The tricky thing about small kitchens is they can feel cramped and unwelcome. And that’s the last thing you want to feel in the room where you spend so much of your time. Creating an inviting kitchen will make you want to linger longer, giving you time and space to cook healthier meals, perfect Grandma’s old recipes, and truly enjoy your favorite comfort foods.
Whether you have the budget to remodel and open up the space or not, you’ll want to choose the right colors to make your space seem bigger and feel more inviting. These kitchen color ideas for small kitchens will visually open up your space and give you a sense of well-being in this busy room.
Light Colors
Light colors in the kitchen really open up the room. White is always a great choice for brightening the room because it reflects light and makes the walls recede. Plus, its uniformity makes the kitchen look bigger. You can mix shades of creams, whites, and taupes for more depth in your kitchen. Different textures of similar shades also add visual interest.
Keep Colors Close in Value
Choose a neutral color, like a gray or white, and paint the cabinets and trim in that same neutral color. Then, choose a back splash with a similar color value. This keeps the eye moving throughout the room more easily and visually expands the space.
Remove Cabinet Doors
When you replace cabinet doors with glass, you add depth to the kitchen, making the walls seem farther back. This is a great trick for a small kitchen, but be careful not to clutter the open cabinets, as clutter makes the room feel cramped.
Horizontal Stripes
It’s not for everyone, but painting horizontal stripes on the floor keeps the eye moving through the room and gives the illusion that the space is bigger than it is.
A Heavy Accent
An accent wall is a great idea for a small kitchen. Painting one wall a deeper color than the rest of the walls will make the wall appear to be receding, giving the room more space.
The Trim
When you use the same color on the walls as you use on the trim, you remove visual interruptions. This makes the ceiling appear taller and gives a feeling of more breathing room and space in your small kitchen.
Add Small Pops of Color
Keeping your cabinets and walls neutral can give the illusion of a bigger kitchen, but if that feels too boring, you bring fun into the room with small pops of color. Plus, sharp hues mixed with light wall hues visually expand the space. Remove the cabinet door of one or two cabinets and paint the backs a bright color. Paint the island your favorite color while leaving the rest of the kitchen neutral. Add a sharp color to a windowsill. Or simply bring in vases, flowers, and artwork with pops of color to liven things up.
At New Life Painting, we can help to visually expand your small kitchen with the right colors and painting techniques. Give us a call at (805) 937-9836, or contact us online for a free estimate.
