The five kitchen colours we were asked for most in 2026 were sage and deeper greens, warm greys and greige, navy, warm off-whites and charcoal or anthracite. Green leads for traditional and shaker kitchens, navy and charcoal for modern and handleless ones, and off-white remains the safest long-term choice. Below are named shades for each, the finish we would pair with it and the kitchens it suits.
Key facts: Any of these colours can be sprayed onto your existing doors and cabinets. A kitchen respray starts from £1,500, typically takes 3 to 5 working days and carries a 5-year written guarantee. The shade names below are starting points; we can match any RAL, Farrow & Ball, Little Greene or Dulux reference.
1. Greens: Sage, Olive and Forest
Green has been the leading kitchen colour for several years and still is. The move is away from bright, saturated greens towards softer, earthier tones: sage, olive and deep forest green.
These pair naturally with brass or brushed gold handles and wooden worktops, and they suit both shaker and modern doors. Shades customers often bring to us include Farrow & Ball Green Smoke for a deep green and Little Greene Sage Green for a softer one.
Best for: shaker and traditional units, oak or walnut worktops, and north- or east-facing kitchens, where a warm sage holds its colour better than a cool grey.
Finish: matt or satin. Matt deepens the colour; satin is easier to wipe in a family kitchen.
2. Warm Greys and Greige
Greige, a blend of grey and beige, has quietly become one of the most chosen kitchen colours. It is warmer than pure grey and more versatile than beige, and it works with almost any worktop and floor.
Cool greys can look flat in the soft, often overcast northern light; greige keeps some warmth without being overwhelming. Farrow & Ball Ammonite and Mole's Breath are popular references at the lighter and darker ends.
Best for: open-plan kitchens, stone or quartz worktops, and anyone who wants a colour that will not date quickly.
Finish: satin, whose slight sheen suits the neutral character of greige.
3. Navy and Dark Blue
Dark blue kitchens have gone from aspirational to mainstream. Navy is now one of the most requested colours for base cabinets, often paired with lighter wall cabinets or open shelving. Farrow & Ball Hague Blue and RAL 5011 Steel Blue are common references.
The key with navy is light. In a bright kitchen, ideally with south- or west-facing windows, navy gives depth and character. In a darker room it can feel heavy, which is why many people choose navy on the base units with off-white or pale grey above.
Best for: well-lit kitchens, two-tone schemes and modern or handleless designs.
Finish: satin, or gloss on handleless doors.
4. Off-White and Warm Cream
Brilliant white is declining. The move is towards off-whites, creams and linen tones, which have warmth and character without the clinical feel of a stark white kitchen. Farrow & Ball Pointing and Shaded White, or RAL 9001 Cream, are typical starting points.
These are not the magnolia creams of twenty years ago. They are forgiving, work in almost any kitchen regardless of style, size or aspect, and are the most timeless of the five.
Best for: shaker and traditional kitchens, small or north-facing rooms, and anyone who wants a timeless rather than trend-led result.
Finish: satin. Matt works but marks more easily.
5. Charcoal and Anthracite
At the bold end, charcoal and anthracite (RAL 7016, or Farrow & Ball Railings for a blue-black) give a dramatic, contemporary kitchen. They read almost as black but with more depth and less harshness.
The best charcoal kitchens have good natural and artificial lighting. Handleless designs suit these colours particularly well, because hardware interrupts the clean dark surface.
Best for: open-plan spaces with good light, modern handleless designs, and confident colour choices.
Finish: matt. It stops a dark surface looking shiny or plastic.
How to Choose the Right Colour for Your Kitchen
- Look at it at different times of day. Morning light, afternoon light and evening lighting all change how a colour reads.
- Work with what is staying. Worktops, flooring, tiles and appliances are not changing, so the cabinet colour has to suit all of them.
- Consider the aspect. North-facing kitchens suit warmer colours such as sage, cream and greige. South-facing kitchens can carry cooler and darker colours.
- Use bold colours on the base units. If you love a strong colour but are unsure, put it on the base cabinets and keep the wall units lighter.
- Choose a finish for how you live. Matt looks beautiful but marks more easily; satin is the practical choice for most family kitchens.
For how colour affects mood and the feel of a room, see our guide to colour psychology for every room. For exact RAL codes and how they read in different light, see the RAL colour guide for kitchens.
We bring sprayed samples to your home before any work begins, so you can see your shortlisted colours in your own kitchen and your own light.
Matching Any Colour You Have Seen
Our colour matching service covers over 175,000 colours across RAL, Farrow & Ball, Little Greene, Dulux Trade and other ranges, and we can match a colour from a physical sample such as a tile, fabric or paint chip. If you also want new handles, worktops or a layout change alongside the colour, our kitchen makeover service combines them. Typical prices are in our kitchen spray painting cost guide.
What Customers Say
“We had tired high gloss units resprayed to a Farrow and Ball Pigeon colour match. The result is even better than we imagined - it looks like a completely new kitchen.”
“ColourHaus sprayed our kitchen cabinets from old orangey varnished pine to matt grey-blue. Really impressed with how professional and efficient they were. Absolute transformation!”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best kitchen colour for a small kitchen?
Warm off-whites, creams and pale greige make a small kitchen feel larger because they reflect more light. If you want colour, keep it to the base units in a soft sage or navy and keep the wall cabinets light.
What colour kitchen goes with oak worktops?
Sage and deeper greens, navy and warm off-whites all suit oak. Cool greys can make oak look orange, so if you want grey, choose a warmer greige.
Will a dark kitchen date quickly?
Navy, deep green and charcoal have been popular for several years and are well established. Off-white is still the most timeless choice. Because a sprayed finish can be changed later without replacing the kitchen, a bolder colour is less of a long-term risk than it would be on new units.
How much does it cost to respray a kitchen in a new colour?
A kitchen respray with ColourHaus starts from £1,500, depending on the number of doors, drawers and panels. Most kitchens take 3 to 5 working days, and the work carries a 5-year written guarantee.
Written by Matthew Ramsden, founder of ColourHaus · Published 23 March 2026 · Updated 19 October 2026 · More articles