Butcher block is warm and usually leans orange or honey, so it loves its complements: sage, green-gray, navy and soft blue. Creamy whites look classic; stark cool whites can make the wood look orange. Deep cabinets under butcher block create a cozy, unfitted-kitchen look.
Approximate colors of the material, to compare with paint swatches.
Real paint colors from Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore and Behr. Tap one for its codes and closest matches.
Copy the codes or open a palette in the editor to tweak it.
Paint lower cabinets a mid- to deep green or blue and keep uppers or walls creamy so the wood top is the warm layer.
A butcher block island top over painted cabinets looks intentional; pair it with stone or quartz on the perimeter.
Butcher block folding counters suit sage, soft blue or warm white walls.
Butcher block desks look good against muted greens or warm greige walls.
Sage and gray-green, navy and muted blue, warm white and charcoal all work well. Greens and blues complement the wood's orange undertone most.
Yes, but choose a soft, warm white like Swiss Coffee. Very cool whites make butcher block look orange by comparison.
White or cream zellige, handmade-look subway tile, or a soft green tile. Keep it lighter than the wood so the counter stands out.
Warm grays and greiges do. Cool blue-grays can look cold next to wood; a green-gray is a safer middle ground.
Paint names and codes are trademarks of Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore and Behr; this site is not affiliated with them. Hex values are digital approximations, and material swatches are typical tones, not exact matches. Paint looks different with light, sheen and screens, so test a sample next to your own material before you commit.