What to Do if Your Kitchen Is Simply Too White for You

White kitchens are more popular than ever, and they will always be timeless and classic. But from the comments I’ve read, some of you with all-white kitchens are finding yourselves craving a little more color lately. Maybe you’ve purchased a home where the kitchen is too colorless for you. Or perhaps you put in an all-white kitchen 10 years ago, and you’re looking to change up the look without a big renovation. The great thing about an all-white kitchen is that any punches of color you add will make a big impact and stand out, and there are plenty of easy and inexpensive ways to do so.

Bring in colorful accessories. Placing them on open shelves, in glass-front cabinets or even just on the countertops will allow you to switch out the colors when you’re ready for a change. This is the easiest, least permanent way to experiment.


Something as simple as cookbooks can do the trick.


Use color in fabric accents. Another great opportunity to add color in the kitchen is with window treatments. Different types will allow you to control how much of the color shows. You can pull Roman shades up or down depending on how much color and pattern you’re in the mood for. Another trick worth noting is hanging plates, as was done on the wall in this kitchen.

DIY: The Secret to Hanging a Plate Collection


Re-cover your counter stools or add new seat cushions to your kitchen chairs. An all-white background will let you get away with any color or print you fancy.


Open a paint can (even a sample-size one will do). The tiniest punch of paint can have a big impact. Trimming out this window in cheerful apple green turned it into a strong a focal point that draws the eye.


Paint the ceiling. This kitchen has a burst of bright color on its “fifth wall,” the ceiling. The effect is cheerful and sunny, while the white cabinetry, trim and floors maintain the light feel in the modestly sized space.


Choose a different color for the kitchen island. This adds a wonderful big block of color.


Paint only the lower cabinets. If you’re considering painting all of the cabinets a color, try doing it on just the lower cabinets first. It’s a nice way to anchor the room in color.


Darken things just a little. If brighter colors make you nervous but you’re ready for a change, consider light gray. It will change the feel of your kitchen but will soothe rather than shock your system.

Cabinet paint: Dove Tale, Farrow & Ball


If you’re really ready for a big change, go for all of the cabinetry. If you find yourself just plain tired of a sea of white, just go for it and change the color of all the cabinets. Mint green adds a wonderful historic feel to a farmhouse-style kitchen.


Add one big, bold backsplash. There’s nothing better than an all-white backdrop to highlight an artful backsplash like this one.


Go for colorful appliances. Many choices beyond black, white and stainless are on the market. Ranges, stoves and dishwashers all come in a rainbow of colors. I can attest that this really changes things; I just swapped out my white refrigerator for a cherry-red one in my mostly white kitchen, and it feels like a whole new room.

See more colorful appliances


Punch up the color with light fixtures. These small elements will have a big impact in an otherwise all-white room.


Paint cabinet interiors. If you prefer to show off clear glassware and white china, amp things up by painting the inside of your glass-front cabinets.


This kitchen has the best of both worlds. When the cabinets are closed, they are almost seamless walls of white.


But when open, they draw the eye with electric-yellow interiors, completely changing the look of the room.


Add wood pieces for contrast. This vent hood, antique drop-leaf table and Toledo stools bring in a rustic look that keeps the kitchen from feeling too stark.


Have you mixed some color into an otherwise all-white kitchen lately? If so, please share it with us in the Comments section.

More: Sexy Color Touches for Neutral Kitchens

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