Your kitchen takes a beating, and likely needs repainting more often than other rooms—so it's the perfect spot to indulge in a trending color. So if you have a kitchen refresh on the calendar for this year, we've got a little expert advice on which colors will make your kitchen look totally on point, from some of our favorite designers and color experts.
Meet Our Expert
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Amy Wax, color expert and author of Can't Fail Color Schemes
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Amy Krane, architectural color consultant at Amy Krane Color and host of the design podcast Let’s Talk Paint Color
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Rosanna Bassford, founder and principal designer of Memmo Interiors
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Liz Goldberg, founder of Carolyn Leona Design
What Pros Are Seeing in Kitchen Color Trends
Three main trends reign supreme in kitchen paint colors—and fun fact: Sage green and olive green are the colors that suit them all.
Pairing bold painted cabinets with neutral walls
After years of pairing neutral cabinets in white, gray, or cream with bolder kitchen wall colors, the switch has flipped, with colorful cabinets paired with softer, more neutral walls. "A creamy off-white maintains the feeling of cleanliness and timeless design," says color expert Amy Wax. "The warmer off-whites complement any color in the kitchen and can be both warm and earthy, clean and classic." She sees that paired more often with green cabinetry. "Green offers a wide range of colors from light sage greens with a vintage ambiance to bold saturated greens for a more contemporary look with brushed gold hardware."
Another hot color for a bolder cabinet is oxblood or burgundy, which offers a rich hue that doesn't veer too far from the natural hues of wood, yet still feels special. "These colors sit on the continuum between red, purple, and brown and add a real richness to the room," says Amy Krane, color expert at Amy Krane Color.
There's a reason bolder cabinets have become more popular. "I think oftentimes kitchens are open to other areas of the house, like living or dining rooms," says Rosanna Bassford, founder of Memmo Interiors. "Therefore, the neutral works throughout the space, and we can concentrate the color on the cabinets for that added personality. In addition to seeing the colors on cabinets in kitchens, I'm also seeing more use of these colors on tile such as for kitchen backsplashes. It's usually either cabinets or tile, not both."
This design tactic lets other parts of the kitchen take center stage, not the walls. "I think the most popular kitchen wall colors remain some version of a warm light neutral, letting the cabinets, island, counters, backsplash and floor do the heavy lifting in terms of creating drama," says Krane.
Earthier tones of favorite colors
We've all been digging that '70s earth tone vibe—and that's shown up in the types of colors used in the kitchen, including olive green, brick, mauve, and mustard yellow, Bassford says. "People want color, but they want grounding colors, so earthy takes on hues fit that bill. It feels a bit more neutral than the bold, jewel toned or primary color version of the hue—so it feels easier to commit to and to utilize in a high investment, central place like the kitchen. Softer, earthier colors also pair really well with wood tones which is also very popular right now for kitchen cabinets."
Biophilic blues and greens
Biophilic design features natural colors—most often, soothing shades of blue and green. And those colors also reign supreme in the kitchen. "These have been hot for at least five years, but the nature of the blues and greens shifts from year to year," Krane says. "I think olive green is the most trending of these hues now and navy continues to appeal, paired with dark soapstone counters and some wood stain in the room to stop the vibe from tipping too cool in feel."
Kitchen Paint Colors That Are Totally on Trend
Ready to grab a swatch? Consider adding some of these expert-approved colors to your kitchen palette.
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Loggia by Sherwin Williams
Mushroom shades like this rich hue are a favorite pick for kitchens, Krane says. She usually recommends using this for cabinets, but it can also be a richer wall color in the neutral family.
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Fiery Brown by Sherwin Williams
Liz Goldberg, founder of design firm CAROLYNLEONA, chose this vibrant shade for her own cabinets. "We have been leaning into deep red wine tones over the past few years. I painted my own home bar cabinetry in Sherwin Williams Fiery Brown, a brown with rich red undertones, and love it! It feels warm, layered, and a little unexpected." Krane also recommends the very similar Raphael by Benjamin Moore as an option.
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Knitted Cape by Benjamin Moore
If you want something neutral that heads a bit more toward that trendy butter yellow, this creamy shade, suggested by Wax, is a great and unexpected option.
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Silver Sage by Benjamin Moore
This barely-there gray-green sits right on the cusp of neutral and biophilic color.
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Grenada Green by Benjamin Moore
This rich and vibrant green is one of Wax's picks for the kitchen—especially for cabinets.
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Monticello Rose by Benjamin Moore
Sophisticated pink shades are quickly becoming a " new neutral ," like this dusty rose Krane recommends for kitchens.
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Subtle by Benjamin Moore
This soft, yet creamy off-white would be lovely on walls or cabinets—especially if you're chasing that cashmere kitchen trend.
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Lapland by Benjamin Moore
A soft olive green is a perfect pick for the kitchen, Krane says.
Read the original article on Real Simple
