Country Living editors select each product featured. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Why Trust Us?
48 Best White Kitchen Ideas for a Room You'll Love Forever
Because a white kitchen is so much more than just an all-white box.
One thing is for sure—we'll never get tired of white kitchens. No matter the style of your home or your decorating tastes, a white color scheme can be the starting point to help you create the kitchen of your dreams. Whether you want a warm and rustic farmhouse kitchen, a crisp fresh cottage or coastal look, or a more modern space, the color white can help you get there. Small kitchens and galley kitchens especially benefit from white as a base because it helps open up the space and make it look and feel larger.
We know that white isn't a one color fits all, though, so get started by choosing the right white paint color for the look and feel you want to create. Cooler whites will give a crisp, airy look, while warmer whites feel calm and cozy. Cabinetry is an investment, but you'll never regret choosing white cabinets, whether ordering custom pre-finished cabinets or painting them yourself. (If you don't want white cabinets, white walls also pair nicely with green or blue cabinets!) Tip: When painting cabinetry, choose a cabinet-grade enamel paint for a flawless, chip-resistant finish.
Now on to the fun stuff! For a cozy farmhouse look, layer a white kitchen with warm woods (think butcher block countertops, a wood vent hood, or reclaimed ceiling beams) and vintage collections and accessories. Pairing white with rich, moody hues such as blue, green, or black, and accenting with brass finishes delivers a modern look. Classic subway tile and marble countertops make for an elegant white kitchen that's timeless and sophisticated.
Here we've rounded up the best white kitchen ideas that will appeal to both minimalists and vintage enthusiasts alike. You're sure to find a look you'll love!
Pretty, Yet Rustic White Farmhouse Kitchen
Soft gray concrete countertops pair well with limed oak barstools upholstered in a blue-and-white striped indoor-outdoor fabric. Reclaimed beams and floating shelves and a ceramic tile backsplash add to the room’s sit-and-stay awhile appeal. Green antique French lanterns (janetwiebeantiques.com) lend patina and color to the new kitchen.
Get the Look:
Wall Paint Color: Decorator's White by Benjamin Moore
Barstool Fabric: for similar, try “Ticking Indigo” by Bella Dura
RELATED: Take a look inside the rest of this dreamy Texas farmhouse.
Coastal Blue and White Kitchen
In order to add more soul throughout the largely blank kitchen of her family's lake house, designer Chenault James brought in a smattering of reclaimed touches. Her husband, Ed, owner of Four Board Woodworks, built all the kitchen cabinets out of weathered cypress. Diner-inspired barstools add retro charm to the light blue kitchen island topped with Vermont Danby honed marble countertops.
Get the Look:
Blue Cabinet Paint Color: Rhine River by Benjamin Moore
Bar Stools: Restaurant Swivel Bar Stool for a similar look
RELATED: Take a tour of the rest of this pretty and family-friendly Michigan lake home.
Warm Woods in a White Kitchen
Rather than flat drywall, designer Cathy Chapman prefers how white beadboard (on the ceiling) and shiplap (on the walls) offer ample farmhouse appeal. Reclaimed waxed hemlock floorboards lend the room a rich tone. A built-in hutch made of reclaimed pine floorboards holds dishes, a salvaged pine header crowns the
range, and walnut countertops carry up the backsplash for a cohesive look.
Get the Look:
Wall Paint Color: White Heron by Benjamin Moore
A Painted Floor in a White Kitchen
“The best way to express color and pattern in a kitchen is with a painted floor,” says designer Heather Chadduck Hillegas. To get a look similar to her kitchen floor, here, try a floor stencil, then give it instant age by using a paint sander to remove some paint. Coat with polyurethane.
Get the Look:
Trim and Cabinetry Paint Color: Shaded White by Farrow & Ball
Ceiling Paint Color: Swiss Coffee by Behr
Black and White Bistro-Style Kitchen
Black cabinetry pairs with to-the-ceiling subway tile for a modern look inspired by French bistros. A marble-like quartz wrapped island and countertops plus glass and brass bistro shelving complete the look.
Get the Look:
Cabinetry Paint Color: Tricorn Black by Sherwin-Williams
Countertop: “Ella” by Cambria
Shelves: “Freyja” from Wayfair
French Country White Kitchen
The airier space feels significantly larger thanks to crisp ceilings and walls, white cabinets newly crafted from scrap wood, and a sea of marble, including Carrara marble countertops, handcrafted marble-and-wood shelving, and a marble subway tile backsplash. Maria replaced blue panels on her Lacanche “Volnay” range for white and piled in French standbys including ironstone, breadboards, vintage baskets, copper pots, and an old French sieve that hangs above the range. The couple also replaced linoleum floors with a herringbone patterned alternative in black oak, which they were chagrined to find out has a tendency to turn pink when staining. Thanks to a call for help on Instagram, they found a crowd-sourced solution: Woca oil by Woca.
Get the Look:
Wall and Cabinetry Color: All White by Farrow & Ball
A Statement Island in a White Kitchen
This open and airy chef’s kitchen has everything homeowner Jeff Strauss could want, including a 10 1/2-by- 6-foot island that provides storage for roughly 150 of his thousand-odd cookbooks. It’s topped with a four-inch-thick slab of walnut that required about eight men to carry it into the house. Vintage stools in a happy shade of green convert the work space into a handy dining area.
Get the Look:
Wall Paint Color: Simply White by Benjamin Moore
A Mix of Metals in a White Kitchen
In their gray and white kitchen, Dr. Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell combined a mix of finishes—copper hood and cookware, bronze hardware, nickel fixtures—to give the traditional space a modern edge. “We believe in the rule of three,” says Brent. “We wouldn't have just two metals in the kitchen, but three makes it work.”
Get the Look:
Trim Paint Color: Smoke & Mirrors by Benjamin Moore
Cabinetry Paint Color: Street Chic by Benjamin Moore
RELATED: Tour the rest of Brent and Josh's recently renovated Beekman 1802 farmhouse.
Patterned Tile Backsplash in a White Kitchen
A hand-painted Portuguese tile backsplash serves up a fresh focal point in this tiny 8-by-12-foot galley kitchen. White cabinets, countertops, and appliances help the space look bigger than it is.
RELATED: See more of this charming Cashiers, North Carolina cottage.
Shaker-Style Gray and White Kitchen
Primitive stools, maple knobs, and painted Shaker-style cabinets root this spacious kitchen in rusticity while allowing for a few modern conveniences, including a La Cornue stove, glazed subway tile, and gray concrete countertops. Covering a factory-grade hood with wood is a creative solution that keeps the room feeling open, airy, and bright.
Get the Look:
Wall Paint Color: White Dove by Benjamin Moore
Paint Color: Strong White by Farrow & Ball
Mantel Paint Color: Repose Gray by Sherwin-Williams
Simple and Modern White Kitchen
In this small, modern rustic kitchen, simple flat-fronted cabinets from Ikea are topped with hardwood countertops. An iron pot rail on one wall and a chalkboard covered pull-out pantry on another bring storage with personality. In lieu of a bulky island, an oak farmhouse table allows the small kitchen to double as a dining room.
Stone Walls and Beams in a White Kitchen
Homeowner Petra Ivanov brought in clean-lined white Ikea cabinetry as a modern counterpoint to her 1700s home's original stone wall. The adjacent wall is covered in classic white subway tile with dark gray grout, which also lends graphic, modern touch to the otherwise rustic space
RELATED: See more of this beautifully renovated 1730s stone house.
Antique Accessories in a White Kitchen
To add air to the 11-by-13-foot kitchen in her tiny fixer-upper, homeowner Jen Curtis chose to omit upper cabinets and install a skylight for maximum natural light. An antique French farm table acts as both a work island and an eat-in setup, while framed artwork and other living room-worthy accessories situated throughout the space make it feel more like a well-appointed room rather than a kitchen.
Get the Look:
Wall and Cabinetry Paint Color: Simply White by Benjamin Moore
Moody Blue and White Modern Cottage Kitchen
By mixing rustic and industrial materials such as a wood table and brass-strapped shelves, architect Steve Giannetti and designer Brooke Giannetti of Patina Home & Garden created a richly layered kitchen. Inspired by the outdoors, Steve chose a deep blue paint with green undertones for the back wall’s lower cabinets. The other cabinets feature a soft gray instead to convey a feeling of a separate freestanding piece.
Get the Look:
Back Wall Lower Cabinets: Hague Blue by Farrow & Ball
Front Lower Cabinets: Worsted by Farrow & Ball
Primitive Farmhouse White Kitchen
When it came time to choose the lighting in this all-white modern farmhouse kitchen, homeowner Hadley Wiggins-Marin found matching milk glass shades and then went to a lighting store and pieced them all together for “new” sconces. Vertical paneling, shelves, and lower cabinets are all painted a crisp white for a seamless look. An old printing-press work table is now a one-of-a-kind kitchen island.
Patterned Rug in a White Kitchen
Thanks to vintage finds and collected-over-time accessories, this charming coastal cottage kitchen is full of character. The black window trim and Aztec-inspired rug both bring a graphic touch to the otherwise rustic space. A pair of wicker sconces, bread boards, raw wood shelving, reclaimed wood-clad ceilings, and butcher block countertops add warmth to this cozy galley.
Painted Floors and Furniture in a White Kitchen
White walls and cabinets make way for bright and chippy painted floors and furniture, like this antique table that serves as a quirky work space. Colorful accessories stand out on built-in shelves. The overall mismatch quality solidifies the quaint cottage aesthetic.
Get the Look:
Wall and Cabinetry Paint Color: All White by Farrow & Ball
Black and White Checkerboard Floor
This sunny kitchen of designer Alexis Garrett captures this home’s old spirit, thanks to crisp board-and-batten walls, open shelving, and a white retro-inspired refrigerator. The checkered floor, laid with black grout, offers a charming contrast.
Get the Look:
Wall Paint Color: Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore
Tile: For similar, 8"-by-8" Villa Lagoon from Home Depot
Skirted White Kitchen
In small kitchens or pantries, hefty stainless steel appliances tend to overpower the room. An easy fix (for ice makers or sinks needing hidden storage) is a simple skirt, like the blue-trimmed one here. You can easily replicate this look with just a yard of fabric and a tension rod.
Get the Look:
Cabinetry Paint Color: Classic Light Buff by Sherwin-Williams
Metal Accents in a Gray and White Kitchen
The black brackets on these shelves make a bold, industrial statement in a white and gray kitchen. Mix metals for added interest (note the brass cabinet pulls and stainless steel appliances).
Erin Cavoto is the Editorial Assistant at ThePioneerWoman.com, covering food, holidays, home decor, and more.
Jennifer Kopf is the Executive Editor of Country Living. She also covers antiques and collecting.
Upgrade Your Staircase With These Stylish Ideas
Living Room Decorating Ideas You'll Love
Our Favorite Living Room Paint Colors
Our Favorite Ways to Add Soul to the Bathroom
