Paint Color Ideas With Dark Cherry Cabinets

Lighter Paint Colors

• Choosing a lighter paint color for your walls highlights the cabinets and makes the cabinets the focal point of the room. Though cherry is a warm color, it pairs nicely with cooler shades of slate gray or periwinkle blue. The lighter colors pick up the background colors in the cherry stain, creating a cohesive look in the kitchen.

Neutral Shades

• Neutral shades of cream, eggshell white and off white complement the richness of cherry wood and help tone down the wood. Pick a neutral shade if you use a darker wood in the room or use cherry in other areas. Cherry moldings, furnishings and cabinets may overwhelm a space. While the color feels warm, too much may make the room feel heavy and even small. Painting the walls a neutral color breaks up the cherry color, while still retaining the warm feeling.

Darker Paints

• Darker colors lend a dramatic touch to the kitchen. The problem with lighter colors is that the paint shows stains from food and other debris in the space. Some shades like white and cream may even develop yellow streaks from oil and cooking fumes. The darker colors show less stains of this type. Choose darker colors with a richness, such as ruby red or navy blue. Red colors pick up the red tones in the cherry, while other darker shades tone down that redness. Darker colors work better in larger rooms, as the combination of dark shades make a smaller room feel even smaller. Use a lighter or neutral shade on the moldings and baseboards in the room. The lighter color keeps the darker colors from taking over the room.

Considerations

• When painting your kitchen, consider the ceiling. A darker ceiling in a larger kitchen brings the ceiling down, making the room feel more warm and inviting. A lighter color in a smaller room draws the eye up and makes the room feel larger. Always pick colors that complement the cherry without detracting from the wood. Painting the ceiling a shade lighter than the walls adds more dimension to the kitchen.