Design Vogue

Whether you're redecorating or renovating a kitchen, your cabinets are just as important as the walls and tiles.

The paint colors you pick will set the entire tone of the room—and some shades are much better at creating a warm and welcoming ambiance for the heart of your home than others.

One of the most common kitchen decorating mistakes our interior design experts see in their clients' homes is an outdated kitchen cabinet color—which is why they're here to spill on the seven shades you should avoid for a modern space.

Navy Blue

While soft and airy shades of robin egg and sky blue can make farmhouse kitchens feel inviting and modern, designers Dan Mazzarini and Gaia Guidi Filippi both say navy blue cabinets feel nautical and antiquated.

"I have seen so many navy kitchens and remodels in the last 10 years—I never liked it then and I certainly would never recommend it now," Guidi Filippi shares. "Navy just seems out of place in a modern kitchen."

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Mint Green

"I actually think green is sort of tired at this point," Peter Spalding, co-founder and chief creative officer of Daniel House Club, shares. "It was the gateway into the world of colorful cabinetry, but I think we should give it a rest for a bit."

Although earthy, nature-inspired shades of sage, forest, and subtle olive green remain popular choices amongst all of our designers, more artificial-feeling, sweet mint green hues are ones both Spalding and designer Nina Lichtenstein would rather see retired.

"Mint green was a popular choice in midcentury modern kitchens, and while it can still have a place in retro-inspired designs, it’s not the best choice for a modern, timeless look," Lichtenstein adds.

Honey Oak Wood

When scrolling through rental websites and browsing boring, builder-grade kitchens, the bright and warm orangey tones of honey oak wood will pop up constantly. Especially when it's polished, this variety of wood instantly makes a kitchen feel much older.

"Honey oak cabinets were a staple kitchen cabinet style throughout the 1980s and 1990s—and while they once represented a warm and homey vibe, today they can make a space feel outdated and heavy," Lichtenstein says.

Cherry Red Wood

Stained cherry wood kitchen cabinets were another hallmark of the '80s, '90s, and early 2000s, and were especially popular when paired with granite countertops to feel extra-luxurious and opulent.

But because rich, deep tones and materials have been replaced by a love for light and neutral spaces over the years, this look has gone out of style.

"Rich, dark cherry and dark mahogany cabinets once conveyed luxury and sophistication, but in today’s modern kitchens, they can feel too formal and even oppressive," Lichtenstein explains.

"I would steer clear of passé wood species and stains," Guidi Filippi adds. "No red-toned, cherry woods will be done by this designer until further notice!"

Mustard Yellow

Despite light, soft shades of butter yellow being amongst our readers' favorite kitchen paint colors thanks to their cheerful qualities, some bolder variations can feel overwhelming and old-fashioned.

"The Tuscan-inspired yellow kitchens of the early 2000s have fallen out of favor," Lichtenstein says. "These warm, golden tones are now associated with an overly thematic design style that no longer resonates with modern living."

"If a client wants to incorporate a sunny feel, I would suggest using yellow as an accent color rather than the main cabinet color, opting instead for neutral cabinets with touches of yellow in the decor or within the kitchen backsplash," she adds.

Country Red

Another overpowering shade both Mazzarini and Spalding suggest avoiding is country red. Much like red-toned woods and Tuscan yellows, this color is often used on cabinets to try and bring a sense of warmth and richness to the kitchen, but it can feel out-of-place in a modern home.

However, Spalding says there are rich, deeper tones that can still make your kitchen cabinets feel contemporary in the right circumstances.

"If the light in your space is demanding these kinds of colors, you should listen," Spalding says. "Plum, apricot, curry, and dark chocolate are all colors I’d love to see on kitchen cabinetry now. They're richer, quieter, warmer—better backgrounds for making pasta and drinking wine."

Stark White

White being the final color on our experts' list may come as a surprise, especially given how versatile and popular it is.

Ever since the early 2000s, white has been a common choice for kitchen cabinets to help make the space feel lighter and bigger—however, Lichtenstein tends to steer clients away from stark white paint, as it can feel cold and clinical instead of open and welcoming.

"Modern kitchens are embracing softer, warmer neutrals like creamy off-whites, soft grays, or even greiges," she says. "These hues maintain the brightness of white but with a subtler, more inviting tone that adds depth and warmth to the space."