In the Midwest, honey or medium oak has been and still is – the most requested color. From baby-boomers to gen-Xers, that warm brown town signifies home and evokes happy kitchen memories. The most popular colors for cabinets in the Midwest are:
If we were to do this list for the West Coast – the number one color would be natural maple and then white, gray, a medium-toned maple and finally a darker color.
On the East Coast, Kona, Espresso or a dark cherry would be number one followed by white, gray, a medium-brown maple and then painted cabinets in red, green, blue or even orange.
When customers want a color that is “in” and not going out of style – white or any shade of gray is a great choice. White, in the following shades – chiffon, dove, cotton, marshmallow, cream – is never going to go out of style. For the past five years, cabinet companies have been rolling out a new gray, with a different undertone of blue, green or red and that’s not going to change.
What does change every year is that mysterious shade of in-between painted light brown known as taupe or beige. Names flit in and out such as mushroom, seal, portabella or chai, depending on the underlying hues used, like a little pink or mauve. You can keep your color choice relevant if you anchor your décor with a nice neutral countertop and a dark floor.
We are seeing an increase in popularity in the Midwest – the trend started several years ago on the coasts – of two-tone cabinets in the kitchen. Our two newest showroom designs feature two-tone cabinetry set-ups. Light cabinets on the top with dark cabinets as the base adds interest and some great accessory options.
The official roll-out time for new colors used to be February – now cabinet companies sometimes announce their new colors in late Fall to spark some interest before the national show in January.
Don't get too bogged down in specific trends that you don't actually like! You have your own individual styles that you enjoy, so if you're passionate about a certain color or tone, follow that passion. You won't regret going with a choice that you love. You may regret going with a specific color that you didn't like, but experts told you that you "needed to buy."
The designers at Marling work with a wide range of cabinet lines including Merillat, Quality, Fieldstone Cabinets, KraftMaid, Aristokraft, Diamond Cabinets, Diamond Vibe Cabinets, Echelon Cabinetry and Kitchencraft. This information was compiled from our manufacturers as well as in-store sales across our locations. If you’re in the market for new cabinets and don't know what color to choose, schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our designers today.