Kitchen Paint Colors. Where Do You Start, And How Do You Choose?

When it comes to choosing kitchen paint colors the endless selection of color hues is staggering. So how do you decide on a color, or a selection of colors, for your kitchen? Paint colors are hard to put into "yes it will work", or "no it won't work" categories.

Your personality, color likes, and dislikes will also play a role in choosing paint colors. There are no rules when choosing paint colors, just go with what you want.

I will try to get you on the path to your color greatness by giving you a starting point, and some suggestions on how to find the colors that work best in your kitchen.

I like to use three or more kitchen paint colors in large kitchens (not counting appliances and countertops), and two or more in smaller kitchens. Why so many different colors you ask? Well, using more kitchen paint colors give it some depth and character. Plus using a single color in a kitchen can make it look plain and boring. I use one color for the backsplash, one or more for the walls, and one or more for the cabinets.

If you already have a backsplash in metal or stone chosen, then that color area is already spoken for and counts as a color and should be considered when choosing the other colors. Don't be afraid to use more than one color on the walls either, accent walls are a good touch in many kitchens.

I always recommend that you buy a plethora of sample cans of paint in the color families that you're interested in. By a plethora I mean at least five different shades of every major color you decide upon. This may seem like a lot, but the pint cans are inexpensive and provide enough paint to cover an area big enough to get a good idea of what the kitchen paint color looks like in the room.

Color swatches are usually very close in color but the lighting in your kitchen can sometimes affect the color quite a bit. Spending $20-$30 on sample paint is cheap when compared to 5 gallons of mixed paint that you don't like (that cannot be returned in most cases) at $25 a gallon.

There has been some research on how colors affect our moods and appetites. Here are some of their findings:

• Reds: Thought to increase appetite
• Blues: Is thought to decrease appetite
• Greens: Is also though to stimulate the appetite
• Yellows: Is thought to increase metabolism

How true are these findings? I don't know, but it does make one wonder how the colors we choose can, and do, affect our lives. This is just another thing to think about and to take with a grain of salt.

The first thing I like to do is just sit in the kitchen and try to visualize what I really want the end product to be. Try to visualize different kitchen paint colors and how they might look. Write down the colors on a piece of paper, in case you forget.

Then go and get some swatches in various shades of those colors and tape them to the wall. Once you narrow down which colors you like from the swatches then go on to buying sample cans of paint.

If you already have the backsplash and cabinets in place that's a good place to start. Pick a color or two from what you already have installed or in place and then work from there. Don't try to pick colors from window treatments or towels, as those can easily be changed, but try to match the colors of the things that cannot be changed easily.

An Example Of Choosing Wall Colors:


If you have white cabinets and a tumbled marble backsplash, two good kitchen paint colors to start with are white and tan. You can then work on what color shade, darker or lighter, you want to begin with.

If the cabinets are pure white and you want the walls to match your cabinets, then try an off white for the walls. An off white keeps the same color family but tones down the austere appearance of pure white and also compliments the marble backsplash.

I personally think pure white should not be overused as it makes a kitchen look sterile, like a hospital. Of course, if that's what you're going for then by all means do it, this is just something to keep in mind.

If you decide that white is just too much for the walls then try the tan. You can always go lighter on the tan until you find a good color that compliments the tan in the backsplash and the white on the cabinets. Bold colors that don't necessarily compliment are also an option, just experiment with colors until you find the one that's right for you.

White is also a lot harder to keep looking new, as some whites tend to yellow over time. This can be avoided by using a high quality paint. This goes for all paint and not just white. I won't go into what paint brand is best because everyone has their favorites, but if it's a brand name it's usually good quality paint.

In a smaller kitchen the wall area is generally much smaller. Therefore it doesn't have as much of an impact as it would in a larger kitchen. So you could probably go with bolder colors and not overpower the room. But if you paint every wall a bold color, such as red, then it will affect the feel of any room no matter the size.

The same techniques used for the walls can be used for the cabinets. Since the cabinets are the biggest portion of the kitchen this color choice is most important. Not only because it the most area but also because the cabinets are not easily painted and require a large amount of time to repaint them. The most time should be taken with the cabinet colors than any other color in the kitchen.

If you're interested in, or in dire need, of painting your existing cabinets then choosing a good kitchen paint color is important. Cabinets take up a lot of the visual space in a kitchen and should be the main color choice for the room. Dark cabinets need a light color on the walls to brighten up the room, and light colored cabinets can have either a light or darker color on the walls.

When painting cabinets it's not absolutely necessary to paint all of the cabinets the same color. The uppers can be a lighter shade of the color for the base cabinets or vise versa.

You can also paint the door panels, and drawer fronts a different color or shade from the face frames. It's very hard to choose a color that you will have to live with for a long time so it's understandable that you will get frustrated.

Just try to visualize what you think will suit your taste and what you feel most comfortable with, then continue from there. Don't be afraid to try bold kitchen paint colors in the testing phase, try reds and purples if you think they could work. Throw caution to the wind and experiment with every color you like, and have fun.

Return From Kitchen Paint Colors To Kitchen Design Ideas

Go To Kitchen Remodeling Ideas Home Page