What Color Countertops With Honey Oak Cabinets?

Honey oak cabinets have an old-school charm that makes the kitchen feel more intimate and homey. However, you may be thinking of transforming your kitchen into something more modern-looking without having to completely remove the cabinets. A solution could be incorporating complementary colors with cabinets, but how exactly can you do it? We have researched answers for you.

Honey oak cabinets pair perfectly with neutral and softer tones since most oak cabinets can have an orange-tinted finish. The neutrals will be able to make the kitchen brighter, and it will balance out the warmth of oak. You can incorporate quartz and marble countertops into the kitchen for a more modern and elegant feel. 

Kitchen remodeling can be stressful since you have so many choices and not enough time to try them out. One way to make it easier for you is to visualize an aesthetic that matches your preference most. If you want to learn more about how to design your kitchen, keep reading below.

What Color Countertops Pair Best With Honey Oak Cabinets?

Creating a polished-looking kitchen lies on the color combinations. No matter how organized you think your kitchen is, if the colors are all over the place, it will always look messy--visually.

It can be challenging to make honey oak cabinets work with colors since it has a strong orange undertone. However, it's not impossible, and you can balance them out by incorporating shades with cool undertones.

Here are ideal colors you can pair with honey oak cabinets.

Cool Beige

Beige countertops are one of your safest bets to pair with honey oak cabinets. It's a neutral tone, so it will blend seamlessly with the kitchen interior.

There are many shades of beige, so you want to make sure that you choose one with a green undertone--a cool color that cancels out too much warmth from the oak cabinets.

The 5212 Taj Royale can make your kitchen feel cleaner and more integrated together. A countertop in that shade will be able to widen and brighten up your kitchen and match with various appliance colors.

Cosmopolitan Gray

A modern appeal in the kitchen might feel far-fetched with honey oak cabinets, but it is possible with grey countertops. Gray is another neutral color that can balance out honey oak, and at the same time, give a certain edge to your kitchen's look.

Again, this neutral color can either have warm or cool undertones, so make sure you go for one with a green or purple undertone.

You can look into the Clary Sage 6178  or the Sedate Gray shade. These colors will elevate your kitchen and make it more adaptable to different designs such as minimalist, rustic, or traditional.

Bright White Quartz

Lighter countertops such as white quartz can instantly transform your kitchen. White countertops always have that posh and neat appeal, which may be something you want your kitchen to have.

However, to maintain that posh and neat look, you will need to maintain it more thoroughly. Fortunately, white quartz countertops are easy to clean since it is durable and non-porous, unlike natural stones like marble.

White countertops reflect more light, so they give off the illusion of wideness to your kitchen. If you have a small kitchen space, this solution may be for you.

Warm Brown

If you want to lean into the rustic charm of honey oak, you can pair them with granite in brown finishes. This will make your kitchen look more uniform and put together.

A tan or brown color palette will work well with honey oak cabinets. You can pair this with steel appliances for a touch of modernity; darker ones may wash out your color scheme.

Brown shades are naturally harmonious with honey oak since they are both natural colors. You can invest in under-cabinet lighting to make your kitchen look more inviting and so the space won't look too cramped.

Dark-veined Neutrals

If you want to transform your kitchen from traditional to elegant, you can do this instantly with veined countertops. You will also have more control over how you want your aesthetic to be since the countertop color is versatile.

Fortunately, there are many beautiful selections of dark-veined countertops that can elevate the look of your kitchen. Granite and marble countertops would be great materials for this, although you will need to maintain them properly so they can beautify your kitchen for a long time.

The veins on the countertops will not be visually stimulating against plain honey oak cabinets, but they won't be overwhelming to the point of looking messy.

Sleek Black

Although some people deem black countertops with oak cabinets to be outdated, it is actually a classic design that applies the same design principles as combining oak with light neutrals.

Combined with steel or dark-colored appliances, the combination will make your kitchen look classic and timeless. Not to mention the dark countertops will hide dirt better, so you won't have to worry about constantly wiping fingerprints or small specks of dirt.

If you want to incorporate some visual stimuli, you can install cool-toned backsplashes such as grey subway tiles or black and white tiles.

Cool Blue

Cool blue countertops balance out the warmth of honey oak. Blue granite, in particular, can make the kitchen look more contemporary, so you can veer away from the old-fashioned aesthetics that oak wood is known for.

The orange tones of oak combine well with blue since they are both natural colors, though they may come from separate color families. But that's exactly the point--you need something to turn attention away from the rich hues of honey oak.

Go for a blue countertop to make your kitchen more visually appealing and to make it more adaptable to the aesthetic you may want!

What Color Countertops with Oak Cabinets and White Appliances?

Your appliances can make or break the look of your kitchen just as much as your countertops do. You want to avoid appliance colors that can potentially clash with your color scheme or your general aesthetic.

White appliances are, fortunately, adaptable to any style. However, it is better to incorporate them with countertop colors that are "transitional" or ones that won't look visually messy with white.

Here are the colors that go well with white appliances and oak cabinets.

Read: "Light Or Dark Countertops With White Cabinets – Which To Choose?"

Dark Granite

Dark granite, although not a bright color, will complement the white appliances. It will somehow have a "blocked" look--of course, you need to be creative with positioning your appliances to have this effect.

You can pair this combination with black and white backsplashes to have a contemporary look. If you want to incorporate minimalist aesthetics with oak cabinets, this countertop may be for you!

Coastal Gray

Coastal gray is a transitional color that can pair with white appliances. This countertop color won't clash with the appliances or the cabinets, so you can still have a cohesive color scheme.

Gray will balance out the play of colors and still make the kitchen look stylish. You can opt for neutral or cool-toned backsplashes for a more adaptable aesthetic.

Read: "What Color Kitchen Cabinets Go With Gray Walls?"

Quartz Taupe

Quartz taupe is a neutral color that will blend with white appliances and honey oak cabinets. The light color can transition over to other white appliances, so all you need to worry about is the appliances' placement.

Taupe has a greige tone, which is perfect for honey oak cabinets because of their cool undertones. The color is also not as stark as white countertops, so specks of dirt and fingerprints are not as easily noticeable.

Go for Quartz Taupe if you want something lightly colored, but not as high maintenance as pure white countertops.

Can you pair warm colors with honey oak cabinets?

Honey oak cabinets already have a warm orange tint, so pairing them with countertops that have equally warm tones can be visually overwhelming.

If you really want to lean into warm colors, try to go with warm beiges and neutrals of the same color scheme.

Final Thoughts

Honey oak cabinets can be a bit challenging to decorate with, but it's not impossible--all you need to prioritize is balance and cohesiveness. As with all home fixtures, make sure everything is visually balanced and organized!