The Tool Desk
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →
ThatPainter is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More
Amber Lewis’s approach to kitchen color starts with the house, not a paint chip: consider the landscape and architecture, assess how the room’s materials relate, then test actual painted boards in the kitchen as the light changes. Only after a color works in place should you judge it beside stone, flooring, and other fixed finishes.
1. Start with the house, not a trend
Lewis says she looks first to the home’s landscape, architecture, age, and history. Those clues help establish a direction before choosing a cabinet color. An earthy palette may feel at home in a Spanish-style setting, while cooler, fresher tones may suit mid-century or Scandinavian modern architecture, according to a 4 September 2026 Livingetc interview. These are starting points, not rules: the specific house and the mood you want matter more than matching a style label.
As Lewis put it to Homes & Gardens on 2 October 2026, “I always start outside; the landscape and architecture of the home inform the direction before I ever open a paint deck.”
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
2. Read the kitchen as a whole
Before narrowing cabinet colors, take stock of the room’s architecture, layout, and materials. Consider how cabinetry will sit with the counters, floor, tile, and hardware. The goal is for those parts to feel connected without making the room look overly coordinated or themed.
#1 Best Overall
- COMPLETE 5-PIECE BRUSH SET FOR EVERY PAINTING TASK — Includes 1 Inch Flat, 1.5 Inch Angle, 2 Inch Flat, 2 Inch Angle Stubby, and 2.5 Inch Angle brush giving you every size professional painters use daily. Get all 5 for less than the price of a single brush from hardware store brands — professional grade performance at a fraction of the cost. Perfect for walls, trim, cabinets, doors, furniture, and detailed cutting-in work on any project.
- ZERO BRISTLE LOSS — GUARANTEED BY PRECISION ADHESIVE BONDING — Every bristle is locked in place with precision-set adhesive that keeps them in the brush — not in your paint job. The coated steel ferrule provides structural support while the adhesive bond ensures clean performance on every stroke. Premium SRT synthetic filaments load more paint and release it evenly for a smooth streak-free finish on walls, ceilings, and trim. Works with latex, oil-based paint, primer, sealer, and wood stain.
- INCLUDES THE ANGLE STUBBY MOST SETS LEAVE OUT — Professional painters know the 2 Inch Angle Stubby is the go-to brush for tight cabinet interiors, window sashes, inside corners, and detailed trim where standard angle brushes are too long. Combined with the 1.5 and 2.5 inch angle sash brushes you have precision cutting-in covered at every scale — baseboards, crown molding, door casings, and ceiling lines.
- FLAT BRUSHES FOR BROAD SMOOTH COVERAGE ON ANY SURFACE — The 1 and 2 inch flat brushes deliver even coverage on walls, furniture, shelving, doors, fences, decks, and wood surfaces. Ideal for applying primers, stains, varnishes, polyurethane, and specialty coatings. Solid wood handles provide all-day comfort and control for both professional contractors and weekend DIY homeowners tackling interior or exterior painting projects.
- TRUSTED BY PROFESSIONAL PAINTERS AND CONTRACTORS NATIONWIDE — Pro Grade delivers professional-grade results at a price that makes sense for crews who go through brushes on every job. Ideal for property managers, remodeling contractors, apartment turnover crews, maintenance teams, and commercial painting operations. Backed by thousands of verified reviews from working painters. Washable and reusable for multiple projects.
Think about the atmosphere you want as well as the palette. Warmth, coolness, and depth all affect a room’s character; a color that looks appealing alone may not work with the finishes already in place.
3. Test undertones in the actual light
Lewis recommends using real painted sample boards rather than relying on small paint chips. Put the boards in the kitchen, move them around, and look at them at different times of day. A color can change with the room’s daylight: a white, for example, may appear yellow, blue, or green depending on the light.
Rank #2
- Great Value Pack Artist Paint Brushes: Soucolor 20 brushes in 10 sizes professional paintbrushes set — no shedding, holds paint well, cleans easily, Acrylic, watercolor, oil, gouache, Halloween pumpkin decoration & face painting, rock painting, ceramics. Fantastic high quality gifts for creative, artistic siblings to share!
- Awesome Set of Paint brushes: Professional paint brushes can cover all of your needs. The multi-purposed brushes are ideal for Watercolor, Oil, Gouache, enamel, Acrylic Painting, Body, Nail, Face Painting, Miniature, Model, Wood, Glass, Cup, Ceramic, Fine work, Art class, Craft Art Painting, DIY Art Crafts etc.
- Soft and long-lasting: The bristles are soft and strong, with nickel metal ferrules and blue wooden handles. After cleaning, the bristles will become soft and fluffy again and will not fall off.
- Easy to clean: it’s very convenient to Wash well in soap and water. Retain shape after drying. the brushes hold up very well. Nice selection to beginners and professionals. Keep them clean and they last a long time.
- Halloween Pumpkin Ceramic Crafts Supplies: A Great painting gift for family, friends, kids, girls, women, student, classmate, teacher. For using in school, travel or used in the home and office.
Domino reports that Lewis considers how much sun a room receives, how the light shifts, and what mood she wants before selecting white paint. That is especially useful when comparing similar whites, greens, or other colors whose undertones may be hard to judge from a chip.
“Undertone is everything; a white can read yellow, blue, or green depending on the light, and you won’t know until you actually watch it change from morning to evening,” Lewis told Homes & Gardens on 2 October 2026.
Rank #3
- 【All sizes of art brushes】: The 10 sizes of multi-functional brushes have various shapes, making the mixing color easier, which is very suitable for artists, students, teenagers, children and painters at all levels. Wonderful Present ideas for friends and family who like painting!
- 【general brush set】: Professional paint brush can meet all your needs. Multifunctional brush is very suitable for watercolor, oil, gouache, acrylic painting, body, nail, face painting, miniature, model, ceramics, arts and crafts painting, etc.
- 【high quality process】: It is designed with anti falling bristles, anti-rust nickel ferrule and solid wood handle. You can use the brush to focus on the painting and always be creative.
- 【easy to maintain】: After using the brush, it is very convenient to clean the brush with warm soapy water and reshape the tip of the brush. Air dry the brush and place it on top of the top for long use.
- 【100% satisfaction guarantee - buy now】1 packs of set brushes, you can also get friendly customer service, any questions feel free to contact us, within 24 hours to help you! There is no risk in buying our paint brush kit.
4. Compare paint with the permanent finishes
Once a shortlist holds up in the room’s light, compare those paint boards directly with a sample of the countertop stone and the flooring. Bring tile or other prominent finishes into the comparison too. This reveals whether a cabinet color clashes with a fixed surface or helps it feel intentional.
Lewis advises choosing one “hero” material—often the stone—and letting the other finishes support it. That does not mean everything must match. As she told Homes & Gardens, “There is technically no wrong combination as long as it feels cohesive to you, but I will say: pick one hero material (usually your stone) and let everything else support it rather than compete with it.”
Rank #4
- Bates paint brushes come in a convenient 6 pieces with 3 flat and 3 angled bristle styles, including (1”, 1.5”, 2”) flat and (1.5”, 2”, 2.5”) angled bristles, perfect for tackling any surface painting or staining job.
- The sturdy natural bristles of each brush are designed to hold more paint, creating a smoother finish with fewer streaks and saving you time on the job.
- The lightweight wooden handles provide extra comfort and ease during long painting processes like walls, trims, cabinets, and doors.
- These versatile brushes are ready-to-use, easy to clean, and can be reused multiple times, making them economical as well as reliable tools for any painting project.
- Bates paint brushes can be used for both oil-based paints as well as latex stains and are ideal for home or commercial projects such as decks, fences or DIY painting jobs.
5. Choose character, not a supposedly timeless formula
Lewis’s reported palette favorites include French sage greens, inky blue-blacks, creamy warm whites, soft blue-greens, and rich browns. Homes & Gardens names Farrow & Ball Tanner’s Brown and Mahogany as examples of the darker brown direction; treat those as examples, not a guarantee of current availability or a prescription for every kitchen. A bolder accent can also work when it suits the room.
Recommended Free Tools
Her own past projects show why there is no single “Amber Lewis kitchen color.” In a 2016 Architectural Digest interview, Lewis described choosing distinctive gray cabinetry with black countertops and mixed materials for her own kitchen because she wanted something different from the expected all-white look.
Best Value
- 2 Inch Angled Paint Brush for Precision Cutting-In – Designed for clean, sharp lines around trim, baseboards, ceilings, corners, and detailed edge work. The perfect size for control and coverage.
- Value 3-Pack for Pros & DIY Projects – Includes three professional 2-inch angled sash brushes — ideal for contractors, remodelers, and homeowners tackling multiple rooms or repeat paint jobs.
- Smooth Results on Walls, Trim & Cabinets – Great for interior wall painting, cabinet edges, furniture projects, and trim work where a smooth finish and crisp control matter most.
- Works with Latex Paint, Oil-Based Paint & Stains – Premium synthetic filaments hold more paint, reduce streaks, and provide a clean finish with latex paints, oil coatings, and wood stains.
- Works with Latex Paint, Oil-Based Paint & Stains – Premium synthetic filaments hold more paint, reduce streaks, and provide a clean finish with latex paints, oil coatings, and wood stains.
A separate Domino feature offers another project-specific illustration: in an open-plan kitchen-living area, Lewis used Figueroa Roman Clay on the walls, Table Linen on the ceiling, and Piano Room on doors and window trim, all Portola shades. The feature says the room had abundant light and that she wanted it to feel snug. Check the maker’s current shade and finish details before buying, since these names describe that particular project.
A practical way to apply the method
- Set a direction: Note what the home’s setting, architecture, and history suggest, then decide whether you want the kitchen to feel warmer, cooler, lighter, or more enveloping.
- Identify what cannot move: List the existing stone, flooring, tile, and other prominent finishes. Choose which one should lead visually.
- Shortlist colors: Explore colors that suit the house and desired mood, rather than choosing a neutral solely because it is called timeless.
- Paint sample boards: Use real painted boards and place them in different parts of the kitchen. Observe them as the daylight changes.
- Compare the finalists together: Set each board beside the stone and flooring, then consider the other finishes. Keep the combination cohesive without requiring every surface to match.
- Commit to the room, not the swatch: Choose the color that works with the house, the light, and the finishes in the actual kitchen.
For more of Lewis’s design thinking, her book Interiors: Curated Spaces from Start to Finish presents tours of nine homes and includes advice and source callouts about products, finishes, paint colors, and brands, according to Amber Interiors.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches
