While styling a kitchen around espresso or white kitchen cabinets might be a piece of cake, designing around less common cabinet colors such as gray can be a little more difficult. Pairing your gray kitchen cabinets with the right materials and within the right color scheme is important for the overall look of your kitchen.

Gray cabinets can be used in pretty much any kitchen style, from traditional to contemporary to the more in-between transitional style. These kitchens provide great examples for how best to design your gray kitchen.

Transitional Gray Kitchens

Transitional kitchens are the perfect marriage between the traditional and the contemporary, so naturally, it’s a perfect home for a neutral tone like gray. Natural materials pay homage to the traditional while contemporary furnishings and accessories provide an interesting counterpoint.

In the above kitchen, marble counterops & backsplash combined with gray kitchen cabinets that feature a natural wood grain give the kitchen a classic look, while metal hardware, stainless steel appliances, and modern brushed metal pendant lights bring the look up to date.

A neutral and monochromatic color scheme is a hallmark of transitional kitchens. Varying shades of gray are best complemented by cool metals. To add a bit more visual interest, incorporate small, subtle pops of color that don’t overwhelm from the neutral theme.

A two-tone kitchen is a great way to highlight your gray kitchen cabinets. Gray is a neutral color that can be dull when used in excess, so introducing an additional tone can help bring a little life to the space. Here, the dark tone of the natural wood island provides contrast to the soft grayness of the room.

This transitional kitchen most certainly leans towards the traditional, as evidenced by the large island corbels, natural wood grain, stone flooring and bullnosed granite countertop. However, it also deviates with a few interesting modern elements, such as large tubular pulls, polished chrome fixtures, streamlined stainless steel appliances, and gorgeous modern pendant lighting.

Monochrome Gray Kitchen

Creating a monochrome kitchen is bold move that can either deliver a gorgeous kitchen, or result in a boring, washed out look. Choosing elements that provide ample contrast within your all-gray kitchen is an absolute must.

The above kitchen is well-lit, helping to brighten up the gray and create moments of subtle contrast within the room. Polished metals, like the one used in the range hood, are preferable to brushed metals because the surface better reflects the light around the room.

A variety of textures and intricate detailing help to create more visual interest. In this case, the raised panel doors, crown and rope molding, subway tiles, speckled granite, and pillowed leather stools help to create a vibrant atmosphere in what could have been a very boring room.

Two-Tone Traditional Kitchen

All-gray kitchens run the risk of looking drab, so a two-tone kitchen design is a great option for utilizing your gray kitchen cabinets. Combining your gray cabinets with white cabinets can provide a much needed contrast while brightening up the entire look.

The elegant combination of gray and white is perfect for a traditional kitchen design. Pair your gray and white cabinets with a natural stone countertop, decorative hardware, and accessories such as corbels, legs, and crown moldings. Intricate yet subtle details are what make for a perfect traditional kitchen.

Contemporary Gray Kitchen

For a contemporary spin on gray, a flat paneled or shaker-style cabinet is necessary, as the straight, clean lines are preferable to the more elaborate raised panel design. Pair them with tubular or flat bar pulls for a truly trendy and complementary look.

Mixed materials are another feature of contemporary kitchens. Above, polished and brushed chrome, stainless steel, marble, glass and a hint of copper all combine to create a perfect complement to the gray kitchen cabinets. The streamlined appliances, curved range hood and round glass pendant lights provide this kitchen with the stylish touch that a contemporary design needs.

Gray Country Kitchen

You may not immediately think about gray kitchen cabinets when considering a country kitchen design, as white and pastel shades tend to be more popular. However, using gray kitchen cabinets can give your cozy country design a little bit of edge.

When purchasing your gray cabinetry, be sure to include the characteristic beadboard panel and some corbels for your kitchen island. A deep, white apron sink can help soften and lighten up your country kitchen, especially if your cabinets are a darker shade of gray. Combine these with rustic brushed metal fixtures and classic lighting elements.