Here we share our color schemes for kitchens with hickory cabinets guide including what paint colors go with hickory wood, and choosing the best shades & designs
The dense wood doesn’t dent easily and, with good structural support, can hold up heavy kitchen items. Aside from a scratch-resistant surface, the hard-wearing hickory kitchen cabinets are also moisture-resistant, making them a fitting choice for rooms with high moisture and dampness.
While hickory cabinets are beautiful and durable, the robust and distinctive graining with knots and dots can be challenging to match with other colors, especially when aiming for a modern look. Hickory cabinets can be a stunning element.
Does Hickory Make Suitable Kitchen Cabinets?
Hickory kitchen cabinets make durable base cabinets that are very good at handling stress, shock, and weight. The dense wood also means it can handle the constant banging of doors against your frame.
Due to its tight wood grain pattern, you’ll find staining your cabinets a lengthy process but worthwhile as it brings out the gorgeous wood features. When the hickory lumber is sanded and conditioned, it seals off imperfections and prevents blotching.
Natural maple, hickory, and ash kitchen cabinets will typically lose their snowy white color and begin to yellow with exposure to light. Though belonging to the more costly wood lumber, hickory cabinets are a worthy investment for your kitchen if you’re looking for longevity and unique aesthetic appeal.
What Colors Go With Hickory?
Neutral hues are the best balancing colors that work well with any tone (light to dark) of your hickory kitchen cabinets. They are also the safest color to use for your walls, ceiling, and flooring as it does not overwhelm these hickory cabinets, which has among the strong and distinct types of wood grain patterns.
White is a popular choice for most kitchen spaces, but you can add depth by adding variations such as different gray or blue hues. Shades of gray are another option that looks good besides hickory coloring. With a wide range of tones, you’ll find the best level of lightness and darkness to match your hickory cabinets.
Aside from neutrals, a trending combination with wood are colors from the blue and green spectrum. The cool tones are perfect choices as they balance hickory wood’s warm and rustic look. These popular choices include teal, emerald green, sage, turquoise, and royal blue.
Don’t forget undertones as it dictates the temperature of your color. For warm hues, beige, cream, and lemon yellow are great colors to combine with your hickory cabinets as it brightens and cozy up your kitchen. Varying dark brown hues with black or darker elements will allow your colors to look coordinated and not too overwhelming.
Neutral Color Schemes With Hickory Cabinets
With neutral color schemes for kitchens with hickory cabinets, it’s easy to choose between going contrasting tones or going monotone with the other elements. Contrasting tones are great for large areas as it gives depth and dimension to your space, highlighting architectural and interior features, while monotone color schemes look good in small kitchens as it allows the space to breathe.
Bleached and lighter-toned hickory cabinets look great with contrasting floors, such as a dark gray granite countertop or flooring. Read more about what flooring goes with hickory cabinets here.
Warm creams and grays are welcoming matches with your light to honey-colored hickory cabinets.
1. Rustic Industrial
• Hickory Wood: Light and Cream
• Walls: Warm Gray # c1b5b5, #b2a4a4, #bdb3a7
• Countertops: #49382c
• Backsplash: #636864
• Flooring: Light to Brown Wood Floors
2. Warm Contemporary:
• Hickory Wood: Dark Brown to Reddish
• Walls: #bca078
• Countertops: #000911 (Black)
• Backsplash: #DAB38C
• Flooring: Reddish Brown Wood Flooring
Warm Color Schemes With Hickory Cabinets
Since warm colors are typically visually forward, you’ll need a neutral tone to balance off the bright colors. Warm color schemes for kitchens with hickory cabinets can make a room look cozy and reminiscent of the sun, fire, or sand, brightening up the room and balancing off your cold surfaces from your countertops and other equipment.
One idea is to use warm colors for the paint colors and decor items, paired with neutral color complimenting countertops, and backsplash with hickory cabinets. Not all warm colors will look good with your hickory cabinets, and pairing will depend on the shade of your wood. Add dark gray or black hardware and appliances to create a contrast to a warm color scheme.
1. Nordic Modern
• Hickory Wood: Dark Brown to Reddish
• Walls: #bca078
• Countertops: #b79e6f
• Backsplash: #847048
• Flooring: Reddish Brown Wood Floors
2. Rustic Farmhouse
• Hickory Wood: Dark Brown to Reddish
• Walls: #d5bc93
• Countertops: #6c523d
• Backsplash: #55452d
• Flooring: Reddish Brown Wood Floors
Cool Color Schemes With Hickory Cabinets
But while cool colors such as green and blue bring calming and sophisticated energy to your kitchen, too many of the hues can convey sadness. While your warm wood balances this look, lighter-colored hickory wood can make it look drab or boring.
Make sure to add a darker contrasting color; the best is a dark neutral to add depth and dimension to the look. Teal, sage, and naval blue are trending colors these past years, and you’ll find them giving a youthful touch to your traditional wood cabinets.
1. Sea and Sand
• Hickory Wood: Light to cream with reddish undertones
• Walls: #7f9382
• Countertops: #f4e9dc
• Backsplash: #a2b2a5
• Flooring: Light to cream
2. Calming Blues
• Hickory Wood: Light to cream with reddish undertones
• Walls: # 94a6b5
• Countertops: # ffffff
• Backsplash: # 918789
• Flooring: Light to cream
2. Relaxing Ivory and Green
• Hickory Wood: Light to cream with amber undertones
• Walls: #595b42
• Countertops: # c3bdad
• Backsplash: #b2b2b2
• Flooring: #986737
Paint Colors That Go With Hickory Cabinets
Coordinating Colors:
Extra White (SW 7006)
Use white types of kitchen countertops with gray or bluish veining to complement your walls.
Match your white countertops with SW 6272 Quest Gray accent colors and SW 6272 Plum Brown. Then accent with blue-green subway tiles with white caulking.
2. Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist (OC 27) – Warm Gray: Has a slightly taupe undertone.
Coordinating Colors:
Extra White (SW 7006)
Gray is an excellent color pairing to your hickory cabinets as it allows your hickory kitchens to pop visually without competing with the strong wood aesthetic. Neutral hues are great with wood, and with the varying gray shades available, you’ll have an easier time deciding on the best tone to go with your hickory cabinets.
Coordinating Colors:
Create a French Contemporary with a twist with Benjamin Moore Pale Avocado 2145-40. The fresh color can give life to traditional themed kitchens as it breaks the monotonous colors of yellow and brown hues from your kitchen cabinets. Black hardware is an excellent match for the combination.
Coordinating Colors:
Match black or dark built-in kitchen equipment with your hickory cabinets and add a pristine backdrop such as Dunn-Edwards Bone White DEC74. Add gold hardware for a retro look. Add other white color variations to add depth to other sections of your walls or architectural features such as your columns.
Coordinating Colors:
Royal blue is a surprising tint to match your hickory cabinets, but with the right coordinating colors and accents. The kitchen color scheme is perfect for a fresh twist on farmhouse or mid-century modern themed kitchens. The gold and black accents are perfect with a white or off-white countertop. The ensemble can convey a cozy, inviting feel, and glamorous interior.
See more related content in our article about red oak kitchen cabinets on this page.