Decorating & Design
15+ Kitchens With Color To Inspire Your Next Makeover
Updated on June 5, 2024
Planning a kitchen renovation often starts with choosing the right palette. There’s no denying the enduring appeal of a black and white kitchen, but adding a fresh burst of color to your cook space will keep you feeling inspired. If you’re not ready to commit to a bold all-encompassing hue, consider an accent color on your kitchen island, a patterned tile for your backsplash or a soft pastel on your cabinets.
Scroll down for 10+ colorful kitchen ideas to inspire your next makeover!
This grassy green kitchen designed by Luke Havekes features Farrow & Ball’s Bancha and is grounded by vintage ceiling wallpaper. “I like solid wood, colorful kitchens in the country,” says Luke. “A fun shade gives wow factor, and it’s very easy to repaint if you get bored.”
Terrazzo counters in confetti colors add a happy, beach-party vibe to this Vancouver kitchen. Designer Tanya McLean used shades of teal and pebble pink, and art by Zoë Pawlak to visually define the kitchen and break up the 17-foot-tall space.
The owner of this Prince Edward County home was in the mood for color when it came to designing her kitchen. “I wanted robin’s egg blue, the shade of the shells you find all over the beaches here,” she says of the painted cabinets. For the backsplash, a deep blue Moroccan tile nods to the hues of the nearby marsh and Lake Ontario.
For a softer, more versatile shade, pale blue cabinets in Benjamin Moore’s Wedgewood Gray (H-146) feel neutral in this English-inspired kitchen by Bloomsbury Fine Cabinetry.
If you’re not ready to go all in on color, consider a soft, liveable hue. “Mauve is a grey-toned version of violet: in a way, it’s color without color,” says Toronto designer Katherine Newman of her client’s pastel island.
Designer Olivia Botrie balanced bold color with practical finishes in this mid-century modern–style kitchen. “My clients wanted more than one pop of color, so we added green tile in varying sizes and pale blue uppers,” she says.
If you’re worried about beige cabinets feeling boring, take cues from this country kitchen designed by 31 Westgate. Botanical wallpaper and green subway tile energize the neutral kitchen cabinets.
This sophisticated kitchen with rich, oxblood-hued cabinets confirms the Unexpected Red Theory. For Chused & Co.’s renovation of this Brooklyn, N.Y., townhouse, glossy, wine-hued cabinets are paired with warm metal accents for a modern vibe.
This homeowner’s mandate was to have a home that had a “casual, breezy, coastal vibe with some whimsical touches.” Backsplash tiles depicting birds and tropical plants bring color and pattern to the classic, all-white kitchen.
In this vibrant Vancouver house, the kitchen island’s bright blue facing animates the immaculate white kitchen. “I love the way paint totally transformed the house, including the electric Cookie Monster–blue island. Paint is powerful,” says designer Ben Leavitt.
This cottage on Lake Huron was largely influenced by its natural surroundings. “The lichen and mossy green hues in the kitchen are from the path in the woods, and the robust orange of the tile is taken from pine tree needles,” says designer Lucy Penfield.
Designer Ashley Montgomery brought a sunny — yet subtle — vibe to her parents’ Florida kitchen in Vero Beach. Farrow & Ball’s Farrow’s Cream is a yellow-based neutral that shines on the kitchen cabinets.
“I just knew this was the one after seeing it in a Pinterest photo,” says Instagram star Louise Roe of her kitchen cabinets’ blue-grey color. In her English-inspired kitchen, navy paint is brought to life by a terracotta backsplash tile from Mexico.
For the kitchen in this vibrant condo — the room that spurred the homeowners’ to hire designer Cori Halpern — Cori created a dream kitchen. “I always knew I wanted to do a two-tone teal kitchen in here,” says Cori. “We’re all redheads and we tend to gravitate toward similar hues. The Farrow & Ball–inspired palette suits them; they look good in the space.”
When designer Jack Creasy was hired to transform this Victorian house, the vision for the kitchen and bar included jewel tones, brass fixtures and bold wallpaper. In the bar area, bold wallpaper and purple walls in Farrow & Ball’s Pelt (254) reflects the owners’ heritage and love of Bollywood.
To disguise the varying ceiling heights in the kitchen, Jack painted the entire room — including the ceiling — in Farrow & Ball’s Studio Green (93).
“Olive green is the signature color for my brand, and I’m always dressed in olive,” says designer Tiffany Leigh of this kitchen she designed in Benjamin Moore’s Crownsville Gray (HC-106).
In this Parisian apartment, deep blue kitchen cabinets with gold mesh detailing and crystal knobs are contrasted with a tropical wall mural. “We wanted a unique home with interesting visuals,” says designer Negar Reihani.