The sober cream color has always been one of the top choices for kitchen cabinets thanks to its versatility. Cream cabinets require less maintenance and pair seamlessly with many colors. However, a cream kitchen is generally traditional in design. So, how can you modernize your cream cabinetry?
This is where cabinet hardware comes into play. But, with such a broad palette of hardware colors, you might not get the right pick for your kitchen To help you, I’ve curated a list of the 12 most popular hardware colors that are a match made in heaven with cream cabinets!
Hardware Color Options That Complement A Cream Kitchen Cabinet
1. Deluxe Golden Handles And Knobs
Golden cabinet hardware complements the warmer undertones of cream paint and designs a simpler traditional or country-style cream kitchen. It offers a crisp metal finish against earthy kitchen cabinets and looks more appealing and luxurious.
Golden looks the best with slim cabinet hardware such as traditional tubular bar pulls and slender handles, but you can use smaller knobs to neutralize the saturation of gold and look more balanced.
Best Hardware Materials For a Golden Touch:
- Polished Brass Handles
- Polished Nickel Handles
- Carbon Steel Pulls finished with Golden Champagne Plating
- Zinc Alloy Handles with Gold Copper Brushing
- Copper Knobs with Brushed Brass Finish
- Aluminum Handles with Gold Oxidation Finish (cost-effective)
2. Robust Copper-Colored Knobs And Handles
Both copper and cream are warm colors, and hence they pair seamlessly with each other. Copper is a crisp, luxurious color that hints at a traditional kitchen and contrasts cream powerfully.
Copper hardware designs a transitional kitchen if you pair it with a marble countertop and lots of glass. Moreover, exposing the screws and nuts on the pulls will achieve a contemporary, industrial kitchen aesthetic.
Best Copper Hardware Materials:
- Stainless Steel Knobs and Pulls with a Brushed Rose-Gold Finish
- Zinc Alloy Handles Custom-Painted with Copper Paint by Sherwin Williams
- Oil Rubbed Bronze Knobs and Pulls
- Copper Handles and Knobs with a Satin Finish
3. Ornate Black Handles And Pulls
Black hardware is foolproof, tried and tested combination for trendy cream cabinets that demand attention. Black adds dramatic contrast to cream kitchen cabinets and boosts the visual appeal with its stately look. Moreover, it looks modern and does not require many accessories to complete its style statement.
However, avoid using larger black handles for your entire cabinetry and limit its use to upper cabinets and kitchen islands to avoid a dominating vibe. Alternatively, if you do not want your black hardware to overpower, you can choose smaller knobs that look a little friendlier.
Finally, ensure that you complete the look with wooden tables and a white countertop for a typical farmhouse-style kitchen design.
Best Black Cabinet Hardware Materials:
- Stainless Steel Handles finished with Black Dye
- Black Curved Wire Pulls with Modern Stone-gray Cabinets
- Zinc Alloy handles with Black Oxide Finish
4. Exquisite Silver-Colored Hardware
Silver hardware is a great choice to add a modern appeal to traditional cream cabinets. Silver adds a subtle contrast to cream paint and designs a bright and minimal Craftsman-style cream kitchen. Silver looks the best on slender pulls and handles, but you can use smaller silver knobs with cream cabinets for a bohemian touch.
Best Materials for Silver Hardware:
- Stainless Steel and Brushed Nickel Handles
- Zinc Alloy Handles with a Silver Finish
- Brushed Satin Nickel Knobs
5. Timeless Dark Brown Handles And Knobs
Brown hardware looks minimal and monochrome with cream cabinets and designs a softer farmhouse kitchen. Dark brown handles contrast the warm tones of cream and appear traditional in design. Generally, brown looks the best on flat pulls and handles, but knobs will help you design the shaker-style look with minimal accessories.
Best Dark Brown Hardware Materials:
- Oil-rubbed Bronze Handles and Pulls
- Brown-Colored Leather Pulls
- Walnut Wood Knobs and Handles (Dark Brown)
- Teak Wood Knobs and Pulls with a Walnut Finish
- Ceramic Knobs Painted with a Brown Color
- A Cast Iron Door Knob with a Rustic Brown Finish
6. Monochrome White Cabinet Knobs
White is a crisp, clean color that softly accents the cream cabinet color and looks bright, balanced, and monochrome. White is a fresher alternative to cream paint and designs modern and sophisticated cabinets. Finally, you can achieve a Scandinavian look by adding a lot of natural wood, wood countertops, and sidings to the kitchen interior.
Best White Hardware Materials:
- Plastic Handle with a White Finish (budget-friendly, but not long-lasting)
- White Ceramic Handles and Pulls (cost-effective)
- Aluminum Handles and Knobs with a White Finish
- Oakwood Knobs with a White Paint
- White Porcelain Knobs
- Zinc-Alloy Handles with White Finish
7. Chic Transparent Hardware
Transparent glass knobs help neutralize the slight earthiness of cream paint and look more bright and engaging. They look traditional in their design and might not pair well with minimal shaker cabinets that require a modern aesthetic. Moreover, it is a brittle option that might not work if you have a high-traffic kitchen or children at home but will guarantee luxury if used.
Best Transparent Hardware Materials:
- Glass
- Acrylic (sturdy and budget-friendly with easy maintenance)
- Plastic (extremely affordable but may turn white with time
8. Loud Cherry Red Knobs
Red knobs complement the tones of a warm cream color and design a unified, chic kitchen. Red is a bold color that contrasts cream cabinets powerfully and achieves the vibe of typical eclectic kitchens.
A brighter cherry red cabinet knob adds drama to lighter cream paints like ‘Swiss Coffee’ by Benjamin Moore, while a closer maroon color looks more sophisticated.
Moreover, red hardware is versatile and will adapt to the design style of your choice. A cream kitchen with red hardware, a marble countertop, and stainless steel appliances will look modern. On the other hand, it will look more vintage when paired with natural wood accessories and tables. So pair them wisely.
Best Hardware Materials for Cherry Red Handles & Knobs:
- Ceramic Knobs with a Bright Cherry Paint
- Fused Glass Knob with Red dye
- Painted Stainless Steel Handles
- Painted Wooden Knobs and Handles
9. Amusing Royal Blue Knobs And Handles
Royal blue is a peppy, saturated paint color that looks dramatic and designs a modern blue kitchen. Chic royal blue hardware tones down the warm undertones of cream and offers an eclectic look. Though you can effectively use royal blue hardware on both upper and lower cabinets, it is better to limit its use to your kitchen island to grab more attention.
Moreover, bolder handles will focus on your cream kitchen island but may overpower the design of the upper and lower cabinets. Hence, it is better to choose smaller knobs for an overall cohesive look.
Best Blue Hardware Materials:
- Ceramic Knobs and Handles with a ‘Loyal Blue’ Paint by Sherwin Williams
- Fused Glass Knob
- Blue Crystal Drawer Handles
- Stainless Steel Handles with a Royal Blue Finish
10. Vibrant Orange Knobs And Handles
Orange is a kitchen cabinet hardware color that accents the supple cream cabinets and makes them more dramatic and exciting. Orange Hardware designs a modern, fusion-style kitchen and provides a powerful, bright contrast to cream paint.
Orange hardware is available in both knobs and handles, but it is best to pair smaller knobs with cream, as larger orange handles may overpower the cream-colored cabinets.
Top Materials for Orange Hardware:
- Ceramic Knobs Painted with a Bright Pumpkin Orange
- Orange Leather Drawer Pulls
- Natural Agate Stone Knobs
- Crystal Glass Cabinet Knobs with Orange Dye
- Wooden Knobs painted with Orange Paint
11. Dramatic Green Cabinet Knobs
Cream cabinets coordinate exceptionally well with green hardware. Bright green hardware enlivens the exteriors of bland cream cabinets, whereas cream tones down the saturation of bright green for a balanced look. Bright green hardware achieves a typical bohemian aesthetic and is a trendy color for the ages.
Bright green looks the best on smaller knobs and might overwhelm the user if used on larger handles. You can even use emerald green knobs as a closer alternative for a luxurious look or pair them with metal knob bottoms to design a transitional cream kitchen.
Best Bright Green Hardware Materials:
- Ceramic Knobs with a ‘Jolly Green’ Paint by Sherwin Williams
- Fused Glass Knob with Bright Green Dye
- Sliced Stone Agate Knobs and Drawer Pulls
- Metal Knobs Topped with a Green Marble Hardware Finish
12. Peppy Teal Knobs And Handles
Teal paint is a playful yet tranquil hardware color to neutralize the simplicity of cream shaker cabinets and make them more modern and appealing. Teal breaks down the monotony of the warm cream cabinet and offers a vibrant vibe. Both teal paint and a closer turquoise hardware design a fresh, nautical style kitchen that feels airy and uncluttered.
Best Materials for Teal Cabinet Hardware:
- Ceramic Knobs with a ‘Tame Teal’ Paint by Sherwin Williams
- Crystal Glass Knob with Teal Blue Dye
- Wooden Knobs finished with Teal Paint or Resin
What Color Accent Hardware Looks The Best With Cream Cabinets?
Cream is a versatile and warm hue in itself. So, it works best with warm kitchen cabinet colors like red paint for a cohesive look. On the other hand, cooler tones like blues and muted greens will serve your purpose if you need a subtle contrast that hints at a modern interior design.
Which Natural Wood Goes With Cream Cabinets?
The cream is a tint color itself. Hence, dark woods like Walnut, Cherry, Teak, and Birch will offer some contrast and help cream kitchen cabinets stand out. On the other hand, lighter woods like Oak and Maple will blend seamlessly with cream and may not be visible easily.
Cream-colored cabinets are a trendy choice for transitional and neutral kitchens that curate a style statement for themselves with minimal accessories. They pair well with many accent colors, including the boldest black!
But will cream hardware look equally stunning on black cabinets? Find out in my other list of best hardware color ideas for black cabinetry!
