Planning to give your kitchen cabinets a fresh look? It could feel straightforward to choose a color until it isn’t. When you visit a paint shop, you get so many color options that you feel confused about which one you should choose. Most homeowners second-guess themselves when selecting colors. As a result, they make mistakes that are expensive to correct once spraying is complete.
You can avoid regrets later and make the entire process more satisfying if you get this decision right. Here is how you can do it.
Know the Chemistry of Darker and Lighter Shades
If you don’t know which direction to go, this can be your starting point. Lighter cabinet colors reflect more light and make your kitchen feel more open. This combination works amazingly well if your kitchen is smaller.
Darker shades, on the other hand, feel more grounded. They suit well in larger kitchens (or open plan spaces) where you want the kitchen areas to feel more refined.
Of course, neither approach of kitchen cabinet spraying is better than the other. But you’ll narrow your options considerably if you know which direction to take for your specific situation.
Understand How Your Kitchen Light Affects Color
Homeowners overlook this a lot. A color may look inviting on a sample card or in the showroom, but it could look completely different once it’s on your cabinets under specific kitchen lighting.
If your kitchen faces north, it will get limited natural light, so the cooler tones could feel flat. And a south-facing kitchen gets stronger natural light, which means the lighter shades could look almost white by midday.
Before you finally choose a color, you should get a sample sprayed onto a small board. Also, check its color at different times of day and under both natural and artificial light.
Think about What You’re Working With
Just like other things in your home, the kitchen cabinets also don’t exist in isolation. The color you choose should fully complement your flooring and wall colors (and, if possible, your appliances).
A deep navy cabinet could look stunning against pale walls, but overwhelming in a kitchen with dark flooring. Also, keep in mind the color of the fixed elements in your kitchen, as you won’t change them frequently.
Finish Matters Too
The finish you choose significantly affects how the color will look on the cabinet. A satin finish is a popular choice for kitchens because it reflects moderate amounts of light. A matte finish gives a more contemporary look, but it will show marks more easily. And if you go with a gloss finish, your colors will appear richer, but it also shows marks more easily.
Before you make a final decision, it’s important to discuss the finish options in detail with your spray professional so you don’t run into issues later.
Always Get Professional Input
A professional who does cabinet spraying regularly knows a lot about how colors behave on cabinets. They can offer useful guidance you may not find anywhere else.
And most of those professionals happily share what works and what doesn’t in a specific scenario. That conversation will cost you nothing. It will also save you from a bad choice that you’d wish you had made differently.