White Kitchen Cabinets: All They’re Cracked Up to Be?
Yes, white kitchen cabinets are popular. And, yes, they can make a room look light and fresh. However, there are several downsides of white kitchen cabinets to consider when you’re updating your space. Let’s look at these negatives.
- White kitchen cabinets don’t stay clean
When you put in white cabinets, they’re fresh, clean, and sparkly. That new look doesn’t last too long, unfortunately. Darker cabinets can conceal accumulated stains, but white cabinets tend to put them on display. Whether it is grease, dust, or dirt, it will show on light cabinetry.
Kitchens are the hub of the home, which means more fingertips touching the cabinet doors, more spills, and more action overall. All this leads to extra grime on the gleaming white cabinetry.
- Minor damage looks worse over time
As the years go by, your cabinets undergo normal wear and tear that happens over time. Your kitchen features will go through many bumps and bruises along the way. The problem with white cabinetry, however, is that these scratches and chips are highlighted. The gleaming white of new cabinets slowly yellows, as well. With grey kitchen cabinets or much darker versions, you don’t see this gradual change of color as obviously.
Darker cabinet colors are often lenient with lower-quality materials. You can stain cabinets a bit more darkly to hide imperfections. White cabinets, however, highlight these blemishes, putting any flaws on center stage. Natural defects that arise as your home gets older become more noticeable in white cabinetry, too.
- White cabinets can feel sterile
In many kitchens, white cabinets can turn the space into more of a hospital feel. It can be challenging to create a warm and inviting space with light cabinets. Kitchens are natural gathering places, and darker schemes tend to provide more of a homey feel than white versions.
While white cabinets offer a neutral backdrop to build your entire design around, that same neutrality can create a sense of coldness and sterility.
- With so many choices, it can be hard to pinpoint the right one
There are endless shades of white, which can be great if you know exactly what you want. However, if you are new to kitchen design or a little unsure, the selection can be overwhelming. With so many shades and tones, the precise one to match your kitchen well is difficult to find.
The sheen of the surface can be an issue, as well. While you may expect a semi-glossy finish, it can come across as highly glossy instead.
Another concern is the amount of natural light your kitchen receives. The tone you go with may look different in your home than what you saw in the showroom, and a bright shade may look much less so in your space.
Is white the choice for you?
Every homeowner has an opinion and remodeling vision. While white cabinets can work in kitchens, kitchen updaters can consider darker options if they are concerned about lighter cabinetry’s common drawbacks. Whether you decide on a darker shade or white, make sure you only select the highest quality. Look for kitchen cabinet companies like RTA Store, Valley Cabinets, Walcraft Cabinetry or other highly-rated sellers to find the cabinetry you need.
