How to Make Cream Cabinets Look Less Yellow

During a kitchen cabinet makeover, one common challenge is dealing with cream kitchen cabinets that have taken on an unwanted yellowish tint. To make cream kitchen cabinets look less yellow, you can start by changing your kitchen lighting to cool-toned or white light bulbs, as warm lighting can enhance yellow tones. 

Additionally, painting your walls with neutral colors like gray or navy can balance out the yellow hues. Lastly, updating cabinet hardware to sleek, modern finishes such as black or satin nickel can help reduce the yellow appearance and give your kitchen a fresh, updated look.

In this post, we’ll dive deeper into the reason behind the yellowish appearance of off-white cabinets and explore these three tried-and-tested methods to make them appear less yellow.

Your cream or off-white cabinet can have yellowish tones because of the overall interior design of your space; the lighting in your kitchen heavily influences your interiors. If your kitchen gets a lot of natural sunlight that hits your cabinets, this can cause them to yellow over time.

Additionally, if you have warm-toned lights, the room is more likely to appear yellowish overall. However, if you opt for white lights or a cool-toned light setup, this will give an overall blue-ish effect.

If the issue is sunlight, though, be sure to invest in high-quality shades for your kitchen windows to block the sun from reaching your cabinets on bright days. If the problem lies elsewhere, check out the tips below!

Choosing the right color to complement cream colored cabinets in a way that does not make them appear yellow can seem like a difficult task, but it’s not! You can opt for neutral colors–like gray and navy–for your walls and even add accent shades.

It's also best to avoid glossy-finish paint as it will make everything appear more vibrant and unnatural. Instead, go for a matte finish–a matte or satin finish is the perfect choice for muted looks and will go well with your cream-colored cabinets without giving them a yellowish tint. 

As mentioned earlier, lighting has a major influence on the appearance of your cabinets. One way to make cream cabinets appear less yellow is to change the lightbulbs in your kitchen. Lightbulbs come in two types: warm-toned bulbs and cool-toned or white light bulbs.

Warm-toned bulbs: These are mostly categorized as high kelvin bulbs. They add a cozy touch to the room and are the primary source of the yellowish tint you’re experiencing.

Cool-toned bulbs: These are also known as white light bulbs and give a bluish or bright tone to the room. They will make cream cabinets appear less yellow but might take away the warm, cozy vibe of your kitchen. 

Cabinet hardware, like doorknobs or pull handles, can influence the look of your kitchen cabinets. So, be sure to choose hardware that doesn't reduce your cupboard's original color to an unnatural tone.

Here are a few examples that can go well with your white or cream-colored cupboards:

• Copper handles: These are pull-type handles that add a rather modish touch to kitchen cabinets. They are considered a bold choice because they look extravagant and flaunty. However, if your taste leans to a more showy side, these pulls are a perfect choice!
• Black-colored door knobs: Black is popular for pairing with white or cream colors. It brings a sophisticated touch to your interior and adds an artistic vibe to your cabinets.
• Nickel pulls: Satin nickel pulls can also reduce the yellowish of your cream cabinets. The silver in these pulls lessens the warm effect on the cupboard.

White or cream-colored cabinets can prove to be a very tricky piece of furniture. But just a few simple fixes, such as changing cabinet handles or the type of lighting in your kitchen, can restore their beauty.

Wondering what other colors you should paint your kitchen cabinets, or what the most popular kitchen cabinet styles might be? Check out our latest posts!