45 Energizing Kitchen Paint Colors That Will Brighten Your Home
It’s time to spice up your cook space.
The kitchen is the heart of the home, and adding a fresh coat of paint to its cabinets or walls is a simple way to give it a fresh look. Whether you favor shades of white, shades of blue, or a neutral palette, the kitchen paint color possibilities are nearly endless. As you consider whether to go with a tried-and-true shade or an unexpected kitchen paint color, make sure you consider the amount of lighting the area gets, your design aesthetic, and the overall layout of the space. A satin aqua cabinet color, for example, can make a dim kitchen feel lighter and brighter, while a glossy black on the kitchen island and walls can dial up the drama in the space. Also, keep in mind how the color will complement your backsplash and other elements of your decor as you consider different kitchen paint colors.
Here, 45 kitchen paint color ideas from top designers to help you pick just the right one for your space. Get ready to be inspired and welcome more color into your life (and your home)!
The Colonial Kitchen
Designer Heather Chadduck Hillegas reenvisioned the original kitchen in Colonial Williamsburg's Nelson-Galt House in a handsome scullery to complement the adjacent dining room. To achieve this, she painted the classic shaker cabinets blue-gray and dressed them with brass hardware.
The Grey Gardens Kitchen
Mark D. Sikes incorporated soothing shades of blue into the Grey Garden's kitchen as a way to connect it to the neighboring breakfast room. A soft sky blue shade covering the floor uplifts the entire cook space.
The City Kitchen
Not a huge at-home chef, Garrow Kedigian transform the odd-shaped kitchen in his New York apartment into a chic bar. Jet blue cabinetry provides the perfect foundation for a Christian Lacroix wallpaper.
The Jazz Era Kitchen
Tonal gray millwork artfully juxtaposes the golden leather cantilever seating (York Street Studio) and indigo green marble countertop in the kitchen of this 1920s New Jersey estate by designer Steven Gambrel and architect Eric J. Smith.
The Glamorous Kitchen
Venetian red cabinetry and trim assert a sense of modern glamor in the kitchen of this Philip Vergeylen-designed London apartment. Vergeylen commissioned Van der Vijver to elevate the original floors by staining them in circles and squares to further the room's elegant look.
The Gray-Green Kitchen
Designer Fran Keenan painted the exterior trim of this history Los Angeles home Farrow & Ball’s Castle Gray—a grayish-green—and used the same color throughout the kitchen, including on the cabinetry. The countertops are by Caesarstone. Overall, the home is grounded in faded persimmon, citrine, and dusky blue-green and mixes in touches of vibrant gold and grounding neutrals.
The Londoner Kitchen
Juicy apricot and aqua shades animate the ground-floor kitchen and breakfast room of this London rowhouse. Boston-based designer Gary McBournie preceded to cover the mix of casual furnishings in spirited patterns, including the Indian-inspired fuchsia and orange ikat, to make the space feel even more livable. The cabinetry is painted Teresa’s Green by Farrow & Ball. The refrigerator is by Sub-Zero.
The 1930's Kitchen
Creamy white tones covering the cabinetry and ceiling connect the two lively patterns (checkerboard flooring and a geo-floral seating fabric by Raoul) in this 1930's Connecticut kitchen by decorator Ashley Whittaker. A classic white range from Viking matches the luster of the glossy subway tiles above. The pendant lighting is by Charles Edwards.
The Tonal Kitchen
For the kitchen in the Kips Bays Decorator Show House Dallas, Gil Melott of Studio 6F wanted to have a very tonal kitchen that could provide a solid background for the handmade cabinetry by Bentwood Luxury Kitchens and refined appliances from Signature Kitchen Suite. Benjamin Moore's Bed of Ferns became the primary color enveloping the walls and cabinets as surfaces from Cambria cover the kitchen island and counters.
The Mosaic Kitchen
The original mosaic tile in this Upper West Side pied-à-terre inspired Anthony Baratta to work with a steel gray palette in the kitchen. Glossy gray tones on the cabinetry reflect the light filtering through the window and its pelmet-style treatment. The banquette is upholstered in diamond-patterned leathers (Dualoy).
The Penthouse Kitchen
Designer Richard Ouellette and architect Maxime Vandal of Les Ensembliers stuck to a neutral palette for this statesman's kitchen to keep the attention on the impeccable views of Montreal from the window. The soft red banquette and cane-back chairs pop against the delicate white cabinetry and trim (Pointing by Farrow & Ball).
The Cherry Kitchen
For those not ready to paint all of the cabinetry or walls, experimenting with vivacious colors on the kitchen island can be a great place to start. Designer Cathy Kincaid boldly painted the island a cherry red shade to energize this Dallas penthouse kitchen.
The Black-and-White Kitchen
Talavera tiles arranged in a graphic chevron pattern and glossy ebony cabinetry (Black, Fine Paints of Europe) liven up the classic monochromatic look in this San Antonio kitchen by Todd Romano. The island is from the Antique and Artisan Gallery, and the range is by Bertazzoni.
The Modernist Kitchen
Cool grays accentuate the modernist lines and architecture of Ken Pursley's 1950s home in Charlotte, North Carolina. Sunlight from the floor-to-ceiling window highlights the custom cabinetry from Franz Architectural Woodwork. The glass lighting and chairs are both by Bobo Intriguing Objects.
Get the Look
The City Kitchen
To counter the graphic checkerboard flooring (Floe Painting), designer Cece Barfield Thompson used a warm white shade on the kitchen cabinets of her New York apartment. The range is by Wolf, and the sink is by Shaws of Darwen.
The Escapist Kitchen
Soft white cabinets (White Dove, Benjamin Moore) complement the summery colors in the wallpaper backsplash (de Gournay) of this Naples, Florida kitchen. The island stools are covered in a red leather by Moore & Giles.
The Tudor Kitchen
Chic gray cabinetry and a glazed terra-cotta tile backsplash (Ann Sacks) lend a timeless feel to this Bronxville, New York, kitchen by Carrier & Co. The perimeter countertops are by Caesarstone, and the sink fixtures are by Waterworks.
Get the Look
The Quaint Kitchen
Designer Angie Hranowsky picked an elegant gray shade (Cape May Cobblestone, Benjamin Moore) for the cabinetry of this Austin kitchen to help make the quaint space feel larger. Island pendants from Circa Lighting shine a light on stools from McGuire.
The Western Kitchen
In this Montana kitchen designed by Palmer Weiss, cabinetry finished in a rich black with blue undertones (Provincial Store Fixtures) and a custom bronze hood designed with straps and rivets lends a Western sensibility. Silicon bronze-brushed pulls, Rocky Mountain Hardware. Dual fuel range, Wolf.
The California Kitchen
In this Santa Barbara kitchen designed by Mark D. Sikes, creamy white cabinetry (White Tie, Farrow & Ball) and oil-rubbed bronze hardware (Rejuvenation) lend a warm, aged appearance. Sink and fixtures, Rohl.
Sarah DiMarco is the Assistant Editor at VERANDA, covering all things art, design, and travel, and she also manages social media for the brand.
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