How To Make A Statement With A Blue Kitchen Cabinets

Ryan M. Grambart
Founder & CEO - CopperSmith
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Ryan M. Grambart

Blue cabinet kitchens are found in all styles of homes and hospitality venues. The beauty of working with blue is that it caters to all tastes and it is hugely versatile. You can add blue cabinets to any kind of kitchen. Whether you’re revamping a chic city apartment, a beachside property or a charming cottage or farmhouse, you can make a statement with blue cabinets. If you’re thinking about creating a blue cabinet kitchen, there are two main options to explore:

Painting your existing kitchen cabinets

If your kitchen cabinets are structurally sound and they are in good working order, you could save a lot of money by painting and restoring them rather than buying new kitchen cabinets. Depending on the original color of the units and the material, you may need to strip the paint off and prime the surface before you add blue paint. Sand the cabinet before you start painting and make sure you have enough paint. You may need several coats to achieve a polished finish. 

Choose a color that complements the style of your home and adds to the ambiance. Light, delicate shades like baby blue, cornflower and periwinkle are ideal for calming spaces and they work perfectly for traditional and contemporary homes. Bold shades like teal and electric blue are brilliant if you want to make your cabinets a focal point. Shades like navy, Breton blue and midnight blue are an excellent choice for those looking to channel a timeless heritage theme. 

modern kitchen with blue cabinets

Buying new blue cabinets

The second option to consider is buying new cabinets for your kitchen. This will be more expensive but it could save you money in the long run if your old units aren’t in pristine condition. It’s also quicker and more convenient to buy new cabinets than to restore old ones if you are short on time. You can also ensure a professional, smart finish if you buy high-quality cabinets from a reputable company. 

If you’re keen to buy new kitchen cabinets, look around showrooms and stores, visit websites and browse galleries and see what color options are available. You may be able to customize your cabinets if you can’t find the shade you want, or you could add details and features, such as bespoke door knobs or drawer handles. 

new blue cabinets

What are the advantages of choosing blue for your kitchen?

There are lots of reasons to consider a blue color kitchen. Here are some of the advantages of choosing a shade of blue for your kitchen:

  • Elevate your kitchen design: the most important reason to choose blue for most homeowners is to inject style, interest and flair into their design. You can be as bold or as subtle as you like with a blue kitchen, tailoring your plans to suit your taste and the style of your home. Blue is a versatile shade, with a vast array of hues and shades available. 
  • Create new focal points: adding blue to your kitchen is a brilliant way to create new focal points to draw attention to design elements and features, such as a tiled floor, a striking set of cabinets or a chic island. 
  • Add ambiance: color doesn’t just impact aesthetics. It also affects our moods. Blue is a color that can add ambiance in different ways. Lighter, gentler tones have a soothing effect to create peaceful, serene spaces. Bolder, brighter, more vibrant shades are uplifting and they make you feel good. You can choose a tone based on the kind of vibe you want to channel. 
  • Make your kitchen more attractive to prospective buyers: blue kitchens are visually appealing and they often look cool, cosmopolitan or classic, depending on the style of the design and the color palette. If you are selling your home, it’s beneficial to celebrate and up-sell the kitchen, as it is the most important room in the house for most buyers. Creating a stunning blue kitchen will make your home more attractive to prospective buyers and it could also add value. 
  • Easy maintenance: white kitchens are very popular for their aesthetic appeal, but they can be difficult to clean and maintain. Unlike white, cream and beige, blue kitchens don’t show dirt so much, making them easier to maintain. 

Finding the right shade of blue for your kitchen cabinets

One of the most important tasks to get right for a kitchen cabinet overhaul is choosing the perfect color. If you’ve decided that you want to add blue kitchen cabinets, there’s a treasure trove of tones to choose from. Here are some tips to help you decide which shade is best for your kitchen:

  1. Prioritize your personal preferences: it can be helpful to read magazines, watch design shows and check lists of interior design trends to get inspiration, but it’s crucial to prioritize your personal preferences. Designing your home should be an exercise in showing off your style and personality. Choose tones that you love rather than those that are on every magazine cover or social feed. 
  2. Explore different ideas: there’s an incredible range of colors to choose from whether you’re painting old cabinets or buying new units. Take your time to explore different ideas and come up with different looks. 
  3. Consider the size of the room: blue can create bright, open spaces but it can also make rooms look dark and cramped. When selecting a shade for your cabinets, consider the size of the room and the feel you want to create. Perhaps you want a cozy feel, in which case, dark shades are ideal. If you want a bright, airy kitchen, opt for pastels or tones like baby blue and periwinkle.  
  4. Think about the use of color in the rest of the kitchen: if you’re painting your cabinets blue, it’s wise to think about the use of color in the rest of the kitchen before you decide on a shade. If you’re mixing and matching colors, for example, you might want to choose complementary tones. If you’re adding blue to a white kitchen, which has metallic accessories, furniture and finishes, opt for shades that will enhance and bring out the color of the metal. Navy and midnight blue work brilliantly with copper range hoods, copper tables and brass sinks, for example, while icy colors look fantastic with stainless steel sinks. 

blue wood cabinets

Popular shades of blue for kitchens

If you’re looking for inspiration for a kitchen remodel, or you’ve decided to paint your kitchen walls or cabinets blue, here are some of the most popular shades:

For traditional and rustic kitchens

  • Midnight blue
  • Navy blue
  • Teal
  • Atlantic blue
  • Breton blue
  • Duck-egg blue
  • Cornflower
  • Periwinkle
  • Oxford blue

For understated, contemporary kitchens

  • Gray-blue
  • Cornflower
  • Smokey blue
  • Icy blue

For striking, statement-making blue kitchens

  • Cyan
  • Turquoise
  • Aqua
  • Electric blue
  • Cobalt blue
  • Aquamarine
  • Sapphire blue

light blue cabinets with range hood

Which paint colors work best with blue kitchen cabinets?

The world is your oyster when it comes to teaming paint colors with blue kitchen cabinets. You can choose complementary tones or mix and match bold, vivid colors to really make your kitchen pop. Although you can select any color to go with blue kitchen cabinets, there are some popular combinations. Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

Blue and white

A classic, timeless combination, blue and white works perfectly for elegant modern kitchens as well as quirky cottage kitchens and luxurious, heritage-inspired kitchens. Catapult yourself to the seaside with mid-blue and white stripes, or create a haven of tranquility with pale blue and white. Add an edge to white walls with bright blue cabinets and an eye-catching island. 

blue and white cabinets

Blue and gray

A popular choice for contemporary houses and apartments, blue and gray looks slick and smart. Pale, neutral tones of gray make blue cabinets pop without being overbearing. 

Blue and cream

Blue and cream is a beautiful color match for rustic country and farmhouse kitchens. 

Blue and orange

If you’re going all out and you want to create a colorful space that makes you feel energized and happy, what could be better than a blue and orange kitchen? Bring some sunshine to your home with vibrant, vivid orange walls, which will make your blue cabinets shine. 

50 shades of blue

If you love the color blue, and you can’t decide on one or two shades, why not combine multiple tones to create a smorgasbord of blue accents and design elements? You can mix and match light and dark and cool and warm or stick to complementary shades. 

Making the most of a blue kitchen: Tips to elevate your design with details and accessories

Once you have painted your kitchen walls or cabinets, the next step is to elevate the design and make the most of your fabulous new blue kitchen. Here are some top tips to finish the look:

Add metallic details

Metallics work amazingly with blue kitchen cabinets and walls. Choose materials that blend with the shade of blue, for example, copper tables and sinks with darker blues or stainless steel range hoods with icy blues. You can also use details and finishing touches, such as drawer handles and faucets to really make the blue stand out. 

blue and white cabinets with stainless steel range hood

Storage

Storage doesn’t have to be functional and boring. You can make a feature out of shelving, units and storage containers to make your blue kitchen look even more attractive. Choose blue accessories or create a contrast using different colors or metal accessories. Rose gold works brilliantly with warm, dark shades of blue, for example. 

Tiling

Tiles are used widely for decorating kitchens and enhancing functionality. You can use patterned or colored tiles on the walls or floor to create a focal point or tie in with the blue shade you’ve chosen for your cabinets or walls. 

Wall art

Hanging pictures, mirrors and frames can help to tie a theme or trend together and add interest to plain walls. 

Summary

Blue cabinet kitchens have become increasingly popular in recent years. Many people are choosing to design blue kitchens due to the aesthetic appeal and versatility of the color blue. If you’re thinking about remodeling your kitchen, or you’re eager to try different design trends, you may be thinking about injecting new colors. Blue cabinets can work in all kinds of kitchens from traditional homes to contemporary apartments. 

If you’re looking for inspiration for a kitchen remodel, or you’d like advice about transforming the look of your kitchen with custom-made furniture or features, the CopperSmith team is on hand to help. We offer high-quality copper, brass and stainless steel tables, sinks and range hoods to add instant appeal to every kitchen. Use the innovative 3D configurator on worldcoppersmith.com to get ideas, or contact our talented design team for a custom quote

July 15, 2024