Designing or updating a kitchen can be tricky stuff. By the time you’ve gone through the laborious thinking about cabinetry, benchtops, backsplashes, and appliances, there’s always something that’s slipped through the cracks.
With so much focus on the cabinet colors, the wall colors can often be an after thought. It's probably why so many of us opt for neutral shades, it's an easy, fail-safe choice that doesn't take much thought. But the walls of the kitchen take up just as much visual space as the cabinet, sometimes more, so it's time we starting putting more consideration into the shades we choose.
These expert kitchen wall color ideas will inspire and invigorate your space, providing a picture-perfect foundation for the rest of your kitchen design. You can go forth with confidence knowing that all these kitchen colors are timeless and versatile.
6 color ideas to transform your kitchen walls
A blank canvas no longer, your kitchen walls can set the scene for the rest of your space. Whether you go with smoldering dark tones or calming neutrals, the rest of your kitchen will thank you for it. These are the shades designers suggest trying...
1. Burgundy
Burgundy kitchens are super on trend right now and is a shade du jour for good reason. The it-girl color is undeniably gorgeous, reminiscent of rich lipsticks, juicy grapes, and red wine nights. An intentional reference, considering that the shade was originally inspired by wine from the Burgundy region of France. What better culinary region to channel in your kitchen?
'Incorporating burgundy into the kitchen can create a striking visual impact,' says Bo Hellbery, CMO at String Furniture. 'These rich, deep hues also enhance the overall aesthetic, making the space feel both modern and timeless.'
There’s a dark academia feel to this deep red stain, with tantalizing hints of purple, which warms up a kitchen with added opulence. But it can equally be a much lighter look if you layer with warm neutrals and crisp whites.
2. Gray-green
Many might shun the gray spectrum for fear of the shade being too cold for your cozy space. But mixing cooler shades with warmer tones such as green can be the best of both worlds, resulting in the kitchen wall color of your dreams. A gray-green kitchen has soothing benefits that are unmatched, bringing calm energy to a home.
'Kitchens are often thought of as the ‘heart of the home’ so work best with wall colors that have a warm undertone, especially where there is less natural light,' says Helen Shaw, director of marketing at Benjamin Moore. 'A gray-green such as Paris Rain is a great choice, the green element of this hue will lift the overall effect and add much-needed warmth.'
3. Cream
Cream is a delightful kitchen wall color, that's totally timeless. A demure, serene shade; it mingles between fan-favorites butter yellow and off-white to perfection. Even better if there’s the softest hint of pink in the mix.
'Decorating with cream softens and soothes your kitchen, transforming it from a place of weekday frenzy to a weekend paradise,' says Emily Moorman, Homes & Gardens' Paint and Color Editor. 'It’s like one big inhale and exhale. Not to mention, it truly goes with all and any cabinetry style or color.'
Cream wall paint can help to tone down existing bold tones or add depth to paler hues. It’s coziness in a paint can.
4. Earthy Terracotta
The kitchen can all too easily become a sterile space; terracotta paint is a quickfire way of adding warmth and charm to your walls. Most importantly, it pairs beautifully with a range of other shades, remaining versatile but distinctive in its own right. 'Deep burgundy and terracotta shades enhance the rustic warmth of a wooden kitchen look,' suggests Helen Shaw.
You could match the look with vivid blue tiles for a Yves Saint Laurent look à la Morocco, or play with warm browns and sandy neutrals for a soft, tonal effect. Pair with some patterned Spanish-style rustic floor tiles and you’ve got yourself an eternally stylish kitchen that gently hums with color.
Terracotta and clay hues are such cozy shades, it’s no wonder they even were used in the earliest cave paintings. So, if you’re on the lookout for a timeless color, look no further than terracotta for the ultimate throwback, circa fifty thousand years or so. Now that’s what we call longevity.
5. Turquoise
Turquoise is undeniably a bold shade and often the best way to use a bold shade is to really commit.
'Kitchens are a wonderful space for embracing the color drenching trend, don’t feel limited by painting just your kitchen walls, incorporate the cabinets, woodwork, skirting, and ceiling to deliver an uplifting, enveloping space,' says Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene.
'This sophisticated drenching technique will add to the overall energy of a kitchen, providing a cohesive and intriguing backdrop to pops of color such as a bright turquoise,' Ruth notes. If matching cabinetry doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, then look to keeping it simple and minimal overhead with open shelves instead of traditional cabinetry. This will give your strong color more room to breathe and won’t overwhelm the space.
6. Navy
Navy blue wall paint is a timeless choice for a kitchen. The hue delivers a burst of color without playing too much into ever-changing color trends – a navy blue kitchen is no avocado green bathroom, rest assured.
'Navy paint lends an element of sophistication to your walls, whilst remaining down-to-earth in execution,' says Emily. 'It’s perfect either as a feature wall or for an all round color. You can never have too much or too little of the shade.'
Gold hardware, marble countertops, and neutral accents all complement navy blue in a kitchen for a warm, traditional look that won’t go out of fashion.
Don’t leave your kitchen wall color choices to the last minute. Instead, choose your favorite shade and build the rest of your color scheme accordingly. Whether you go light and bright, or contemporary colorful, your kitchen walls can have a huge impact on your space.
