Cream Kitchen Cabinets Don’t Have to Feel Dated—Just Look at These 13

White kitchen cabinets get all the attention. Sure, they’re great for creating a clean backdrop and brightening even the most cramped of rooms—but we’re ready for a little warmth. It’s time to consider cream kitchen cabinets. Every bit as calming and pared back as their counterparts yet less stark, they’re a breath of fresh air with a touch of lived-in charm. That said, there’s no rule about having to make them rustic. The trick to having ivory paint feel fresh is a magic formula of the right shade and the appropriate accoutrements—you know, oversize hardware, counters in a natural material, and even styling. Whether you’re planning to buy or DIY new fronts, here are 13 spaces with cream kitchen cabinets (and their exact paint swatches!) that are at the top of our mood boards.

The One That Works on the Wall, Too: Piano Room by Portola Paints

In her client’s Newport Beach, California, home, designer Ashley Clark painted both the cabinets and the grooved walls in the kitchen this earthy hue to make the new white porcelain counters feel less cold. Clark continued the strategy by using the color throughout the house on all the baseboards and many of the interior doors and in the primary bedroom. 

The Appliance-Approved Tone: Linen by DeVol

Cream isn’t just for millwork. British kitchen maker DeVol combined its own special shade on the cabinets (dubbed Linen for it’s cloudlike undertones) with a more yellow-hued cooker range by Esse. The tonal coordination provides extra visual interest without overwhelming the tiny U-shaped space. 

The One That Complements Cool and Warm: Creamy by Sherwin-Williams

For their roughly $38,500 kitchen renovation, Emily and David White splurged on custom inset Shaker-style cabinetry crafted out of maple wood. Sealing their investment is this safe yet sophisticated cream, which the brand describes as a bright white with the softest of yellow undertones and pairs nicely with terracotta hues like its Reynard.  

The English Cream: School House White by Farrow & Ball

To emulate the feeling of an antique country kitchen in her Brooklyn apartment, Mallory Fletchall opted for a soft off-white to coordinate with her vintage-style fridge. “I didn’t want it to look like a white modern box,” she says. “I really wanted there to be personality and coziness.”

The Greige: Sandbar by Sherwin-Williams

Photography by Kat and Thomas Jamieson

Lifestyle blogger Kat Jamieson’s Connecticut home was “fine,” she says, but the white kitchen cabinets felt cold against equally snowy walls. To add some warmth, she painted the boxes a cream-greige shade and kept the white to the new marble countertops.

The Sunny Shade: Harvest Moon by Backdrop

Photography by Elizabeth Carababas; Styling by Abby Pendergrast

French fashion influencer Jen Azoulay knows a thing or two about looking chic and effortless. So when it came time to choose colors for her Los Angeles home, she settled on brass hardware to purposefully bring out the yellow undertones of her newly painted cabinets. You’d never know they’re from IKEA.

The Almost White: Shadow White by Farrow & Ball

Photography by Yuki Sugiura; Styling by Jennifer Kay

Judith Achumba-Wöllenstein couldn’t stand the glossy finish of her London kitchen cabinets. A fresh coat of paint would have solved the problem, but wrapping the cupboards in off-white vinyl was actually more affordable. Oversize wood pulls, a peachy zellige backsplash, and black scalloped shelves keep the sleek silhouettes from feeling builder grade.

The Classic: Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore

Studio McGee knows a thing or two about showstopping kitchens, and in this particular room, it all came down to a medley of cupboard types. There are short drawers and tall cabinets; glass panes and solid wood. It makes the simple color far more interesting—plus the blue-gray stove just out of view adds the right amount of contrast. 

The Soft Clay: Downy by Sherwin-Williams

In this Naked Kitchens corner, oak shelving breaks up the clay hue. Choose a mix of open and closed storage to shake up the design; bonus points if you want to follow suit with some elegant molding. Keep the natural theme going with matching butcher block countertops, and you’ve got yourself a winning recipe. 

The Cloudy Gray: White Wisp by Benjamin Moore

From a distance, the most striking thing about Erin Hiemstra’s kitchen is the floor-to-ceiling built-ins. But look closer and you’ll notice a little quirk: Almost all the hardware is different. Some doors have two knobs, others have one, and the main pair has none at all—it features sleek pulls. Uniformity is overrated anyway. 

The Café au Lait: Wimborne White by Farrow & Ball

The trademark cabinet borders may be there, true, but this Space Exploration–designed loft is anything but cookie-cutter. Chalk it up to superthin brass handles and a particular tint of café au lait paint. Paired with a contemporary accordion sconce and matte black accents, the whole space feels current. 

The Cool Neutral: Whipped by Clare

Checkerboard floors. Tiled counters. On paper, this combination shouldn’t work, but Madelynn Furlong made it happen. It’s all about picking a cooler cream hue for the walls and cupboards to counteract all the beige.

The Vintage Vibe: Antique White by Jolie Paint

Farmhouse isn’t for everyone, but when done right, like in Liza Reyes‘s sunny spot complete with wood countertops, leather pulls, and a skirted sink, it’s the design version of a big hug. If you’re going to go the old-school-charm route with your cream kitchen cabinets, you may as well lean in.