In my 'Ask Deb Nelson' column I was asked about painting built-in cabinets. We're used to seeing built-in's in a warm white, cream or ivory colour, like in the room above. Typically it's done to coordinate with the trim and other accents in the room. But this doesn't mean you have to paint your built-ins white, you can definitely consider another neutral colour. You'll need to choose something that suits the style of the room and house, too. I love using this example – this den shows a very visual difference in the colour only. It nicely illustrates the difference paint makes! Here it is with the white built-ins:

And here is the exact same room in a dark colour:

The colour adds depth, warmth and a cosy feel to the room; where the white is a fresh, bright look. So the answer is to go with what you like best and the one that suits the feeling you are trying to achieve.

Here are a few other examples of built-ins in other colours, and a classic white built-in at the bottom – which is always a beautiful look.