there? Okay, let’s continue (I couldn’t get it to default to that in the carousel…sorry).
This palette was a bit of a wild card (as is the one below) and I almost didn’t include it but hopefully, it services someone here! Some reader at some point during all these kitchen posts of mine mentioned using a salmon-y pink as a complement to the cherry cabinet (or maybe it was honey oak, but either way, I made it work). I can see this palette being incredibly dreamy in a kitchen with warm, equally dreamy sunlight. It’s giving “golden hour” and I’m INTO IT! I plucked the rest of the palette from the tile used by Heidi Caillier but I shifted it to be a bit more on the teal end of the spectrum because I wanted to see how that would render out.
The Moodboard:
I was itching to try something with more pattern for a backsplash and stumbled upon this that isn’t exactly teal but isn’t really slate either. The paint color is peach-meets-salmon-meets-plaster-meets-sunset and it could be great in the right space. I own this rug and it’s so, so good in real life and has a mix of pinks, teal, blue, yellow and red which helps to make the rest of the choices here feel a bit more worldly. And because I used brass in the hardware of nearly every other moodboard, I went with a polished nickel here (it has a warmer undertone than chrome), but gold would be just as beautiful.
1. Casablanca 5″ x 5″ Matte Ceramic Tile in Gaza | 2. Portofino by Portola Paints 3. Sherice Floating Shelf | 4. Solid Brass 1 3/8″ in Polished Nickel | 5. 4″ Centers Pull in Polished Nickel | 6. Luca Small 13″ Conical Pendant, Matte Black | 7. Kody Stool (Set of 2) | 8. Chris Loves Julia x Loloi Jules Oriental Machine Made Polyester Indoor Area Rug in Terracotta/Beige/Black | 9. Conway Stripe Fabric, Parchment
Color Palette To Try: Mauve, Mustard, Emerald & Brass
The Inspiration:
Alright, I’ve asked you to be creative all along, and this last palette (bonus number 6 because I was feeling frisky) is no exception. I could not find an actual inspiration photo, but I was standing in my kitchen the other day and thought “Wait…what if I go purple, instead?” This is a thought out of absolute left field because #1: I don’t normally like purple, and #2: this completely upends my initial design choices.
But anyway, I have always loved purple, mustard and red together in my wardrobe, and figured…what the hell. How might it pan out in a kitchen design? I grabbed a photo of my kitchen and did a crude Photoshop overlay with a dusty purple wall, cream backsplash, mustard checkerboard floor and emerald dining cabinet. It’s definitely a look, but I think it works! I’m likely not going this route, but I needed to see it before ruling it out. Thoughts?
The Moodboard:
There’s a lot going on here, and maybe the emerald doesn’t even belong, but…I kind of think it does? A neutral-ish rug, curtain fabric and backsplash set the stage for all the other elements, especially that mauve paint (find one with red undertones rather than blue). Brass hardware plays off the warmth of the cherry cabinets, mustard floor, and camel leather dining chair.
1. Marin 2.5″ x 5″ Ceramic Wall Tile in Sand Dollar | 2. Sanctuary AF-620 by Benjamin Moore | 3. 24″ Brookside Rail System, 1 Cups & 3 S-Hooks – Aged Brass | 4. Mercer Drawer Pulls | 5. Sunrise and Off White Checker Peel & Stick Tile Sticker | 6. Siena Stripe Linen, Buff | 7. Crawford 7″ Glass Flush Mount | 8. Kelsey Leather Chair, Walnut Stain | 9. Evet Rug | 10. Arnika Dining Cabinet
Phew…there you are. SIX color palettes to try in your kitchen if you have cherry cabinets, wish you didn’t, but don’t have the time, energy, will, or budget to do a reno (or even paint them). I’m having so much fun with this and keep surprisingly myself with the color combos I’m finding and cooking up. I really REALLY hope this is helpful content and my explanations guide you to take my moodboards and make them work in one way or another for your own homes.
I’d love to hear from any and all of you in the comments…thoughts, other tips, other requests…give it to me.
Stay tuned for espresso cabinets next!
See ya!
Your friend in design, Arlyn.
Opening Image Credits: Design by Meet West | Photo by Rett Peek
Love these posts and can’t wait for the maple cabinet version. : ) Also, thanks for turning me on to Tonic Living fabrics. I bought several of their designs for new pillow covers. They’re fantastic!
Oh that’s great to hear! I think their fabrics are so high quality and very affordable compared to so much that’s out there!
These are all really wonderful, creative, and helpful! I’m sure your ideas are inspiring someone to see their kitchen in a new way… and love it.
Thank you!
I am very impressed, Arlyn! You did so good coming up with real workable palettes. I have a reddish-brown wood kitchen that is at end of life but needed some band aid updates (removing/painting uppers etc) while I save for a renovation. That Meet West kitchen looks A LOT like mine at the moment – same light sage uppers and black counter – except I have dirty-pinkish-cream 80s tile floor rather than terra cotta, womp womp, which I am ignoring/covering with rugs. If I did the salmon walls like your second to last palette they could look on-purpose… but I don’t want that wall color. My windowless kitchen really needs lighter counters so I will be painting the black formica a pale cream before winter comes around again. They objectively look good, but it’s way too dark in here. They only need to last 1-2 years so wish me luck! Thankfully there are many good tutorials. I also have a wall earmarked for a gallery of art, to add life and color. I spend way too much time at home and in the kitchen to live with a life sucking dark hole at the heart of the home and I’m… Read more »
Maybe you can add undercabinet LED lights to brighten up your kitchen and get you by?
It would be helpful on one side, but there are no uppers on half the kitchen and man those black counters are just black holes for available light!
Small lamps in the corners of the counters also add pretty, warm light. I have three of these around my kitchen and they provide a much softer light than the under-cabinet LEDs.
Yes go for it! There are so many great products and DIY tutorials out there for painting/refinishing countertops. YouTube is your friend for that! Have you considered a temporary floor solution as well? Even if checkerboard isn’t your thing, there are a lot of companies making peel-and-stick products that look good. Or maybe paint the tiles, too? Not sure how that would wear, but I’ve seen people do it!
Arlyn, rarely do I see a designer who understands color the way you do! Hats off!!
I love this series and would love to see a rescue for espresso (super dark stained) cabinets next. I still see builders putting them in!
Bonus points if you could integrate brown granite counters.
Thank you for this awesome series!
It’s coming!!
Yay!!!!
Can’t wait!
Purple.:) I have honestly never been pulled that way color wise but recently considered the same hue for my living room. Here’s why- I feel like I am so over trends these days. With Pinterest and IG it feels like looking at design is more like being in group think-mind than experiencing someone’s creative spark and heart. Purple I thought is not trendy so it hasn’t been taken over-shh…don’t make it trendy please;-). In jest..great work. Love your voice and practicality.
Ha I totally get you. I cannot stand a trend for a trend’s sake. There are trendy things I like (checkerboard) but usually it’s something that’s always been classic that gained popularity.
purple is already trending hard all over interiors and fashion
Oh MY GOSH. This is seriously the BEST series you guys have published in a long time. I see this post being evergreen and viral because it’s so dang helpful. All of the choices you’ve shown are so beautiful and interesting it almost makes me wish I had cherry cabinets just so I could try any of these. Seriously love how thoughtful and creative you are in coming up with these solutions. I can’t wait to see what’s next in the series! Seriously so good.
What a compliment. Thank you!
Another stellar colour-ways post from Arlyn! So helpful and inspiring, whether for kitchen, bathroom or just to help make sense of larger dark toned furnishings when redecorating. Thank you! And keep them coming!!
Yes! The post says kitchen but these palettes could work in any room!
Love these posts! This series is so wonderful and although I painted my cherry cabinets a few years ago, you’ve given me inspiration for other areas of the house that need some love!
Are we not going to talk about the duck?????
HAHAHAHA I know. I have seen this image on my socials for a while and I can’t figure out what the deal is with the duck!
Another great post, Arlyn.
I’m always surprised, in a goodxp way, at how much grenes do for darker wood kitchens!
Someone I’m now firm friends with via Aryln Says, has just retiled her darker wood kitchen with teal textured subway tiles and replaced the benchtops with lighter tined material and, wow! The whole space is remarkably better, friendlier and happy. Such a different kitchen!
The only suggestion I’m not a fan of is the burgundy. It looks like it’s stuck in a time-warp or something.
The rest are great snd uplifting.
Burgundy can def feel fuddy duddy but I’m deep in my red era right now so I’m into it!
Excellent post! Cherry has almost come back around since current color palettes include a lot of sage green and dark woods. The key is to avoid bolder forest green tones, or a busy patterned granite.
Def more muted greens is the way to go.
Loving this series, thanks. Please also continue to look for or integrate inspiration for those of us who have black/brown/wildly patterned granite countertops that we can’t change!
Bravo ! This was a feast for the eyes and I really enjoyed all the palettes and inspiration even though I don’t have cherry cabinets to fix. Always love seeing your posts here Arlyn
🙂 appreciate your comment!
My cabinets are white which I don’t love either TBH, but these posts are FIRE. Such beautiful color combos and links to real products and you are basically providing real deal interior designs for free! Super super valuable content – you’re a wizard. Or I guess a witch. Can’t wait to see espresso cabinets next!!!
I’m just waiting for my Hogwarts letter to arrive to claim my witch status.
*goes in search of the superimposed duck
I’m SO glad the white/gray/black palettes are out, and warmer woods are in. They add such a nice depth to spaces! This is a great post – as many clients aren’t in search of a gut renovation.
Arlyn, these are so good you might singlehandedly make these dark toned cabinets popular again! I actually just put in cherry lower cabinets ON PURPOSE but with a modern shaker shape and a natural/non-shiny stain. They look gorgeous with sage green tile backsplash and creamy quartz countertops. We also opted for cream-painted uppers to keep things from feeling too heavy. I hope someone tries these palettes on older cabinets and we get to see the results!
Would love to see this!
Oh yeah would love to see!
here’s a shot from before we moved back in. Not as fancy as so many projects we see here but we’re happy!
That tile is SO GOOD!
Arlyn, I love this series SO MUCH!! You’re inspiring me to work with (and love!) what I’ve got and get more creative.
The first image in that same carousel under the salmon, teal, black, and silver section is stunning, too, and was actually what I thought you wanted to show us initially–the purple tiles with the cherry cabinet and slate top–plus all the brass–GORGEOUS!! Would that be a fun direction for your kitchen?
Thank you for the great content! Can’t wait to see the espresso!
Ha you know, I totally just looked right past this because I used this image in another post (the one about mulberry being a color palette superhero basically) so I didn’t consider it here but you’re right!
LAST ONE IS MY FAVORITE!!!
Should I seriously consider it….????
The wildcard pallette is my fave!
Purple is a departure for me but…maybe….
Where was this post 3 years ago when I lived in the coolest house with the cherry-ist kitchen?!? Brilliant
These color palette mood board options for kitchen cabinets is another of your super powers! So much inspiration here and I’m enjoying each of these posts. Kudos!
Thank you Pamela!
Great post packed with inspiration, information and shoppable links. Reminds me of older EHD posts like this https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/trend-alert-micro-bubble-modern-wall-sconces and this https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/bed-round-up
i loved this post soooo much!! you have a really beautiful knack for colour schemes. Could I please submit another one: modern (glossy?) white kitchens. it sounds like it should be easy to add accent colours but they jar with the modern glossy white if you prefer a warmer or richer colour palette rather than a bright one. You’re so good at making these gorgeous sophisticated colour schemes , I’d love to see your ideas!
I really appreciate seeing posts that are not about ripping out kitchens because you don’t like the finish on the cabinets. It is really unsustainable (not to mention very expensive) to throw out perfectly good materials because they are dated. Work with what you have! I personally think that dark cabinets look richer and timeless compared to farmhouse/English-style with light cabinets.
I love these posts. I would love to see one on the orangey 90s granite countertops. I can’t seem to figure out how to update it to save my life but countertop replacements are so expensive.
“Sit and shovel jammy stone fruit desserts into you mouth” BEST. DESCRIPTOR. EVER. 😂😂😂😂 great job with all the options, Arlyn. Really love the blues. You turned 1990 into English chic!
Thank you for this wonderful post! We have dark Cherry kitchen cabinets. You gave me some wonderful ideas for updating our kitchen