How to Select Paint Colours for Your Kitchen
The kitchen is the most important room in your house. When it comes to your interior design, choosing the “right” paint colours for your kitchen is vital to the success of the entire interior design project.
That’s why I contacted Stephanie Snape of Stephanie Snape Designs and asked (begged) her to advise me on how to select paint colours for the kitchen. Here’s what she had to say:
Douglas Robb - Interior Design Toronto: My kitchen is bright & sunny / doesn't get much natural light...does this impact my paint colour choice?
Stephanie Snape - Stephanie Snape Designs: The amount of natural light that you get in your kitchen will impact the colour choice within reason. For example if there is a lot of natural light; then picking a very light colour -but not white- could wash out the colour all together until it barely looks off white. If the room is darker/ doesn’t get as much light then I would stay away from other dark colours, opting for something lighter and airy because it will make the space seem small and compact ; which is the opposite of what you want. When I meet with clients we assess the level of light they get into any particular room, but in this case the kitchen. We later go over window coverings and how to get the most out of their paint colour and their other finishes.
Douglas Robb - Interior Design Toronto: I don't plan on changing my kitchen cabinets. How do they impact my paint colour?
Stephanie Snape - Stephanie Snape Designs: Existing kitchen cabinets do play a large role in the paint selection for your kitchen! Of course, it’s easier when everything is new and you can select things to match in the initial planning stage but that isn’t always the case! If you have existing cabinets and are looking to freshen up your kitchen you will want to find a color that compliments the undertones in the cabinets. You will want to consider how the new colour will impact the rooms adjacent, because once you start redesigning it’s quite hard to stop!
Douglas Robb - Interior Design Toronto: My home is open concept and the kitchen blends into my dining room...how does this impact my colour choice? not open concept?
Stephanie Snape - Stephanie Snape Designs: If this is the case with any of my clients, I try to recommend a colour that is neutral and will match furniture in both the kitchen and dining room. You can break up the space by using other elements of design like artwork, or a rug in the dining room to make it clear that it’s its own zone without making it feel too big or under-utilized. Walls are great dividing features in any space, and with a separate kitchen, it allows you more freedom to play with colours on the wall. Now if the client’s kitchen is in fact open to a dining room or other living space I will often recommend making the most of colour in other ways; such as the cabinets, the ceiling, or the backsplash.
Douglas Robb - Interior Design Toronto: My kitchen is huge / tiny. Does this impact my colour choice?
Stephanie Snape - Stephanie Snape Designs: This is another element that I go over with clients about when we’re selecting colours for a kitchen. This absolutely makes a difference when designing a kitchen.
If you have a large, spacious kitchen you can play around with colour a bit more, whether using a trendy darker paint paired with a lighter or artistic backsplash it will make the kitchen look well put together and timeless.
If you’re trying to make a smaller kitchen look bigger then you would want to stay away from darker colours because it could make the room seem smaller and tighter. It is crucial to not choke out a kitchen trying too hard to be trendy because you have to select finishes that will work with the given space, even if that means creating a space that maybe is a bit unexpected but well suited to the size.
Douglas Robb - Interior Design Toronto: My backsplash tile is bold & vibrant / subtle...how does this impact my paint colour?
Stephanie Snape - Stephanie Snape Designs: You will want to select a paint colour that will compliment your backsplash if it’s vibrant. If the backsplash is more on the subtle side then you can go bolder with your wall colours.
There is almost always an opposite effect when selecting paint colours to correspond with existing elements in a room. You wouldn’t necessarily want to select a bold paint colour when you also have a bold backsplash because it will quickly look busy and overdone. When i’m working with a client who wants to maintain their current backsplash, then it’s important to select a new paint colour that will complement and in some cases enhance the existing elements and that alone can make the kitchen seem brand new; because when you bring attention to a new part of the kitchen it can be like opening your eyes to it for the first time.
Douglas Robb - Interior Design Toronto: My kitchen furniture is modern / traditional...how does this impact my paint colour?
Stephanie Snape - Stephanie Snape Designs: I wouldn’t say that the style of kitchen furniture is too important in the grand scheme of things when picking paint colours because anytime you put up a fresh coat of paint the room will look brand new again!
Now if a client has a particular feel in mind for their kitchen we will look at the kitchen as a whole as well as the separate components that make up kitchen design. I will help them take their vision for their kitchen and break it down;
Do we change the cabinet colours?
Do we find a new backsplash?
What element of their current kitchen isn’t working for them?
I have found though that in more traditional kitchens clients will want to stick to neutral colours, such as white, grey, beige, or other subtle off-whites and that's simply because it looks good, it's a classic and people genuinely enjoy the luxurious feel. While in kitchens that would be more modern they might do something more akin to “colour blocking” where they maintain a neutral wall colour and select cabinets that are bold, or they will select a wall that is going to be a feature wall. There are also typically a lot of natural finishes in a more modern kitchen (woods, linen fabrics, etc) so if that's the case then a client might choose to keep paint colors simple in order to enhance these other elements.
Douglas Robb - Interior Design Toronto: Should I follow the trends in paint colour? What are the current paint trends?
Stephanie Snape - Stephanie Snape Designs: Paint trends tend to jump around from year to year; the last couple years it’s been pretty common to have clients wanting gray kitchens from light gray paint on the wall to dark gray almost smoky cabinets that seems to be the running trend. I truly believe that anything can become a trend if it’s done well!
I would love to see more clients play with colours outside of neutrals or black and white. I have seen several kitchens done in beautiful Aztec tones such as copper, rich blues and yellows— with proper direction and vision anything can be trendy and beautiful.
While paint trends are a helpful guide and can be the source of plenty of inspiration I think it's more important to select colour schemes that are personal and unique to each client rather than just following whatever may be trendy right now. It wouldn’t serve anyone to look at their recently designed space in a few years and think “oh no I have to repaint again”, the space shouldn’t only be trendy.
Douglas Robb - Interior Design Toronto: Should I follow the current kitchen trends re paint colour? Are there specific kitchen paint colour trends???
Stephanie Snape - Stephanie Snape Designs: It is 100% up to each individual client if they want to stay on trend with paint color selection and finishes in their kitchen. At the end of the day I want to leave a client with a design that they love and that is unique and special to them. If that happens to be on trend with what’s popular, then that is perfectly OK. If it’s a little bit different and quirky then they’ve got a conversation piece for when their friends or family come to visit.
A lot of the current kitchen paint trends are variations of the same classics (whites, black and white, greys) - these are safe choices for clients who maybe aren’t too sure about experimenting with color or if the idea of having blush cabinets or navy blue cabinets is too much of a change for them. I find that kitchens that are a touch eclectic are what I find the most authentic because it adds life to the room rather than looking like a showroom. The colours each client selects will be the backdrop of how they interact with that space. There are specific kitchen paint trends and from what I’ve been reading it seems that colour is the in trend at the moment, but I find that in some cases paint trends for a specific room will bleed over into another space, so what may work in a kitchen will also be applicable in a living room or bathroom.
Douglas Robb - Interior Design Toronto: I want my kitchen to be bold / soothing / elegant / some other mood...how will paint colour help this?
Stephanie Snape - Stephanie Snape Designs: Paint is one of the fastest ways to set a mood in any given room right next to lighting. It creates an atmosphere that people can feel as soon as they step into the room. It is crucial when I sit down with a client in a design meeting to figure out how they want themselves as well as others to perceive their space.
Whatever their given mood or vision is for their space, I would set to work putting together something similar to a mood board for them because sometimes all they can convey is a scenario that centers their kitchen as a place of calm or serenity or if they like to entertain and want the kitchen to be the heart of their home; those feelings will help me work with them to bring those visions to life and create a one of a kind room.
Douglas Robb - Interior Design Toronto: What about the ceiling? Do I just use ceiling white or go for something else?
Stephanie Snape - Stephanie Snape Designs: Most people choose to just do the ceiling in the kitchen white because it’s simple; it's meant to fade into the background while the colors in the wall, the backsplash, the cabinet colors, and the fixtures themselves are meant to take center stage. This doesn’t necessarily need to be the way all kitchens are done.
I think that the ceiling is a very underutilized space to add a touch of color or a design element whether it’s A pop of blue in a light neutral kitchen, a touch of green in an earthy warm kitchen, adding a faux structural element such as beams or even a light Art Deco panel to add some drama. There are 1 million bold and subtle ideas that I am happy to draw up and work out with clients based on their preferences, needs, and overall aesthetic for their home.
Douglas Robb - Interior Design Toronto: What about a feature wall?
Stephanie Snape - Stephanie Snape Designs: Feature walls in kitchens are typically accomplished using a backsplash that would create an interesting and exciting element. That’s not to say that you can’t create a backsplash in your kitchen using paint. Although in my experience, I find feature walls to be the most effective if you have an open concept kitchen that sort of bleeds into your dining room because that ties the whole room together while ensuring that there are separate zones to distinguish the kitchen from the dining room.
If you wanted to create a feature wall in a kitchen that is separated from a dining room or living room there are plenty of options out there and when I have clients that want to do something a bit different in their space, we find a way to accent the room as they wish. It could look very elegant or chic to make use of a wall that otherwise didn’t have anything adorning it, add a pop of colour and maybe a gallery wall, which could change the feel of the kitchen!
Douglas Robb - Interior Design Toronto: Do I use a single colour for the entire room? Or can I use a multi-colour scheme?
Stephanie Snape - Stephanie Snape Designs: I want to say first off that there is no right or wrong way to select paint colors for the kitchen, meaning that you absolutely can do a multi-colour scheme in the kitchen if that’s your vision. If the space is small then it might be cool to play around with a feature wall that can make the space seem larger or make the space bold using complementary colours. While I do provide a guide to clients in terms of what their final project will look like, if they feel very strongly about a specific element then I will absolutely do my best to do as they ask. If they are insistent that they want several colours in their kitchen, then I will provide a few different options and we will move forward from there.
Douglas Robb - Interior Design Toronto: What about the paint finish?
Stephanie Snape - Stephanie Snape Designs: Paint finishes will vary from client to client, depending on the look they want to achieve in their space. I typically recommend at least an eggshell finish because that’s a nice middle of the road, it’s easy enough to clean up should you get food or fingerprints or anything on it because realistically kitchens are one of the most utilized areas of the home. There are so many things that go on there every day that it’s bound to get a little messy, a little smudged, so you’ll want something that’s easy to clean. Even a semi-gloss finish would be good because that way you’re not gonna necessarily see fingerprints as much as you would with a matte finish. It will also depend on what part of the kitchen you’re painting because if it’s the cabinets then you would select a different paint similar to an enamel that is very common but super durable with the added bonus of it being soap and water clean up, I recommend this type of paint simply because it covers well and looks incredible on cabinets. If a client is looking for a very modern kitchen then maybe playing with a semi-gloss or high gloss would achieve their desired look, which I have seen look incredible when done properly!
Douglas Robb - Interior Design Toronto: After I have decided on a general paint colour plan, how do I select the specific white or grey or yellow??? Tester pots, little paint chips, big paint chips, technology (apps, etc - https://www.sherwin-williams.com/visualizer/)
Stephanie Snape - Stephanie Snape Designs: Colour selecting technology such as the Sherwin Williams visualizer is a great starting point if you’re not too sure which colour scheme you want to go with. It helps you narrow down colour selection because with those apps and sites you can in some cases upload an actual photo of the room you want to paint and see how you feel about each colour or colour family.
In my experience some people will go into a project thinking they want something; whether it’s a colour choice, furniture choice, etc only to see it in person and suddenly realize that is the furthest thing from what they actually want.
When we begin narrowing it down to maybe 2-3 colours, I would recommend ordering or checking out paint stores for the larger paint chips because they can make it clearer if that's what the client wants. Tester pots are great but not always necessary if the client is working with a designer because typically we will take care of sorting all the finishes out. If the project is more of a DIY one then a test pot is vital in seeing how the colour holds up in different areas of the room. If you find yourself at the paint store looking at the tester pots try not to fret too much, the people working there will usually have a plethora of knowledge and will help you make the right choice in terms of the base or which paint will be the best course of action for your given project.
About Stephanie Snape Designs
Stephanie Snape
A graduate of Sheridan College, Stephanie Snape is the Principal Designer at Stephanie Snape Designs. Stephanie has a passion for residential design and creating spaces that are unique and beautiful for each and every client. Stephanie is located in Hamilton, ON but works throughout the GTA. She loves photography and writing in her off time. Stephanie is a motivated young designer that pulls inspiration from elements of art and travel experiences and she loves bouncing ideas around in group charrettes.
Website: Stephanie Snape Designs
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