8 Next-Level Takes on the Two-Tone Kitchen Cabinet Trend

UpdatedDec 5, 2023 10:59 AM EST

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OK but can we talk about two-tone kitchen cabinets for a sec? We've all seen the classic move—white uppers paired with lower cabinets in gray, muted green, or navy. And honestly, it makes total sense. Uppers are usually against white walls, so going neutral keeps things seamless (and makes the space feel way bigger). Meanwhile, those inky lower cabinets? They anchor the whole room.

But here's the thing—there's way more to two-tone kitchen cabinets than that light-and-dark formula. We rounded up eight next-level ideas to really flex your design muscles. If you've got a reno on the brain, trust me, start right here.

Most people add color down low, but artist Bethany Brill? She flipped the script in her circa-1980 Costa Mesa, California, home. To break up all that wood-on-wood action, she tracked down bright yellow uppers from Danish kitchen brand Reform. And by placing them close to the ceiling, she made sure they don't cast shadows on the countertops. Love that for her.

You'd think Shaker-style cabinets would be the obvious pick for Alastair Coomer and David Breen's kitchen in a refurbished 17th-century barn in Suffolk, England. But they skipped the fussy, ornate details and went with DeVol's Sebastian Cox collection instead. The fronts are stained in Natural and Inky Blue Black finishes, crafted from straight beech planks of varying widths with a gorgeous sawed, beaded texture.

Switching up cabinet colors in a long galley kitchen like Emily Bowser's is such a clever way to visually carve up the space and its functions. Where her putty-colored cabinets end, dark green IKEA Ivar cabinets begin (she painted them and topped them with reclaimed wood). This section holds all her cookbooks and pantry staples. And overhead? A makeshift bar setup. Yes, please.

Zosia Mamet's upstate New York cabin kitchen looks like a classic take on two-tone at first glance—but there's one detail that changes everything: The navy of the island carries right over to the window trim, giving the view a punchy, editorial frame. I'm honestly obsessed with this move.

Emily Henderson put her own spin on the trend by mixing materials instead of just colors. Natural blond wood on the lower cupboards and floor-to-ceiling pantry paired with blackened planks on the island—it's giving minimalist-made-rustic and I'm completely here for it.

Kitchen guru Dries Otten went full playful '80s vibes with sky blue lower cabinets and a jet black pantry. But the color story doesn't stop there—he added a fire-truck red backsplash with an integrated vent hood. Bold? Absolutely. Amazing? Also yes.

In her Grand Rapids, Michigan, home, Sarah Sherman Samuel kept her IKEA cabinet fronts a timeless white—but hid a showstopping surprise on the back of the island: antique brass panels. It's the design equivalent of a secret VIP room and I'm living for it.

This Polish kitchen by design firm In Architekci switches things up by going vertical instead of horizontal with the color blocking. Lavender-hued cabinets flank a floor-to-ceiling pantry in a fresh minty shade, with pops of wood and pale pink down the way. Proof that when it comes to two-tone, rules are absolutely meant to be broken.

Gabrielle is most often found digging through 1stdibs in search ofTobia Scarpa sofas, hunting down the newest cool hotels, or singing the praises ofArt Nouveau. She spends an inordinate amount of time looking at real estate floor plans and listening to podcasts. In her free time, you'll likely find her bouncing on a trampoline at Fithouse, snacking on a crudo at the latest cocktail bar, antiquing for French silverware, or dogsitting for anyone who will ask—yes, even you.

Lydia Geisel has been on the editorial team at Domino since 2017. Today, she writes and edits home and renovation stories, including house tours, before and afters, and DIYs, and leads our design news coverage. She lives in New York City.

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