Hello Color! Colorful Kitchens Are Making A Comeback

If you have browsed through home décor sites and magazines recently, you may have noticed a new trend in kitchen design—color! 

While the timeless white kitchen has had an unmatched run in home design the past several years, many homeowners are shaking up this classic trend and injecting a pop of color into their space. The addition of color to the kitchen can be accomplished in the most unexpected of ways and can add an instant dose of style and personality to a historically neutral space.

Adding color to your kitchen can be intimidating, but interior designer Michaele Sosinski of Studio Sosinski Interiors has a few tips to make the transition from neutral grounds to colorful combos less daunting. “There are three stages to taking the color plunge in the kitchen,” Michaele said. The first, she describes, is keeping the color confined to one place. The second is expanding to a larger feature such as a backsplash, and the third is going “full plunge” such as painting all your cabinetry a fun color. “Although,” she said, “this is the approach that people are the most afraid of doing.”

In the first approach, Michaele suggests painting the kitchen island a color, or going for the use of color in kitchen accessories, such as dining chairs, rugs, décor items and other furnishings and accessories. She also suggests exploring a different neutral in lieu of the traditional white. “Black is a great neutral for those who want to make a change but are hesitant to commit to a particular color,” she said. “Black is unique, really pretty on cabinetry or walls, and shows more personality.”

A coat of paint can be an easy, affordable and less permanent way to quickly transform walls, cabinetry or a kitchen island. HGTV offers a different approach to the use of paint in your space with the suggestion of painting your kitchen ceiling a color versus a standard white. Painted ceilings draw the eye upward and are a unique way to infuse color throughout the room.

In the second approach to bringing color to your kitchen, Michaele recommends exploring colorful options available in kitchen backsplashes. “Encaustic and cement tiles are very popular right now,” she said. Local ceramic tile showrooms or online retailers such as Cement Tile Shop offer countless options and inspiration photos depicting their range of beautifully patterned tiles in a rainbow of colors.

Semi-precious stone surfaces are also trending in kitchens currently. These luxurious surface options add color, movement and depth to countertops or backsplashes. With available selections such as agate, quartz, obsidian, amethyst, calcite, petrified wood and more, you can customize a bold look for your kitchen space. “Semi-precious stone is good for an island or butler’s pantry,” Michaele recommends. “It’s like jewelry for your space.”

Kitchen appliances can also offer an unexpected pop of color in your home. For decades the KitchenAid® stand mixer in cheery colors has been a decorative staple proudly displayed on countertops in homes across the U.S. In recent years, companies such as Smeg and Big Chill have expanded on the colorful appliance trend with refrigerators, ranges, dishwashers, hoods and more in both retro and professional styles offered in colors ranging from fun to sophisticated.

The final approach to adding color to your kitchen is the “full plunge” mentioned by Michaele. While this route can be the most daunting, it can also deliver the biggest dose of drama and style. To fully embrace a colorful kitchen, consider painting all of your cabinetry one color. Still feeling nervous? You can ease into color with a soft pastel such as light blue or buttery yellow paired with white countertops and backsplash. Pastels are timeless, and there’s a perfect choice to brighten your kitchen with a color that is subtle and works beautifully with neutral accents. 

Perhaps you have a color rebel inside you longing to come out. In that case, go bold! Bright red or orange, verdant green or deep blue will pack a punch in any kitchen space. Bold colors pair well with neutral finishes such as light wood, white stone surfaces or sleek black countertops. To add more pop to bold colors, paint your cabinetry in a high gloss finish or opt for tempered glass cabinet fronts. 

Color is here to stay in kitchen design, at least for a while. Whatever approach you choose in adding color to your space, remember the most important rule: pick a shade that makes you happy. After all, it’s your home, and your space should reflect you. ■

Sources: bigchill.com, cementtileshop.com, hgtv.com, kitchenaid.com, smegusa.com, thespruce.com and studiososinski.com.