One of the most popular rising color schemes in kitchen design is regent blue and white, especially for homes with modern-style kitchens or seaside themes. Matte-finish blue cabinets can create a muted, classic but striking atmosphere, while a lacquered blue finish is even more bold. Bonus–the dark shade of these cabinets also hides wear-and-tear and makes for an easy-upkeep kitchen.

If you’re not in the market to fully repaint your cabinets, just updating the accent colors can do wonders to change the feel of your kitchen. For an accent color that looks great now, try brushed gold, brass or copper for the handles and trim of white or black cabinets. The warm tone can match many different color schemes, and it’s more current (and more expensive-looking) than classic white or silver. 

You may have seen this style in the remodeled kitchens on Queer Eye, or just noticed the color popping up in kitchen design shoots all around the Internet–either way, it’s hard not to think of black cabinets as the trendiest look for a modern kitchen. If your rooms get a lot of natural light, or your tiling or accents are white or light-colored, black cabinets don’t have to be as imposing as they sound, and they’re one of the easiest finishes to keep looking clean and sharp. 

If you’re interested in a more neutral finish that’s not the usual off-white, you can cool down a modern kitchen with slate grey cabinets. If you’ve got a bolder accent color, slate cabinets can help it stand out; it also gives a more natural look to wood finishes than other statement colors. It’s also a popular finish for cheap, durable alternative materials cabinets; grey-stained wood and matte slate finishes both provide a calming, modern look that’s easy to upkeep.