Cherry wood kitchen cabinets ooze luxury with their deep, warm wood hues. The red undertones allow for a variety of colour schemes to sit alongside them but getting the right one can be hard.
Choosing the wrong kitchen colour scheme with cherry cabinets can leave your space feeling underwhelming, mismatched, dark and, worst of all, unstylish. Whether you want to tone the crimson shade of the cupboards down or make it pop, we’ve narrowed it down to the top 15 schemes that will best suit your cabinets – as well as the best paint color schemes with cherry cabinets!
Cherry Wood Kitchens
A timeless kitchen style, cherry wood cabinets have long been a major player in the décor world, and they never go out of style!
Carpenters and kitchen fitters love cherry wood as it is a high-quality, durable material making it ideal for a hard-working area such as a kitchen.
Whilst the wood can be dyed if you don’t like its traditional red hued finish, we prefer to keep it ‘au natural’ and work the room around these gorgeous, cherry-coloured cabinets.
What Colours Compliment Cherry Wood Cabinets?
1. White
The most obvious choice when it comes to what colour goes best with cherry cabinets has to be white. A white wall provides a stark contrast to the deeper wood tones.
If you are looking for a colour that can brighten a kitchen with cherry cabinets, then this is it, as it instantly makes a room light and airy.
Those with smaller spaces will also love white with their cherry wood cabinets as it opens the room up, creating that illusion of space.
If your kitchen needs brightening, consider painting the top cabinets white and leaving the floor level ones in natural cherry wood, like this image shows.
Our Choice:
Pros
- Helps cabinets to pop
- Keeps space light and airy
Cons
- Bland colour scheme
2. Cream
Painting your kitchen walls in cream is a softer alternative to white and creates a warm, inviting environment without the starkness that comes from using white. It balances out the rich cherry tones of the cabinets to create a more neutral space, overall.
If you do opt for cream, then inject some colour with accessories that make the space pop or some contrasting tiles, just to provide that added visual interest.
Our Choice:
Pros
- Soft tone for homely feel
Cons
- Requires accessorising to add definition
- Lack of visual interest
3. Grey
Grey is a great alternative for those who find that both white and cream are a bit “overdone”. It has the same subtlety as white and cream but provides a more contemporary edge.
Combined with stainless steel appliances and silver hardware for a modern finish, grey painted walls allow cherry wood cabinets to shine in all their glory.
When looking for what shade of grey goes with cherry cabinets, opt for blue-grey hues as the coolness helps to highlight the warmth of your red-toned wood.
Pros
- Modern
- Highlights warmth of wood
- On-trend
Cons
- Darker greys overwhelm the room
4. Pale Green
For those wanting a more interesting colour, then consider a pale green. Sage green is a great option for a kitchen as it won’t dominate the room, leaving your cherry wood cabinets to do the talking.
Providing a fresh, airy feel, pale green opens up your space. Green has a neutralising effect on red so it will work to balance out the warmer tones of the cabinets, brightening the wood colour to help it stand out.
Pros
- Keeps a room light and airy
- Balances out red tones
Cons
- Can look dated
5. Pale Yellow
When combined with cherry wood cabinets, yellow creates a warm and happy kitchen space. Stick to pale, lemony yellows as they work best with the darkness of cherry wood cabinets.
Our Choice:
Pros
- Brightens up space
- Happy colour
Cons
- Darker yellows can overpower room
6. Navy
Opting for an elegant navy paint to pair with your cherry cupboards will help to tone down the red and keep the look of your kitchen more understated. Navy is a timeless colour that will give your cherry wood kitchen a contemporary feel.
Pros
- Modern
- Elegant
Cons
- Can make space feel quite dark
7. White and an Accent Colour
White walls will really help your cherry wood kitchen cabinets sing, but it can be quite a minimalistic choice. Brighten up the space with a pop of colour via your accessory choices. Using potted plants or a floral arrangement can inject some much-needed colour in both a fresh and modern way.
Our Choice:
Pros
- Fresh
- Modern
- Bright
Cons
- Accessories are needed to brighten space
8. Black and Gold
Pops of gold and black in a cherry wood kitchen provide a real injection of luxury to a kitchen space. The use of gold, in places such as drawer handles, prevents black accents from overwhelming the space as both the black and cherry wood cabinets are strong, dark tones. The overall result is one of subtle opulence. To help avoid the room becoming overly dark with this colour scheme, your lighting considerations will be important to get right.
Pros
- Luxurious
- Impactful space
Cons
- Can darken room
9. Beige and Black
Beige in a cherry wood kitchen is great for those wanting an informal feel. Maintain a relaxed, understated vibe with warmer beige shades; you could even consider tiling over paint to add some texture.
Tie the look together with black accents, using accessories, lighting, hardware, and even seating to add more depth to the space.
Pros
- Luxurious
- Impactful space
Cons
- Can darken room
10. Black Accents
Using black accents with cherry wood cabinets really helps to soften the red tones of the wood whilst maintaining a striking space.
Keep the wall space light, using super soft greys or white and then introduce impactful accents of black with accessories, or even on some of the upper cupboard doors like this image demonstrates.
If you want a modern, more industrial kitchen, then this colour combination will work wonders for you!
Pros
- Elegant
- Impactful
- Contemporary
Cons
- Not for those who don’t like modern styles
11. Silver Accents
Update your cherry wood kitchen by introducing stainless steel appliances along with silver hardware and accessories. Keep wall spaces light in delicate grey tones or simply white allowing the silver to bring some timeless elegance to the space.
Pros
- Contemporary finish
Cons
- Expensive to replace appliances
12. Natural Tones
Neutral shades provide an ideal backdrop for cherry cabinets as they allow the wood to take centre stage. Make a real feature of the cabinets by opting for a natural sand or stone shade as they often have more depth and warmth to them compared to traditional whites and creams.
Pros
- More interesting than white and cream
- Classic colours
- Adds depth
Cons
- Can seem bland
13. Beige and Grey
Grey is an on-trend interior colour right now. Combined with beige or off-white, it is a stylish choice when you have cherry cabinets. Choose grey countertops, or splashbacks, and bring in soft whites and beiges to the walls and flooring to help soften the redness of the cabinets. In turn, this creates a balanced, inviting space.
Pros
- Softens red tones in cabinets
- On-trend
Cons
- Can darken the room
14. Red
Make a statement by introducing red into your cherry wood kitchen. Not for the faint hearted, this energetic pairing breathes real life into a kitchen space. Opt for more vivid red shades as deeper tones will darken the room. Add in pops of white and black to add definition and contrast.
Pros
- Impactful
- Creates a warm space
Cons
- Very bright and bold
15. Taupe
Taupe works well against the rouge tones of cherry wood kitchen cabinets and, if it’s a statement you’re looking to make, then this is an unusual (but effective) way of doing it.
The grey-brown tones of taupe combined with warm cherry wood balance each other out to give a sophisticated finish.
Pros
- Sophisticated
- Balances warm tones
Cons
- Simple colourways
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Colour White Goes With Cherry Cabinets?
Most shades of white work well with cherry cabinets. The shade you choose will depend on the feel you are trying to create in the room. For example, if you want a warmth to the space then opt for a shade like Bright White (Pantone No 11-0601 TCX). If you prefer a cool white, choose one with a grey undertone, Star White (Pantone No 11-4202 TPX) may be more suitable.
What is the Best Wood Floor Colour for Cherry Cabinets?
Lighter wood floors, such as maple or a distressed oak, will work well against the darker tones of cherry wood. Combining dark flooring with dark kitchen cabinets will make the room seem smaller so, where possible, always go for a light-coloured floor!
What Countertops Go With Light Cherry Cabinets?
If you have lighter cherry wood cabinets, then opt for countertops that have gold or yellow tones to them. This will help to balance out your kitchen space. If you want something more striking, then a black granite countertop would provide maximum impact.
Is a Cherry Wood Kitchen Dated?
Cherry kitchen cabinets are far from dated; in fact, they’re deemed a classic in the kitchen world. Both practical (owing to their durability) and timeless in style, they’re a statement colour but if this isn’t your preference, then you could always stain them.
Conclusion
Whilst some may consider cherry wood cabinets dated, they are anything but that! Paired with the right colour scheme, you can have the kitchen of your dreams without the inconvenience of having a new kitchen fitted. Be sure to check out our other helpful interior guides here.
