Yellow Paint Colors for Kitchen Cabinets
If you are thinking about painting your kitchen cabinets yellow, you are not alone. Yellow kitchens are having a moment. After years of cool whites and grays dominating kitchen design, many homeowners are craving spaces that feel warmer and more welcoming. While cream colored cabinets have been trending for several seasons, yellow is trending now in a big way!
But choosing the right shade of yellow is key to working it in with the rest of your home’s color palette, and creating a look that will endure (and outlive any design trend!)
A simple run of yellow ochre painted cabinets looks time honored and fresh. Courtesy of DeVol.
If you’re new here, Hi! I’m Katie, I’m a certified paint color consultant and timeless New England color palettes are my thing. I help homeowners choose colors that feel rooted in tradition with a creative twist. Many of the yellows I recommend come from these historic palettes, which is why they continue to look beautiful decade after decade.
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The NEW Yellow Kitchen
Yellow kitchens are returning, but they look very different from what many people remember from twenty-five years ago. Many of those spaces leaned heavily into the Tuscan-inspired style of the late 90s and early 2000s. The color often appeared on the walls rather than the cabinetry, paired with heavy finishes and ornate details.
Today’s yellow kitchen looks nothing like that. Now, the color is showing up on cabinetry. My theory is butter yellow’s rise to popularity in fashion has helped spark renewed interest in the color family in interior design. But it’s not just butter yellow that is on the rise for interiors. As we speak, softer pastel yellow is giving way to deeper, more historic yellows. And I am happy to report this hue is starting to reappear in kitchens. The new yellow kitchen is much moodier– with vibes of historical pigments (think more tarnished gold less like a pastel baby chick.)
How To Use Yellow Paint For Cabinets
This is key: don’t choose a pastel yellow hue or one that is too saturated and bright. In fact, step away from the “yellow” section of the paint chip display entirely. I’m not joking! Instead, go take a second look at the historical collections from Benjamin Moore or cruise through Farrow & Balls yellows for the right shades of yellow that will look right on your kitchen cabinetry.
I look for a yellow that has some mustard in it for my paint color consultation clients. But, if you’re looking for a yellow that is lighter than mustard, that’s fine too! Just choose a golden cream (don’t worry I have some favorites below.) The trick is choosing a golden hue that is lower chroma, like an soft ochre not a marshmallow Easter Peep. Do this and you can be avoid that realization that your kitchen looks like your toddler helped you pick the paint color.
More importantly, your kitchen will endure the test of time. If you pick the right shade, your newly refreshed yellow painted kitchen cabinets will look like an effortless blend of English country meets timeless New England farmhouse- and the feeling will be cheerful and welcoming- not childish.
Best Yellow Paint Colors For Cabinets
Here are eight expert-approved yellow paint colors to choose from. I tried to find a Sherwin Williams select or two but honestly I didn’t like them. They all felt too clean and pedestrian. Sorry Sherwin- I love you anyway!
- Farrow & Ball Farrow’s Cream — LRV ~72
- Benjamin Moore Philadelphia Cream — LRV ~69
- Benjamin Moore Dunmore Cream — LRV ~68
- Benjamin Moore Waterbury Cream — LRV ~66
- Benjamin Moore Wythe Tan — LRV ~61
- Farrow & Ball Dorset Cream — LRV ~59
- Benjamin Moore Wythe Gold — LRV ~52
- Farrow & Ball Hay — LRV ~37
1. Farrow and Ball Farrow’s Cream
Farrow’s Cream is a soft but saturated creamy yellow with a golden buttery vibe. Yellow pigment pulls a lot of weight in a paint formula, so even very light colors can still read distinctly yellow. That is why Farrow’s Cream looks soft and pale but still carries a strong yellow personality.
It has an LRV of 72, which means it will work well in darker kitchens. Take a look at the sample photos on the Farrow & Ball website, and they’ve shown how nice it looks in a tone-on-tone application with darker yellows. I think it would work really well with a creamy white paint on the walls (and white backsplash and counter too).
For white pairings, look at Creamy or Dover White by Sherwin-Williams. Or from Benjamin Moore look at Linen White or Spanish White.
I love the slight touch of peach added to this paint color. It keeps it feeling warm and interesting and not too childish. If this isn’t for you, I have another option next that will perhaps fit the bill better.
2. Benjamin Moore Philadelphia Cream
Philadelphia Cream is another of the softer tints I’ve included here, coming in with an LRV of 69.12. It’s a good option if you don’t like mustard yellow but you don’t want your kitchen to feel too sweet or stylistically sophomoric. If you like Farrow and Ball’s Farrow’s Cream- but not the subtle peachiness- Philadelphia Cream by Benjamin Moore is a good choice for you.
Seriously, friends, this paint color is a no-brainer if you want yellow cabinets for your kitchen. Pair your Philadelphia Cream cabinets with a creamy white quartz counter and you will start questioning if you should launch a home renovation influencer account.
Before you decide on this shade, compare it to another contender. Place your sample side by side with Dunmore Cream (next on the list and another lighter option.) You’ll see Philadelphia Cream has less khaki or green undertones than Dunmore Cream but it still feels like an time-tested and enduring paint color that won’t trend out with the next cycle. I love this color for a stand-alone hutch in an otherwise white kitchen or used all-over a kitchen on shaker inset cabinetry.
3. Benjamin Moore Dunmore Cream (AKA Mansfield Tan)
Dunmore Cream HC-29 is a creamy soft yellow with more complexity than a standard pastel butter yellow. It is ideal if you want cabinets that feel warm but still fairly neutral. Look at Spanish White for your white paint to pair with it! Dreamy!
This would be a truly charming cabinet color for a kitchen with black counters, creamy off-white walls and yellow kitchen cabinets.
I have a huge affinity for this color, and not just because it was our exterior trim color for 20 years. It is the perfect blend of creamy and complex. This is a great option for those of you who want a softer yellow but don’t like the idea of pastel. It is so pretty with deep greens like Trailing Vines by Benjamin Moore.
4. Benjamin Moore Waterbury Cream
Waterbury Cream is slightly richer and more saturated than some of the other options I’ve mentioned so far. It can work especially well in kitchens that get a lot of natural light. While I don’t condone painting kitchen walls with this color with white trim, as it would have been in 1999, I think this color can be truly sublime when used with restraint in more contemporary ways.
In the example above, DeVol used two shades of cream on the walls and trim and only painted the cabinets on either side of the range in yellow. This variation of color capping feels modern and classic not tied to the Tuscan kitchen trend- like yellow walls with white trim would. This is how I would suggest using Waterbury Cream in your kitchen.
It has a LRV of 57.79 and has a good amount of saturation to give it plenty of boldness. Consider this choice if you have high ceilings and a lot of indirect light in your kitchen. It would be really great with a creamy marble-like Quartz countertop and unlacquered brass.
5. Benjamin Moore Wythe Tan
Ignore the name of this paint color my friends, this is not a tan. Wythe Tan is indeed a yellow. I love this color which comes from the Ben Moore Williamsburg collection. It was formulated and inspired by a historical white base tinted with yellow ochre color pigments.
It has an LRV of 61 which means it is one of our medium selections here- neither mustard nor cream- somewhere right in the middle. I love the softness and chalkiness of it that makes it look like it is straight out of an old farmhouse kitchen filled with chipped ironware pottery. It would look equally at home in a kitchen with modern lines.
6. Farrow & Ball Dorset Cream
Dorset Cream has depth that works well in traditional kitchens and historic homes but it is also a fun way to re-imagine a mid-century inspired kitchen renovation like the below kitchen by Swedish Designer, Historiska Hem.
What I love about this shade of yellow paint is its faint pink essence. This subtlety keeps it from feeling “expected” or too primary- a hallmark of Farrow & Balls highly curated color selection.
7. Benjamin Moore Wythe Gold
Wythe Gold has more presence than Wythe Tan and would make a great choice for a single stand alone piece of an unfitted kitchen or for a kitchen island.
It has a lot of depth with an LRV of 50 and enough complexity to its undertones to keep it from looking like a pedestrian crossing sign. It can pull slightly green in some conditions so make sure to test it before buying a large quanity of it or placing your cabinet order!
8. Farrow and Ball Hay
Hay is a deeper golden yellow with an earthy character. It pairs beautifully with natural wood, dark stone counters, and aged brass hardware.
In this kitchen in Hamburg, Germany photographed by Horwood Photography, the yellow painted cabinets in Hay by Farrow & Ball showcase how changible the look can be depending on your lighting. With these darker shades of yellow (this has an LRV of 37 and is our darkest choice) you can wind up with quite a moody look!
Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing Yellow Cabinet Paint
One of the biggest mistakes people make when selecting yellow for kitchen cabinets is going straight to the yellow section of a paint fan deck. Those colors are usually designed to be primary, bright and saturated. They often look cheerful on a small paint chip but become overwhelming when applied to an entire set of cabinets.
Instead, I recommend looking at historic collections. Many of the best yellow kitchen cabinet colors are actually named creams, tans, or golds. Compare them side by side to start to get to know their true nature. You’ll find they have a yellow personality but are balanced with other pigments that keep them feeling sophisticated.
If you choose a true primary yellow from the fan deck you may grow tired of within just a few years.
Countertop and Color Pairings for Yellow Cabinets
Choosing the right countertop is just as important as selecting the cabinet color.
Yellow cabinets tend to look best when paired with natural materials that have subtle movement and contrast.
- White Marble or Marble-Look Quartz: A white marble or marble-like quartz countertop is one of the safest and most timeless choices. The cool veining balances the warmth of the cabinets and keeps the space feeling fresh.
- Black Granite: Black granite such as Uba Tuba can be surprisingly beautiful with yellow cabinetry. The deep contrast creates a grounded, traditional look.
- Slate: Slate countertops also work nicely with yellow cabinets, especially in more rustic or English country style kitchens.
KATIE’S PRO TIP: I generally caution clients against pairing yellow cabinets with Taj Mahal quartzite or Taj Mahal style quartz. Sometimes khaki undertones in this trendy natural stone can clash with certain yellow cabinet colors. Because kitchen cabinets are often ordered concurrently with the counter slab, months prior to install, it is hard to verify your actual piece of stone will arrive with the undertones you need. It is not impossible though! If you are thinking of this color combo, check with your countertop fabricator to make sure you can pick and earmark your exact slab. Take your large samplize sample of the paint color you like, and look at it in natural light with no artificial light to verify the undertones.
Should I paint my cabinets yellow?
If you are wondering “Should I paint my cabinets yellow?” here’s my answer: yes! But make sure you choose the right shade of yellow. Choose one of the above time-tested shades of yellow to ensure your kitchen will have an enduring look. Avoid bright, overly-saturated, primary shades of yellow cabinets. Pairing the cabinets with tonal wall and trim colors will help complete the look and keep it feeling fresh and modern.
And if you are not sure, one of my favorite ways to introduce yellow is not necessarily by painting the entire kitchen. Adding a painted hutch, pantry cabinet, or freestanding piece can bring warmth and personality without committing to wall-to-wall color.
Need help choosing the right color?
If you’re feeling stuck or want a second set of eyes, I offer Virtual Color Consultations to help you make confident, intentional choices for your home, wherever you’re located.