Find out what color cabinets go with brown countertops including tips on how to match them and paint ideas that go with brown granite countertops.
This article delves into color theory and teaches you how to find the undertones of your brown countertops so you can coordinate with them. Here we’ll answer all your questions about brown countertops, including what colors go best, how to match them, and special tips for coordinating with brown granite.
No two brown countertops are exactly the same, so the answer isn’t one-size-fits-all. But when you’re done reading, you’ll be able to evaluate different cabinet options and choose one that goes great with your brown countertops.
How Do You Match Brown Countertops?
Brown marble is often streaked with swirls of gold and yellow, which presents an opportunity to experiment with painted sunshine-colored cabinets.
If your countertops are solid brown, you will need to understand a little bit more about colors and color theory to come up with a good match.
Brown is a non-primary color. Like every non-primary color, brown is created when two or more colors are mixed together. One of those colors, the one that is present in a higher concentration, is the overtone. In the case of brown countertops, brown is the overtone.
Brown can be created by a blend of many different colors. There are lots of options for the undertones that could be present in your brown countertops.
Some of the most common undertones present in brown countertops are; red, yellow, pink, purple, gray, and black. Determining the undertone gives you more information about what design elements might match your brown countertops.
It can take some practice to develop the skill of identifying undertones, but it’s a worthy investment. Once you can pick out an undertone, matching disparate elements in your design scheme becomes much easier.
If your brown countertops contain warm undertones such as red, yellow, or orange, consider featuring these colors in your cabinets to tie the two elements together. Brown countertops containing cooler undertones (blue, purple) will match accessories and materials in similar shades.
What Colors Go With Brown Countertops?
Yellows, golds, and some light greens can go with golden brown countertops. Black is usually a safe choice to pair with brown countertops, although it produces quite a formal and traditional feel that might not be appropriate for every kitchen.
To lighten up a kitchen that is overwhelmed by brown countertops, consider neutral colors. Tan and brown work beautifully together. Cream is another shade that goes well with brown countertops, bringing warmth into the room. for more related article, check out our guide on what colors go good with brown for interior design.
What Color Cabinets Go With Brown Granite Countertops?
Mocha-colored cabinets are a stunning combination if your granite cabinet has dark brown tones, especially when the combination is offset by crisp white walls to keep the space feeling open and light.
Lighter brown or beige granite flecked with gold will look stunning on top of honey-oak cabinets. The yellowy golden glow of the wood helps turn your kitchen into a welcoming hearth.
If you can’t make up your mind, white cabinets are almost always a safe choice. Choose warm white cabinets to pair with warm-colored brown granite, such as varieties that are streaked with red, pink, yellow, or orange. Cool white cabinets can be used to match brown granite with cool undertones, such as blue or purple.
What Paint Goes With Brown Granite?
To go beyond this surface level of compatibility, consider the finish of the granite, meaning how it was prepared before installation. Polished granite is highly reflective, while a honed finish is hardly reflective at all.
Leathered or brushed granite is a newer finished option that has tiny divots in the surface, creating shadows and textures. When the raised areas of leathered granite are polished to a reflective sheen, this finish is sometimes referred to as ‘caressed’ granite. Read more about granite colors for countertops for more related ideas.
The same categories of reflectiveness apply to paint, although they are given different names.
Semi-satin and satin finishes are on the less-reflective side of the spectrum, while semi-gloss and gloss finishes are more reflective (and easier to clean).
It is generally a good idea to mix up the textures, or finishes, present in your design scheme. Choosing high-gloss paint to go with a polished brown granite countertop could produce a glaring kitchen that shows every fingerprint and smudge.
While you might not want to choose matte-finish paint for the kitchen, because it is difficult to clean, a semi satin or semi-gloss paint pairs well with polished brown granite. Leathered and honed brown granite can support a shinier high-gloss paint.
Visit our gallery of white kitchen cabinets with dark countertops for more related content.