Cabinet and countertop combinations for a well

13 clever ideas to create harmony in your kitchen

Your colour palette is one of the most vital considerations when creating a kitchen, influencing every conceivable aspect of its design. And as cabinets and countertops are one of the most prominent features, how you combine your colours and marry the two will influence the harmony and balance in your space.

"When it comes to designing your dream kitchen, we always suggest prioritising truly timeless colours and designs that you will love for a lifetime," says Mor Krisher, Head of Product Design at Caesarstone. "Although the kitchen worktop is often one of the last elements to be installed, this doesn’t mean it should be low on your kitchen design priority list.

"The worktop is part of the foundation of a kitchen design as one of the most visually prominent areas, as well as often receiving heavy usage on a daily basis, that’s why it should be considered first and not be compromised. Repainting your cabinetry at a later date is an option but it is important to choose your work surface with longevity in mind"

Here we look at 13 clever cabinet and countertop combinations, why they work and how to use them in your own home.

This pretty kitchen makes a compelling case for avoiding strong contrasts in your cabinet and countertop pairings. Whilst there is enough of a distinction between the neutral taupe on the cupboards and a white stone above, they create a lovely wash of delicate neutrals, with neither one jostling for attention.

Pictured: Bespoke kitchen at British Standard Cupboards

This is a really lovely pairing. A cheerful apple green shaker cabinet could easily pair with a plain white countertop, but in this instance the deep reddish wood creates a stronger dividing line between the cabinets below and pink limewashed walls above. It is a slightly better complement too to the black range cooker, where a white countertop might be too stark a contrast.

Pictured: Bespoke kitchen at deVOL

Read more: The top 10 most popular kitchen colours of 2023

The black countertops are a really nice surprise in this ruby red deVOL kitchen, where a white marble might have been a more obvious choice. This is a great example of dark colours 'grounding' a space – it offers a counterbalance to the lovely embellishments above in the intricately bevelled kitchen tiles, reflective brass accents and chintzy ceramic accessories.

Pictured: Bespoke kitchen at deVOL

This is about as classic as it gets in a kitchen. These are wooden shaker cabinets in a deep midnight blue with bevelled brass accents and a pristine white marble countertop. A truly failsafe combination for country kitchens.

Pictured: Country Living Whitstable kitchen at Homebase

Read more: 31 country kitchen ideas to fall in love with

If you have your eye on a distinctive marble countertop, let that inform the colour scheme for the rest of the room. Colours found on opposite sides of the colour wheel like pink and green have a high contrast between them that creates a bright and vibrant colour scheme.

Pictured: Bespoke kitchen at British Standard Cupboards

Read more: 14 colour combinations that just work

The design lesson here is in the wonderful extension of the white marble countertops up the wall and into a shelf – it mitigates some of the heaviness and richness of the green that could become imposing if overused across both cabinets and walls.

Pictured: Bespoke kitchen at deVOL

Another compelling case for using a lovely wash of neutrals across cabinets and countertops. Colours that sit side by side on the colour wheel, or 'analogous' colours, tend to be well balanced and pleasing to the eye, which is why a simple palette like this creates such a harmonious design scheme.

Pictured: Bespoke kitchen at British Standard Cupboards

This kitchen leans on vintage design markers – the sweet net curtain, antique brass, farmhouse sink and suspended copper pans – so the choice of cream cabinets and a wonderful reddish marble countertop is the perfect complement.

Pictured: Bespoke kitchen at deVOL

Read more: 22 of the best online stores for antique and vintage furniture

Using two dark colours side by side is a fairly easy route to creating something that looks sophisticated yet understated. This is a really unfussy colour combination that would work in most kitchens, but take note of the amount of natural light flooding the room – it helps enormously if you are using a predominantly dark palette.

Pictured: Bespoke kitchen at deVOL

Read more: How to increase natural light in your kitchen

A white on white kitchen achieves a very bright and airy feel, but can fall into a trap of becoming overly clinical and a bit devoid of personality. This farmhouse kitchen mitigates this risk by using plenty of warm woods, some welcome texture in the reeded glass and soft and natural flooring.

Pictured: House Beautiful Sensations Liquorice Patina Oak Laminate at Carpetright

This kitchen is a masterclass in mixing wood tones, with deep grey cabinets sandwiched between lighter woods in the floor and countertops. It also strikes a great visual balance by keeping the darker colours below eye level and using a bright white above – flipping that would create a heaviness in the room which can feel off balance and imposing.

Red cabinets with a white countertop will create something quite bold and playful and contemporary, but if you lean more towards a natural country kitchen like this one from Plain English, then a natural wood – light or dark – makes for a better fit.

Pictured: Bespoke kitchen at Plain English

If you're fortunate enough to have plenty of natural light in your kitchen, there may be a temptation to keep your colours light and bright too. But this is the perfect opportunity to use great swathes of black on your cabinets, where natural light will reveal undertones of grey or blue depending on your paint choice.

Interior Tour: A cottage hideaway in Somerset

See the new Harlequin x Sophie Robinson collection

How to decorate with antiques and vintage finds

John Lewis predicts the top 10 Christmas toys

4 expert tips for thriving houseplants

You can do these DIY tasks in one day

The best sofa bed brands

20 best large pot trees to shop now

Bath trays for a soothing home-spa experience

The 13 most on-trend sofa colours of 2023

8 humidity-absorbing houseplants

Country Living Vintage Home: Issue five out now