Purple cabinets are trending
A recent kitchen makeover that swapped brown for purple-and-white cabinets shows the color can transform an ordinary space into a bold, personal statement, while commentary warns that the moody tones that peaked in 2022 are being pulled out in favor of warmer, softer, timeless looks. ( ).
Purple is showing up in kitchens again, but not as the flat charcoal mood of 2022. The newer version is lighter, warmer, and usually paired with white, wood, or cream so the room reads personal instead of cave-like. (apartmenttherapy.com) (wicproject.com) One makeover pushing that shift came from artist and designer Andrea Granger, who took a kitchen that was “dark, brown, and wood all over” and repainted the lower cabinets purple while replacing the upper cabinets with open shelves. She also swapped gray subway tile for a black-and-white modified hex backsplash and replaced beige tile flooring with cherry wood. (apartmenttherapy.com) That formula matters more than the purple itself. White shelving keeps the eye level bright, patterned tile breaks up the solid color, and the cherry floor adds the warmth that stops the purple from feeling cold. (apartmenttherapy.com) The reason this looks fresh in 2026 is that the kitchen-color pendulum has moved. A recent design commentary said the dark, moody cabinet shade that surged in 2022 is now being pulled out as homeowners chase “warmer, softer spaces” that feel less tied to one moment. (wicproject.com) The broader market still leans cautious. Houzz’s 2025 U.S. Kitchen Trends Study said white remained the top cabinet color, and wood tones stayed a strong runner-up, which means most remodels are still built around safe bases rather than statement colors. (houzz.com) (woodworkingnetwork.com) Design trade groups are pointing in the same direction. The National Kitchen and Bath Association’s 2025 trend report said green was the leading kitchen color among surveyed professionals, while coverage of the report described white and gray as losing ground to lighter, more natural palettes. (nkba.org) (kitchenbathdesign.com) That leaves purple in an unusual spot: not mainstream like white, not dominant like green, but strong enough to work when it borrows the tricks of current trends. On inspiration platforms, purple kitchens are usually shown with white counters, pale walls, or natural wood, which tells you the color survives best when the rest of the room does the calming. (houzz.com) (waypointlivingspaces.com) Paint brands are also nudging people toward softened color instead of stark contrast. Benjamin Moore’s kitchen cabinet ideas and 2025 palette coverage both emphasize muted greens, warm neutrals, and “quietly colorful” shades rather than hard black-and-white drama. (benjaminmoore.com) (jchuffman.com) So purple cabinets are not replacing white kitchens across America. They’re working as a niche move for homeowners who want one memorable color, but only if they anchor it with the exact things trend reports keep favoring now: warmth, softness, and materials that age better than a fad. (apartmenttherapy.com) (houzz.com) (nkba.org)
