This Is The Hottest Color to Paint Your Kitchen Right Now

For most of us, the kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where we slap together last-minute school lunches, sip our morning coffee and debate going to the gym. And most importantly, it’s where we recap our days and connect with the people we love. So, as much as we love to fancify our kitchens, we also want to make sure that they feel liveable and authentic to our everyday lives. Hence, our latest kitchen color obsession: green.

“Green is loved by all and goes with most design styles,” says Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams. “We’re seeing a love of all things green… from sage to mint, to deep forested greens to army greens or palm green,” she adds. “I think we can just be sure that homeowners love the reassurance and grounded nature of greens. Plus, they coordinate so well with other tones like navy, terracotta, coral and yellow, as well as neutrals.”

Over the past few years, neutral and navy palettes have been ubiquitous, and while we can all appreciate a calming color, 2021 has definitely crossed over to the green side (and it’s exactly the drama we’ve been craving). “Green is quickly gaining color confidence with homeowners who are realizing how well this color compliments others and changes easily with the seasons just like in nature,” says Stephanie Pierce, the director of design and trends at MasterBrand Cabinets. Pierce explains that “when a color speaks to you as an individual, it will definitely enhance your love of your space.”

Ready for some green kitchen-porn inspiration? Yeah, we thought so.

“Foxhall Green is a bold and sophisticated evergreen hue that looks beautiful on cabinets or as an accent on a kitchen island,” says Pierce. When discussing kitchen trends in 2020, Pierce told PureWow Executive Editor Candace Davison that “all color drained out of the kitchen during the recession, and the first color to come back was navy, which makes sense, because it’s pretty neutral.” She went on to explain that “we applied that same logic to green and launched dark, Foxhall Green. It’s a nice base color that others can build off of.”

If you’re indecisive about making the switch from blue to green, Benjamin Moore’s 2021 color of the year, Aegean Teal, is the perfect compromise. A ‘sunbaked’ blue-green that’s as soothing as staring out at the ocean on a crisp fall day, this teal-toned dream is the perfect way to give that Cali-coastal kitchen a contemporary facelift. For maximum effect, Chicago-based designer LJ Savarie recommends popping Aegean Teal cabinets against brass, copper and gold accents and using Gray Cashmere or Foggy Morning on the surrounding walls.

We’re ready to enter full Private Benjamin mode with this super-saturated army green and olive hue. Wadden maintains that offsetting a kitchen’s rustic wooden beams with Dark Olive cabinets is a sure-fire way to add depth and rugged dimension to a space. “Go bold if you want to let the kitchen’s jewelry–gold, bronze and brass hardware and fixtures–stand out,” she adds.

“For a classic style kitchen, I recommend Pewter Green SW 6208, a saturated green with gray undertones,” says Wadden. If you want to spice things up, but a funky green kitchen gives you heartburn, there’s a way to do it without forgoing traditional elegance. Wadden explains how Pewter Green’s “bold yet warm hue makes a quiet statement,” particularly when paired with Carrera marble countertops and classic white subway tile.

“Dard Hunter Green SW 0041 is one of my favorite greens,” says Wadden (and we’re totally on her page). If you’re looking to create a showstopping kitchen that’s anything but boring, THIS is your primary accent color. Wadden says that Dard Hunter Green’s “depth and boldness add striking color because the hue is drawn from nature…it provides a sense of restoration while making a statement.” Try contrasting bright polished hardware, brass cabinet pulls and other metallic décor and fixtures to bring this color to life.

“Succulent SW 9650 is stunning,” says Wadden. Not too loud but not too luxe, this color is the perfect combination of new and old to achieve that Memphis-style aesthetic you’ve been dreaming of. “The hue is saturated enough and has enough gray undertones to complement or contrast just about any wood tone that you may incorporate in a kitchen,” she adds. “I recommend this color from our Emerald Designer Edition collection for any kitchen, especially one that incorporates hardwoods in flooring or countertops.”

Who wouldn’t like to take their morning coffee with a side of happy-go-lucky greenery? Well, when it comes to cheering up a space and bringing the outdoors in, Breakfast Room Green is the way to go. “Fresh greens taken straight from nature make us feel safe and calm in our home environments,” says Charlotte Cosby, head of creative at Farrow & Ball. She recommends pairing Breakfast Room Green cabinets with crisp white walls and contrasting this light and airy color with a deeper green to emulate dew-droplet garden leaves.

Looking for an energy boost? We recommend you swap that green smoothie for Benjamin Moore’s Essex Green. Perfect for a focal wall, Wadden recommends using deeper hues of green in primary kitchen areas to create a verdant effect. “You could create a simple green moment by painting an accent wall or the breakfast nook of a kitchen,” she adds.

As much as we love dark and dramatic, there’s nothing quite like a light and airy kitchen that’ll radiate indoor springtime (sans-pollen) all year round. “Dried Thyme is a succulent-inspired soft green that is harmoniously neutral to any landscape-based palette,” says Pierce. Its minty, organic tones can be easily paired with other organic neutrals, “making it flexible enough to use on its own or with other colors,” according to Pierce.

Is it too much to paint every cabinet in our homes this color? This stunning blend of olive and sage has enough “wow factor” to draw the eye while somehow remaining muted and subdued enough to fit a neutral palette. Pair it with crisp white for contrast or natural wood with brass accents for warmth. Jesse Bodine of Scout & Nimble says, “Peale Green by Benjamin Moore is everything you could want in a paint color. It is fresh, warm, and—because we had to—will make your family and friends green with envy.”

“The soft blue undertones of Jack Pine shine in natural light,” says Bodine. Perfect for creating a contemporary look infused with traditional elements, Jack Pine marries ocean blues and green jewel tones to create a luxury natural look. “More soft than saturated, Jack Pine by Benjamin Moore is a lovely shade for anyone looking for a more subtle green.

Loralee, the blogger and designer behind Project 636 - Aspiring to Become, says she’s “in love with the SW Artichoke color,” and we can see why. This color immediately adds a southern, organic twang to any space with its fun and playful hues. “Maybe it’s because I’m craving the greenness of Spring, or I just really like artichokes,” she adds. Pair it with chrome appliances and dark oak finishes to let this color do its job.

This color gives us the warm and fuzzies just from looking at it. “Emerging deep greens can act as a neutral color backdrop for a moody scene where other vibrant and emotive colors or materials can really pop out from,” says Pierce. We love how this brooding yet cozy color can highlight the natural elements of any kitchen without overwhelming the space. According to Pierce, moody greens look best when paired with other organic materials to create a cohesive, nature-inspired look. “This makes them excellent overall color choices for those willing to go bold or even use as blocks of color in segmented zones,” she adds.

“Our newest hue, Fleeting Green, is more likely to be that ‘niche’ color as it embodies a bright, freshness and instilling lightness with just a hint of color into any space,” says Pierce. Think minty hues, crisp whites, bright accents, and lots of natural light.