Kitchen remodels are top of mind for many homeowners looking to add value and modernize their living spaces. With so many options for layouts, appliances and cabinet styles, it can be tempting to mix and match different looks.
However, not all kitchen cabinet combinations work well. This guide covers the dos and don’ts of blending kitchen cabinet styles for a cohesive look that delights.
The Appeal of Mixing Kitchen Cabinet Styles
Why consider mixing up your kitchen cabinets instead of choosing a uniform style? Many homeowners gravitate toward blending kitchen cabinet looks because it allows more visual interest and flexibility. Combining modern simplicity with homey traditional elements, or splashing one color on a neutral backdrop, creates dimension.
Interior design has also moved toward more eclectic, curated interiors instead of strict uniformity. By sampling different kitchen cabinet finishes and door fronts, you can nod to what’s current without overwhelming the space. Designers often mix metal and wood cabinetry, or combine painted and stained finishes, for this purpose.
Benefits of Mixing Kitchen Cabinet Styles
Some popular reasons homeowners mix kitchen cabinet styles include:
- Highlighting certain features: Use one cabinet finish to call attention to a beloved bakeware collection displayed behind glass fronts. Or try open shelving in rustic wood to showcase heirloom dishes.
- Adding visual interest: Mixing finishes, like glossy and matte paints, adds appealing contrast. Or blend neutral wooden base cabinets with painted uppers for multi-dimensional appeal.
- Incorporating architectural details: Carry modern elements like metal finishes or color blocking onto custom cabinetry to tie the kitchen into adjacent living areas.
- Increasing storage functionality: Closed cabinets keep items tidy, while open shelving offers grab-and-go access near appliances. Blend as needed.
- Updating aesthetics over time: Adding freshly painted or remodeled cabinets modernizes a kitchen without the cost of a full renovation.
Dos and Don’ts for Harmoniously Mixing Kitchen Cabinet Styles
Want to incorporate multiple kitchen cabinet looks? Be strategic, so that mixed styles appear purposeful and pulled together. Follow these dos and don’ts.
Do choose a consistent design direction
Before selecting specific cabinet styles to mix and match, identify an overarching design direction. Eclectic transitional? Modern farmhouse? Colorful contemporary? Your style guideline anchors the kitchen. Match all finishes and door fronts to that design vision.
For example, a clean-lined contemporary kitchen could mix streamlined white gloss lacquer cabinets with open shelving in exposed natural wood. Another proven combination is base cabinets in a light wood stain with crisp white uppers. Without the guiding style framework, mismatched kitchen cabinets will simply look confused.
Do repeat some consistent kitchen elements
The key to making different kitchen cabinet styles coexist gracefully is repeating colors, materials, shapes, hardware or styling details. This repetition helps unite everything visually.
Picture a kitchen with sleek gray lower cabinets and rustic wood open shelves. Common metal accents on the pendant lights, fixtures and cabinet hardware tie the two together, and white quartz countertops running through the space keep it from feeling disjointed.
What consistent thread could harmonize your mixed cabinetry? Consider coordinating all metal finishes, using the same hardware suite, repeating backsplash tiles, or sticking to one neutral wall color around the different cabinets.
Don’t overwhelm with too many colors or varieties
It is easy to go overboard when mixing kitchen cabinet styles. Different wood stains, several painted finishes, glass fronts, solid doors, metal and rattan in a single kitchen is simply too much.
Stick to one or two cabinet colors or materials, three at most, for a cohesive look. Remember that the kitchen walls, counters, backsplash and flooring also factor into the style equation. Keep the cabinet combinations themselves simple so the other elements can shine.
Do evenly distribute any signature styles
Strategically repeating custom, standout or statement cabinetry establishes balance. A pair of handcrafted green cabinets, for example, can be placed at either end of the kitchen so that they anchor the space. Evenly spaced, vibrant focal points like these can really make a kitchen.
Floating shelves, glass fronts that spotlight collections, and color-blocked pantry cabinets all make excellent repeated statement pieces. Put your most eye-catching kitchen cabinet combination where visitors will notice it, then echo it elsewhere for stability.
Don’t mix cheap with luxury finishes
Combining poorly made or lower-quality cabinets with higher-end looks simply won’t work. It is common in a remodel to want to replace only the old laminate cabinets, or to work around fixtures left over from an earlier renovation. But scrimping on some elements while splurging on others reads as disjointed.
Be wary of obvious differences in condition with older cabinets too. No amount of trendy paint disguises worn-out base cabinets with broken hinges or damaged fronts. Any combination that includes low-grade materials will downgrade the whole space.
Invest in quality kitchen cabinet construction and durable materials if you are blending more upscale looks. Mixed finishes, such as painted wood next to stained wood, should feel comparably premium in order to blend harmoniously.
Do coordinate appliances and hardware
Don’t just consider cabinet combinations. Be sure appliance finishes, metal fixtures and hardware also coordinate. Busy backsplashes, colorful mosaic tile and eclectic cabinetry all benefit from simplicity elsewhere.
Matching metal finishes, like brushed nickel or black, pulls everything together subtly. If you are mixing several wooden cabinet styles, stick to stainless appliances. Or calm a busy backsplash with quiet countertops and subtle lighting fixtures.
Don’t overlook expert design services
Many new homeowners get so focused on pretty inspiration photos that they underestimate practical space planning. Will your dream mixed-material pantry fit the appliances? Do the low and high cabinet combinations leave proper prep space?
While some DIY-savvy renovators confidently design kitchens themselves, get professional design help if you are combining specialty cabinetry like angled corners or unusual proportions. Accurate measurements are vital for custom cabinets, down to a small fraction of an inch. Otherwise the pieces literally won’t fit together.
Also, run any eclectic or unusual kitchen cabinet combination past a kitchen designer beforehand. A designer can review your inspiration images and judge what should realistically work together before the plans are finalized. That helps prevent expensive cabinet change orders mid-remodel if the combination turns out to clash. Consider personalized design services money wisely invested.
Tips for Flawlessly Incorporating Mixed Kitchen Cabinet Styles
Sold on creatively mixing up your kitchen cabinetry but unsure where to start? Use these tips when planning your combinations.
Evaluate the existing kitchen footprint
Measure the available wall space, corners and transitions carefully. Truly custom cabinet combinations require knowing the exact proportions of the room. Note limitations like plumbing locations, doors, windows and any awkward angles that could affect unconventional cabinet designs. Establish a detailed layout first.
Assess the current cabinet condition
Are the existing cabinets well built, and will they accept modern hardware, so that they can be blended with new pieces? Repair, refinish or replace damaged, dated or lower-quality pieces before combining eclectic looks. Everything should feel fresh and purposeful, not haphazard.
Confirm the required kitchen storage capacity
Will unique cabinet designs sacrifice needed storage space? Avoid form-over-function mistakes like pretty open shelves that fail to house the essentials. Double-check that specialized cabinets don’t rob usable room for pans, appliances or pantry goods. Utility still matters most in a working kitchen.
Incorporate meaningful personalized elements
Custom cabinetry can carry meaningful touches such as keepsake fabric backing, engraved hardware or hand-painted finishes. Special details make kitchens memorable. Just keep the personalization aligned with the overarching style. What special flourishes could make your mixed cabinetry combination truly yours?
Achieving a Modern Mix-and-Match Kitchen Cabinet Aesthetic
Executed intentionally, combining modern kitchen cabinet looks creates showstopping style and storage. Need some inspiration to try the mix-and-match look?
Modern Black and White
Nothing feels sleeker than contrasting inky black cabinets with clean white counterparts and accents. Extend the color blocking to window frames, pendant lighting and barstool seating for maximum modernist appeal. Mix super-matte finishes with high-gloss lacquered fronts for intriguing depth.
Modern Industrial Edge
The industrial look remains a strong presence in modern kitchens, with exposed metals, unfinished wood and utilitarian details. Combine understated steel base cabinets with rough-sawn oak uppers and open shelving for an urban look with rustic warmth. Carry corrugated metal, leather strap handles and Edison-bulb fixtures through the space for harmony.
Modern Geometric Mix
Not all modern designs stick to straight lines and simplicity. Thoughtfully blending geometric cabinet styles injects artistic flair. Try offsetting linear walnut base cabinets with glass uppers fitted with triangular shelving. Intentionally repeating the motif in triangular hanging lights, acute-angled floor tile and boxy stools strengthens the geometry.
Considering All This
Mixing cabinet styles can give your next kitchen remodel real character when it is done with care. Choosing an overarching style direction first allows you to blend finishes, door fronts and details thoughtfully for personalized flair. Just beware of crowding your kitchen with too many disparate elements. A carefully curated mix is what keeps the result from looking disjointed.