Are White Kitchens Over?

In reviewing the data, Stephanie Pierce, senior director of marketing operations and innovation at MasterBrand Cabinets, found that “homeowners are embracing combinations that tell their own stories that are outside of the longstanding white kitchen.”

What does that look like? “Richer wood stains” and “bolder paint finishes,” she asserts, citing data that shows the top choice for kitchen cabinets is now a light-toned stain, followed by off-white and beige options. Classic white comes in third.

This signals “a return to natural warmth and organic depth,” the brand says, but make no mistake—those colors are still fairly light, maintaining that a desire for a cozy-yet-not-cavelike space remains. It also suggests that Nancy Meyers’s kitchen aesthetic will remain timeless, given its tendency toward a collected, personal appeal versus a pristine, stark, all-white look.

While “bright and airy” was the mantra of years past, 2026 marks a move toward kitchens that are more grounded and comforting. MasterBrand also noted the rise of “the full stain spectrum, from medium to dark,” as well as rich green tones and earthy colors, like terracotta. In fact, the brand named Lush Forest—a green so dark it borders on black—as its 2026 Impactful Finish of the Year, noting its ability to deliver drama without being so bold that it’s overstimulating. It’s sophisticated, yet so inky it almost acts as a neutral.

Similarly, HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams has seen beige overtake gray, and concurred that earthy shades were on the rise.

“Homeowners are seeking calm, inviting spaces that still feel refined, and these natural, earthy neutrals strike that perfect balance,” explains Ashley Banbury, color marketing manager for the brand.

Then, start small—instead of renovating, maybe it’s painting the walls surrounding your cabinets in a sandy beige to warm things up. Or swapping out the items on your open shelves for warm wood-toned cutting boards, dried floral arrangements or even springing for that new porcelain white KitchenAid mixer with a walnut bowl, which seems to capture this transitional period perfectly. (On that front, KitchenAid’s dark wood look was such a hit that the brand recently expanded its walnut collection, further underscoring this shift.)

If you think about it, this pivot toward warmer aesthetics feels long overdue: It’s visual comfort food, in one of the spaces where we spend the most time—even if you’re more prone to staring at the fridge than actually cooking.