When it comes to renovating your kitchen, one of the big-ticket items to plan for are countertops. But what happens when new countertops simply aren’t in the budget, and you’re stuck trying to create an updated kitchen with the one countertop material that can instantly make your kitchen look outdated: dreaded brown granite? Ubiquitous in the 1990s and 2000s, this material has a bad rap for giving your kitchen a modernized, fresh look. However, the good news is that you can still create a contemporary new look without tearing them out by just following an insider tip I’ve learned as an interior designer: picking the right colors for your cabinets.
The issue with reusing brown granite counters is that a modern color palette that doesn’t embrace the warm brown tones ends up fighting against rather than complementing the granite … so the kitchen still screams “outdated” even after you spent all of that money to update everything else. The trick for making brown granite countertops look amazing is to lean into an earth-tone palette for an inviting look. However, this doesn’t mean the overly saturated Tuscan kitchen tones of decades past, nor strictly neutrals.
Today’s dynamic nature-inspired color palettes pay close attention to undertones and are filled with more muted and desaturated hues ranging from soft and airy to dark and moody, as well as organic colors found in nature like green, blue, pink, and yellow. So if you are ready to let your brown granite countertops finally look their best, consider beautiful cabinet colors that go with brown granite countertops to create the organic, updated kitchen of your dreams.
Mid-tone to dark greige shades create a natural yet moody neutral color palette
Lean into a gorgeous earthy color palette by choosing a medium-to-dark greige cabinet color to compliment brown granite countertops. With muted, cool green undertones, greige shades are the perfect option for keeping the space moody, yet neutral and organic. If you have dark brown granite countertops, opt for a darker greige shade to balance it out with a tone-on-tone effect (and vice versa for lighter brown counters). Mix in warmer natural wood and warm metallic tones, such as copper and brass, to bring everything together.
Foolproof creamy white feels sophisticated, airy, and inviting
A go-to choice for making any kitchen look high-end and fresh, a creamy white cabinet paint color with warm undertones will brighten up the space and prevent the brown countertops from weighing it down. In order to avoid too stark of a contrast, layer in additional warm-toned materials throughout the space to create a cozy, inviting, well-balanced interior. The undertones in the paint as well as the addition of other warm brown-based tones will help integrate the countertops into an earthy paradise.
