Martha Stewart's 20-year-old kitchen looks like 'it was made yesterday' – and it's all thanks to her timeless cabinet color choice

In the ever-changing world of kitchen design, choosing a cabinet color can feel like a high-stakes gamble. While trends come and go, experts agree that the key to a lasting kitchen is a color rooted in timeless design principles, not fleeting fads.

Luckily, we don't have to guess. The ultimate authority in home and design, Martha Stewart, has shared her secret to a truly timeless kitchen. In an exclusive interview with Homes & Gardens, she revealed the kitchen cabinet color that has kept her own kitchen looking brand new for two decades.

'I designed my kitchen 20 years ago,' Martha told us. 'I bought an old farm and I redid the kitchen, and it looks brand new. It looks like it was made yesterday. That's how nice and well-made it is.'

This simple yet brilliant choice is proof that embracing smart kitchen color ideas is the best way to future-proof your space.

She continued, 'The kitchen cabinets are made with gray frames, a beautiful Bedford gray, as I call it. All the buildings are painted the same color gray, and the panels in the cabinets, flat-paneled cabinets, sort of in the American shaker style, are beautiful tiger maple. And they look pretty in the gray cabinet.' The relaxing beauty of the cabinets creates the perfect environment for cooking, socializing, relaxing, or in Martha's case, enjoying a glass of her favorite Pure Leaf iced tea.

Beyond color, Martha also recommends choosing no-fuss kitchen cabinet hardware to create a truly enduring look. She says, 'I like small knobs that are efficient and pull out so you don't catch anything on the cabinets. My drawers have small knobs on them.' This preference for minimal hardware is completely resistant to fleeting trends and is a hallmark of her classic style.

Her commitment to simplicity extends to the cabinet design itself. While many kitchen ideas feature decorative moldings or raised panels, Martha is a fan of smooth, flush cabinets. 'In my kitchen everything's flush,' she said. This sleek, clean-lined approach isn't just about aesthetics; it’s about practicality. 'If you have a spill off a counter,' she explains, 'it's not going to go into the drawers and get stuck into all the fancy moldings and stuff. It's elegant but simple.'

This smart design philosophy is a powerful reminder that the most enduring kitchen trends are those that perfectly blend form and function.

Shop Martha's kitchen look

Elegant but simple seems to be the name of the game in Martha Stewart's timeless cabinet playbook. Gray and natural wood, small hardware, and flush surfaces unite for a look that will never go out of style.

For more inspiration, our list of timeless kitchen design ideas is a great place to start.