The Kitchen Cabinet Color Trend That Made Sense In 2015 But Now Feels Totally Overdone

If you bought a home or remodeled your kitchen from 2010 to 2020, chances are, there's some gray in there. Pantone named Ultimate Gray (17-5104) as its color of the year for 2021, and in 2020, 20 of Sherwin Williams' 50 most popular paint colors were gray tones. In the kitchen, gray cabinets are clean, sleek, modern, and simple. But did millennials take it too far? Arguably, yes.

2000s home owners began color-drenching homes in all gray, with the result that jokes about "millennial gray" are now all over TikTok in 2025. This consumer shift toward the zero-cool emptiness of mod-urban neutrality was perhaps a reactionary antidote to the neon hues of the 1980s and the ultra-saturated primary colors of the '90s. Still, that's not to say that neutrals aren't sophisticated and timeless; they totally are. But to illustrate the nuanced difference, Benjamin Moore named Paris Rain 1501 — a warmer neutral tone — one of its most popular interior shades for 2025. If you're looking to liven up your kitchen while keeping your gray cabinets, we've got a few ideas. It doesn't take a full kitchen renovation to warm up the color temperature.

One of the chief sins of the "millennial gray" kitchen is its monochrome palate. If your countertops are also gray, and your floors are gray tile or gray-toned hardwood, replacing either of these elements will immediately make a difference. Warm it up with dark walnut planks, multi-toned clay tiles, or a textural bamboo mat.

For a less intensive kitchen revamp, incorporate smaller, subtler pops of color throughout the space. Gray cabinets work well beside light blue or earth tones like terra cotta, sage, putty, and bordeaux red. These color pops could come in the form of picture frames, vases, mug displays, dining chair cushions, or accent rugs. If bold color isn't your thing, opt for warm-toned neutrals like cream, eggshell, or chestnut. Smattering your cookspace with earthenware pots, leafy green plants, and wooden elements like a large butcher block can also be instantly transformative. 

Another quick way to warm up gray cabinets is by bathing them in warm lighting. Replace cool-toned white bulbs and steel fixtures with yellow-hued bulbs and ivory glass. As the light travels across the wall, it'll soften the gray paint. For even more warmth, replace chrome cabinet hardware with ceramic knobs or oil-rubbed bronze handles. If it's in the budget, replacing a chrome fridge with an ivory model or even a retro model (but probably not Smeg brand) can also go a long way toward coziness.

Alternatively, it can be helpful to view your gray cabinets as a neutral, versatile canvas for supporting a more personality-filled kitchen design scheme. Always wanted to lean into farmhouse accents like gingham tea towels or an antique iron kitchen scale on the countertop? Gray cabinets won't interrupt, respectfully hanging out in the background and letting your decor pop.