Double the Interest with Two-Toned Cabinetry

In this, our second installment in our series on 2018 kitchen trends, eieihome.com is taking a look at two-toned cabinetry. This is an exciting trend that breaks what has been one of the most fundamental rules of kitchen design –that all cabinetry should match.

Once again, we’ve enlisted the help of principal designer for AyA Kitchens and Baths, Amy Dillon, to provide an inside look at this delectable trend. Here’s what she had to say.

Disrupting the matched set of top and bottom cabinets has really added freshness to the kitchen space. It’s a look that allows homeowners to get creative and infuse their personality into the hub of the home. When you have upper cabinets in one style or finish, paired with a different style on your lowers, the result is a look that is eclectic and full of personality.

Common Mix and Match Styles

Is it really possible to assign structure to a design style that is founded on breaking the rules? Many professional designers, like Amy Dillon would say yes. Some basic guidelines are necessary to keep the chaos in check.

There are several different ways to achieve the two-toned look. Here are three of the most popular ways to incorporate two-toned kitchen cabinetry into your home.

Island Focus

Arguably, the subtlest way to create a two-toned look to use the differentiating cabinetry to highlight one particular space in your kitchen. Typically, this is the kitchen island. A complimentary or contrasting cabinet is used to form the base of the island.

Tops and Bottoms

Make a more dramatic statement by banishing the traditional look of matched cabinetry altogether. Much in the same way that many people have traded matched furniture suites for a more curated look, some homeowners are choosing to paint their top cabinets in a different tone than the cabinets on the bottom.
This look is typically executed by adding a darker tone to the lower cabinets and a lighter neutral to the uppers. It visually elongates the room, giving it more height as the lighter upper cabinets are “drawn upward” into the ceiling and the lowers are grounded to the floor.

Mixed Materials

The two-toned look can be achieved not only through the use of cabinet colours, but by incorporating different materials as well. Stainless steel and wood are most often used in this version of the two-toned look.

Talk to a Professional

To achieve a truly polished look in your kitchen renovation, whether incorporating two-toned cabinetry or not, it’s always best to work with professional kitchen designers, like the experts from AyA Kitchens and Baths.
When you work with kitchen specialists, the result is a space that is meticulously designed and professionally installed, with your specific wants and needs in mind.
To find a local kitchen design expert in your area, be sure to browse the listings at eieihome.com, today.