Today’s kitchens are breaking all the design rules, and even the standard cabinetry is getting innovative treatments. Take for example the Tuxedo cabinets look. Despite the name, these don’t have to be black-and-white kitchens. Tuxedo refers to the contrast between two different colors of cabinetry. Also known as two-toned kitchens or cabinets, you’ll see this contrast showing up in all kinds of ways in modern kitchens.

Contrasting colors in kitchen cabinetry expand design options

At first, Tuxedo cabinets meant one color on the base kitchen cabinets and another on the wall cabinets. Most kitchens sported a darker color below with a lighter color above because that both made the kitchen look taller and more open, and made the dark base cabinets more furniture-like in appearance. With this look, the base cabinets stand out as the wall cabinets blend into the, well, wall.

Now those two tones can be appear just about anywhere. Below is a quick round-up of the two-toned kitchen cabinet designs we’ve seen of late:

• Your contrasting colors might reversed, with the lighter color below, as in this example of a pantry with white kitchen cabinets topped by stained wood shelves.
• We’re also seeing several new kitchen designs with the wall cabinets all one color but the kitchen island done in a darker color for contrast, as in this kitchen.
• We’ve seen kitchens with base cabinets and wall cabinets one darker color and then only a few wall cabinets with glass fronts done in white—very classy.
• Using stained wood cabinets for the base cabinets and white, cream or antique white cabinets above is another popular design approach, and definitely makes the base cabinets look more like furniture.
• Then there’s the combination of all dark cabinets, upper and lower, along one wall and all light colored cabinets along another.
• Darker cabinets can also be used to surround and therefore showcase something such as an elaborate range. With lighter colored cabinets around the rest of the room, but darker cabinets framing the feature, one’s eye is immediately drawn in.
• This look does not have to be a dramatic contrast. Light gray cabinets with white wall cabinets offer a subtler approach and softer design, yet still achieve the intended open effect.

A two-toned approach is a flexible one

When choosing Tuxedo cabinets, or two-toned as they are also known, you’re not restricted to any particular use or combination, as we hope the ideas above prove. Instead, it opens up all kinds of possibilities and ways for you to personalize your design.

And this flexible approach to designing your kitchen is easily achieved with semi custom cabinets, like those hand-crafted by Wellborn Forest. Browse the dozens of door styles and dozens of stains and colors, plus the many types of finishes, and you’ll realize the possibilities are almost endless. If a two-toned kitchen is your vision, you can make it happen with Wellborn Forest.