42 Colorful Kitchen Ideas to Brighten Up Your Home

There will never be anything wrong with a white kitchen.

Kitchens are expensive to install and it makes sense to use classic neutrals like white, black, beige, and gray that outlast trends and will look fresh for years to come.

But there are times in life when it feels right to embrace color, turning your kitchen into a one-of-a-kind gathering space that feels personal and specific, rather than staged for an open house designed to appeal to anyone.

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Depending on whether you live in a temporary rental or a forever home—and your personality, preferences, and budget—adding color to your kitchen might involve incorporating a few choice accents or going bold by saturating the space in a statement color.

If you are hankering to add bold paint on the walls, install colorful kitchen cabinets, lay some striking kitchen floor tiles or an eye-catching kitchen backsplash, or hang some decorative kitchen wallpaper, check out these mood-boosting, rainbow-hued kitchens that embrace color.

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Opt for an Olive Green

Pin Design by Cathie Hong Interiors / Photo by Margaret Austin Photo

Cathie Hong Interiors renovated the kitchen in this 1956 John Calder Mackay home in Mountain View, California to make it suited to open-plan living while respecting the midcentury modern character of the original.

The olive green kitchen cabinets and central island add an eye-catching swath of period-appropriate color that grounds the center of the open kitchen, a perfect complement to its painted white ceiling beams and warm wood flooring.

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Use a Saturated Blue

Pin Design by Space Factory / Photo by Hervé Goluza

While dark blue kitchen cabinets have become a modern classic in recent years, this Paris kitchen from Space Factory takes the concept of a blue kitchen a step further.

Drenched in a dramatic and vibrant International Klein Blue paint that is contrasted with bright walls and accented with black-and-white patterned floor tiles, this bold color choice creates a whole mood and stands out from the ordinary.

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Complement Existing Elements

Pin Design by Veronica Barrow Design

For this landmarked Brooklyn brownstone kitchen renovation, NYC-based Veronica Barrow Design added large steel and glass casement windows and a door that opens up to the backyard.

Deep emerald green cabinetry complements the brick walls, honoring the historic character of the home while feeling fresh.

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Energize With Acid Yellow

Pin A Beautiful Mess

You don’t have to paint the whole kitchen to make an impact with color.

In this simple modern kitchen from A Beautiful Mess, acid yellow lower cabinetry gives the otherwise neutral space a shot of energy and cheer.

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Update a Classic

Pin Design by Blakes London

In this British kitchen from Blakes London, an archway on one side of the period fireplace houses a shallow custom-built breakfast pantry complete with a toaster station and plenty of open and closed storage for food, dishes, and other kitchen sundries.

A matching arch on the other side houses the refrigerator, obscured behind painted red double doors.

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Pair Yellow and Blue

Pin Design by Pluck

A trio of bright yellow midcentury Panton Flowerpot pendant lights adds a shot of mood-boosting color to this serene blue and white kitchen designed by London-based Pluck that conjures sunny Greek island vibes.

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Add a Colorful Backsplash

Pin Design by Ghislaine Viñas / Photo by Garrett Rowland

An easy way to introduce color to an all-white kitchen is to add a backsplash in a bright-colored tile, like the eye-catching glossy orange subway tile used in this kitchen from interior designer Ghislaine Viñas.

The limited footprint of the backsplash tile means that you can replace it down the road when you start hankering for a new color without making a huge investment or doing any major renovations.

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Use Shades of Red

Pin Design by Space Factory / Photo by Hervé Goluza

This modern French kitchen from Space Factory has a striking ruby-red faceted island as its centerpiece.

Inlaid flooring with shades of red and pink on the floor around it complements the black-and-white space to create a one-of-a-kind look.

A sculptural red footstool in the background helps to spread the color throughout the space to make it feel more balanced.

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Choose the Perfect Match

Pin Design by deVOL Kitchens

You don’t have to try too hard to make a case for pairing pink and green, an easy color match that has stood the test of time.

This classic English Victorian villa kitchen from deVOL Kitchens has soft rosy pink walls, soft green tiling, warm lighting, and an inky shade of navy paint on the cabinetry that gives the cozy, homey, lived-in room dimension and a sense of history.

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Use Bold Strokes

Pin Design by Ghislaine Viñas / Photo by Eric Laignel

In this NYC townhouse kitchen from interior designer Ghislaine Viñas, vivid, confident strokes of yellow, red, and orange are applied to an all-white base creating a crisp, vivid pop art feel with a couple of bold moves.

Using small doses of saturated color is an easy way to experiment and change your decor on a whim without breaking the bank.

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Make It Natural

Pin Design by deVOL Kitchens

In a neutral space, adding natural plants and greenery is an eco-friendly way to incorporate color that will make your room feel as good as it looks.

If you plan to fill your kitchen with plants, you’ve already got a colorful base to work with that can be complemented with any number of accent colors.

This classic English millhouse kitchen from deVOL Kitchens has terracotta flooring and neutral walls and wall tiling that’s lifted up by buttercup yellow crisscross ceiling beams that are a perfect foil for all the bright green plants on the countertops and hanging from the ceiling.

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Use Sherbet Colors

Pin Design by Pluck

This luminous basement kitchen designed by Pluck uses sherbety shades of pistachio green and peachy coral to simultaneously brighten, cheer, and warm the otherwise neutral space.

with its white walls, concrete floors, and touches of warm wood.

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Go Traditional

Pin Design by deVOL Kitchens

This British kitchen from deVOL Kitchens pairs the company’s own Refectory Red paint on classic English cabinetry, adding an assertive shade of mustard yellow paint on the walls to create a bold statement.

It’s a classic pairing that makes a perfect backdrop for this traditional-style kitchen complete with elegant moldings and open shelving styled with art and collected objects.

Shiny brass pulls on the red cabinetry helps tie the two colors together.

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Add Colorful Pendant Lighting

Pin Design by DasMod and Handsome Salt / Photo by Jenny Siegwart

This warm modern minimalist kitchen designed by Eric Gilmer and Sven Simon of DasMod in conjunction with interior designer Sara

Simon of Handsome Salt features a mix of natural wood and mint green painted cabinetry, bright copper accents, and multi-colored striped pendant lighting that add a boost of soothing pastel color and a sculptural element to the streamlined space.

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Hang Tropical Wallpaper

Pin Casa Watkins Living

If you want to add color to a neutral kitchen without a full-scale makeover, focus on an accent wall that will focus the eye and lift the spirit, like this colorful, maximalist kitchen from Casa Watkins Living.

The busy wallpaper makes a clever foil for a jumble of objects on every shelf, making it look intentional rather than cluttered.

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Mix Deep Rose With Walnut Wood

Pin Design by Space Factory / Photo by Hervé Goluza

This Paris kitchen from Space Factory combines antique rose paint with dark custom walnut cabinetry, an earthy and quietly sophisticated color palette that adds character to the room.

Plenty of white and cream on the walls and floors adds balance and keeps the room feeling light and fresh.

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Match the Island to the Cabinets

Pin Design by Studio Peake

In this classic British kitchen from Studio Peake, saturated teal paint on the small kitchen island and lower cabinetry adds punch and contrast with the dark wood cabinetry while complementing the traditional style of the room.

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Pair Pink and Blue

Pin Design by Lisa Gilmore Design / Photo by Native House Photography

In this kitchen from Lisa Gilmore Design, a terrazzo backsplash introduces subtle bits of color to the wall hung with all-white cabinetry, while a deep matte navy painted island is accented with pale pink bar stools to create a strong contrast with the rest of the room.

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Paint Cabinets in a Soothing Blue

Pin Design by Cathie Hong Interiors / Photo by Margaret Austin Photo

In this small L-shaped kitchen from Cathie Hong Interiors, pale blue upper and lower cabinetry adds a note of freshness that energizes the neutral space.

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Pair Yellow and Gray

Pin Design by deVOL Kitchens

This traditional style kitchen from deVOL Kitchens pairs a painted dove gray oven hood and cabinetry with vibrant curry yellow walls, a quirky twist on a classic color pairing that adds vibrancy to the space.

An off-white ceiling and black flooring keeps the bright color from overwhelming the space.

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Add a Wash of Summery Peach

Pin Design by Pluck

In this cheerful galley kitchen from Pluck, a wash of summery peach on the cabinetry and salmony blush paint on the walls creates a happy, warm, feel-good vibe.

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Don’t Forget the Ceiling

Pin Design by deVOL Kitchens

A painted sage green ceiling ties together the color story of this traditional English kitchen from deVOL Kitchens, with its pale pink walls, deep green tiles, and cabinets painted in the company’s own shade of Clerkenwell Blue.

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Add a Shot of Red

Pin Design for Maite Granda

This contemporary condo kitchen from Miami-based interior designer Maite Granda gets a massive color injection thanks to a couple of striking blood red accents that transform the all-white space.

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Create a Base Note

Pin Design by Space Factory / Photo by Hervé Goluza

Dark teal paint on the lower cabinetry and kitchen island of this Paris kitchen from Space Factory creates a grounding base note of color in a light-flooded room with extra tall ceilings, rustic beams, and a skylight on the roof.

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Stick to Blush

Pin Design by Pluck

This L-shaped kitchen designed by Pluck has a soft wash of millennial blush pink on the cabinets that adds a warm glow to the space and soften the industrial-style windows.

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Keep Cool With Mint Green

Pin Design by Cathie Hong Interiors / Photo by Margaret Austin Photo

The mint green cabinets in this Japandi-style home from Cathie Hong Interiors add a hint of color while maintaining a chill zen vibe.

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Mix It Up

Pin Casa Watkins Living

A wash of pale blue paint creates a backdrop for a wall of open shelving housing a colorful collection of tableware in this multi-hued kitchen from Casa Watkins Living.

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Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Pin Design by Pluck

This kitchen from Pluck features wall-to-wall stacked vertical backsplash tiles in a sunny shade of yellow that anchors the space.

The matte forest green cabinetry, shelving, a mix of white and coral walls, and a graphic white-and-black island countertop add dimension.

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Pair Cool Colors

Pin Home Milk

The kitchen of UK-based color consultant and interior designer Emily Brooks featured on Home Milk pairs pale lavender walls with navy paint on the kitchen island, an irreverent combination of cool tones that is personal rather than trendy.

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Create a Color Surprise

Pin Design by Pluck

Hidden behind a door in this pistachio green kitchen from UK firm Pluck is a mustard yellow pantry that houses spice racks and sundries.

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Add Flowery Wallpaper

Pin Design by Michelle Berwick Design

This breakfast nook from Michelle Berwick Design has bold, colorful, abstract floral wallpaper that creates a striking focal point in the kitchen.

The designer used the same wallpaper pattern on the adjacent dining room accent wall for cohesion.

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Add a Neon Floor

Pin Home Milk

When using color, don’t be afraid to vary tones as well as shades.

The English kitchen of Francesca Kletz featured on Home Milk has pastel pink walls and robin’s egg blue cabinetry that softens the black-and-white square wall tiles and cools the wood-toned upper cabinetry, plus a neon yellow floor that brings a whole different shot of unexpected energy to the mix.

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Make It Monochrome

Pin Fantastic Frank

This Scandinavian kitchen from Fantastic Frank has a soothing contemporary feel with its flat-front cabinetry and seamless backsplash drenched in a cool shade of blue.

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Mix Paint and Wallpaper

Pin Design by J Hill Interiors / Photo by Jenny Siegwart

Interior designer Jessica Hill-Tompane at J Hill Interiors created a vibrant and colorful kitchen by pairing pale blue upper and lower cabinetry with large-scale tropical wallpaper in shades of yellow and green.

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Lighten Up Rustic Wood

Pin Design by Cathie Hong Interiors / Photo by Margaret Austin Photo

A luminous pale blue tile backsplash and royal blue kitchen island help to modernize the rustic dark wood tones in this kitchen from Cathie Hong Interiors.

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Add a Coastal Vibe

Pin Design by Maite Granda

In this open plan Florida kitchen from interior designer Maite Granda, a royal blue painted island complements the white walls, shiplap ceilings, and natural wood and woven tones for a glamorous take on coastal style.

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Try a Regal Combination

Pin Home Milk

Playing around with classic color combinations can help you achieve a quirky and contemporary look.

This English kitchen from Home Milk features shades of lavender mixed with gold accents for a contemporary take on a royal color pairing.

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Use Midcentury Colors

Pin Dazey Den

Decorate a midcentury modern kitchen with retro colors for a nostalgic dose of kitsch.

Dazey Den bathed this Palm Springs home with a maximalist dose of color and pattern in bright, warm shades of orange and yellow that pays tribute to the history of the house.

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Try a Retro Refrigerator

Pin Dazey Den

Dazey Den complemented flat front cabinetry in shades of yellow, orange, and light wood with a glowing orange retro-style refrigerator in this midcentury modern kitchen.

Add color to a neutral or all-white kitchen with a colorful appliance like a retro-style refrigerator or kitchen range that will create an instant focal point.

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Add Luminosity

Pin Studio Peake

Brighten up a windowless galley kitchen by painting the built-ins on both sides in a luminous, refreshing shade of light blue with a satin or semi-gloss finish.

Studio Peake balanced the color with neutral patterned wallpaper and natural accents like a gallery wall of wooden cutting boards.

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Tile the Countertops

Pin Dazey Den

Complement assertive lime green cabinetry with a colorful geometric patterned tile backsplash and countertops for a retro feel.

This galley kitchen from Dazey Den used patterned tile on both the backsplash and the countertops to make an impact.

The bright green is balanced with white walls and dark flooring.

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Mix Dark and Light

Pin Ashley Montgomery Design

Mix dark and pale shades to create drama in a maximalist kitchen with ornate architectural details.

Ashley Montgomery Design painted the base of the central kitchen island in a dark red and highlighted the sculptural range hood with pale blue-gray paint for contrast.

A large plaid window shade over the sink ties the color story together.