Brown is moving into kitchens the way it moved into bedrooms two years ago. After a decade of white, gray and then green, chocolate brown painted cabinets are what designers keep reaching for.
The key word is painted. Not stained brown wood, which can look dated, but a flat, even chocolate color in a matte finish. It reads modern, a little moody and very warm. Paired with white marble and polished nickel, it looks like a kitchen in a Paris apartment.
Painted brown vs stained brown
Stained wood shows grain, and grain plus brown tends to read as traditional or rustic. Paint gives you a solid, even color that looks more tailored. It also lets you pick exactly the shade, from warm chocolate to cool bronze, which you can't do with stain.
If you have existing oak or maple cabinets, painting them brown is one of the most affordable kitchen transformations there is.
The best brown paint colors for kitchen cabinets
- Sherwin-Williams Urbane Bronze: green-based, calm and modern. The one in these images.
- Benjamin Moore Cocoa Bean: warm, red-based chocolate.
- Farrow & Ball Salon Drab: a softer, lighter brown-gray.
- Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black mixed 50 percent into a warm brown: for a near-black brown. Ask your paint store.
Test on a large board propped against your counter. Brown changes a lot between morning and evening light.
Counters that suit brown cabinets
- White Carrara or Calacatta marble: the classic contrast. Crisp and elegant.
- Warm white quartzite: softer, fewer veins.
- Butcher block: warm on warm, more rustic.
Light counters matter here. Dark cabinets with dark counters make a kitchen feel like a cave.
Hardware: nickel, brass or leather
- Polished nickel: cool and bright against warm brown. Very Parisian.
- Aged brass: warmer and more traditional.
- Leather pulls: tan leather tab pulls are a soft, unexpected choice with brown.
Pick one. Polished nickel cup pulls on shaker doors are the version shown here.
Backsplash
A full-height marble backsplash running up the wall is the most striking option. Cream zellige or plain white subway tile work too. Avoid dark tile; it adds too much weight.
Floors
Checkerboard limestone in cream and taupe looks wonderful with brown cabinets and adds a subtle pattern. Pale oak works too. Avoid dark wood floors; brown on brown with dark floors closes the room in.
Styling
White ceramic bowls, a bowl of lemons, a marble mortar and pestle. White and yellow pop against brown. Keep counters clear; brown kitchens look best tidy.
Lighting a brown kitchen
Dark cabinets absorb light, so a brown kitchen needs more of it than a white one. Plan three layers:
- Under-cabinet LED strips at 2700K to 3000K. They light the counter and make the marble glow against the brown.
- Pendants or a ceiling fixture for general light, on a dimmer.
- One lamp on the counter. A small ceramic lamp in a corner of the counter sounds odd in a kitchen, but in a brown kitchen in the evening it looks wonderful.
Avoid cool white LEDs; they make chocolate look gray and flat.
Where brown cabinets work best
Brown painted cabinets are especially good in:
- Kitchens open to a living room, where they read more like furniture than kitchen units.
- Kitchens with good natural light, which keeps the brown from feeling heavy.
- Older homes, where brown suits original floors and trim.
In a small, windowless galley, try brown on the lower cabinets only, with cream uppers or open shelves above.
How to paint kitchen cabinets brown
If you're doing it yourself:
- Remove doors and hardware and label everything.
- Degrease thoroughly. Kitchen cabinets carry years of cooking grease that paint won't stick to.
- Scuff sand with 180-grit paper.
- Prime with a bonding primer, tinted gray or brown.
- Paint with a cabinet-grade enamel like Benjamin Moore Advance or Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane. Two or three thin coats.
- Let it cure for at least a week before heavy use.
A typical kitchen takes about a week of evenings and weekends.
What it costs
- DIY: $250 to $450 for primer, paint, sandpaper, rollers and new hardware.
- Professional: $3,500 to $8,000 depending on kitchen size and region.
- New brown painted cabinets: comparable to any painted semi-custom line.
Mistakes to avoid
- Dark counters and dark floors. Too heavy.
- Glossy finish. Satin or matte enamel looks better on brown.
- Skipping the degrease. Paint will peel.
- Warm lighting that's too dim. Brown kitchens need good task lighting under the uppers.
Chocolate brown kitchen cabinets FAQ
Are brown kitchen cabinets in style?
Painted brown is one of the rising cabinet colors. Stained dark wood is less fashionable right now.
What color countertops go with brown cabinets?
White or cream marble, warm white quartzite or butcher block.
What hardware goes with chocolate brown cabinets?
Polished nickel, aged brass or leather pulls.
Will brown cabinets make my kitchen look dark?
Not with light counters, a light backsplash and good under-cabinet lighting.
