9 clever ways to pick your modern kitchen colours

Johannes van Graan Johannes van Graan
Chameleon Villa Bali, Word of Mouth House Word of Mouth House Tropical style kitchen
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Aiding in their sublime reputation, modern kitchens are all about banishing visual clutter in favour of a cleaner, sleeker style. But that doesn’t limit your colour choices. In fact, there are various ways of splashing different colours in your cooking space, and we happen to have nine of them right here.

Let’s see some colour options for your modern kitchen. 

1. Create some contrast

Modern kitchens love visual contrast, especially with cabinets, countertops, appliances, and lighting that all have the most visual impact. See where you can add contrast, such as pairing white cabinets with dark counters.

But remember that not everything needs to be different, so feel free to paint your walls and cabinets the same while opting for a different countertop material/colour that visually pops. 


2. Find the balance

Have you ever heard of the 70/20/10 rule when it comes to picking colour palettes? First, you find your choice of colours that you’d like to work with in your kitchen. Then, you select the room’s main colour which will account for about 70% of the space. Follow that up with a more dramatic accent to fill about 10% of the space before you finish the look with a third colour (20%) that balances the other two. 

homify hint: Make it easier by choosing your cabinet colours first, as these finishes form a large percentage of both your kitchen’s visual look and your project budget. 


3. Read up on colour psychology

Is your kitchen supposed to energise and inspire you, or do you see it more of a relaxing and rejuvenating space? Then pay careful attention to its colours, as colour has the profound ability to set the tone for a space (that’s what colour psychology is all about). 

For instance, warm reds and yellows can feel energising (and stimulate one’s appetite), while cool blues and greens are more about making one feel calm and focused.  


4. Monochrome magic

A monochrome scheme is more than just black on white. Your entire kitchen can be splashed out in blue, green, or even pink as long as those colours differ in value and tone (i.e. lighter and darker). 

The key to a successful monochrome colour palette is contrast, so focus on utilising finishes and textures through your kitchen (such as pairing a reflective glass backsplash with matte paint or wooden cabinets). 


5. Try the colour wheel

Speaking of contrast, opting for colours located directly opposite each other on the colour wheel (called complementary colours) makes for some eye-catching style. Like blue and orange, a less traditional pair which can fit perfectly into a modern kitchen.

Complementary colours are also perfect for smaller accents and décor pieces where the 70/20/10 approach might be too much. 


6. Embrace saturated colours

Although neutral colours can always be relied on for modern kitchens, jewel tones have also become trendier over the last few years. So, think of your modern kitchen as a space where you can experiment with darker, more saturated colours. Granted, pastel hues might be a bit much for a modern kitchen, but there exists a world of softer colours that can pair beautifully with those clean lines and darker contrasts. 

Maybe our professional Interior Designers/Decorators can help you pick the perfect colour palette for your modern kitchen? 


7. Include reflective finishes

There’s nothing wrong with adding some elegance to a modern space, and perhaps that’s the reason why we’ve been seeing more chrome, polished brass, and other reflective surfaces pop up lately. 

homify hint: For extra fancy style, consider painting your kitchen colours in a high-gloss finish. 


8. Be brave with a backsplash

Currently, modern backsplashes are oversized tiles or slabs with minimal grout lines to suit the cleaner kitchen aesthetic. But there’s always the possibility of trying something extraordinary with your backsplash, like opting for an eye-catching pop of colour? Or to bridge your upper- and lower cabinets’ different colours?  


9. Wood is good

Don’t be afraid to go natural in your modern kitchen with wood and faux-wood pieces and finishes. That natural material has the brilliant ability to warm up cool finishes, thus providing a perfect visual contrast. Thus, if you’re working with wood cabinets, see where you can add elegant natural accents like rattan, stone, minerals, leather, or even just some fresh green plants as an accent. 

Try these 7 simple lighting ideas to impress your guests.


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