14 Interesting Dark Brown Kitchen Cabinets for a Timeless Look

For some, white kitchen cabinets are considered the best because they can serve as the best backdrop for the accent colors you might add later. However, dark brown cabinets have their own style.

The dark brown color is known for its elegance and drama. This color can work with various designs when applied to the cabinets, from traditional to modern styles.

Another great thing about dark brown kitchen cabinets is, they offer a timeless look.

As a neutral color, dark brown can also be a perfect background if you want to add an accent color.

The good news is dark brown cabinets also hide dirt better. This way, you don’t have to spend time cleaning up the cabinets as much as those who have white-colored ones.

Dark brown cabinets can also add intimacy, especially in an open-floor kitchen, which can feel echoey most of the time.

When you’re planning to install dark brown cabinets or paint your cabinets in that shade, make sure you match them with other accents in the kitchen.

You need to create a cohesive look, especially in a large kitchen, because the pull-together look can continuously let the eye travel from one point to another.

If you don’t really know how to incorporate dark brown cabinets in your kitchen and how to match them with other elements, here are 13 pictures of dark brown kitchen cabinets to create a timeless look:

1. Elegant Kitchen with Dark Brown Cabinets Stained in “Peppercorn” and Made of Lyptus Wood

This I-shaped traditional kitchen looks elegant due to its dark brown cabinetry.

The designer incorporated white color in this kitchen to counter the dark and grim effect of having this cabinetry.

The white double doors in the far end of this kitchen look contrast against the dark brown surrounding. However, the doors somehow managed to brighten up this space.

It is not only that, but the backsplash is also white. It is tile by Ann Sacks and is known as Glace Sticks, with an “ice” color.

On the other hand, the inset cabinets are made of Lyptus wood and stained in “peppercorn”, a custom-mixed color by DuraSupreme. If you want to mimic this stain, keep in mind that this stain will look different on different wood species.

The designer also pairs this dark brown cabinetry with a medium tone wood floor to create a subtle contrast.

If you are wondering, the floors are slightly distressed hickory. And FYI, hickory is an excellent material for the floor if you have pets because it can hide any dirt and grime perfectly.

There are two types of countertops. Both are contrasting each other.

The darker one is Soapstone with a veining pattern. The dark countertop blends seamlessly with the dark brown cabinets.

There is a Carrara marble countertop in a lighter tone on the other side. On the contrary, this light top contrasts the dark cabinetry nicely.

Basically, the color scheme in this kitchen does complement each other. This is a perfect look for a long and narrow kitchen space.

2. Contemporary Kitchen with Dark Brown Flat Panel Cabinets

This open-floor kitchen features a lovely contemporary style. It looks sleek with its flat-panel cabinets in a dark brown color. The designer combined the colors to create a modern look.

The dark brown cabinets are paired with a gray countertop and gray floor.

We all know that gray is usually associated with a modern look because it offers a stylish and futuristic look.

However, combining dark brown and gray colors will make your kitchen space look dark and plain. That is why the designer here also incorporated white and beige.

Not only that, but this space is also flooded by natural light. Its spacious and open space is helpful to create a bright look, despite the dark color scheme.

If you want to create this contemporary look with a gray top and dark brown cabinets, make sure you have a lot of windows in your kitchen to let natural light in.

3. Dark Brown Cabinets with the Natural Grain of the Wood in a Modern Kitchen

It turns out that not only rustic style that usually features natural wood elements. In this modern kitchen, we can see that the designer installed dark brown cabinetry made of natural wood.

The wood species is American walnut. It is finished with a clear stain, so the natural grains of the wood are still clearly visible. It looks clean and sleek, perfect for a modern and contemporary look.

To enhance the modern look, the walls and ceiling were painted in white color. It is Benjamin Moore – Snowfall White. The white color serves as a canvas. It creates a contrast to the dark wood cabinets and medium tone floor.

There are recessed ceiling lights, that are meant to deliver an elegant look to the cabinets.

Similar to the previous picture, these dark brown cabinets are paired with a gray countertop. It s a Caesarstone countertop in gray pebble color. However, the gray top looks more white, so it looks consistent with the walls and ceiling.

4. L-shaped Kitchen with Patterned Backsplash and Dark Brown Cabinets

The dark brown color looks so prominent. It seems that it is a dominant color in this transitional kitchen. As a transitional kitchen, there are many traditional and modern elements.

As a neutral color, dark brown is basically a conventional shade. Moreover, it was painted on shaker cabinets, a type of cabinetry that pulls off a traditional look.

The L-shaped layout also delivers a classic look since it is the most common layout for a traditional kitchen.

However, the patterned backsplash, along with stainless steel appliances and silver stools, managed to balance the traditional look. They create a modern look.

The beige floor and the white walls are used as a background, so the designer is free to experiment with the patterns and colors.

The designer also creates contrast by installing white countertops on these dark brown cabinets.

Yes, we know that black and white is a classic color combo. Yet, instead of black, the designer used dark brown. And that’s what makes this kitchen transitional.

You can go for this look if you want something different but don’t want to stray too far from a traditional style.

5. Dark Brown Raised Panel Cabinets Paired with White Granite Countertops

This traditional kitchen features elegant dark brown raised panel cabinets that look super striking against the white ceramic backsplash.

If you want to draw attention to your cabinets, make sure you use a simple and plain backsplash.

However, the designer thought it would be a waste if he just let the backsplash go unnoticed. So, he added a decorative deco tile, which is a Tierra Sol tile, behind the stove.

The decoration doesn’t steal the look. Instead, it accentuates the dark brown cabinets perfectly.

The white granite countertops with their natural vein also prove that it is the best pairing for dark brown cabinets. It seems that the dark cabinets are used as a focal point, and attention stealer, in this white kitchen.

If you want to go for this look, make sure you’re able to incorporate each neutral color used evenly to create a balanced look.

6. Transitional Kitchen with Dark Brown Cabinets and Stone Slab Backsplash

The dark brown cabinets are so deep and rich that they look almost black.

This is the shade you should opt for if you want to design a sleek transitional kitchen. It seems that the dark brown cabinets are the main element, the thing that catches the most attention when people walk into this space.

It is because the cabinets were installed against the beige walls and paired with granite countertops that blend seamlessly with the backsplash, with dark veining.

The brown in the beige walls look more pop when paired with this dark brown cabinetry, and the dark veining of the countertop accentuates the cabinets flawlessly.

The medium tone wood floor also complements the cabinets.

Basically, every shade used in this kitchen is meant to complete or accentuate the dark brown cabinets. They make the cabinets look darker and more elegant.

7. Two-tone Kitchen Cabinetry with Dark Brown Glass Front Upper Cabinets

This is an ideal inspiration for a craftsman kitchen with a whimsical look.

The designer decided to use more than just one color to paint the cabinets. The upper and lower cabinets here look in contrast to each other. However, they both are still in a neutral shade.

The lower cabinets are painted in crisp white color. The glass front upper cabinets, on the other hand, are painted in a dark brown shade. Dark brown is the best alternative if you are tired of the black and white combination.

The dark brown cabinets match the square-shaped dining table. It is obvious that the dark brown shade is meant to accentuate the white color. The white lower cabinets are paired with white marble countertops and a white backsplash.

The floors are oak and finished in a custom stain and satin polyurethane. The medium tone wood floors create a subtle contrast to the dark brown cabinets. But after all, the brown color in various shades in this kitchen does complement each other.

8. Polished Kitchen with a Combination of Dark Brown Cabinets and Gray Backsplash

If you prefer to have a minimalist and polished kitchen, you can go for this look.

This open-concept kitchen looks sleek with no clutter. It features dark brown flat-panel cabinets, stone tile gray backsplash, and white solid surface countertops.

The beige porcelain tile floors are also here to make the dark brown shade in the cabinets richer and more pop. The textured backsplash adds more character to this kitchen, and the shade also suits the cabinets flawlessly.

You can mimic this kind of kitchen if you want to stay with a neutral color combo. The absence of bold or statement color in this kitchen is made up of stainless steel appliances and metal hanging pendants over the sink.

9. Dark Brown Shaker Style Cabinets Combined with Metal Hardware

Unlike the previous picture, the designer added bold color to complement the dark brown cabinets in this transitional kitchen.

The terracotta wall at the top of the upper cabinet accentuates the dark brown shade, but it also shines in its own way.

The dark brown cabinets are paired with metal hardware to pull off a modern look.

Metal is known as a modern element. That is why, when paired with the dark brown shade, which is actually a conventional shade, they both will create a perfect transitional look. The stainless steel pulls really give a perfect detail to the cabinetry.

The penny round tile backsplash seems to be in gray color, another neutral shade to complete this transitional space.

All the neutral shades and the natural element, like medium tone wood floor, never fail to create a traditional look. On the other hand, bold and statement colors, along with metal elements, will surely add a modern touch. And that’s what you need to combine to create a perfect transitional room.

10. Rustic Kitchen with Dark Brown Wood Cabinets that Blend with the Surrounding

We all know that wood is the most important element in a rustic kitchen.

The dark brown cabinets are made of natural wood that seem to blend seamlessly with the wood floor, wood ceiling, and wood island.

Yes, those can make your kitchen look dim. Perhaps that’s the reason why the designer installed upper cabinets in a different color.

The upper cabinets are glass front in gray color and white trim. It is obvious that the designer attempted to add a modern touch to this rustic kitchen through those upper cabinets.

As a timeless element, Glass is combined with gray and white, two shades that are known as modern and futuristic shades.

Combining those modern upper cabinets with dark brown shaker lower cabinets actually creates a nice transitional look. However, the wood floor and ceiling, along with dark brown walls, deliver a perfectly rustic look.

This kitchen is spacious, and basically, this is an open floor kitchen. It features a lot of tall windows and glass elements. So, using dark brown colors and dark wood materials here won’t be an issue.

11. White Super Sleek Kitchen with Dark Brown Cabinets as an Accent

This is another super sleek and polished kitchen in a modern style.

This mid-sized L-shaped kitchen has an open floor concept. It features white floors, white marble countertops, a white stone slab backsplash, a white ceiling, and dark brown cabinets.

It is clear that the dark brown cabinets are meant to create a dramatic contrast to this all-white kitchen.

Using too much white in one room, especially in an open floor room, somehow is intimidating and too bright. That is why the design toned it down by installing dark brown cabinets. If you are wondering, the cabinets here are from Arclinea.

The flat panel cabinets are completed with metal pulls that look stylish against the dark brown shade. Stainless steel appliances are added to enhance the modern look.

When the lights on the ceiling are on, the color combo used here will look even more dramatic, totally a look you should copy if you’re a big fan of a modern and polished look.

12. Dark Brown Cabinets Match the Dark Wood Floor for a Seamless Look

The dark brown cabinets blend seamlessly with the dark tone wood floor. Using them both in one space can make the area look dark and scary. That is why you should be wise when incorporating dark shades in one place.

However, it seems that it is not much of an issue.

This trendy kitchen features a lot of tall windows to ensure natural light can come into the room. There are LED lights and glass hanging pendants in the evening to give artificial lights to this kitchen.

In other words, this kitchen will never lack light. You should consider this if you want to use a seamless look with a dark brown shade.

Plus, in order to brighten up the space, the designer also painted the walls in bright white.

The beige granite countertops serve as a transition between dark shade to white shade, similar to the stone slab backsplash.

For a stylish finishing touch, the designer used metal hardware to the dark brown cabinets to enhance the contemporary look.

13. Contrast Combination of Dark Brown and Bright Red Cabinets

We have seen many pictures of the kitchen in a neutral color scheme, with dark brown cabinets as the main point. However, in this contemporary kitchen, you see an unusual color combo.

The dark brown cabinets are paired with bright red cabinets. The bright red cabinets are meant for stainless steel appliances, while the dark brown cabinets are for meal prep.

It is obvious that the bright red cabinets are the focal point in this kitchen. They are meant to draw attention. The dark brown cabinets, on the other hand, are used as a background. They seem to blend with the surrounding, the neutral color elements.

The dark brown cabinets are paired with gray countertops, white walls, white ceiling, and medium tone wood floor. All of them are meant to be a background for the bright red cabinets.

This is the kind of look you can copy if you think the neutral and basic color scheme is just not your style, or if you want to make a statement based on your personality.

14. Trendy Kitchen with Dark Brown Cabinets and Black Steel Backsplash

Combining dark brown cabinets with a black steel backsplash is another unusual look. Both are dark tones.

If you want to incorporate dark tones generously like this, make sure you balance them with light tones and a lot of huge windows to let natural light penetrate the room.

Here, the dark brown cabinets are paired with white quartzite countertops to create a balance and a dramatic contrast in this contemporary kitchen.

There is a blackened steel custom range hood put against a wall of ledge stone, right on top of the black steel backsplash.

The black backsplash and black hood create a consistent and cohesive look with the dark brown cabinets. It is because the dark brown here is very deep; it’s almost black. They match the island in the middle of the kitchen and the raised counter for bar stools.

The white walls and the beige floor are supposed to counter the dark tones. Plus, you can see that there are a lot of windows and glass elements in this kitchen. They make the room brighter and look more spacious.

Closing

So, what do you think about dark brown cabinets?

Obviously, dark brown cabinets, especially those that have a deeper tone, will make your kitchen look dark and grim. That is why, painting your cabinetry in dark brown is not recommended unless you have a spacious kitchen, or at least an open floor kitchen.

Any dark tone in a small space will only make the space look smaller and crammed.

To brighten up your kitchen, you need to at least incorporate one bright color in it. Adding white to your color scheme is enough to light up your space for a traditional look.

In a space where natural light is insufficient, make sure to use white generously. Dark brown cabinets can only be used as an accent in a white kitchen.

Don’t settle with just a neutral color combo in a modern or contemporary kitchen. You need to at least add one bold color or an exotic accent color.

For instance, a gold accent will create an elegant look when paired with dark brown cabinets. Or, you can use a metal or stainless steel accent to pull off a modern vibe. Bright colors, like red, will instantly pop in a neutral color scheme.

In a rustic kitchen, where the wood element has dominated the room, you can add a contrasting element, like metal, to deliver a more stylish look.

You can combine your dark brown cabinets made of wood with wood floors to create a seamless look in a more traditional rustic look. Just make sure your kitchen is spacious enough for a dark uniformed look.

Good luck with your project!