What Paint Color Should I Use In My Kitchen?

Question

I have medium oak colored cabinets, black speckled countertops, creamy/beige tile on the floors, and black appliances. My dining room is red, and the adjacent (open concept) living room is beige. It can't be green because I already have another green in another room of the house. I'd like to add some interest to the room. Any suggestions???

Answer 1

I have a very similar color scheme and ended up with a very rich light gold color in the kitchen....a cross between tan and yellow. It looks great with the black accents and the wood as well as my white/beige floor. My accent color is red too so if it is near the dining room, I think it would be a great transition.

Answer 2

How about doing it the same beige as the living room, with accents in the red of the dining room? Perhaps the backsplash in a high-gloss red? Window frames, baseboards, etc in the red? Add a few red countertop appliances like a coffee maker or microwave.

Answer 3

I recommend a medium tone color. You've already ruled out green, red and beige due to the colors of your other rooms. And I'd recommend ruling out yellow. I would stay away from light colors, because a light color won't show the contrast of the light color of the cabinets and floor against it.

That leaves you with blue and grey to use as colors. If the dining room hooks directly onto the kitchen I'd probably go with a medium grey over a medium blue. I just don't think red and blue rooms go well on adjacent rooms.

For a grey, I'd recommend going with a medium grey with a hint of brown. If you put that up against your light oak cabinets your cabinets will really pop out and look good. A darker color will make lighter colors in a room really stand out and look good. You don't want to go too dark because you have black appliances and the room might look a little dark/dingy. At the same time, you don't want to go too light or the cabinets won't pop out at you and look great. There are two greys that I kind of like. They are available at Lowe's. I think the one is called Cathedral Stone or something like that and the other is called Suede or something like that. They are on the same color strip. It's just that the Suede one is a little darker grey. They are part of the American Tradition line of paints they carry.

The medium blue could also work very well. It sounds like you have a very contemporary style kitchen with the black appliances. I have natural oak cabinets myself, black appliances, and a charcoal grey counter top. So mine is pretty similar. I used more of an olive green on mine called prairie grass, but you stated you want to not use green. For the medium blue, I like to see just a touch...not much...bust just a touch of purple to the blue. To me, it makes it look like a brighter, bolder blue that makes things stand out so much better. Regular blues have almost a little bit of a sense of grey to them and appear a little more dingy. I think the blue would work very well with the black and beige and the cabinets.

For an accent, I'd recommend going with a nickel finished metal. It will help stand out or as I like to say "pop" against the medium to dark tone. A nickel finish can also work well if you ever decide to add anything in your kitchen that is stainless steel. Antique black can also work as a good accent, but more as a handle for the cabinets, although you could also use nickel finished handles for the cabinets.

I know a lot of people say "keep the kitchen nice and bright", but I definitely recommend going with a medium tone. Something a little darker than a light color. It will make the kitchen look so much better.

If you don't listen to any of my other advice, at least listen to my last piece of advice. And that is to take a pieces of cardboard and cut it to about 12"x12". Then buy a quart or whatever is the smallest amount of the color or two you think you like best and paint the piece of cardboard that color with about 2 coats of paint. Take some painters tape and make a loop of painters tape and stick it on the back of the cardboard. Then stick that card board up all over the room. Near all the major obects and under all the different lighting. Look at it during the day in the sunlight. At night with just the lights on. Basically look at it under all the different lighting conditions you will see it on a day to day basis. This allows you to get to see a big sample of the paint and it allows you to tape it to the wall so you can stand back and look and say "Do I really like this color?" Remember you are going to be looking at the paint from several feet away when you are in the room after it is painted. So looking at a paint card that's about 1.5"x1.5" from a foot or so away doesn't really help much. If you find that after a day or two you still like the color you picked, then you've found your color.

I also recommend using a satin sheen. If you have to touch up a spot with flat or eggshell, you can sometimes see where you touched up the paint. If you use satin, you can pretty much try your best and you won't be able to tell where you touched it up.

Answer 4

what u want are soft colors in there to accent the other things around it, and since its open you can tie that room in with anothe like lets say u have a blue sofa u can do i real soft light blue in the kitchen that way when the sun comes in theough the window its nice. a soft light color. there's so many colors. yellow, orange, lavender etc. go to lowes and ask them

Answer 5

I know this might sound odd, but try and picture yellow walls, I like Sherwins Williams Decisive Yellow or Lemon Twist. Then decorate with some art that has red in it ( ie tomatoes or vintage seed packets framed). Throw in some red hand towels.

Answer 6

I think it depends on how big your kitchen is. If you have a large kitchen, you can use some darker colours. If you have a small kitchen, defenitly light colours. Lighter colours will open up the smaller kitchen.

The colour you choose has to be inviting. No bright oranges as that colour will chase you away from your kitchen.

Answer 7

What about a misty eco-friendly ? i presumed-about that at modern-day after I examine you want a u . s . kitchen seem. comfortable eco-friendly is amazingly time-honored now, and may flow nicely inclusive of your present cream. Misty eco-friendly is a coloration which does not make your kitchen too darkish, yet it provides a warmth and comfortable sense. good success !

Answer 8

try a muted grey that would accent your room and bring the colors in

Answer 9

hmmmmmmm.
I would think about a light peach or natural sand color