From interesting earth tones to grayscale classics, these kitchens are anything but basic.
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Neutral paint colors are always a win in kitchens, where function and utility are key, but a stylish foundation can make all the difference in mood and atmosphere (who wants to prep food and clean up while bummed out in their lackluster surroundings?). For some, neutral means strictly grayscale and earth-toned, while others may interpret the word more loosely. Wherever you fall on the color spectrum, the world of neutral paint colors is a wide one—even white paint has endless varieties, each suitable for different styles, light exposures, and preferences. We're here to help! Ahead, see 16 designer examples of kitchens featuring neutral paint colors.
Shapeless Studio used warm materials, like blond wood, zellige tiles, and pale green-gray paint in this Brooklyn kitchen to set a welcoming, yet polished tone. This results in a more relaxing atmosphere to cook, clean, and hang out in.
A warm white paint color is used on the ceiling and cabinets of this kitchen designed by Landed Interiors and Homes, serving as the perfect backdrop for authentic drawer pulls, salvaged from an 18th-century apothecary. The schoolhouse lights are on dimmers and can be turned up for dinner prep or down to make things moodier for guests, and the paint changes beautifully under any setting. The floor was also hand-painted in a checkerboard pattern, but instead of black and white, it's a lovely cream and wood color combo.
Though a cream can look great in a modern setting, it tends to pair particularly well with antiques or in historic spaces. Here's an example of a kitchen featuring a brighter, cooler white. Designer Regan Baker gave this 1920s Spanish colonial in San Francisco a modern update with contemporary lighting, large windows, simple millwork, and fresh staples, like black barstools and white marble surfaces.
Black paint envelopes this kitchen designed by Heidi Caillier, giving it a sophisticated edge. The backsplash extends up framing the window while the beadboard and terra-cotta tiles add a softer touch. Aside from being stylish, black paint can help embrace the intimacy of a smaller kitchen.
Light blue paint brightens up this kitchen designed by Elizabeth Cooper. She hired Jonathan Kutzin of America Painting to custom mix "a very serene blue that pulled the space together" and hand-paint it on the formerly white kitchen cabinets.
The deep red cabinets and range in Shavonda Gardner's kitchen add a fun and unexpected contrast to the copper pots and soapstone counters.
The rest of the home designed by Nicole Dohmen of Atelier ND is dominated by rosy hues, so to prevent it from taking over the kitchen while still ensuring flow with the surrounding rooms, she veiled the ceiling in dusty blush and then opted for alternating earth tones on the cabinets. The back wall is Invisible Green by Little Greene and the island is painted Mouse's Back by Farrow & Ball.
White glossy drawers (an IKEA hack!) blend right in with white-painted walls and exposed ceiling beams. This all-white trick is as simple as it is transformative when it comes to making older foundations feel fresh again.
The old-school energy of stained glass can also be a great problem-solver, providing privacy or hiding a less-than-stellar view while still letting in natural light, as in this home by Reath Design.
A greige tone is used for the cabinets while cream is used on the ceiling and accent wall. But the color-blocking fun doesn't stop there in this Heidi Caillier-designed kitchen—the door is painted in a muted mint shade that picks up on the unique color of the range.
This kitchen designed by Melanie Milner features a deep navy, which is glamorous on its own, but even more sumptuous with the bronze, mahogany, and stone materials used throughout. She applied the blue paint to the cabinets and extended it to the trim and ceiling, which allows the color to function as a neutral backdrop (it might feel too bold if only used as an accent wall).
Though designer Tammy Randall Wood is a believer in hiding appliances and other kitchen essentials behind closed doors, she also makes a strong case for allowing the enclosures to shine with a bold paint color. She opted for a custom mix paired with Winter White by Benjamin Moore on the walls and ceiling.
A light buttercream yellow graces the back wall and ceiling in the kitchen designed by Tamsin Johnson Interiors. Besides injecting warmth, it also adds a subtle contrast against the white sconce and flecks of marble in the countertops and backsplash. She painted the cabinets a light gray color to break things up.
Frances Merill of Reath Design hung fabric panels from the counter beside the sink to add softness to the exposed materials. The sage accent wall brings in a touch of nature and along with the brick, wood beams, and terra-cotta tiles.
In this 1950s colonial revival kitchen by Michael Maher, neutral colors and materials are layered for subtle dimension. Benjamin Moore's Jute is used on the walls while Farrow & Ball's Hardwick White is used on the cabinets and trims. The gilt-framed still life painting and chandelier deliver dressysensibility.
Everyone defines "neutral" differently, right? In this striking London kitchen, designer Rita Konig opted for cabinets from her own colorful line for Plain English in a shade of purple dubbed Burnt Toast. Calacatta Viola, a mauve-streaked marble, brings out the inky eggplant.
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