Q: We have a 15-piece set of canisters that were inherited from grandma. They are blue Delft and are marked “Germany” on the bottom. Can you help us with the ...

I painted the town blue. And by town, I mean the dining room. The allure of an all-white space was tempting (finally, a chance to channel my inner Leanne Ford!), but I knew it would be hard for me.

Crisp, clean and unapologetically modern, an all-white kitchen is a natural fit for stainless steel appliances. Flat-front paneled cabinets with long tab hardware are smooth and chic.

Blue kitchen cabinets are also basking in attention, particularly because designers are opting for a variation when it comes to shades of blue—from sky to retro azure to the more serious navy.

Cook’s Blue, a vibrant, saturated blue, is designer Melanie Bryant ’s go-to. She recently used it in a butler’s pantry “off a clean white kitchen to add a punch of color.

Maestri Studio makes white cabinets paired with dark countertops look stunning too. In this kitchen, Sherwin Williams Snowbound (SW7004) pops against black granite.

You can mix these styles together, or zero in on one regional aspect of American style, Flynn says, such as “the classic traditional look of homes in the South, the preppy, coastal and casual feel of ...