When it’s about kitchen color scheme it’s about everything that builds a kitchen. Starting from the cabinets, the worktops, the floor, the backsplash it includes everything. Even a small kettle or pot can make or break the color cohesion.
To come up with a perfect color scheme you need to consider a few things. Think about the look and feel of the kitchen- modern, contemporary, or old and classic. The harmony of colors- pick colors that create contrast without breaking the harmony of the kitchen. The natural lighting inside your kitchen. And of course your budget!
To help you look at the big project we have broken down these parts into 10 easy steps. To start with:
Table of Contents
Know the importance of color:
Color has an intense effect on the mood, the space, and the feel of the room. It can create an illusion of space or break it. It’s one of the most important parts of interior designing.
While warmer colors such as yellow and orange give a cheerful, fun vibe, cooler colors such as blue and green feel more relaxing and subdued. Neutral colors such as white, beige, tan, black are in between which creates a balance and gives relief from brighter colors.
Lighter color reflects all the light thereby creating an illusion of space. On the contrary, darker colors absorb light and make small spaces appear even smaller. A color scheme for the kitchen is even more important because most of the things here are permanent. And once done wrong it’s hard to exchange.
Little Research to help you imagine the big picture:
Using online resources like Pinterest, Instagram, Remodelista, and Google image anybody can come up with a mood board of their dream kitchen. You don’t need to approach an interior designer for this job.
Now think of the kitchen as an integral part of your home decor. If the rest of the home follows a modern set-up a traditional kitchen will break the mesh. Especially, if you have an open kitchen-living room. Take a step back and imagine the personality of the entire house. Try to pick colors that complement each other and create contrast and try not to match the color of your living space and kitchen.
Consider natural lighting:
Is your kitchen faced towards the east? Or is it completely west, dark and cold? Naturally dark kitchens look so much better with light colors. It adds more warmth and coziness. Similarly, an already well-kept kitchen looks more sophisticated with darker colors. Also, a kitchen facing the north will have cool hues whereas the south-facing room is exposed to strong sunlight that can bleach out colors too soon.
Start with the cabinet:
Kitchen cabinets literally take 40% of the total space of your kitchen, so when someone enters the first thing they notice is the kitchen cabinet. So, it’s always better to start off with the kitchen cabinets as the base of future color choices.
Decide on the material, your budget, and then pick a color and a texture that matches your personality. A rule of thumb is, lighter colors such as white, cream, dove grey captures more light and give an illusion of more space. Similarly, darker color cabinets block the light and can make a large kitchen appear more cozy and warm.
Light colors look sober more elegant and darker colors look sleek, stylish also, dark colors are less likely to pick up scuff marks from daily use. Remember that, over the coming years you may decide to change the appliances, wall color, the floor but the cabinet will probably last over 20 years.
Consider appliance colors:
If you are planning for in-built kitchen appliances your cabinets will virtually hide them making everything look seamless. So you can move to the next step. If you decide to go with free-standing appliances you need to choose appliance colors that complement the rest of the decor.
In this case, the fridge, the dishwasher, and the oven will have a major impact on your color scheme. You want to make the appliance a part of your plan.
To do so, you need to choose colors that complement or create contrast with your cabinet color. Try to match white, off-white items with white or grey cabinetry. The best is to go for stainless steel appliances as they fit in both neutral and vibrant colors.
You can choose to have different color appliances if your cabinets, worktops, floor have neutral palettes. Otherwise, it might look way too congested for a kitchen.
Stick to neutrals for the worktops:
Countertops also have a huge impact on the feel of the kitchen. There should be some coherency between the worktops and the cupboards. Otherwise, the harmony of the colors might break.
It’s in your best interest to stick with neutrals, black, grey, white, off-white, beige when it comes to countertops. A dark color stone, timber, or tile will look great against light colors on the cupboards while a deeper darker will give a sassy bold feel.
Another popular way of deciding on the worktop color is to match it with the floor color. It’s a full-proof way to get good color combinations. More white will create a seamless, crisp look while the opposite will give you that punchy, bold vibe.
Choose a color for the walls:
We often forget about the kitchen wall when looking for an overall color-scheme. Wall colors play a significant role in creating a balance between the colors and setting the mood. Though cabinets, shelves, and appliances take most of the kitchen space it’s still a lot of space that might become more noticeable if done wrong.
Opting for the classic neutrals is always safe. For example, white, beige, light-grey on the wall will complement most of your kitchen accessories, regardless of the style you choose. You can go for vibrant colors only if you choose to have neural color cabinets and floors.
Choose Flooring:
Usually, the kitchen floor remains the same as the adjoining rooms. If not, it might seem more difficult than you have imagined. You need to come up with a color that will harmonize with all the colors you have selected so far.
First, decide on the material, marble, tiles, hardwood, laminate floors all are popular and equally good. A timeless combination is a classic white or wooden floor, white/black/ grey cabinets, and a countertop that can be both light and dark, the choice is yours.
Be creative with your backsplashes:
The kitchen backsplash offers you the space to bring creativity. In this part of your kitchen, you can try and experiment with bold and bright colors, or incorporate a unique tile that you love. Because this place stays right in front of you, you can paint colors here that make you happy. you don’t like it turns out, renovating is not a big deal.
Many homeowners love to do a DIY kitchen backsplash renovation. You can make it the accent wall without investing in costly materials.
The Dos and Don’ts:
DO trust your gut.
DO remember that even if you have the most amazing set of kitchen cabinets and appliances it can still look dull if they don’t compliment each other.
DO learn the difference between warm and cool tones. Color temperature affects mood and lighting.
DO make a plan for lighting. Poor lighting can change the look of some colors.
DO consider all white/ neural colors for a timeless yet modern kitchen space.
DON’T be afraid to experiment with bright colors if you love it.
DON’T hesitate to use grey in the kitchen.
DON’T forget accessorizing. It’s an inexpensive way to add a pop of color.
DON’T forget to do your research.
Conclusion:
There is no hard and fast rule to color your kitchen. But following a guideline will help you keep your work on track. Whether you are working on your new home or remodeling your old kitchen a little research on color schemes and principles will go a long way.
Just trust your gut and ask for expert advice if you need it. Come up with a budget plan and research online for suggestions. In the end, it’s all about what you like. There is no right or wrong as long as you love it.
