Color Schemes That Go With Oak Cabinets

You can keep your oak cabinets and still have a modern home! Get our tips and ideas for updating the look of your cabinetry, trim, and home.

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Color Schemes That Work

BLACK AND WHITE – Whether you add white to your countertops or on your walls, a crisp white will help brighten any space with oak cabinets.
LIGHTER PASTELS – Try a light green or blue to help tone down the orange of your cabinets.
MUTED RICH COLORS – Rich greens, blues, and charcoal colors can offset the warm wood colors.

paint swatches with text what color go with oak cabinets.

A few of the kitchen images below showcase how you can add bright white to complement the space. A fun backsplash is a great place to do this in a kitchen. You can get these relatively inexpensively (and it won’t look cheap).

Opting for a classic white subway tile can work, but we also love the unique geometric white tiles you can get to help modernize your space.

5 Real-Life Home Designs With Oak Cabinets

whitewashed oak bathroom vanity with gold handles and faucet, white counters.

Gold Hardware With Light Colors

This 90s oak vanity got a facelift by stripping off two different layers of stain and adding a whitewash to it. The white counters with gold hardware allowed us to have a little fun with the wall paint colors.

https://simplestylings.com/

Classic Neutral Colors With A Funky Twist

By adding a cool, funky light fixture in this neutral space, our friends were able to get a completely fresh look without painting or tearing out their old cabinets.

oak kitchen cabinets in modern looking kitchen makeover.

Wicker Light Fixtures Mixed With White and Black Details

Here is just another great example of how a black-and-white color scheme can help modernize oak cabinets. Upgrade your kitchen or bathroom by adding a fun geometric white tile backsplash, matte black hardware and natural wicker light fixtures to complement the space.

12 More Ways To Make Oak Look Modern

oak cabinets with green board batten in bathroom.

https://guitarandlace.com/

Earthy Jewel Tones With Oak Cabinets

This darker green board and batten wall is the perfect complement to the white fixtures and jewel toned shower curtain. This small powder room proves you can get a modern and comfortable bathroom while keeping your oak cabinets.

oak bottom cabinets with white painted upper cabinets in a kitchen.

https://www.elabobak.com/

Paint Your Upper Cabinets White

This kitchen got an instant facelift by leaving the oak cabinets on the bottom and painting the upper cabinets white. We love this idea as it is much easier to keep wood cabinets clean. No one wants to have to wipe white lower cabinets all time.

modern vintage bathroom with wood accents.

refreshliving.us

Mixing Wood Tones and Light Colors

Do you see that classic oak baseboard trim? You don't even notice it in this cool bathroom remodel. By mixing different wood tones, light paint colors, and styles, this bathroom has a super cool vibe without painting the oak trim.

Colors To Avoid

Avoid using warm colors such as oranges or yellows when choosing a color scheme.
While you might be tempted to try browns and beiges, be careful. They may also make the whole room feel too warm. Instead opt for a greige type color such as SW Accessible Beige, Agreeable Gray or Repose Gray.
No matter what color you choose, test your colors at different times of the day and in different lighting situations.

Do you need help deciding what color of paint to use?

We recently just tried Samplize, which beats having to buy individual paint samples. These 9″ x 14.75″ samples will be shipped directly to you and save the hassle of clean-up (we loved that). See our full review here.

Have fun decorating your space with oak cabinets. While we love a honey oak painting project, changing the colors around the oak can really update a space while showcasing the beauty of the wood.