25+ Navy Blue Kitchen Ideas for a Bold Design

By: Andrew Saladino | 5 min

Kitchen with white countertops and dark blue cabinets with gold handles and pulls.

Step aside, all-white kitchens - deep, moody blue is the latest color to make a splash in transitional and modern kitchen design. Considered both a neutral and statement-making color, navy blue is the perfect canvas for creating a sophisticated and unique space.

Not sure how to incorporate a navy color palette into your kitchen? Check out these 26 navy blue kitchen ideas to make the color work for any design.

1. Pair With Sleek Copper or Brass Hardware

Kitchen with large marble kitchen island with farmhouse sink, dark blue cabinets, and copper faucet and cabinet hardware.

Statement copper and brass pulls and knobs help add warmth to inky blue cabinets or walls. The red and yellow tones in copper and brass both complement and contrast with deep blue and purple tones. Modern hardware paired with classic navy blue shaker cabinets creates an impressive contemporary design.

2. Create Contrast With White Countertops

Kitchen with white waterfall island on top of blue countertop with rattan bar stools. — *Photo credit:* *Studio Black Interiors, Build: REP Building, Photography: HCreations*

If you plan on going dark with your kitchen cabinets or walls, opt for a white or light-colored kitchen countertop to add dimension to your space. A sleek, pure white quartz countertop pairs beautifully with shades of navy blue and will keep your kitchen from being overwhelmed by dark colors.

3. Add Natural Wood Accents Throughout

Kitchen with dark gray-blue cabinets, large butcher block island, and open wood shelves.

Stained wood shelves, exposed wood beams, and natural wood bar stools add a rustic touch of warmth to navy blue kitchens. If you're worried navy blue might come off as dark and stale, channel the outdoors with natural wood accents for a bit of free-spirit flare.

4. Improve Your Home Flow With an All-Over Navy Scheme

Navy blue is one of those colors that looks amazing in virtually every part of your home. Create a cohesive home design by incorporating it into other rooms in the house. Buy a navy blue couch, hang artwork with lots of dark blues, or paint your bedroom ceiling dark blue to keep the color flowing.

5. Bring Drama to a Bright Kitchen

If you have rows of windows lining your kitchen walls, light colors may accentuate natural light to the point that you're blinded every time you walk into your kitchen. To avoid having your kitchen look two-dimensional and washed out, you can paint your cabinets or walls dark blue. Good lighting will bring out the rich purple and blue tones in the paint and keep the dark color from appearing chalky or black.

6. Try Vintage Pulls for a Classic Look

If you're opting for a period piece, pairing vintage brass pulls and hardware with deep navy cabinets creates a romantic kitchen atmosphere à la 1930. Take it one step further with a matching brass light fixture and antique countertop accessories, like a brass coffee grinder.

7. Incorporate Moody Blues Into Your Backsplash

Navy blue hexagon-shaped tile backsplash with copper faucet and white cabinets with copper hardware. — *Photo credit: Leonid Furmansky,* *Fireclay Tile*

Polished navy blue backsplash tiles are the perfect statement to balance out an otherwise neutral kitchen. Find tiles that incorporate many shades of blues to reflect an ocean view. You could also opt for hexagonal or fish scale tiles for a unique nautical touch.

8. Pair With Natural Materials

Kitchen with navy blue island with rattan light fixtures and copper backsplash. — *Photo Credit:* *Ethos Interiors*

Put a bohemian spin on a sophisticated classic by incorporating woven baskets, jute rugs, terracotta pots, and other natural materials into your navy kitchen. These natural accent pieces pair well with dark blues because they keep to a neutral color palette that works seamlessly with these dark tones. Plus, they'll add a sense of casual style for a more laid-back vibe.

9. Keep Your Flooring Light For Tiered Contrast

Kitchen island with white waterfall countertop and navy blue cabinets with gold hardware on light wood floor.

Pair navy countertops with light wood or tile flooring to make the color stand out even more. Natural wood stains like oak and maple or white and gray tiles are excellent choices. If you're also opting for a light-colored countertop, you'll create a light-dark-light contrast effect that'll give each element a life of its own.

10. Go All-Out Modern With Funky Light Fixtures

Navy blue is such a versatile color, some designers consider it neutral. If you're dreaming of a sleek, modern kitchen, incorporate navy blue to keep cabinets or walls subtle and allow other elements to shine. This is your opportunity to hang that elaborate Sputnik chandelier you've been dreaming of.

11. Install Clear Glass Pendant Lighting

You've already gone dark with the paint color; keep your design balanced with clear glass pendant lighting to maintain a light, airy look. Opt for oversize glass pendant lighting over your kitchen island or multiple single glass bulbs for an industrial touch.

12. Paint a Feature Wall for a Fun Personal Touch

A feature wall is a creative way to add a personal touch to your home. Hang photos, colorful artwork, or houseplants against a navy blue feature wall. They'll stand out against the rich color, so guests will be immediately drawn to your collection.

13. Use Navy Blue to Highlight Your Kitchen Island

Kitchen with white cabinets and navy blue kitchen island with white countertops and gold hardware.

If you'd rather use navy blue as an accent color, paint your kitchen island so the color takes center stage. A deep blue island surrounded by crisp white countertops and cabinets is the perfect unexpected statement to immediately draw the eye to the heart of your kitchen.

14. Add Moroccan Flair With Patterned Tiles and Carpets

Small kitchen with navy blue cabinets, butcher block countertops, and yellow and blue Moroccan patterned backsplash.

Bright, colorful rugs and Moroccan tiles add a fun twist to an otherwise sophisticated color palette. These patterns typically feature vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges that'll vividly stand out against dark shades of blue. Try different Moroccan patterns for your backsplash or kitchen floor, or accentuate with a colorful runner.

15. Pair Rich Blues With Simple Subway Tile

Kitchen with navy blue cabinets, white countertops, wood open shelving, and white subway tile backsplash.

We've already covered a few ways white can complement your navy kitchen elements, and your backsplash is no exception. A classic subway tile backsplash might seem like a safe choice, but it screams cosmopolitan when paired with navy blue cabinets, like these bold Patton Seaport cabinets, and stunning gold hardware.

16. Add Bright Accent Colors Like Yellow and Orange

Blue and orange are complementary colors, so elements with warm tones of orange, yellow, and red will naturally look amazing in a navy blue kitchen. Try adding a colorful rug, wallpaper, kitchen towels, fruit bowl, or even a vibrant backsplash to get the look.

17. Give Your Space a Touch of Unexpected Glamor

Navy blue is a versatile color that can handle even the most eclectic design elements — such as a crystal chandelier. If you've always dreamed of a kitchen fit for royalty, navy blue is the perfect color to display a sparkly statement light fixture without coming off as pretentious or stuffy.

18. Opt for Grand Traditional With Sleek Navy

Kitchen with dark blue shaker cabinets, white countertop, and white tile backsplash.

Shaker cabinets may have originated over 200 years ago, but they're still a staple in traditional and transitional kitchen design. This style adorned with trendy navy blue is a great compromise for hesitant traditionalists looking to modernize their kitchen.

19. Add Butcher Block Countertops

Kitchen with gray-blue cabinets, white tile backsplash and butcher block countertops.

If you're drawn to the clean, contemporary vibe of a navy blue kitchen but would like to add more organic elements for a rustic touch, butcher block countertops are an excellent alternative to quartz or granite. We mentioned before how natural wood can make even the darkest midnight blue seem warmer; butcher block countertops take this concept a bit further by incorporating a charming cottage core element into a sophisticated design.

20. Pair With Gray for Effortless Style

Kitchen with dark blue cabinets, gray tile backsplash, and gray barstools.

Gray and navy go together like peanut butter and jelly. Gray wood or stained concrete flooring, paint, wallpaper, cabinets, or countertops pair nicely with virtually any shade of blue. The gray backsplash and barstools in this photo perfectly complement these imperial blue shaker cabinets. If you'd like to refrain from white cabinets or countertops, gray lends navy blue a chic industrial edge.

21. Add Upper Glass Cabinets for an Open Feel

Afraid of dark upper cabinets overwhelming your space? Try installing glass cabinets to break up the color with dishware and glasses on display.

22. Frame Your Windows in the Same Rich Blue

Give your entire kitchen a navy blue hue by painting the windows in the same deep blue. This works especially well if you have wooden shutters, but you can simply paint the window frame in navy blue and finish with a matching blind for a similar look.

23. Add Pops of Pastels

Navy blue is the perfect backdrop for soft pinks, yellows, and mint greens. Pairing a bold color like navy with light pastels will draw interest to the softer colors. If you're hoping to expand beyond the white-and-blue color scheme, consider painting your upper cabinets a pastel shade or using it on an accent wall.

24. Use Different Tones of Blue for Added Depth

Blending different tones of blue welcomes dimension and depth to the overall kitchen design. For example, dark blue navy walls coupled with a turquoise backsplash still creates a cohesive design without looking too matchy-matchy.

25. Leave the Cabinets; Paint the Walls

Kitchen with white cabinets and backsplash, butcher block countertops, and navy blue walls.

If blue cabinets seem a little too permanent, you can achieve the same refined look by painting your walls navy blue and leaving your cabinets a neutral color like white or gray. It'll be a lot easier to paint the walls than your cabinets if you want to make a change down the road.

26. Use Two-Tone Cabinets For a Subtle Look

Kitchen with dark blue lower cabinets and white wall cabinets with gold hardware.

Many people choose to install navy blue lower cabinets and leave their upper cabinets a neutral color like white or taupe. This contemporary design trend helps add some height to your kitchen by having the dark lower cabinets ground the space while light upper cabinets create that coveted airy feel.

Navy Blue Kitchen Ideas FAQs

If you're still on the fence about how your kitchen can benefit from a dramatic, deep blue hue, we answered a few navy blue kitchen FAQ's to help introduce the color into your design.

What color goes with a navy blue kitchen?

Navy blue pairs nicely with neutral colors like gray and white. It also creates a dramatic base for bright accent colors like yellow, orange, and red.

Will navy blue kitchens go out of style?

Navy blue may be one of the latest trends in modern kitchen design, but because of its versatility it isn't going out of style anytime soon. Dark blues work as both a neutral and statement color, making it a natural choice for both transitional and modern kitchens.

What worktops go with blue kitchens?

It's a general design rule of thumb that dark cabinets call for light countertops. Clean white quartz, white and gray marble, and butcher block countertops are all great options for kitchens sporting navy blue cabinets or walls. However, some designers have added black marble countertops with lightning-white veins to their midnight blue cabinets to emanate all the drama of a stormy night.

What wood goes with navy blue?

Light wood tones like white oak and maple add warmth to navy blue kitchens and make the blue appear even deeper.

Navy blue kitchens are the height of sophistication, and you can incorporate the color into your space no matter your design style. Pair deep blues with neutral tones to create a classic transitional kitchen, or opt for bright yellow and orange accents for a funky, modern twist to a no-nonsense color. These navy blue shaker cabinets provide the perfect backdrop for both styles.

For more inspiration, check out other kitchen design ideas like these trending two-toned cabinets and popular kitchen cabinet paint colors.

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