What is the most popular color for a kitchen? According to kitchen design and painting experts, the most popular color for a kitchen is tied between navy blue and white. Home stagers and listing agents often suggest painting the kitchen a fresh white color to make the space look larger, cleaner and inviting.
'Colors to absolutely be avoided are darker colors and shades of green, blue, red, and purple, which will cast a shadow on food and darken the space.
Arguably, the most timeless kitchen cabinet color is white. Bright white cabinets suit a variety of beautiful kitchens, including modern, contemporary, and farmhouse styles. Brilliant whites work to give kitchens a light and airy feel, and off-white options, like the White Dove shade, provides warmth.
What to do: Select a color that balances well with the floors, cabinets and backsplash. Painting kitchen walls in off-white, cream or dove grey should complement most of your chosen elements, no matter what style you choose.
'Shades of white and neutral tones like beige and cream, when used on walls as paint colors or wallpapers, countertops, and cabinetry, create a sense of space,' says Chenise Bhimull, an interior designer at ZFC Real Estate.
Think about the size. If your kitchen is on the small side or is not well-lit, darker colored cabinets could make the area feel cramped. A lighter cabinet color, on the other hand, will help a small kitchen feel more open and spacious. Think about the mood you want to create.
White. Few paint colors stand the test of time quite like white. "Honestly, the only color in my opinion that will never go out of style—in the sense that you can never really pinpoint when it was done—is white cabinets," says Shaolin Low, principal and founder of Studio Shaolin.
Blackband recommends sticking with white or, if you don't like white, a neutral color, such as tan, beige or ivory. Go with a subtle pattern and low veining for a longer-lasting look.
They also don't compete with the light in your room and can make your kitchen feel brighter and bigger. Some popular neutral paint colors for the kitchen include white, beige, gray and sage.
Colors You Might Want to Avoid
Reds, yellows, and anything too bright or vibrant that can overwhelm are typically a no-go for neutral skin tones, Eiseman tells InStyle.
Even softer tones of yellow in a kitchen space can give the appearance of your cabinets being “aged” or “tarnished” which isn't likely the goal for your newly painted cabinets. The next color I would avoid in cabinet painting is the color red.
When it comes to kitchens, white, gray, blue, red, yellow, and green really shine. Each of these shades can do something different for the room, but they all help create a warm and welcoming space.
And while gray might be falling out of favor, white is still holding on strong—it's still the number one kitchen color with 35% of people choosing it from 2022 to 2023. Beige nabbed the third top spot with 18%, followed by blue with 6% and green with 5%.
Reassuring Neutrals
Blank Canvas by Behr is Behr's Color of the Year, which their paint experts expect to flourish in kitchen designs. "Neutrals like white, cream, gray, and greige are trending in 2023," says Erika Woelfel, vice president of color and creative services at Behr Paint Company.
All-White Kitchens
For the past decade, we've been seeing white walls, white tile, and Carrera marble. People are tired of these muted palettes, and designers are bringing in color— which we love.” Most designers also agree that white-on-white kitchens will look dated in 2023. So what color will be the new white?
Stick with neutrals such white, taupe, gray, black, or black and white. Use bright or otherwise non-neutral colors as accents via wall paint, textiles, or accessories. One of the easiest ways to create a timeless aesthetic in your kitchen is by incorporating décor that is emblematic of kitchens throughout the decades.
Subway Tile Backsplash
This tried-and-true backsplash tile idea is still going strong. Try subway tiles with dark grout for a contemporary, casual look, or white grout for a more sleek, elegant vibe.
Classic kitchen designs are incredibly flexible and simple. Timeless features, minor details, and neutral color palettes ensure a look that's neither too ornate nor too impersonal and can still suit a wide variety of tastes, styles, and budgets.
Deciding on the color of your kitchen countertops can be tricky. Experts recommend working with a lighter countertop than a cabinet for the perfect color blend. This combination makes the countertop installation job ideal for the ultimate kitchen outlook.
A lighter colored countertop paired with light colored floor tile can yield a very welcoming, comfortable feel while a cream or light beige countertop can create an airy, beachy atmosphere. Both extremely dark and very light countertops can add a dramatic elegance to any kitchen or bath.
'Typically, darker cabinets are coupled with a lighter floor color to break up the space and to prevent the kitchen from feeling too enclosed,' says Chris Dance, head designer and director at InHouse Inspired Room Design. 'With lighter cabinets, there's often a greater diversity of flooring choices. '
Colours such as creams and beiges can make a kitchen look elegant and expensive. If your kitchen is modern, you can use dark colours, such as blacks and greys, which can make it look lavish and extravagant. White reflects light and makes the space look bigger, so complement white with some wood and metallic highlights.