Smokey Taupe Kitchen Cabinets: The Countertop Comes First

The decision for this particular color

Smokey Taupe can be considered for kitchen cabinets if its color and depth suit the space; the first design question is taupe walls around a mixture of beige and gray. Smokey Taupe offers a slightly warm neutral direction without the extra depth of Stone Hearth.

A beige carpet and gray stone surround establish two large anchors, so the paint is best assessed as a connection between them.

Put the countertop and lower door together

Make the Smokey Taupe cabinet trial vertical. Hold it below the counter edge, beside the backsplash and at the end panel facing the room. In a palette involving beige carpet and a gray stone surround, the countertop reflection and the shadow beneath it can produce quite different impressions. Compare a lower door with a tall cabinet position before deciding that the same color belongs on both.

The Smokey Taupe comparison to make in this room

Smokey Taupe has an LRV of 54.53; Benjamin Moore Stone Hearth 984 is 48.45. The difference is 6.08 points, with Smokey Taupe returning more light under the reference measurement.

The condition for keeping Smokey Taupe

Place the two permanent finishes together in the test instead of trying to match only one. The trim color comparison covers that related choice.

Select a coating intended for the actual cabinet surface and follow its preparation, priming and cure instructions. The 983 color code does not establish adhesion, stain resistance or cleaning performance. Approve the intended sheen on a sample door; reflections on a finished cabinet can differ from those on a flat wall board. The wood-floor pairing guide covers that related choice. Before ordering samples, compare room-planning features in the paint color visualizer roundup.