White kitchen cabinets are a classic for a reason—but they’re certainly not the only way to achieve a clean, bright and fresh kitchen look. Take these homes from the WL archives for example. With colourful cabinets in shades of pink, blue and green, they have a ton of flair… or should we say flavour?

Photo: Janis Nicolay

Pink Lady

Paint colour: Sherwin-Williams’s Cabbage Rose

Can you tell the owner of this space is both a baker and an artist? “When you get a chance to use some color—and you have a client that’s willing to do it—you go for it,” says Greer Nelson of Oliver Simon Design. The island’s light pink hue was drawn from the veining in the marble backsplash. Get more design tips from this dream kitchen.

kitchen with green cabinets
Photo: Tina Kulic

Green Machine

Paint colour: Benjamin Moore’s Shady Lady

With a Rorschach test-like backsplash and a bright blue faucet, there’s a lot to love about this kitchen—including the cupboards. Designer Ben Leavitt, principal of PlaidFox Studio, mixed birch plywood and custom olive green cabinetry. See the before, during and after renovation photos.

Photo: Barry Calhoun

Blue Belle

Paint colour: Farrow and Ball’s Parma Gray

Before you ask: yes, this is an island home. Everything about it (especially the pale blue beadboard cabinetry in the kitchen) evokes the sea, sand and sun of cabin life.

Plus, the finishings are as tough as they are beautiful. “The clients entertain a lot—they have three kids, and their kids bring friends,” says designer Jennifer Heffel. “They wanted it to be durable.” Learn more about this beachy kitchen look.

Lemon Drop

Neon yellow is a bold choice for kitchen cupboard doors and drawer fronts, but the team at Room8 weren’t afraid to go for it. They balanced the colour with an otherwise neutral style that features white cabinetry, black furniture and concrete floors. Check out the rest of this modern Kelowna kitchen.

Photo: Tracey Ayton

Mint Condition

Paint colour: Benjamin Moore’s Nature Lover

What do you do if you own a modern house but love the style of traditional English pubs? You turn to designer Rebecca Foster! In this North Vancouver laneway home, she helped bring the two styles together with exposed brick, warm leather and contemporary pale green cabinetry. Find out why else this kitchen works.

Photo: Barbara Tili

Teal Trap

Paint colour: Benjamin Moore’s Newburg Green

It really shouldn’t come as any surprise that this Vancouver kitchen is as stunning as it is. Take a look at the colour wheel and it’s clear that cherry wood and teal are a match made in heaven—hence the mix-and-match cabinets. Step inside this Andreajae Studio-designed space.

Photo: Janis Nicolay

Red Honcho

The oxblood colour that was used in this kitchen (for both the millwork and the floor) was heavily inspired by a pair of shoes that one of the homeowners wore to a meeting with Denise Ashmore, principle of Project 22 Design. How’s that for leaving a footprint?

“The clients wanted a playful house, nothing boring or expected,” says the designer. Explore the rest of this Kitsilano home.

Kaitlyn Funk

Kaitlyn Funk

Kaitlyn is a design-obsessed writer, editor and content manager based in Vancouver. When she's not busy swooning over gorgeous homes, you can find her reading, hiking and befriending as many dogs as possible.