While our kitchen cabinets primarily serve a functional purpose, they make up a lot of our kitchen's surface area so it makes sense to give them a decorative touch. A fresh coat of kitchen cabinet paint can transform an ordinary row of cupboards into an eye-catching kitchen feature that compliments your décor beautifully.
Painting your kitchen cabinets can look particularly effective when contrasted against the colour of your kitchen's walls. A teal kitchen cabinet against a mustard wall works perfectly for an eclectic, colourful look, or if you prefer classic country interior, cream cabinets offer a welcoming, homey feel.
Luckily there are a number of specialist kitchen cabinet and cupboard paints around, and we've gathered seven of our favourites for you to consider. Jump to our short buyer's guide on what to consider when painting your kitchen cabinets.
Best paint for kitchen cabinets at a glance
- Best for a cream kitchen Dulux Cupboard Paint
- Best for a matt look Frenchic Al Fresco, After Midnight
- Best colour options Rust-Oleum Green Kitchen Cupboard Paint
- Best for a smart glossy finish Little Greene Intelligent Satinwood
- Best all-rounder Lick Eggshell, Greige 02
- Best for multiple surfaces Refresh Kitchen Paint
- Best budget-friendly paint Ronseal One Coat Cupboard & Melamine Paint
Don't forget to read our guide on how to paint kitchen cabinets for our top tips on how to use your new purchase!
Best paint for kitchen cabinets in 2024
Dulux Cupboard Paint
Best for a cream kitchen
- 600ml
- waterborne paint
- satin finish
Dulux has always got our back when it comes to finding quality, affordable paint - it's a great option if you're on the lookout for Farrow and Ball alternatives, too! The brand's cupboard paint features a satin finish so you can enjoy a subtle sheen and durable, washable coating. Satin finishes also tend to show up fewer imperfections than gloss, which is well-suited to kitchen cabinets that are exposed to the many wears and tears of busy kitchen life.
Shown above in Natural Hessian - a soothing choice for a warm, welcoming kitchen.
Looking for colour inspiration? Check out our favourite cream kitchen ideas.
Frenchic Al Fresco, After Midnight
Best for a matt look
- Buy now from Frenchic (£21.95)
- 750ml
- water based chalk and mineral paint
- flat, almost no sheen
We're huge fans of the versatility of Frenchic's chalk paint, and the Al Fresco range can be used on wooden furniture, laminate, powder coated radiators, UPVC and ceramic wall tiles.
After Midnight is a dark blue with teal tones, so if you're looking to offset a white kitchen wall, or a bright mustard perhaps, this colour could work wonders on your kitchen cabinets. The eco-friendly paint is weatherproof too so you can treat your garden furniture to a new look too.
Buy now from Frenchic (£21.95)
Rust-Oleum Green Kitchen Cupboard Paint
Best colour options
- 750ml
- water based
- satin finish
Rust-Oleum kitchen cupboard paint can be applied to melamine, wood and laminate cupboards so it's another versatile option to suit a range of kitchen styles. The hard-wearing, scrubbable paint is well-suited to kitchen spills and cooking mishaps. Easy to apply, you don't need to worry about a topcoat or primer.
There are loads of interesting colour options available to help you jazz up your kitchen cabinets. The key lime is a particularly fun choice if you're feeling bold. Explore more green kitchen ideas...
Little Greene Intelligent Satinwood
Best for a smart glossy finish
- Buy now from Brewers (£43.50)
- 1L
- water based
- semi-gloss finish
This Little Greene intelligent satinwood is a great paint for kitchen cabinets. It's an acrylic water based paint which is renowned for its low-odour and quick drying time. Plus, you can wipe away any spillages fairly easily.
A semi-gloss finish could work well in a sleek and elegant kitchen as it'll give off a smart look, but won't be as reflective as a gloss. This paint will work on your skirting board too so you can go for a stylish matching look if you fancy.
Treat your garden to a lick of paint too with our roundup of the best paints for exterior woods.
Buy now from Brewers (£43.50)
Lick Eggshell, Greige 02
Best all-rounder
- Buy now from B&Q (£45.00)
- 2.5L
- water based
- eggshell finish
There are no prizes for guessing what two colours have been combined to create Lick's 'greige'. If you find beige typically too yellow in colour, this grey and beige mix could work for you - warm without looking too dated, and a lovely neutral choice for kitchen cabinets.
Lick's eggshell paint, thanks to its washability and durability, can be used on most surfaces making it a solid choice for kitchen cabinets. Paint your laminate, MDF and wooden surfaces with ease, and enjoy a designer look and unique colour.
Buy now from B&Q (£45.00)
Refresh Kitchen Paint
Best for multiple surfaces
- Buy now from Homebase (£27.00)
- 750ml
- water based
- satin finish
Designed for high-use surfaces, you can apply Refresh kitchen paint to wood, laminate, melamine, tiles and glass. Whether you're adding a splash of colour to your kitchen cabinets, or painting a splashback, this trusty pot of paint has got you covered. The low VOC paint is designed to withstand water, grease and general stains making it a top pick for even the messiest of cooks.
This is the graphite satin, a lovely dark colour for a modern kitchen filled with cool greys.
Buy now from Homebase (£27.00)
Ronseal One Coat Cupboard & Melamine Paint
Best budget-friendly paint
- Buy now from Wickes (£15.00)
- 750ml
- water based
- satin
If you're all about speedy decorating, look out for a one coat kitchen cabinet paint. Give your cupboards, doors and kitchen cabinets a refresh with this affordable Ronseal cupboard paint. It'll work on melamine as well as wooden furniture and the ivory satin is a timeless, fresh look that'll look great with a range of colour schemes.
Read our guide on how to paint wall edges for a perfect finish.
Buy now from Wickes (£15.00)
Which paint type should I choose for my kitchen cabinets?
Our kitchen cabinets tend to experience their fair share of spillages, bumps and scrapes so a hard-wearing, washable paint is recommended. You'll find a number of specialist kitchen cupboard or cabinet paints around which makes finding a suitable paint a straightforward task.
If you have a preferred paint brand, look out for multi surface paints that work on your cabinets' surface, whether that's wood, MDF or laminate.
Water-based paint vs oil-based paint
Oil-based paints offer a hard coating and excellent durability but their strong odour and lengthy drying times make them more of a hassle. Plus, they're more damaging to the environment due to the high VOC content. This is why you'll likely see more water based paints on the market, and thanks to the washable and durable water based paints now available, you're spoilt for choice when it comes to finding a match for your kitchen cabinets.
Which finish should I opt for when painting my kitchen cabinets?
High gloss finishes in general are easier to clean and are more resistant to stains, but if you're not a fan of the ultra-glossy look, a satin finish could be a nice middle ground. Satin finishes offer a subtle sheen (a nice contrast to an eggshell kitchen wall), and will do a better job of hiding your cabinet's imperfections than the high gloss finishes.
If you're keen to go for the matt look, there are a range of multi surface eggshell paints available that are suitable for kitchen cabinets. You may find eggshell to be more upkeep than its glossier counterparts, but it's usually wipeable so you can keep fingerprints and food stains at bay.
Read more about the difference between satin, eggshell and gloss finishes here.
For more paint content, don't forget to explore the best paint for skirting boards as well as our tried-and-tested review of the best wood primer.