The Best Paint Colors for Maple Cabinets

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Updated 03/31/20

Kitchen with maple colored cabinets and black accents — House Method / Unsplash

Love them or hate them, maple cabinets are ubiquitous in today's homes and apartments. The golden honey tones of this durable wood made maple a default cabinetry choice for decades. The medium-toned wood is neutral enough to blend in but can look a bit dated in an era where light European-style oak floors are in fashion and retro Shaker-style and sleek contemporary white European slab cabinets without wood grain or detailing proliferate.

Many house flippers or new home buyers choose to update maple cabinets in a budget friendly fashion with a quick DIY paint job. But if you're a renter or you don't mind the look of the cabinets, a lick of paint on the walls is an easy way to freshen up your kitchen without committing to a major renovation project.

Luckily, maple cabinets play well with a range of colors, depending on whether or not you want to choose a complementary shade to help them blend in or something that creates a bit of contrast that will enhance them.

Here are some of our favorite paint colors to go with maple cabinets.

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Best Pink: Pink Ground by Farrow & Ball

The Spruce

A subtle blush color like Farrow & Ball's Pink Ground is a beautiful complement to the honeyed tones of maple cabinets, and the barely there pink color will read as fairly neutral in a kitchen. This color combination works well with green or gray accents, whether in the form of a kitchen counter herb garden or stainless steel appliances.
02 of 11

Best Subdued Blue: Distilled Aqua by The Spruce Best Home

The Spruce

Distilled Aqua by The Spruce Best Home paint is a soft, dusty blue with a green undertone that provides a whisper of contrast to the golden wood tones of maple cabinetry. This color palette works well with cool gray or white accents, or you can warm it up and opt for warm metal accents in bronze or copper.
03 of 11

Best Purple: Lavender Cloud by PPG

The Spruce

Lavender Cloud 90BB 67/069 by PPG is a whispery muted amethyst hue that provides just a hint of contrast with maple cabinetry and offers an unexpected hint of purple that's an unconventional choice for a kitchen. The cool tone will stand out against the warm wood, so choose this color only if you like the look of the cabinets.
04 of 11

Best Light Gray: Gravity Gray by The Spruce Best Home

The Spruce

A light silvery gray with a blue undertone, SPR-30 Gravity Gray from The Spruce Best Home by KILZ will offer a fresh, cool backdrop that adds a pleasing contrast with warm maple cabinetry. Enhance the look with darker gray or green accents.

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05 of 11

Best Rust Orange: Firenze by Benjamin Moore

The Spruce

To create a warm backdrop that will make the natural wood tones of your maple cabinets fade into the wall color without painting the cabinets themselves, opt for a burnt terracotta color like Firenze by Benjamin Moore. If you want to go for a textured monochromatic look, include plenty of handmade pottery like rustic pitchers or bowls and highlight with warm metals like a row of copper pots hung on the wall, brass serving trays or lighting fixtures with shades made from natural materials like wicker and rattan.
06 of 11

Best Yellow: San Mateo Beaches by Benjamin Moore

The Spruce

A pale yellow like San Mateo Beaches by Benjamin Moore will amplify the warm wood tones in maple cabinetry, and is neutral enough to add interest to a kitchen without dominating.
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Best Off-White: Ivory Lace by Sherwin Williams

The Spruce

A creamy off-white like Ivory Lace by Sherwin-Williams is a pleasing backdrop for maple cabinetry, a little warmer than plain white but cool enough to provide contrast with the golden hues of maple cabinetry.
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Best Deep Blue: Good Night! by Dunn-Edwards

The Spruce

For a mid-century vibe, a deeper blue like Good Night! by Dunn-Edwards will provide a cool contrast that will highlight maple (or oak) cabinetry and create a cozy feel for the kitchen.

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09 of 11

Best Green: Avocado Toast by Clare

The Spruce

A fresh, natural crowd-pleasing green inspired by the color of a perfectly ripe avocado like Avocado Toast by Clare provides a nice contrast to maple wood cabinets. Carry the green theme throughout with potted herbs and mix in pastel pinks, blues, yellows, and orange for a cheerful look.
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Best Light Blue: DKC-44 by Donald Kaufman Color

The Spruce

A crisp light blue like DKC-44 by Donald Kaufman Color is a fresh easy color for a kitchen that will provide contrast with the warm hues of maple wood cabinetry.
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Best Gray: Wrought Iron by Benjamin Moore

The Spruce

A dark moody gray like Wrought Iron by Benjamin Moore will make maple wood cabinetry stand out. It's a sophisticated kitchen wall color that looks good after dark.