Using Two Finishes in the Kitchen

Updated on: August 31, 2022

Mixing two finishes in your kitchen is a trend that has gained traction over the past few years, with many homeowners opting to select multiple finishes for their space. Check out most design magazines out there right now and chances are there is a two tone kitchen somewhere among the pages! You can approach this many ways when designing your kitchen; you can go subtle or you can go all out with bold color selections. There are two ways dual finishes are applied into kitchens. First, there is the choice to select one finish for the base cabinets and another finish for the upper cabinets. The second option would be to have one finish for all the wall cabinets and one finish for the island.

A very popular finish selection in two tone kitchens is white. White is a neutral and a great backdrop for so many other finishes. There are plenty of variations on white… you can go for a bright white or tone it down with an antique white finish; for something different, choose a bright white painted finish with a brushed gray glaze. Now that you have your white selected, it's time to choose the other cabinet finish.

For a modern twist to a traditional look, pair white painted cabinets with a rich, dark wood stain. To keep it grounded, I would suggest using the white as the wall cabinets and the dark stained finish on the island, or if you are only doing wall cabinets, place the white on top and the stained finish on the base cabinets.

If traditional isn't your style, choose a cool color palette by combining the white painted cabinets with a painted gray finish. Keep it cool and light with this combo by adding sleek cabinet hardware, white subway tile backsplash, and clear glass pendants.

Now, you don't only have to choose white painted cabinets if creating a two tone kitchen is what you are planning. For a very traditional look, take a lighter stained finish and pair it with a deep, dark stained finish. Again, I would put the lighter of the finishes on the wall cabinets or upper cabinets, depending on your design. And, don't underestimate the value of the black and white look… it's bold and timeless!