What Are Two Tone Kitchen Cabinets?

When it comes to the color of your kitchen cabinets, consistency has historically been a safe bet. As long as it doesn’t visually collide with surrounding walls or flooring, pretty much any single color tone will work, whether it be natural stain, neutral beige, or pastel pink.

While quality-built kitchen cabinets will look great in just about any single color, one trend that has been steadily gaining popularity over the past few years is two-tone kitchen cabinets. These kinds of cabinets utilize one color for the bottom row and a different color for the top, creating a distinct look that can be either complementary or contrasting in nature.

Many homeowners are surprised to find how the addition of just one more color in their kitchen cabinets can redefine the look of their kitchen entirely. Not only that, but the process of experimenting with different color combinations and seeing what really works well together can be more exciting than simply choosing one color alone.

For example, a black and white theme with white overhead and black floor-level cabinets can be a simple yet effective way to add a refined, designer look and feel to your kitchen. You can accentuate this look even more by utilizing both black and white granite countertops. This two-tone color scheme is fairly common, given its compatibility with walls, floors and appliances of many colors.

Another popular contrast is mixing natural wood-stain floor cabinets with colored overhead cabinets, or vice versa depending on what looks best in your home. This design can provide a happy medium between a look that is either all natural or all paint-colored.

For a more subdued look, a mix of similarly-toned colors can display a subtle contrast without being overpowering. Dark grey and light grey, for example, or light wood stain and dark wood stain, can be the perfect balance between either a one-dimensional or a highly contrasting duo of colors.

If you’re feeling really adventurous, you can take it one step further by using two unique materials, one for each color. You might consider a wood veneer for the floor-level cabinets and plastic laminate for the overheads, or simply work with what you have if the materials are already different.

The list of customization options for two-tone kitchen cabinets goes on and on, and is only limited by your imagination. In addition to experimenting with varying color and material combinations, you should also take into account how the cabinetry design blends with the surrounding areas of your home.

Too many color variations, for instance, can be hard on the eyes and can greatly affect the balance of space in a room. We tend to spend a lot of time in our kitchens, and for many of us the chaotic effect of having too many colors might add to the already existing chaos of trying to make a home-cooked meal.

Before deciding on your color tones, note the tones of surrounding walls, floors, and ceilings. Neutral colors are easiest to work with, such as black, white, brown and beige. If you insist on using primary or secondary colors, a color wheel can be a useful tool to see which colors either complement or contrast with one another in an appealing way.

If your walls and floors are papered and tiled with distinct patterns, this makes things a bit more challenging, but not impossible. A good way to approach this scenario is by trial and error, comparing several different colors and design patterns of kitchen cabinets to see what works best. You should also take into account how lighting, either natural or electric, strikes the walls and floors of your kitchen, and how it might work well or not so well with your cabinet color.

You also should note the color of appliances, cookware, hand towels, and any other household items commonly found on open display in your kitchen that could potentially clash with the surrounding color. While many of these can simply be replaced with more appropriately-colored counterparts, recoloring your refrigerator or dishwasher may not be so easy.

When testing out a new color theme or pattern in your kitchen, it helps to have everything set up exactly as you would if you were about to make dinner. This way, you’ll have the most complete idea of how your color choice works with the surrounding space.

Two-tone kitchen cabinets have been a hot trend lately for good reason. Finding the perfect color duo can be a fun and exciting challenge, and you’ll be surprised how much of a designer look and feel it can add to your kitchen and your home.

Rock Solid offers a wide selection of cabinets to match any two-tone setup. To get started on a two-tone kitchen cabinet design, check out our custom cabinet options and contact us for a free estimate today.