Jennifer Love Hewitt's two-toned cabinet paint trick brings 'depth and subtle variation' to her kitchen

Choosing the right paint is important for every room, but perhaps no more so than the kitchen. In this space, changing color often comes with the biggest time and cost investment – and it's often the tone that we (and our guests) see the most often. So, how can we get it right? If Jennifer Love Hewitt's kitchen is anything to go by, we should stop looking for one single hue – and, instead, opt for two of our favorites. 

In her Pacific Palisades home, Jennifer has experimented with a two-toned kitchen – a design feature that allows us to incorporate pockets of bold color with a subtler one – to create an aesthetic that designers love. 

'Two-toned cabinets are an easy way to bring depth and subtle variation to your kitchen,' comments designer Tom Howley. 'Whether painting the island in a bold shade or choosing contrasting tones for your upper and lower cabinetry, this technique enables you to add a bright pop of color without overwhelming the space.'  

In Jennifer's case, she has opted for white kitchen cabinets alongside an olive green island that brings the two-tone technique to life. As Tom explains, we can make it work with many color paintings (so long as there is both a bold and calm hue), but white is one of the easiest places to begin. 

'White is a classic kitchen choice that works well on its own but can prove even better when used in a two-tone scheme. For example, bright white is a great choice for creating crisp contrasts that will freshen and lift earthy greens,' Tom says.

With the aesthetic appeal of two-toned kitchens considered, it's easy to understand why experts, including Matt Ayres from RDO Kitchen and Appliances, predict this look will front kitchen trends in the year ahead. 

'Two-toned kitchens, with contrasting shades on upper and lower cabinets or islands, continue to be popular as homeowners seek depth and visual interest,' he says. We have the freedom to choose any colors we think may work in our homes, but, of course, we still welcome Matt's color trend predictions as a starting point.  

'Warm and inviting colors will dominate kitchen designs in 2024. Earthy tones such as terracotta, taupe, cashmere, and muted greens are gaining popularity,' he says. 'Mixing light or dark stained woods with saturated colors is a key trend, emphasizing the importance of a mix of painted and wood cabinetry.'

If we want to flirt with the look without changing the look of our overall kitchens, Matt recommends starting small by 'staining or painting cabinet knobs' or 'introducing accessories of similar colors.'

For a color combination inspired by Jennifer, we're opting for these similar shades, available via Backdrop below.