Revitalize Your Kitchen With Mixed Cabinet Styles
If your kitchen is looking tired and dated, one of the easiest ways to give it new life is by mixing up your cabinetry. The trend of incorporating an array of cabinet styles into one kitchen design has been growing in popularity over the past few years. Not only does it allow you to add visual interest, but it enables you to express your personal taste through unique, customized cabinetry.
By thoughtfully blending vintage, modern, rustic, and other cabinet genres you can revitalize the look and feel of your kitchen. Mixing styles, materials, colors, and hardware allows you to showcase your individuality. Read on to discover tips for successfully mixing and matching cabinetry to create a stunning, personalized kitchen sanctuary.
Contrast Antique and Vintage Cabinets with Modern Styles
One great way to add character is by pairing antique or vintage cabinets with sleek, contemporary cabinetry. Experiment with combining old and new elements. For example, make a bold statement by displaying your grandmother's antique glass-front cabinets alongside minimalist modern units in high-gloss lacquer. Or capture old-world cottage charm by topping simple shaker-style bases with vintage open shelving featuring turned posts and brackets.
Freestanding furniture-like pieces work exceptionally well juxtaposed with built-in cabinetry sporting clean lines. Use that antique oak apothecary cabinet handed down through generations by situating it next to glossy white modern bookcase cabinetry. When working with vintage finds, update interiors to incorporate convenient pull-out shelves and racks to optimize storage.
Industrial Metal Meets Rustic Reclaimed Wood
For a look that's urban and natural, combine industrial style metal cabinets with rustic reclaimed wood units. Try pairing sleek stainless-steel cabinets with richly grained old barn wood designs. Or, consider bold corrugated metal drawers and doors coupled with warm, salvaged oak cabinets. This industrial modern and rustic fusion exudes cozy and eclectic appeal.
To tie the look together, incorporate matching metal and wood elements throughout with accessories like pendant lighting, shelving brackets, and hardware pulls. Keep walls, backsplashes and counters neutral to let the striking metal and wood cabinetry stand out while achieving balance through color consistency.
Blend Cabinetry Styles with Eclectic Flair
If you gravitate toward spaces with an eclectic vibe, don't be afraid to blend multiple cabinet genres. Experiment by combining raised panel traditional cabinets with recessed panel shaker cabinets and sleek minimalist styles. You could integrate glass door cabinets with solid wood French country designs and modern laminate units.
When working with many cabinet styles, pay attention to balance. Anchor the space by selecting a finish that dominates. For example, use white as a base and accent with stained, painted and metallic finishes. Repeat backsplash or hardware elements to create visual harmony while celebrating diversity.
Mismatched Upper and Lower Cabinetry Adds Interest
Take your kitchen's style profile up a notch by mismatching upper and lower cabinets. Contrast base cabinetry styled with a finish like rough-sawn oak or glossy lacquer with wall cabinets sporting a look that complements yet contrasts like antique white or sleek metal.
The blend of upper and lower cabinetry offers endless possibilities to mix materials, colors, and textures. Try pairing natural wood stained bases with uppers in matte black for dramatic contrast. Or, go for an organic look with reclaimed wood lowers and breezy woven rattan open shelves up top. Let your imagination run wild!
Metallics Meet Natural Woodgrains
The sheen of metallic cabinetry paired with beautiful woodgrain offers instant allure. For contemporary charm, match brass-finished base cabinets with floating shelves in warm acacia wood. Or take a more modern industrial direction by combining Hammered steel bases with rich walnut stained uppers.
When blending metals and woods, select finishes in the same tone family such as warm brass hardware, oil-rubbed bronze pulls, and brown leathered granite. Cool metal finishes like matte nickel also pair nicely with weathered oak or whitewashed maple. The combinations are endless for this perennially stylish look.
Mixing Materials Adds Texture and Depth
Why limit yourself to just one cabinet material when you can incorporate an array of options? Blending materials like wood, metal, glass, and unexpected finds introduces diverse textures. This adds depth and dimension for a visually dynamic, ultra-custom look.
Consider combining recycled plastic cabinets made from old milk jugs with eco-friendly bamboo cabinetry. Or explore pairing sleek powder coated metal cabinets with heavily textured elm, oak or hickory wood. The contrast showcases each material beautifully. Glass cabinets also add breezy contrast and permit displaying collectibles.
Reclaimed + Recycled = Unique Personality
For a sustainable statement, try coupling reused building materials like old barn wood with recycled plastic made from consumer waste. Reclaimed wood exudes rugged, rustic personality while recycled plastic, often with bold colors or patterns, injects whimsical flair.
Salvaged cabinet doors or drawers can also be creatively mixed into designs with new cabinet boxes. Or display that old oak console from the local architectural salvage yard beside fresh contemporary cabinetry for eclectic charm. Upcycling materials with renewed purpose is infinitely inspiring.
Natural Stone and Marble Accents
Integrating natural stone and marble elements creates an organic yet luxurious look. Try topping wood cabinets with marble, granite or quartzite for beautiful veining and tones that contrast and enhance the wood's grain. Or, consider a stacked stone focal wall that complements surrounding cabinetry through shared neutral tones.
For a bold statement, front cabinets with marble tiles arranged in graphic patterns. This adds artful impact while the marble's creamy white softens and pairs well with any cabinet finish from ebony to oak. Geometric patterns also lend depth and dimension.
Colorful Cabinets Make a Dramatic Statement
Color provides immense opportunity for self-expression when designing a kitchen. Combining colorful cabinetry allows you to infuse excitement while adding mood and personality.
For whimsical charm, paint uppers Robin's Egg Blue and pair with Golden Oak stained bases. Or opt for an elegant look with Navy base cabinets and brass hardware topped with antique white uppers. Even alternating glossy and colorful matte cabinets excites the eye.
Coordinate Bold Colors
When working with powerful colors, adhere to some guidelines to avoid a disjointed aesthetic. First, select one color to dominate. For example, use red as a constant in cabinets, counters and backsplashes. Then introduce contrasting or complementary hues like emerald green or sunny yellow through accents.
Also aim for some consistency of finish when combining bold colors. Pair matte black with high-gloss cherry red or opt for a gritty distressed finish on celebratory Mardi Gras purple, green and gold cabinets. Just be sure colors coordinate with counter and floor selections.
Shared Tones Bring Harmony
For a more refined look, select colorful cabinet hues sharing similar tones. Sophisticated combinations like navy and soft gray or pale blue and sage green have universal appeal. Even grouping all cool tones or warm tones creates cohesion.
When working with related colors, vary sheens and textures. Try distressed sage cabinets with hammered copper pulls coupled with smooth lacquered robin's egg blue open shelves. The shared color family promotes harmony while varied details add interest.
Creative Cabinet Hardware Adds Interest
From sleek modern stainless steel to ornate vintage crystal, imaginative cabinet hardware choices make a statement. Blending knobs, handles and pulls in different finishes allows personal expression when designing a kitchen.
For starters, choose one consistent finish or tone for hardware to create a feeling of cohesion. Then get creative mixing styles - try pairing slender modern pulls on drawers with chunky vintage bin pulls on doors. Switching knobs and handles also adds diversity.
Alternating Hardware Placement Adds Dimension
Beyond mixing the hardware itself, try playing with placement. Center pulls on some doors, then align handles to the left or right on others. Switching things up makes each cabinet unique.
Get creative with your approach. Try two hardware pieces on large doors, with pulls at top and bottom. Or, run pulls horizontally on some cabinets and position vertically elsewhere. It adds subtle yet noticeable character.
Contrasting Metals Infuse Personality
Make a personalized style statement by selecting cabinet hardware finishes with contrasting personalities. For an organic yet edgy look, blend earthy oil-rubbed bronze with polished chrome or stainless steel.
High-shine silver and gold tones pair well with leathered bronze for an elegant mismatched look. Or opt for vintage appeal with antique brass accents against modern stainless. Just be sure to repeat some consistent finish or tone to keep the look cohesive.
Combine Glass and Wood for Light and Warmth
Blending glass and wood cabinet elements allows you to connect sleek modern and natural rustic styles. The mix of materials provides the best of both worlds: airy lightness from glass along with organic warmth from woodgrain.
Glass cabinet doors help illuminate dark spaces and create visual spaciousness. For example, try pairing glass wall cabinets with beautiful lower cabinets in textured elm, aged oak or distressed hickory. The glass reflects light, opening up the space while the wood adds character.
For a lighter look, use glass fronts on upper and lower cabinets along one wall then complement them with open shelving in natural reclaimed fir wood. The glass and wood contrast beautifully while transmitting light. Meanwhile, marble or quartz countertops add organic texture and color to seamlessly link the styles.
No matter your personal taste or kitchen style, incorporating an array of cabinet designs allows you to infuse excitement. Blend classic elements like painted shaker cabinets with modern convenience like stainless slim cabinets or cool sleek glass fronts. The mix of finishes like glossy lacquer, weathered barnwood and polished stone gives each space unique character. Your cabinets become an expression of your creativity.
By thoughtfully combining cabinetry styles new and old, you can refresh your kitchen with personalized flair. Mixing genres, colors, materials and hardware showcases your individuality. You can honour tradition while welcoming the future through the cabinet collections you curate. Revitalize your heart-of-the-home by discovering your signature look through the magic of mixed cabinetry.