Colour as Design Tool

Colour can be a powerful design tool in the kitchen, keeping spaces feeling inspired.

Neutral Kitchens Have Limits

There’s no denying the enduring appeal of a neutral kitchen, but adding a fresh burst of colour will keep you feeling inspired.

Accent Colours for Small Changes

If you’re not ready to commit to a bold, all-encompassing hue, consider an accent colour on your kitchen island, a patterned tile for your backsplash or a soft pastel on your cabinets.

Emily Wunder’s Forest Kitchen

Designer Emily Wunder uses a scenic forest wallpaper full of swirling greens with mushroom-hued cabinets to connect indoor and outdoor spaces.

“The kitchen is a beautiful backdrop to the nature outdoors.”

Vancouver Home’s Butter Yellow

A Vancouver home features butter yellow lower cabinets balanced by ash flooring and white oak accents, inspired by the homeowner’s dream of a yellow kitchen and pink bathroom.

“She told me she’d always dreamed of a yellow kitchen and a pink bathroom.”

English Kitchen with Calacatta Marble

An English kitchen uses cool Calacatta Verde marble for perimeter counters and backsplash with warm hickory counter for the island.

West Coast Terracotta Kitchen

In a West Coast kitchen, terracotta-hued cabinets pair with honed quartz counters and rare Blue Stone quartzite on the vent hood, backsplash and island.

“The homeowner didn’t want a white kitchen, noting that the cabinets painted in a terracotta shade feel bold but also surprisingly calm.”

Mid-Century Kitchen with Bold Hues

A two-storey studio kitchen uses dark turquoise-green, muddy salmon pink and clay orange for a colour-blocked effect that guides the eye.

“The bold, colour-blocked effect plays into the scheme and helps guide your eye.”

Guest Cottage Grass Green

A guest cottage kitchen features grass green painted door frames, mullions and wainscotting in Benjamin Moore’s Richmond Green (553).

Heritage Home with Furniture-Style Island

In a circa-1855 heritage home, a painted furniture-style island adds subtle colour against linen wallpaper and navy blue cabinets.

Coastal Kitchen in Nanaimo

A Nanaimo B.C. kitchen uses layers of blue to create a coastal feel, with designer Alana Dick advising on using large items or dark colours in smaller spaces.

“Don’t be afraid to use large items or dark colours in smaller spaces.”

North Toronto Kitchen with Porch Swing

A north Toronto kitchen uses Benjamin Moore’s Porch Swing (CSP-750) colour inspired by the Canadian Shield’s natural palette.

“The Canadian Shield became the inspiration for our rich palette of colours and textures.”

Parisian Brasserie Kitchen

A Parisian brasserie-inspired kitchen layers pale blue Lacanche range, checkered quartz floor tile, counter stools and roman blinds with purple-hued Calacatta marble.

Morrisburg Kitchen with Mossy Green

A Morrisburg, Ont. kitchen features mossy green painted cabinets and patterned wallpaper that came from a Lee Jofa sample.

“We had planned to install fieldstone above the shelves in the kitchen but, by accident, I found this Lee Jofa wallpaper sample in my office that brought the fresh green cabinet colour to life.”