Upgrade a basic color scheme with our green kitchen cabinet ideas. From mint to sage, emerald to aloe, there's a perfect green shade for everyone, bringing a touch of nature into the home.
Whether you team it with crisp white for an ultra-fresh look or jet black for a touch of edgy modernity, green works really well with textures like embossed tiles, wood, and metallics too. Our interior designers delved into nine of their favorite green cabinet ideas to give you a taste of the possibilities for your home.
Depending on which shade you choose, green can be calming or revitalizing, and it suits both traditional and modern kitchen design ideas.
9 green kitchen cabinet ideas to inspire you
Tired of your current color scheme? Our green kitchen cabinet ideas will breathe new life into your space. And, whether you choose a pale or dark shade, green cabinets will give you a timeless look and inspiration for colorful kitchen ideas.
Prices were correct at the time this article was published.
1. Olive green
For subdued green kitchen cabinets, consider a dark olive. It's a shade that adds depth to a scheme and looks fabulous with textures.
"These dark olive cabinets are a rich shade that can pair so well with both rustic wood accents as well as patterned, more feminine backsplash tiles," explains Kate Marker, founder, Kate Marker Interiors.
"For this kitchen in particular, which happens to be my former house, we used reclaimed herringbone wood floor to add depth in the form of varying wood tones and movement of pattern in this long space," she adds.
The two textures together really complement the matt olive green cabinets perfectly. For a similar olive shade, try Lick's Green 02 Matt.
Kate Marker, hailing from the deep Midwest, has cultivated her distinctive, fresh, and timeless design aesthetic over a career spanning more than two decades. Based in the Chicago area, her portfolio now encompasses projects across the nation.
2. Mint green
Reminiscent of boiled mint sweets, this green kitchen cabinet shade won't be going on our worst colors for kitchens list anytime list. Mint is really easy to love, easy on the eye and goes with pretty much any scheme.
It's a color that will also work in a north-facing kitchen as it has 'warming' tones, but you can just as easily pair it with a chrome theme for a modern touch.
"This house (pictured above) is 45 minutes north of Memphis, so it has somewhat of a “country” feel," says Tara Felice, founder, Tara Felice Interiors. "We wanted to bring in the nature that surrounds the home, but do it in a more subtle way. This green was an obvious choice that softens the large scale of the kitchen. Anything bolder would have been overwhelming."
Speaking of country vibes, Annie Sloan CBE, paint and color expert adds, "Soft greens suit country schemes, and are better in large open plan kitchen diners where you want the space to allow for restful dining."
Annie Sloan CBE invented Chalk Paint™ in 1990, she is widely considered one of the world's leading authorities in paint, color and style.
3. Forest green
For contrast and depth, opt for a green hue that's dark, moody and bang on kitchen trends. It may feel a little scary to take the plunge into darker colors, but if you use it sparingly or team it with white, it will look fantastic.
"Quite utilitarian and perfect for kitchens, dark green feels very old school, we love the way it instantly makes a piece of furniture feel very grown up and above fashion or trends. Mix with aged brass for a really classic look," suggests Helen Parker, creative director of deVOL Kitchens.
Helen Parker is deVOL's Creative Director. Joining in 2004 as a kitchen designer, by 2011 she had become responsible for deVOL's style, creating one-of-a-kind showrooms, sourcing antiques and gifts and designing new pieces of furniture and accessories.
Price: $2 for a peel & stick sample
A moss green that has a hint of yellow making it ideal for a cooler, north facing kitchen that needs warming up.
Price: $2.50 for a sheet sample
For a fun, bold look, paint your cabinets in this lime green shade, team with white for balance.
Price: $16 for a sample
A dynamic green that will brighten a dark kitchen. This shade on your cabinets will look great with pink walls.
4. Opt for two shades
This can be a great option to consider if you can't decide on one particular shade, or you want to create a different look.
“A combination of coordinating green tones add texture, softness and warmth to a space," advises Richard Moore, design director, Martin Moore. "The mixed palette adds visual interest and pairs nicely with natural materials, such as wood and stone."
Opting for different shades of green prevents the look from becoming too blocky, and can help differentiate the various zones within the kitchen.
Kate Marker agrees, "Green kitchen cabinets evoke the sensation of bringing the outdoors inside, transforming your cooking space into a natural sanctuary. This connection with nature can serve as a wellspring of inspiration, infusing your cooking experience with creativity."
Lick's pale Green 09 Matt is a good match to the wall cabinets and Walmart's Glidden Speed Grab-N-Go interior wall paint for the lower cabinets.
Richard Moore is the design director of Martin Moore. Founded in 1975 by his parents, Martin and Barbara Moore, Martin Moore has been creating bespoke, handmade kitchens for over 48 years. Richard heads the company alongside his brother, Michael Moore.
5. Hunter green
For a cozier feel go deeper with a hunter green. It looks great in small kitchens and if you love a dramatic aesthetic, team it with crisp white to nail the bold contrast. If you're budget is small, consider some easy budget kitchen upgrades.
"The wonderful thing about green is that it has integrity in spades, whether choosing the softest pastel mints to dark and moody forest greens," says Patrick O'Donnell, brand ambassador, Farrow & Ball. "Play around with shades of such as a beautiful larder in the darkest of greens but with a shock of verdant green painted on the interior."
Another top tip from Patrick is to try a single color in a range of finishes. He adds, "Try a flat finish for your walls, full gloss on lower cabinetry, and eggshell on your wall cabinets to create a cohesive yet interesting design motif."
Patrick O’Donnell has been bringing his impeccable eye for color to Farrow & Ball since 2012. Over that time, he has been a showroom manager, global color consultancy manager, and now brand ambassador.
6. Sage green
Perhaps one of the most popular shades of green over recent years, sage is easy on the eye and has a cheerful light mid-tone. It's no wonder so many kitchen collections, such as Drew Barrymore's Beautiful range, include this shade.
Green is a fantastic choice for the kitchen, infusing the space with freshness and vitality. Here, for the cabinetry, we tapped into the subtle tones of sage green and olive, balancing them with our Crane Fonda wallpaper in Palm Green," says Jamie Watkins, co-founder, Divine Savages.
Teaming wallpaper with green cabinets is a way to create cohesion across your scheme, Jamie advises, adding, "Consider visiting DIY stores that offer bespoke mixing services, where you can provide a sample of your wallpaper for them to match the color precisely. This personalized approach ensures that your cabinetry and any other woodwork harmonizes seamlessly with the wallpaper, elevating the overall aesthetic of your kitchen."
Divine Savages specialises in creating exquisitely crafted wallpapers, fabrics, accessories and limited edition art prints for the brave and bold. It was founded by husbands Jamie Watkins and Tom Kennedy in 2017.
Price: $42.99 per roll
Size (in): W20.5 x L198
A bold tropical leaf wallpaper design that will go with plenty of green shades.
Price: $36.98 per roll
Size (in): W21 x L384
Add character with this striking 3D wall paneling design that comes in green.
Price: $101.99 per roll
Size (in): W20.5 x L33
A graphic design that has a hint of Art Deco, ideal for those who love visual intrigue in their designs.
7. Primary green
If you want to embrace green fully then choose a shade that's vibrant and bold. Keep the walls plain and paint the cabinets for a look that's fresh, avoiding outdated kitchen cabinet trends.
"Green kitchen cabinets bring freshness to your kitchen, and since green is such a multifaceted shade there’s a shade for every space and personality. Bright, vivid greens look and feel fantastic in dynamic kitchens and will add a little extra something to meals in the same way some chopped herbs can elevate a dish with their lively springiness," says paint and color expert, Annie Sloan CBE.
Richard Moore adds, "People are being braver and having more fun with color in the kitchen. Previously our clients were choosing bold colors, such as electric blue and hot pink, for smaller accent pieces in the kitchen. However, today we are seeing an increase in the number of people opting for bright, fresh colors throughout the kitchen."
8. Aloe green
This stunning kitchen, above, is a great example of how you can have green painted cabinets but in a beautiful elegant shade.
"The kitchen cabinet color is Benjamin Moore's Ashwood, and it is a light, versatile gray with a soothing aloe-toned cast," says Brad Ramsey, principal and founder, Brad Ramsey Interiors.
He adds, "Paired with the pale green subway tile backsplash, the kitchen takes on a lovely indoor/outdoor connection with the adjacent courtyard. The result is an organic and soft infusion of color while staying very neutral and universal in appeal."
9. Emerald green
Jewel like shades like emerald are quite unique in their tone, punchy and vibrant, they really make a statement. Choose a similar toned green to take up the walls for an eye-catching look that's all encompassing.
Ruth Mottershead, creative director of Little Greene explains, "When choosing colors for a kitchen, it’s important to consider the colors that already exist within the space, be that furniture, flooring or furnishings, these elements should be included as colors within your palette to draw out the style you wish to follow.
Consider enveloping a kitchen space with sumptuous, deep tonal colors such as ‘Harley Green’ paired with ‘Tea with Florence’ to provide a luxurious, nurturing and intimate feel in a contemporary kitchen."
Ruth Mottershead, creative director of Little Greene, has been working in her family’s business for 12 years. She writes content for the company’s marketing material, manages photoshoots and communicates with Little Greene and Paint & Paper Library’s customers.
Green kitchen schemes will invoke a peacefulness in your kitchen, painting your cabinets in one of the fabulous shades will give you a space that's refreshing and stylish.
"The harmony of green hues create a rejuvenating and calming atmosphere which embraces the beauty of nature indoors, whether your vision is a delightful haven or a lush garden oasis, it makes for the most inviting space in which to cook, work and entertain," says Jamie Watkins.
Next, delve into the beautiful green kitchen ware, starting with Sage, a new Le Creuset color that has us swooning.