Step Aside, White: 7 Stunning Colors Everyone Is Painting Their Cabinets In 2026

White kitchens are officially out. According to experts and influencers alike, we should all be spicing things up by painting our cabinets in 2026. Designers say a fresh coat of paint is one of the best ways to instantly transform an outdated kitchen, especially when a full renovation isn't in the budget. Sure, the prep work's a pain, but refinishing your cabinets in a new color (from earthy neutrals to moody midnight blues) is the glow-up your sterile, white kitchen has been begging for.

It's not a project for the faint-hearted. There are several steps involved when painting kitchen cabinets. No matter which color you choose, professionals recommend degreasing them before sanding, priming, and spraying. Paying attention to cure time also matters so you end up with a velvety finish instead of irritatingly sticky doors. 

The payoff is worth it because kitchens sell homes. According to Zillow, buyers offer between $1,600 and $2,400 more for cosmetic upgrades in olive green and dark gray. The National Kitchen & Bath Association reported in its 2026 Kitchen Trends Report that a whopping 96% of designers preferred neutrals like earthy gray-brown colors, while influencers are embracing natural wood and two-tone styles that stand out. There's even an old-school paint color trend that's making a surprisingly chic comeback.

Biophilic design is here to stay. Since screens have our lives in a relentless chokehold, we're chalking it up to a longing to connect with nature wherever we can. That's one explanation for why you'll see olive green kitchen cabinets everywhere in 2026. Keep it cottagecore by adding ditzy wallpaper and woven baskets to the mix or pair the earthy shade with wood floors and creamy countertops for a more sophisticated look. Olive green is versatile, but undertones matter. Sherwin-Williams Pewter Green keeps things cool, while Farrow & Ball's Bancha can warm things up.

Trend experts have the blues in 2026. "Buyers view olive green and navy blue as contemporary colors, and that can have a halo effect on their perception of the entire home," Zillow's Amanda Pendleton said in a recent press release. The National Kitchen and Bath Association's (NKBA) 2026 Trend Summit report confirmed blue as a favorite among interior designers, builders, and manufacturers. Sherwin-Williams has jumped on the blue bandwagon, adding the restoratively dark Sea Mariner to the company's ColorMix Forecast. Considering blue for your kitchen cabinets? Balance it with contrasting surfaces, metallic hardware, and good lighting.

Mushrooms aren't just popping up in front yards this year. Whether you can't get enough of them or you think they're the devil's work, their warm and complex neutral hue is taking over kitchen cabinets in 2026. To find the right shade, follow the same advice you would at the grocery store. Skip right over those dirty greige ones that will immediately make your kitchen feel dated and lifeless. Instead, this is one time you can let paint names be your guide. Fungi have inspired countless hues including Dunn-Edwards' Sautéed Cremini, Glidden's Portabella, Benjamin Moore's Porcini, and Sherwin-Williams' Shiitake.

We're sorry to say that cherry cabinets aren't back in style (yet), but warm walnut and rich chocolate ones are definitely trending. Re-staining is an option if you have the grain to suit it, but when your not-quite-perfect kitchen cabinets need opacity, brown can be anything but basic. Our interior designer has major reservations about Benjamin Moore's 2026 Color of the Year, the espresso-inspired 'Silhouette', but she admits it comes to life on millwork and cabinetry. For something lighter, consider swoon-worthy hues like 'Cut Cedar' or 'Moments' from Joanna Gaines' Magnolia Home Collection with Kilz.

If you're sad to see millennial gray among the interior design trends on their way out in 2026, don't give up hope just yet. The trick to keeping gray trendy is to embrace darker shades, which are still extremely popular, especially with buyers who are willing to pay a premium for it. Dusty matte options like Lick's Grey 10 or Backdrop's No Curfew are just moody enough to make a statement. The look becomes even more modern when you opt for frameless or flat-slab cabinet doors.

Bland is boring, and hundreds of Instagram's design fans are convinced burgundy is the antidote. From Graham & Brown's Color of the Year 2026 (Divine Damson) to Coat's Yes Chef, there's a lot to love about all the ripe vineyard hues trending right now. Paint is a low-commitment way of experimenting, so try it on a pantry door or kitchen island if you aren't totally convinced. But burgundy is, well, *chef's kiss* if you want a color-drenched kitchen that feels bold and cozy at the same time. Bonus points if you pair it with a veiny marble or matching tile backsplash.

Butter yellow was a baby step. In 2026, expect to see warmer harvest bronze and mustard hues. Although yellow didn't top the NKBA's 2026 Trend Report, interiors designers recognize yellow as a classic color you probably won't regret. That's because there are so many options. C2 Paint's Color of the Year, Epernay, is ideal if you're looking for a creamy tint similar to the color Martha Stewart used on the kitchen cabinets in the Maple House at her Bedford farm, while Farrow & Ball's saturated India Yellow makes freestanding cabinets in unfitted kitchens stand out in the best possible way.