Ahead, our latest post published in partnership with Realtor.com:
White has been a go-to color for kitchen cabinets, countertops, and backsplashes for as long as we can remember. In a room that gets so messy, homeowners can’t help but gravitate toward pristine, white furnishings that make the room feel open and bright.
But over the past handful of years, the pendulum has swung toward more color and contrast, like two-tone cabinets (i.e., light-color uppers and dark-color lowers), and homeowners have warmed up to the idea of playing with color and texture in their kitchen in a big way.
If you’re looking to get out of your monochrome rut, keep reading for some fresh ideas for your kitchen, featuring examples from the Remodelista archives:
1. Color inside cabinets
For those who aren’t quite ready to redo their cabinet fronts in a bold hue, check out this technique, spotted also from @colombe studio.
“Painting the insides of the cabinets with glass-front doors offers a pop of color in a more subtle manner,” says designer Molly McGinness. “Since the glass-front cabinets are generally planned for display, be careful that the objects filling the cabinet work with the background color and that things don’t get too cluttered.”
Get the look: Paint the inside of your cabinets with Sherwin-Williams’ Major Blue or Benjamin Moore’s Rocky Mountain Sky in an eggshell or matte finish.
2. Yellow cabinets
There’s nothing subtle about sunshine-yellow cabinets, but when a true break from the boring is needed, this larger-than-life color swap—including these, by @louiseroehome—could be just the thing.
“Painting the cabinets a bright hue can really make the kitchen sing,” says McGinness. “Get a sample to be sure you love it with the natural light in your kitchen, and if you’re repainting the cabinets, try a semigloss or high-gloss finish for high sheen and wipe-ability.”
Get the look: McGinness recommends Benjamin Moore’s Sun Kissed Yellow or Sherwin-Williams’ Confident Yellow. (And for more on yellow kitchens, see our Kitchen(s) of the Week: 13 On-Trend Sunny Yellow Spaces.)
3. Color-forward counters
Hoping to ever so slightly spice up an all-white color scheme? Introduce a unique color or texture, like the marble backsplash seen in a post by @shoplonefox. “One of the most remarkable qualities of a solid marble backsplash is that each slab is completely unique, with the veins and hues varying widely, resulting in a one-of-a-kind installation,” says designer Devin Shaffer of Decorilla.
The versatility of marble also means it can easily be paired with a wide range of countertop materials and cabinet finishes to create your perfect personalized design.