If Your Kitchen Has Oak Cabinets, Avoid This Paint Shade Like The Plague

Designing any element of a home can be an extremely overwhelming process, but perhaps no room poses as many challenges as the kitchen. Not only do you need to decide on minute features, like hardware and paint colors, you also need to think about placement, appliances, and consider a wide variety of materials for everything from countertops to cupboard doors. If you decide on oak for the latter, then we can at least tell you one thing you should avoid: yellow walls.

Oak naturally contains a lot of yellow and orange undertones, and bright, yellow paint can draw them out in the worst ways. The colors will compete against each other, which can make the room feel overwhelming and one dimensional. It creates a harsh, jarring effect that feels very loud, and while some '90s color schemes deserve a comeback, this one can make your kitchen feel dated.

Designers like to follow what's known as the 60-30-10 rule, which basically calls for a room to have one dominant color that covers 60% of the space, one secondary color for 30% of the space, and a final pop of color that takes up just 10% of the palette. If you have a paint on the walls that's accentuating the warm tones of the cabinets, rather than offsetting them, you're not going to strike that balance and the room will have an incohesive finish.

You should steer clear of other bright primary colors, like red and blue, for similar reasons, and don't use a stark white if you want to avoid highlighting the grain of the wood. Instead, opt for something warm and muted, like a gray or mauve. Sage can work beautifully with oak too, as can a richer green or dark navy.

These can create a bold look that doesn't feel overwhelming, and they'll work well with the tones of the wood. But if you are opting for a darker color, just make sure the room gets plenty of natural light to avoid shrinking it. If you want to play it safe, a neutral beige will bring out the warmth of the wood, and cream will calm the yellow undertones and open up the space. A warm-toned green will help anyone seeking a rustic effect do so in an approachable, more complementary way, as will earthy reds and rust colors. 

Some great paint examples include Sherwin Williams Amazing Gray, Sherwin Williams Natural Linen, Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee, and Farrow and Ball Breakfast Room. Sticking to this guide is a great way to give oak cabinets a refresh, which might come in handy seeing as this seems to be one of the kitchen cabinet trends making a comeback right now.