Kitchens are a place of energy and creativity. And especially if you love to cook, the color you select for your kitchen can have a huge impact on your day-to-day life.
Depending on the mood you want to cultivate, there are seemingly endless color options. Here are some ideas to help you choose.
1. Denim Blue
This interesting, slightly muted shade is a little brighter than navy blue. It’s perfect for creating a visually interesting kitchen with some classic appeal. As you can see, like many blue shades, this one looks nice with brick, shades of crisp white, or both.
Denim blue is a great shade for cabinets, but you don’t need to feel limited that way. This color is a fantastic shade for backsplashes and even walls. And if you’re one for patterns, it looks great when used in intricate patterns with white. Try crisper shades for a high-contrast, modern look, or go with warmer ivory-hued whites for unique vintage appeal. If you’re wanting a burst of bright contrast, consider adding a few splashes of orange (the complementary color to blue) or a similarly bright shade.
2. Black
Most people don’t gravitate toward black (or at least using black in large amounts) when it comes to interior design. But as the pictured kitchen shows you, a largely-black kitchen looks surprisingly dignified without looking too dark. Of course, if you go this route, you’ll need to take a few precautions to avoid making this chic look become downright shadowy.
It’s a good idea to make sure a mostly-black kitchen has plenty of natural light. A white ceiling and light flooring also heighten the contrast while balancing out black’s darkness. You may find you want to add an accent color to break up this neutral color scheme. If that’s the case, almost any color will work.
3. Cinder Gray
There are countless shades of gray out there. But if you want to make use of this cool neutral without making your kitchen look drab, opt for a pale shade like cinder gray. This shade helps create a casual, quaint vibe perfect for a small and straightforward kitchen. It looks nice in a kitchen with lots of white and pale wood tones.
Cinder gray is an easy choice for a wall color. If you like the stone or cinder-block look but don’t have a stone wall, you might be interested in printed wallpaper. A kitchen that’s only gray and white might seem too dull. If that happens, try adding some green plants like in the example kitchen. Alternatively, you could add a colorful wall hanging and brightly-colored pots and pans.
4. Lemon Yellow
Yellow is a cheerful, sunny, and high-energy color that really lends itself to use in kitchens. Like many hot colors, it can become overwhelming if used too heavy-handedly. As a result, most designers opt to include a few yellow bursts or sections. If you do that and find you want additional yellow, you can always add more.
The pictured kitchen is a great study in color balance. The white walls and pale wooden cabinets help stop it from becoming too closed in. The darker appliances and cabinets ground the color scheme. And then, the two columns of yellow (along with the yellow portion around the microwave) add interest and energy while still managing to be easy on the eyes.
5. Cool White
Lots of modern luxury homes seem to favor rooms that are primarily white, and kitchens are no exception. And if you want an all-white kitchen to really exude luxury, marble is an outstanding choice for countertops, flooring, or both. If pure white marble seems like too much, you can choose one that’s veined with another color. Gray-veined stone will create some visual interest without disrupting the palette.
Of course, you don’t have to make your entire kitchen cool white to take advantage of this versatile color. For a higher-contrast look, pair white marble countertops with black cabinets and a black kitchen island. Cool white also looks great in kitchens with navy blue, emerald green, deep purple, and other intense cool colors.
6. Wood Tones
The term “wood tones” is somewhat vague. But since wood is neutral-colored, just about any type of wood tone will look good in a kitchen. If you like butcher block countertops, you might consider a design like that of the pictured kitchen. Wooden countertops with an especially rich finish look great with a mostly-white kitchen.
You don’t have to have wooden countertops to make use of wood tones in your kitchen, though. If your cabinets are solid wood, you might want to use a natural finish to show off the grain of the wood. Wood flooring is another option. And if you have a kitchen with exposed wooden beams, using a natural finish will give it an authentic, farmhouse-kitchen appeal.
7. Slate Gray
Slate gray is a popular color in the design world, though it’s not seen too often in kitchens. It’s a good color to choose if you like sleek, modern kitchens but would prefer to steer away from the all-white look. It’s relatively easy to incorporate slate gray into your kitchen decor, as it looks good with silver appliances. Of course, if you still want to incorporate some white, white marble countertops are always an option.
As you see in the pictured kitchen, slate gray looks good when included in a gradient color scheme. With slate gray as the darkest shade, incorporate various grays leading all the way up to white. This is a great way to create a palette that is subtly elegant.
8. Lime Green
If you want to create a kitchen palette that’s both modern and unexpected, consider incorporating lime green! This ultra-bright shade does well when combined with one or more cooler colors, though it also looks great with lighter-finished woods.
The best way to incorporate lime green is to use a relatively small amount. The pictured kitchen does this well: the collection of lime green cabinets contrasts sharply with the deep black cabinets below. The cabinets also look nice with the silver lamps and hardware. Of course, if this is too much lime for your tastes, you may find you’d prefer a few very small bursts of lime throughout your kitchen.
9. Magenta
Magenta is another highly unexpected color for a kitchen. But as you can see in the example, under the right circumstances, it actually works well. Magenta looks good with shades of bright, cool white. Since it’s such an unusual color, it should be combined with neutrals so it can really shine.
If you set up a magenta and white color scheme but find it a little lacking, you could consider adding a few pops of high-contrast yellow. Make sure you don’t overdo it, though, as a kitchen with large amounts of both magenta and bright yellow will look overly loud. Even a bouquet of yellow flowers can be enough.
10. Sherbet Orange
Orange is a color that should generally be used with some caution. Sherbet orange is a little quieter than some shades, so it’s a safer bet if you’re still on the fence about orange. Like many softer colors, it’s a great choice of wall color.
Sherbet orange may be bright, but it’s also versatile. If you want to work it into a modern kitchen, try a sherbet orange backsplash in a kitchen that is otherwise dark gray and white. But this shade excels when used to create retro-inspired looks. Try combining it with army green appliances like those in the pictured kitchen.
11. Stone Gray
We mentioned the very pale cinder gray earlier. But if you prefer the look of authentic stone, the darker hue shown in the photo is a good place to start. Like brick, real stone gives your kitchen instant character. You can leave it as-is throughout the kitchen, or you can add a tiled backsplash, too.
Since stone gives your kitchen a somewhat rustic vibe, it looks good with quaint, farmhouse-style cabinetry. White cabinets with butcher block countertops are a great option. However, any neutral-colored setup should work well here. Alternatively, you can use a stone accent wall as a backdrop for a dramatically-colored, ultra-modern kitchen.
12. Royal Blue
If you like to think out of the box when designing rooms in your house, you might consider royal blue for your kitchen. Though blue in general is pretty popular in the design world, royal blue isn’t used too often. It’s a bit brighter and louder than many shades, and when paired with gold hardware or metal accessories, it gives your kitchen just a hint of glamor.
If you do choose royal blue, it’s important to make sure you don’t overdo it. It tends to work best as a statement piece of sorts, so one of the best ways to incorporate it is by using it for a kitchen island in an otherwise-white or pale gray kitchen. If you wish, you can connect the look with royal blue dish towels or other accents throughout the kitchen.
13. Gold
Speaking of gold, it’s a beautiful color for your kitchen in its own right, too. Most kitchen sinks are stainless steel, but if you want to really stand out, consider including a gold sink and other gold fixtures in your kitchen. Since gold imparts a high-end look, it’s a good idea to make sure the rest of your kitchen looks somewhat luxurious. Marble countertops and sleek, newer appliances look best.
When it comes to colors to pair it with, gold is pretty flexible. It’s usually seen with light shades of marble, but you can also use gold alongside shades of deep blue or green. If you’re looking to create a palette of unexpected elegance, try emerald green kitchen cabinets with gold hardware.
14. Forest Green
Emerald is probably the most popular shade of dark green right now, but forest green is still a worthy choice. This rich shade is roughly between emerald and hunter green. It looks stunning against wood tones, and it’s a perfect option if you’re looking for a compelling color to build a kitchen palette around.
As you can see in the pictured kitchen, hunter green looks good with bright white, especially in a kitchen with a good bit of natural light. It also pairs well with very pale shades of gray and/or whitewashed wood. Add some small potted plants to connect the look!
15. Brick
Exposed brick walls have become trendy in living spaces, so it comes as no surprise that they look great in kitchens, too. Brick makes a great built-in backsplash, and it forms a striking contrast against steel appliances and fume hoods.
As you can see in the example photo, brick’s earthy hue looks nice against warm neutrals like that of wooden countertops. However, since it’s relatively dark, it also tends to look best when placed against white walls and ceilings. If you want a non-neutral color to tone down the relative warmth of brick, try different shades of blue.
16. Cobalt Blue
Cobalt blue is an intense shade that might seem somewhat unusual for a kitchen. But if you’re looking to create a one-of-a-kind kitchen, cobalt makes a great shade to build your palette around. Different paint companies may have different ideas of what “cobalt” means, but generally, it’s a bit deeper than royal blue.
Like most shades of blue, cobalt looks good with various whites and grays. But if you’re going for something different, the pictured kitchen offers some unusual inspiration! Cobalt looks great alongside a few deep red accents. And for a layered, marine-inspired color scheme, incorporate various shades of blue throughout the room as well.
17. Beige
Beige comes in seemingly endless shades, but that makes it an ideal choice for those looking to create a layered neutral palette. Before assembling a beige palette, decide whether you want to lean more toward warm or cool beige. You should also decide whether you want to use beige on its own or use it alongside another color.
Just about every material incorporated into a kitchen comes in beige, so this is an easy palette to create. Wood or tiled floors, wooden kitchen countertops, and wood or veneer cabinets all come in this shade. If you really want to commit to the palette, you can include beige walls and a beige-tiled backsplash.
18. Neon Purple
Some modern luxury homes have begun incorporating neon mood lighting in kitchens (as well as other rooms in the home). This look isn’t for everyone, but it’s a great way to add some personality to a kitchen that’s mostly gray or white. Purple lighting adds a playful and youthful edge, and it can be an inexpensive way to liven up your kitchen color scheme.
Placement is important here, as you want enough lighting to give you a decent dose of the color. Try placing your lights as they’re shown in the example kitchen. Maybe people also include lighting at the bottom of the lower kitchen cabinets, right above the floor.
19. Warm White
Most modern-leaning kitchens rely on cool white as a neutral. However, warm white has its place, especially in vintage-inspired kitchens or those with a softer aesthetic. Warmer shades of white are well-suited for use as wall colors, but they also excel as colors for cabinets.
Like other white shades, warm whites can be paired with just about any color you wish. They look great in all-neutral palettes, but you can also pair them with non-neutrals. Warm whites look especially good with sage green and other earthy shades.
20. Red-Orange
If you’re looking for a non-traditional color choice to transform your kitchen, red-orange is a great option. It’s high-energy without being overly so, and it doesn’t take much to really add interest to a space. The pictured kitchen is a great example of this. Simply adding red-orange walls to a kitchen with warm white cabinets gives you a truly memorable look.
White isn’t the only color that looks good with red-orange, either. This autumn-inspired shade goes beautifully with wood tones, particularly dark stains. Dark wooden cabinets are a great choice. If you choose this look, try including some elements of warm white to prevent it from looking too dark. Sprinkle in a few green houseplants for a dynamic palette that’s sure to please.
21. Emerald Green
Rich emerald green is quite an on-trend color, especially for those looking for a shade for an accent wall. But as you can see with the pictured kitchen, walls aren’t the only way to add emerald green to your kitchen. This deep green looks great alongside cool whites. And if you want to incorporate it in an unusual way, emerald appliances and chairs are a wonderful way to do so. Warm wood tones look great with this combo, too.
Emerald’s darkness makes it look best in kitchens with a lot of natural light. It’s also quite a versatile shade; you can successfully incorporate it into rustic kitchens or upscale aesthetics.
22. Earthy Brown
When they picture marble countertops, most people imagine white, gray, or black. But earthy-hued brown marble is an exciting choice you don’t see too often. It looks best with largely-neutral color schemes. Warm grays, warm whites, and various shades of brown or beige look great. But if you’d rather your kitchen not be entirely neutral, deep blues also look wonderful with this shade of marble.
You most often see marble incorporated into kitchens as a countertop material. But as you can see, adding small amounts to walls will give your kitchen an upscale look. It looks best with sleek silver or black appliances.
23. Sage Green
Sage green has recently become especially popular in interior design, and it’s right at home in any room. It’s a great wall color, and in pale enough shades, it works much like a neutral. In a kitchen, sage green is perfect for creating a quaint vibe. You most often see it alongside cool white, but it also pairs nicely with various shades of beige.
You most often see sage as a color for walls, but it also makes a great shade for kitchen cabinets. For a truly vintage-inspired look, incorporate sage-green appliances, too. And if you really want to lean into the vintage vibe, include copper cookware. Warm wooden accents are also a great option.
24. Powder Blue
Some people opt for bright, high-energy shades for kitchens. But if you want a soothing, quiet palette, try including powder blue as one of your main shades. Like sage, this one is most commonly used as a wall color. But for a more non-traditional vibe, go with powder blue cabinets. This shade looks great with white, so white walls are a great choice here.
Powder blue is usually included as part of a soft color scheme, so it looks good with light-finished wood. That said, a light color scheme often does well with a grounding influence. You may find that black is too dark, but seal brown or dark charcoal gray are both excellent choices for grounding. Even a few dark stools or chairs can work beautifully. Or if you prefer, try a few dark wooden picture frames on the wall.
25. Cardinal Red
Some designers find this vivid red shade to be too bright for their tastes. But since kitchens are often energetic spaces, red is especially well suited for use here. Try glossy red cabinets like those shown in the picture. You also may be able to find red vintage-inspired or actual vintage refrigerators, toasters, and other appliances.
In some spaces, you might prefer simply adding a few touches of red in a kitchen that is mostly white and silver. Tiled kitchen backsplashes can help you do that fairly easily. Choose an all-red backsplash for a bold look, or go for a red and white tiled pattern if you want just a little bit. Try adding a few bursts of red throughout the room to coordinate with the cabinets, too.
26. Bubblegum Pink
This is one of the stranger colors on the list. It’s not for everyone, but if you love pink and want to make it a prominent part of your decor, your kitchen is a great place to do so! However, it’s an uncommon enough color that it might be necessary to get a custom paint job on your cabinets.
This shade of pink looks best against bright white. But if you want to tone down the look a little bit, you can try mixing it with light gray. To give your kitchen a more eclectic look, try including a few pink accessories. Knives, cutting boards, and even tea kettles are all good choices.
27. Olive Green
If you choose olive green as a color for your kitchen, you’ll still need to narrow down your colors a bit. Some shades of olive lean more green, some lean more yellow, and some lean more brown. Any olive shade is a good choice if you’re hoping for a warmish, earthy color for your kitchen.
When incorporating olive green, most people choose it as a color for walls rather than for cabinets. Olive green walls look great with cool white or warm white cabinets. But as you might expect, they also go nicely with wood tones. If you really want to include a large amount of olive, you may even be able to find vintage olive-colored kitchen appliances.
28. Copper
You’ve likely seen copper incorporated as kitchenware or sink hardware. But if you want to create a one-of-a-kind palette, you can include copper as a wall color. It’s a great choice for smaller kitchens, as its reflectivity can make the space seem larger. Hammered or textured finishes will also create interesting patterns of reflection.
You might be unsure of what colors to include with a copper wall. Black, white, and gray are all good choices. But copper often has a pinkish glow to it, so muted shades of pink also look nice. Vintage-style hanging lamps like the ones shown in the picture go beautifully with large amounts of copper, and they also ensure you’ll have an interesting pattern of reflection.
29. Tangerine Orange
We’ve already mentioned that orange is a somewhat uncommon color in the world of design. But if you really want your kitchen to have a burst of extra-bright color, tangerine orange is a great option! If you’d rather not make the entire kitchen this color, you can choose a small section (as shown in the picture) to be orange. Tangerine goes nicely with cooler shades of white and gray. Silver hardware and kitchen appliances will give it an extra-modern look.
If even a section of orange seems like too much, you can try incorporating smaller doses at first. Try a tangerine orange backsplash and dish towels. From there, you can add more orange to the palette if necessary.
30. Sky Blue
Blue is a somewhat popular color for those creating modern kitchens. However, sky blue is not one of the more commonly used blue shades. Some people view it as too bright and vibrant. But if you’re hoping to cultivate a cool palette that still has some energy, sky blue is a great choice. It looks good with silver hardware and white walls.
While you can certainly include sky blue in an upscale kitchen, it does very well in slightly rustic palettes. Weathered butcher block countertops like the ones shown in the picture go nicely. And while silver cookware looks nice with sky blue cabinets, copper pots and pans can also add a distinctive vintage vibe.
31. Leaf Green
Green is the color of spring and new life. This is especially true of leafy shades like those found in actual plants. There’s a modern trend of taking a cool white room and then adding several potted plants to create a jungle-like effect. It’s often seen in living rooms, but kitchens are also a great choice.
You can also include leafy green in your kitchen without actual plants. Lamps, cookware, and appliances are good choices for green accents. A green patterned backsplash can really add some life to your kitchen, too. And of course, if you like patterns, a green and white patterned wallpaper can make your kitchen a real standout.
32. Navy Blue
Many modern kitchens incorporate bolder colors, and navy blue is a popular selection. It has lots of classic appeal, but it’s a bit more interesting than many neutrals. It also looks great with white and silver, two colors often found in kitchens.
You don’t need to incorporate a huge amount of navy blue to make a difference, either. The pictured kitchen has an appealing minimalist aesthetic that’s memorable yet easy to achieve. If you have an almost entirely white kitchen that you’ve begun to grow tired of, you can simply paint the lower cabinets a shade of deep navy.
You may find that after you do this, the kitchen still needs something else. Choose another color that goes well with navy, and then include it somewhere in the palette. The pictured kitchen uses pastel yellow chairs, but you can try wall hangings, walls, kitchenware, backsplashes and more. The color you choose is up to you, but a small amount of a warm color can give the room a higher energy vibe.
33. Pale Gray-Green
It’s tough to put your finger on a name for the unique color in the picture, so we’ve gone with pale gray-green. This color isn’t quite olive and isn’t quite sage, but it’s a great choice for kitchen walls or cabinets. As you can see, it’s possible to really lean into its warm undertones by including various shades of warm white and cream. You can also add some visual interest with a gray-green marbled floor.
While this color scheme is a pretty one, it often seems too pale on its own. To ground it, consider including a darker element like a kitchen island, set of chairs, or even a backsplash.
34. Whitewashed Wood
Whitewashed wood is a remarkably different color from white alone, and it’s an outstanding way to impart a distinctly rustic vibe to your kitchen. Try painting wooden cabinets this way, and for a corrage-inspired aesthetic, include whitewashed wooden chairs, too.
You can create a dreamy aesthetic by painting the rest of the kitchen white and including rose gold or gold hardware on the cabinets. A few soft pink accents will add some visual interest, too. If you find the room needs a darker color to ground it, espresso brown works well.
35. Blue Gray
If you can’t decide between blue and gray, a color like this one that sits right in the middle just might be right for you. You can find this color through actual stone or paint, and it looks great with silver hardware and decorations.
As you might guess, blue-gray does best with some lighter colors to stop your kitchen from becoming too dark. White countertops work well, as do white walls and/or flooring. Even a simple palette of blue-gray, white, and silver is enough to keep a kitchen interesting. But if you’d prefer, you can add a few pops of a brighter shade as an accent.
36. Celery
Like the look of sage green but prefer something a little warmer? Celery just might be your answer. It’s a shade of green with some yellow undertones, and it forms a beautiful contrast with bright white. And as you can see in the pictured kitchen, it also looks good with a few different wood finishes.
Much like sage, celery has enough vintage appeal to work in rustic, farmhouse-style kitchens. But it can also be found in more upscale settings as well. If you’re designing a high-end kitchen, try combining celery green walls with brown marble countertops.
37. Silver
You already know that silver finds its way into many kitchen interiors, largely thanks to silver appliances. But you can also make a deliberate choice to include more silver. It’s a great metallic for cultivating a sleek, modern palette. Hanging lamps like the ones pictured are an easy and economical way to do so.
Silver creates an ultra-modern aesthetic when it’s part of an all-white kitchen interior. But if you find this look to be a little cold, you still have plenty of other options. Silver also looks quite nice next to navy blue, emerald green, and many other cool colors!
38. Turquoise
Turquoise is another of the more unusual color choices for a kitchen. It’s an energetic blue-green that’s reminiscent of the popular cyan kitchens of the 1950s. Turquoise tends to look good in sleek, minimalist aesthetics like the one pictured. It pairs especially nicely with white and silver.
However, if you’re really committed to the look, you may be able to find turquoise refrigerators and ovens, too! For a real retro vibe, try including a black and white tiled floor in your mostly-turquoise kitchen.
39. Cherry Wood Tones
Cherry wood tones have a distinctively different look from most other wood tones. This finish is usually associated with elegant interiors, and it’s not often seen in kitchens. But if you want to incorporate the rich red-brown hue of cherry into your kitchen, try finishing your wooden cabinets in this remarkable color.
Cherry wood tones look quite nice with marble. And since reddish brown is such a warm color, warmer-leaning marble (like the brownish mottled marble shown in the photo) is a great choice. Just be sure to include a white ceiling to lighten the overall look.
40. Teal
Teal is a dignified yet dynamic shade perfect for those who want their kitchens to look a little different. It’s commonly seen as a color for accent walls, but teal kitchen cabinets are a great choice, too.
This color is especially eye-catching when patterned with white, so patterned backsplashes and curtains might be worth a look. And if you want to add a little more of a high-energy shade, coral accents really pop against teal!
What Is the Best Color for Your Kitchen?
As you can see, there’s no single best answer to this question. The best way to choose a color is to consider how you want to feel in your kitchen. Bright colors will create an exotic and high-energy palette, while softer colors make the room feel quaint and dreamy. And of course, there are plenty of shades in between!
