I know that I have seen kitchens w/ white cab and white appliances. It would really be almost impossible for them to match. I think that it would look ok.

Thank you. I think a lot of people do white on white; I'm just nervous because ours is a touch off white. On its own, the cabinet paint looks white white but when you see it next to stark white it looks more off-white/cream.

There may be other posts on this question but I'm not sure that they are there anymore since the recent problem of threads dropping off. Here is what our KD told us when we were thinking of doing the same thing and we went with his advice. He said it's almost impossible to use white appliances with white cabinets because it will always be a bit off and look as if you wanted to match but missed. Before we had the benefit of his good advice in the kitchen we ordered white tile, some white porcelain fixtures, and a white acrylic tub for a bathroom that also has white painted wood trim. All I can say is that the bathroom is a nightmare for me. None of the whites match or blend at all in my opinion and I'm unhappy with it.

I think if the white cabinet color doesn't look like you tried to match, then it will be ok. If it looks like a near miss, it won't look right. I'm linking an opinion from Susan Serra, kitchen designer, on this very question. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Susan Serra

huh. I read that link - I was going to suggest she paint her cabinets an oyster gray white, instead of creamy white, but I thought I'm not enough of a designer to make that kind of suggestion. She suggested that in the range. So I feel safer saying it now. ;-)

I am going with cream-colored cabinets with a brown glaze and I was wondering the same thing. I originally thought about getting a range in an off-white, but I have now decided it won't give enough of contrast with the off-white cabinets. I'm going with a burgundy range instead. I like the look of a tone-on-tone kitchen, but I do think it is difficult to match up the whites. I'm also going with a SS refrigerator and dishwasher.

I am working on a friend's kitchen who is keeping his white fridge and is planning to replace his stove and dishwasher with new white ones. I looked around to see what would work best and I found that soft colours (greys, blues and greens seemed to work best - at present BM Soft Fern 2144-40 is the leader) and light to medium wood tones seemed to create the strongest overall impact with white appliances.

Still deciding on wood finish:

Medium Brown
{{!gwi}}

Adel Beech
{{!gwi}}

Adel Birch
{{!gwi}}

Thank you to everyone. I understand the advice that matching whites is difficult, but for us I think we're going to have to tackle that challenge. So, it seems we have 2 very different options:

1. Go off-white/beige so that it's so different it's obvious we weren't trying to match the appliances; or

2. Go with a sort of oyster gray white cabinet

This is so stressful!!!!!! Any pictures anyone?

I found this one but I don't remember where I saw this great picture of a grey cabinets and white appliances (probably here somewhere) that made me move in that direction.

Here is a link that might be useful: cabico kitchen with whit e vintage stove

smilingjudy - I was actually looking at Snowbound earlier this evening thinking it could be a nice white. My only question is - does it have a hint of a pink undertone? Thanks so much! Your kitchen is beautiful!

No, I don't see any pinkish in it at all. When I compare those two chips, Snowbound seems to have a yellow-ish cast while Alabaster seems to have a green-ish cast. I probably would've picked Alabaster if I'd known about it, but somehow I missed that chip when I had to make the pick. If you haven't already, check the finished kitchens blog for soonermagic's. She used Alabaster and it's gorgeous.

Doh! She's not in the FKB. I hunted it down here. No white appliances in hers, but maybe it will help with your paint choice.

Thank you. I'm pretty new to this site - how do I find soonermagic's finished kitchen blog? Thanks again!

I think most white colors have a "cool" cast to them so if you paint your cabinets in a "warm" off white the cool whites may look dirty. Even though white cabinets won't be the same identical color as the white appliances, they will still be white. If I were you, I either do white or something that shows more contrast. That's just one opinion. I know people see color differently so I suggest you bring home a door in the color you're thinking of and put it next to a white appliance. Also bring home a door in white for comparison.

I think it could look terrible. Well it did in my kitchen. When I moved in this house 8 years ago -- white cabinets -- a creamy, ivory white. And then I bought new white appliances.

The appliance white -- is a very cool white -- and the contrast was awful. Thought I'd get used to it -- never did.

2 years ago replaced the stove, microwave, & dishwasher with stainless -- looks SO much better and the whole kitchen is now warmer (still need to replace the fridge, but its on a different wall/section).

Unless the whites are exactly the same tone as the cabinets -- I would not do it. Pete

Hi AMW33629,

My experience with White Cabinets and White appliances has
been horrible! But my experince is a little different. I must tell you that the previous owners put in white tile counters, white walls, white appliaces, white knobs, white sink, white faucet and white cabinets. And they tried to match them.

My DH and I have never liked this look. Perhaps it looked nice when it was first done 10 years ago but right now it looks like the whites do not go. The tile has been terrible to keep clean, the cabinets do not match the appliances and over all the look does not match the honey oak floors. BUt wait, at night when there is a glow of light the kitchen looks lovely. During the day with bright sunlight the whites do not match. It has driven my DH and I nuts but we are finally going to change it.

The 2 kitchens by caryscott and smilingjudy look beautiful but I wonder were those colors matched in the light before purchased. Trying to match white is tricky.

Thank you. Just to clarify, the only components that would be white would be the appliances and cabinets. Wood floors and tannish granite.

Now I'm wondering if we should just go with stainless steel appliances. However, do off-white cabinets look ok with stainless in a small kitchen? Thanks!

amw: I had existing bisque appliances that were less than 5 years old that I kept. I brought the door samples home of the creamy whites that Medallion offered. I choose divinity. I think it's a pretty good match! If I need appliances in the future, I think I'll start trading them out to SS. I don't think white would look good. JMHO.

I've posted a link below if you're interested in taking a look. The last few photos have my new curtains/blinds up, new stools, along with our completed LR that's open to the kitchen.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bisque Appliances

bbtondo - your appliances are bisque? They look white in the pictures? Your kitchen is great.

Yes, they are bisque! I also went crazy trying to pick the perfect creamy white. If I took a photo of my cabinets along with a piece of white paper, you would definitely see that they are creamy off white.

I know that the cabinet color is just off a little compared to my bisque appliances, but I'm probably the only one that notices!

I purchased the bisque color because at the time I had those almond formica cabinets with the small band of oak on the doors and the white appliances REALLY looked bad.

Good luck with your decision!

Barb

AMW, go with stainless! I love stainless with white. And lord knows it would be alot easier. :-)

amw33629,

I didn't post this yesterday as it probably won't help but I did pull out my kitchen mags and do a thumb through and I found a couple of examples.

Kitchen Makeovers Fall 2008

Again a vintage white stove, 18" white dishwasher and white fridge in an alcove away from the cabinetry with no cupboard above. They had their Cabico cupboards hand painted (they wanted brushstrokes) and the look is very vintage with built in feet on the inset cabs, butcher block counters and vintage accessories including a 30's Hoosier cabinet.

Kitchen Makeovers Fall 2008

Quite low budget kitchen in a 50's era home. Kitchen has a retro feel with white trim, white appliances, white cabinetry and a sheet vinyl white floor in a tile pattern. Walls are a stong colour that matches the laminate counters (no backspash) It's a U with uppers on only one side. Cute very simple and appliances seem to blend but overall the room has a stong retro feel.

Kitchen Solutions #45 pg 38

Creamy white shaker cabinetry with Cleopatra granite and wood floor. Very contemporary (not modern) kitchen with a strong use of earthtones. In all honesty awful it looks like they cheaped out on the appliances (wall oven and micro combo, fridge and cooktop are visible). The appliances just look like they are waiting to be replaced.

I like white appliances but the kitchen I'm working on is in a 50's row house and we are pushing the retro by doing a two tone composition vinyl tile floor, mixed cabinetry, open shelves and chunky hardware. Quirky not slick. Smilingjudy's fridge is very contemoporary and her only white appliance which is probably why it works with the more traditional white cabinetry (fridge and cabinetry have very different finishes as well) and those gorgeous Richlite countertops (very matte and just slightly mottled - quite different from a traditional granite).

Probably not much help without pics, sorry.