33 Energizing Kitchen Paint Colors to Brighten Your Home
33 Energizing Kitchen Paint Colors to Brighten Your Home
Magic happens in the kitchen, and we’re not just talking about your latest culinary masterpieces. It’s the space where families bond over breakfast, hostesses stun guests with carefully executed spreads, and children learn cooking tips from their grandparents. With all the time spent in the kitchen these days, this space deserves to be just as beautiful as the rest of your home. The simple addition of a radiant or unpredictable paint color on the walls, cabinets, or even the floor can do just the trick.
No matter if you’re looking for an opulent white shade to finish off your rustic theme or a bright blue to refresh your humble cook space, we've gathered 30+ kitchen paint-color ideas from top designers to help guide you. Now it's time to get cooking (and decorating)!
The Black-and-White Kitchen
Talavera tiles arranged in a graphic chevron pattern and glossy ebony cabinetry (Black, Fine Paints of Europe) liven up the classic monochromatic look in this San Antonio kitchen by Todd Romano. The island is from the Antique and Artisan Gallery, and the range is by Bertazzoni.
The Modernist Kitchen
Cool grays accentuate the modernist lines and architecture of Ken Pursley's 1950s home in Charlotte, North Carolina. Sunlight from the floor-to-ceiling window highlights the custom cabinetry from Franz Architectural Woodwork. The glass lighting and chairs are both by Bobo Intriguing Objects.
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The City Kitchen
To counter the graphic checkerboard flooring (Floe Painting), designer Cece Barfield Thompson used a warm white shade on the kitchen cabinets of her New York apartment. The range is by Wolf, and the sink is by Shaws of Darwen.
The Escapist Kitchen
Soft white cabinets (White Dove, Benjamin Moore) complement the summery colors in the wallpaper backsplash (de Gournay) of this Naples, Florida, kitchen. The island stools are covered in a red leather by Moore & Giles.
The Tudor Kitchen
Chic gray cabinetry and a glazed terra-cotta tile backsplash (Ann Sacks) lend a timeless feel to this Bronxville, New York, kitchen by Carrier & Co. The perimeter countertops are by Caesarstone, and the sink fixtures are by Waterworks.
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The Quaint Kitchen
Designer Angie Hranowsky picked an elegant gray shade (Cape May Cobblestone, Benjamin Moore) for the cabinetry of this Austin kitchen to help make the quaint space feel larger. Island pendants from Circa Lighting shine a light on stools from McGuire.
The Western Kitchen
In this Montana kitchen designed by Palmer Weiss, cabinetry finished in a rich black with blue undertones (Provincial Store Fixtures) and a custom bronze hood designed with straps and rivets lends a Western sensibility. Silicon bronze-brushed pulls, Rocky Mountain Hardware. Dual fuel range, Wolf.
The California Kitchen
In this Santa Barbara kitchen designed by Mark D. Sikes, creamy white cabinetry (White Tie, Farrow & Ball) and oil-rubbed bronze hardware (Rejuvenation) lend a warm, aged appearance. Sink and fixtures, Rohl.
The Lakeside Kitchen
This Lake Toxaway, North Carolina, kitchen designed by Platt Architecture and designer Cliff Fong features a soothing palette that reflects the lakefront mountain landscape with a custom-green center island fitted with Juno limestone counters, which also forms the backsplash, and natural wood-hued cabinetry.
The Rustic Kitchen
At this Northern California ranch designed by Ken Fulk and Ike Kligerman Barkley, the guest house kitchen exudes beautiful rusticity with ceiling-height wall tiles in alternating dimensions (Waterworks), reclaimed brick flooring, and oak countertops—all anchored by jet-black cabinets.
The Beach House Kitchen
At the 2020 Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach, designer Sarah Blank infused the kitchen with elements inspired by the Florida landscape, from the azure shade she chose for the cabinetry (Dragon Blue by Benjamin Moore) to the paintings of birds she hung above.
The English Country Kitchen
At Richard Smith's centuries-old home on the Sussex Coast, this butter yellow Aga stove is often the only source of heat. A rustic black backsplash peppered with antique exportware—plus a surprisingly colorful wallpaper—makes for a memorable and inspiring cook space.
The New Old Kitchen
This Lake Forest, Illinois, kitchen designed by the ABL Group and Dovetails Custom Cabinetry marries historic design details with state-of-the-art functionality. Brass hardware and luxurious surfaces by Cambria and Artistic Tile highlight the custom cabinetry, painted Sleepy Hollow and Inkwell by Sherwin Williams.
The Parisian Kitchen
Soft, smoky tones lend a high-fashion, sophisticated touch to the alluring kitchen of this 18th-century flat in Paris. The upper cabinets feature mirrored églomisé facings that “almost look like venetian blinds,” notes decorator Jean-Louis Deniot. The lower cabinetry paint color is Midnight Oil by Benjamin Moore.
The Midcentury Kitchen
Today cohost Jenna Bush Hager overhauled the entire midcentury kitchen in her spirited Long Island cottage to give a sense of openness and ease. The pastel blue cabinetry pops against a fireclay apron-front sink (Rohl) and glazed wall tiles (Waterworks). The cabinetry paint color is Wedgewood Gray by Benjamin Moore.
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The Gallery Kitchen
With an eye-catching gallery wall, mohair banquette (Holly Hunt), and custom globe lighting (O'Lampia) taking center stage within this Connecticut kitchen, decorator Shazalynn Cavin-Winfrey opted to keep the walls neutral with a clean, white shade. For a similar shade, try All White by Farrow & Ball.
The Cozy Kitchen
Dark, inky cabinetry asserts a cozy, lived-in feeling with the spacious combined kitchen and den in the gracious Georgian-style home of Alabama-based designer Caroline Gidiere. The stainless steel countertop seamlessly connects to the satin nickel hardware and appliances. The cabinetry is painted Off-Black by Farrow & Ball.
The Ferryman's Kitchen
This charming butler’s pantry apart from the kitchen at this reimagined cottage invokes the spirit of its 18th-century roots with a recolored historic Parisian pattern (Adelphi Paper Hangings) that would have been developed around the time the house was built. Designer Cathy Kincaid opted for green-gray cabinetry (French Gray by Farrow & Ball) to further bring out the soothing tones in the wallpaper.
The Countryside Kitchen
In the kitchen of this Hudson Valley estate, designer Lynne Stair complemented the natural hues of the copper hood and coarse limestone flooring from Paris Ceramics with a warm white shade on the cabinetry. Architect Cynthia Filkoff trimmed the hood with brass straps and rivets, echoing styles found in European countryside homes. The barstools are from Restoration Hardware, and the lighting is by Rose Uniacke. The cabinetry paint color is Pointing by Farrow & Ball.
The Cottage Kitchen
Refined powder-blue cabinets and a sinuous floral wallcovering by William Morris enliven the quaint kitchen in this Southern 1950s ranch. Designer Mark D. Sikes covered the pair of stools by Hickory Chair in a botanic Carolina Irving fabric. The bistro chairs are from Ballard Designs. The kitchen paint color is Farrow & Ball's Parma Gray.
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The Farmhouse Kitchen
Designer Susan Bednar Long created a playful contrast within this 200-year-old Provence kitchen by pairing soft silver cabinetry with copper pots, limestone flooring, and a wooden island and farm table. The pendant lights are from The Urban Electric Co. The kitchen is painted Wimborne White and cabinetry is Light Blue, both by Farrow & Ball.
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The Seaside Kitchen
Designer Philip Mitchell let lively lilac counter stools and a sky-blue tufted banquette shine in the kitchen of his Nova Scotia getaway by pairing them with soft white-painted cabinetry. The ikat pendant shade (custom, The Urban Electric Co.) sits overhead a table from Sharon O’Dowd. The backsplash and countertop material both are from Ciot Habitat. The cabinetry paint color is Dune White by Benjamin Moore.
The Sky Blue Kitchen
The unexpected addition of aqua on the ceiling and a blue-patterned wallcovering from designer Meg Braff's textile collection visually expands this Long Island kitchen by drawing the eye upward. Braff expanded and updated the cooking space with Danby marble counters and cabinetry in a pearly color from Fine Paints of Europe. The sink fixtures and hardware are by Waterworks, and the pendant light is by Vaughan. The ceiling paint color is Picture Perfect by Benjamin Moore.
The Blue-and-White Kitchen
Designer Danielle Rollins turned up the saturation on the traditional blue-and-white combination with boldly lacquered cabinetry and sleek white tiles from Waterworks in her glamorous Atlanta home. The Gris de Savoie marble countertop is from Marmi Natural Stone. The sink and fittings are from Waterstone Faucets. For a similar paint color, try Farrow & Ball's Pitch Blue in a full gloss finish.
The Sunny Kitchen
In the kitchen of her Colonial Revival-style home, Los Angeles-based designer Suzanne Rheinstein dressed the sunny walls with swags of boxwoods for an intimate holiday party. Sconces by Ann-Morris shine on crystal from William Yeoward. The sink fixtures are from Waterworks. The wall paint color is in Sweet Vibrations by Benjamin Moore.
The All-White Kitchen
Natural light reflects off the kitchen’s pure white walls and rich antique chestnut flooring, awakening the spirit of this 19th-century Connecticut home designed by Timothy Whealon. A roman shade in Kravet fabric with Claremont trim adds softness to the modest space. The pair of stools are from Fair. The ceiling paint color is Wimborne White by Farrow & Ball.
The Cobalt Kitchen
Vibrant cobalt cabinetry turns a petit butler’s pantry into the colorful pièce de résistance within this Ruthie Sommers-designed Rhode Island retreat. The Lawrence of La Brea rug brings out the subtle red tones of the valance in an eccentric Katie Ridder fabric. The custom cobalt paint color is from Fine Paints of Europe.
The Berry Kitchen
At this 1850s farmhouse, designer Richard Keith Langham used luscious berry cabinetry to add a layer of richness to the combined breakfast room and kitchen. Ladder chairs from Howe surround a 19th-century elm table purchased in the Cotswolds. Backsplash tile by Ann Sacks draws attention to the polished stove from Ilve. The tole pendants are from Paul Ferrante. The cabinetry paint color is Raisin Torte by Benjamin Moore.
The Antique Kitchen
In the kitchen of Ameila Handegan’s Charleston home, a charcoal wall and storied furniture, like the circa-1860 Anglo-Indian armchairs, define a separate dining area. An 1820s English mirror found at David Skinner Antiques hangs above a circa-1860 Jamaican trolley. The large work of art by Chuck Bowdish acts as the space’s main focal point. The oak flooring is from Olde Savannah. The wall paint color is in Benjamin Moore’s Kendall Charcoal.
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The Lacquered Kitchen
Designer Tammy Connor connected the family room and kitchen of this New York City apartment by lacquering the walls in a rich ocean shade. The kitchen stools from Soane Britain are covered in a Jerry Pair fabric. Pendant lighting from Balsamo lights up a Lacanche range. The John Saladino x-bench in a Kyle Bunting hide seamlessly matches the George Smith armchair. The Ferrell Mittman sofa is in a Peter Dunham Textile stripe, and the custom rug is from Beauvais Carpets. For a similar paint color, try Benjamin Moore’s Slate Teal in a pearl finish.
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The Cabin Kitchen
Two and half hours outside of Toronto, designer Colette van den Thillart transformed her family’s one-room log cabin into a charmingly chic kitchen and devised a six-bedroom house around it. The delicate gray panel walls accent the kitchen island’s marbleized design, which was inspired by a trip to Denmark. The cabinetry is from Smallbone of Devizes. For a similar paint color, try Dimpse by Farrow & Ball in a modern emulsion finish.
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The Artistic Kitchen
The all-white scheme becomes a smooth backdrop for dramatic works of art like the eight-foot antique African drum in the corner of this Hamptons kitchen. Homeowners Quinn Pofahl and Jaime Jiménez renovated the first-floor layout to allow all public spaces to be seen from the kitchen. The hood and stove are from Viking. The walls are in Benjamin Moore’s Ice Formations.
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The Mountain Kitchen
Diamond motifs from the walls to the floor and sleek gray-blue cabinetry evoke a sense of wonder with the cooking space of this Utah mountain getaway. Designer Anthony Baratta sought out artist Adam Lowenbein to paint the rustic wooden floors. The custom ladder chairs feature cushions in a Dualoy leather. The backsplash and wall tiles are from Solar Antique Tiles. For a similar paint color, try Benjamin Moore's Soft Jazz in a pearl finish.
It’s time to spice up your cook space.
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