Finding Your Perfect Kitchen Colour Palette: A Step-by-Step Guide

Today, we are talking kitchen colours, and specifically, the steps to determine your perfect colour palette and pull your scheme together.

The Power of Colour in Your Home

Hi, I’m Victoria and I am an Interior Colour Consultant. I am passionate about the power of colour and the impact it can have on our lives.

Creating an individualised colour scheme provides a unique opportunity for self-discovery and in turn, self-expression.

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Identifying what resonates with you and how you want to live your life at home is extremely powerful.

Colour can revolutionise a home’s purpose, comfort and connectivity – it truly is an extension of you.

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Understanding Your Personal Style

What Is Your Style?

The first thing to consider is your personal style. What does this look like? Curating a home and colour scheme with longevity is ultimately about finding and portraying your style.

It should be reflective of your likes, lifestyle and individuality. 

This takes time and is often an evolutionary process, but identifying that style will lead you to the ideal colours for you.

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Defining the Desired Feel of Your Space

How Do You Want to Feel in Your Kitchen?

In parallel, think about how you want this space to feel, and what behaviour you want it to promote.

Are you a big cook who craves vibrancy and invigoration?

Or are you more of a laidback chef who wants their kitchen to feel relaxing and comforting?

Maybe you are a methodical baker who desires composure and organisation, or perhaps you are a hopeless cook who needs both ease and solitude!

Gathering Inspiration

Where to Find Your Colour Inspiration

Following this, start your search for inspiration – this is the fun part – don’t rush it! Gather inspiration from
multiple sources, not those necessarily linked to interiors.

Draw ideas from art, fashion, architecture, nature, even food!

Use magazines as well as Pinterest and Instagram. Identify images with which you most align.

This might be a postcard of a seascape, a piece of moss, or a scrap of patterned fabric. If doing this as a couple, each consider your inspiration independently then tease out the common elements.

Creating a Moodboard

Bringing Your Inspiration Together

Next, build a moodboard. Bring your inspiration together. It doesn’t have to look beautiful or curated.

Think about WHY you like it.

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Look for themes – colours, textures, shapes, and finishes. Are the colours similar?

Are the textures predominantly soft or coarse? Are the shapes more rounded or angular? Are there historical references?

Do you see a mixture of glossy and matt finishes? This is all useful information.

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Selecting Your Core Colours

Narrowing Down Your Palette

From your moodboard, identify three key colours that consistently appeal to you. These will form the basis of your kitchen colour palette.

1. Primary Colour (60%): This colour will dominate your space and could be a neutral for versatility.
2. Secondary Colour (30%): This adds depth and can be a complementary colour like green.
3. Accent Colour (10%): A bolder choice for smaller pops of interest, such as pink.

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Considering Functionality

How Will You Use Your Kitchen?

After this, think about how you use the space at a functional level. How do you use your Kitchen?

Is it just for cooking, or is it also a living space and social area?

Is it used for work?

Consider your demands on the space.

Is a particular colour or finish maintainable? What is required in terms of durability?

How often will appliances, surfaces or furnishings be used? And does this fit the budget?

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Assessing Light and Space

How Does Light Affect Your Colour Choices?

Importantly, look at the orientation of the room and the natural light in different areas and at different times of the day.

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Do the task-orientated areas need to be brighter (affecting both lighting and colour decisions).

Could the living areas, however, be moodier and cocooning?

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Ask yourself, do my 3 colours still work? If not, reassess whether a darker or lighter variant might be better, or consider colours with slightly different undertones.

Remind yourself of how you want to feel in the space.

Colour is completely subjective.

Do these colours support you to feel a certain way? This is about what you love – not about rules!

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Finalising Your Design

Bringing All Elements Together

List all the elements of the Kitchen which will add colour, texture, shapes and/ or a finish to the room. This could include;

 Cabinetry – Could be further split into base units and wall units
 Interiors of cabinets
 Island
 Stand-alone Items – such as Dressers or tall units
 Flooring
 Worktop/ countertops
 Splashbacks and/ or tiles
 Table and chairs
 Fixtures such as taps
 Appliance colours
 Detail colours – such as handles and sockets
 Walls
 Woodwork
 Ceiling

Here is an example.
In terms of your 3 colours;

• Designate one to roughly 60% of your scheme (this could be NEUTRALS)
• A second to 30% of your scheme (this could be GREENS)
• And a third colour to 10% of your scheme (this could be PINKS).

This could look like…
NEUTRALS – Flooring, walls, worktop/ countertops, ceiling
GREENS – Cabinetry, tiles, skirting, door
PINKS – Island, dresser

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Adding Finishing Touches

Choosing Finishes and Textures

Don’t forget about finishes and textures, as they play a crucial role in the overall feel.

Mix high gloss with rustic woods or textured tiles to create visual interest. Incorporate metallics like brass for fixtures and choose warm, natural textures for furniture.

Photo by Lloyd Construction, Inc. – Look for kitchen pictures

Photo by Lloyd Construction, Inc. – Search kitchen design ideas

Time to Shop!

Bringing Your Vision to Life

Finally, it’s time to go shopping! Take your moodboard and any swatches in order to keep your inspiration at the forefront of your mind.

Try to gather as many physical samples as possible to allow them to be reviewed as a whole.

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This includes worktop/ countertop samples, tiles, splashback samples, cabinetry, flooring samples, handles and sockets, and finally, wall, ceiling and woodwork paints.

Trial and error different combinations, throw in an unexpected sample or two.

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Make sure to test your paint colours in their planned location across the Kitchen to ensure they look right in your lighting.

Think about small amounts of contrast and lots of different textures for maximum impact – mixing a high gloss finish with rustic woods and a textured tile for instance.

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Similarly, consider introducing pops of colour on shelving or the interior of a unit to elevate a scheme, without overpowering it.

But the most important advice.. Have FUN and enjoy the process!

And that is it! The short guide to Kitchen colour.

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Conclusion

esigning your kitchen colour palette is not just about choosing shades—it’s about creating a space that reflects your unique personality and enhances your everyday life. By exploring your personal style, gathering inspiration, and thoughtfully selecting colours and finishes, you can craft a kitchen that is both beautiful and functional. Remember, the process should be enjoyable and fulfilling, so take your time and let your creativity shine.

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