Serena Williams' versatile cabinet hue emphasizes one key decorating rule: 'It's hard to beat the classics'

The tennis star's kitchen is made expansive and clean with this timeless hue – a reminder that it's eternally on-trend for a reason

Serena Williams
(Image credit: Photo by Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images)

As the GOAT of professional tennis, Serena Williams knows a thing or two about remaining trendy yet timeless, and this rings true for her interiors. From her crisp white exterior paint covering her Miami home to her sophisticated, matte black outdoor kitchen, it's clear that the athlete and entrepreneur favors simple, bespoke design.

Naturally, her kitchen follows suit with a forever staple: white cabinets. In a recent cooking video posted to her Instagram page, Williams revealed how her clean and light cabinets contrast the metallic details, making for a modern and refined culinary space.

While colorful painted cabinet trends ebb and flow, white kitchen cabinets remain a safe but versatile choice, and it does not look like it's going out of style anytime soon, as design experts explain.

'White is a classic look, and it’s hard to beat the classics,' says renovation expert Deborah Lamberton. 'When it comes to something that people have to see and use daily, they tend to want it to be something that is simple but also visually pleasing, and white kitchen cabinets usually hit the mark for those points with most people.'

While white cabinets can fit into practically any design style, from quiet luxury to the ever-popular organic modern aesthetic, Lamberton says there is one trend in particular that reigns supreme.

'Shaker cabinets are extremely popular these days and getting them in white is one of the most common choices that people make when renovating a kitchen space,' she says. 'Shaker is popular for the same reason that white is popular – it’s simple and easy. It’s classic and yet modern all at the same time, and better than that, they are easier to clean too.'

white neutral shaker kitchen with nblack and white checkerboard marble floor

(Image credit: Jaclyn Christensen Design / Photography Christopher Stark)

In order to keep white cabinets looking squeaky clean, Lamberton recommends a method as classic as the cabinets themselves: soap and water.

'If it takes more than that, you can try scouring pads or a pomace stone depending on the paint finish and what the grime is from,' she explains. 'Worst case scenario, you have to repaint the cabinets, and one of the benefits of already having white paint is that it forms the base coat for any color change choice thereafter.'


Shop H&G's white kitchen edit

Cabinets aside, we can enjoy the white kitchen aesthetic with these handpicked pieces below. Like cabinets, they're not set to fall out of fashion anytime soon, so we're almost certain they're worth the investment. Happy shopping, the Williams-inspired way.

Hannah Ziegler
News Editor

Hannah is Homes & Gardens’ News Editor, with a focus on celebrity style and entertainment content. She got her start in media as a digital editorial assistant at ELLE Canada, and has since written about lifestyle and culture for publications such as Nylon and i-D.

Her love of film is rivalled only by one with a great soundtrack, and she hopes to someday decorate a Nancy Meyers-worthy kitchen.