The sign of a good kitchen design is not only in the functionality of the kitchen, but in the interest of the kitchen’s appearance. The kitchen color scheme should provide plenty to look at, while flowing seamlessly from one portion of the design to the next.
Begin With the Kitchen Counter
Kitchen counters are one of the main areas of design in the kitchen. They embody large sections of the kitchen design, and see a great deal of work. By selecting the kitchen counter first, a pallet for the rest of the kitchen to pull colors from is built in.
Granite countertops in particular have multiple tones and colors running through them. Even counters, which at first glance seem to be one, predominant color, can have multiple colors within. Uba Tuba, a popular dark green granite, has flecks of white, gold and occasionally turquoise within its surface. This gives homeowners a built in pallet. Cabinets and floors can be a warm, honey tone to pick up the gold, while the backsplash can incorporate bits of turquoise, and the alls can take on a shade of green close to white.
Any kitchen counter can be used in this manner, to help build the colors in the kitchen design.
Coordinate the Wood Tones
If there is more than one area of wood in the kitchen, such as a kitchen island, or hardwood floors, combined with the kitchen cabinets, it’s important to coordinate the two wood tones. This does not mean necessarily making all the wood tones match; using different wood tones can add a lot of depth and interest to the kitchen design.
If using light colored cabinets, with a dark counter, try using a darker toned wood floor. Be sure to take the tone of the floor from another area of the kitchen, such as the countertop or island, to pull the design together.
For instance, kitchen cabinets in a light maple, with a granite countertop of such as Giallo Fioria, a deep golden colored stone with streaks of dark molasses color, as well as light tones, try using a deep golden hardwood on the floor to anchor the design.
For kitchen islands, try using contrasting wood tones and countertops to the main cabinets and counter. Off white cabinets with a light colored counter can be contrasted with a deep, mahogany colored island, and coordinating deep colored counter.
Make Use of the Wall Color
If the kitchen cabinetry is dark, try using a really rich toned color on the kitchen walls to add vibrant depth to the room, brightening, but not lightening. White, and light colored cabinets, can use lighter tones of paint, so as not to overwhelm the room or the viewer. Use a color that looks well against, but doesn’t necessarily match the other colors in the room.
Use the Backsplash to Pull it All Together
The kitchen backsplash is the place to accent and highlight the rest of the kitchen design. Pull the remaining tones and colors from the granite, such as the cranberry flecks in Giallo Ornamentale, or the turquoise in Uba Tuba, and mix them with the main tones of the rest of the kitchen. If there is art work, pottery, pendant lights or other colors in the kitchen, pick them up in the backsplash design, or choose a material, such as iridescent glass that incorporates many colors in a neutral manner, setting off the whole design.
The kitchen color scheme should also compliment adjacent rooms, particularly if they can be seen from the kitchen, so be sure to bring along paint and fabric swatches, or photographs when choosing kitchen materials. Don’t be afraid to make bold choices and use plenty of color in the kitchen design, as long as each component complements the next, the look will be flawless.
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