The kitchen is the room where my family spends the most time, and with open floor plans at peak popularity (partially thanks to Joanna Gaines), kitchens aren’t strictly reserved for cooking. Since guests and family always end up in the kitchen, you'll want it to be one of the prettiest rooms in the house. White kitchens are all the rage, and we agree, they are beautiful. But you might miss happy yellows and cool blues as you look around that all-white room. These kitchen hues are vibrant ways to brighten up your cooking space. Some of these ideas are low-cost and super easy, like throwing some new dishtowels out or displaying your colorful china pattern. Other ways to add accent colors are big-picture (and sometimes big-risk) ideas, like painting the floors or using wallpaper. Don’t get stuck in a neutral rut—add some color to your kitchen! Coming home to a little color will instantly boost your mood.
Add Natural (Or Faux Natural) Elements
There’s nothing prettier than a big bowl of bright green apples or yellow lemons, and it’s always nice to have some greenery or flowers around. If you can’t keep house plants alive for long, just go faux! But be sure to invest in a realistic faux plant (it’s worth it).
Tile the Floors
It’s a big project, but tile floors are so much fun, and they’re easy to clean up when spills happen.
Rug Love
Is your white kitchen a little too stark? Throw some colorful rugs on the floor for a cozy, stylish upgrade.
Wallpaper It
Wallpaper doesn’t have to be stuck in the 80s and 90s, and you can wallpaper the whole kitchen or just one wall. If you don’t have a backsplash (or cash to cough up for expensive tile), create a faux backsplash with wallpaper.
Sit In Style
Adding a bench or window seat is a low-cost update with a big effect. If a bench won’t fit your space, switch out head-of-the-table chairs for bold club chairs, use varied colors of wooden chairs, or simply switch up your seat cushions.
No Boring Backsplashes
There are endless color, pattern, and tile-shape possibilities with backsplashes, so have fun with this element.
Display Your Cookbooks
You have countless cookbooks lying around, so make use of them in your kitchen design. Take off a few kitchen cabinets to create open shelving and create a colorful display.
Colorful Cabinets
Painting your kitchen cabinets is a bold move with bold results. You can’t help but smile when you enter a kitchen with colorful cabinets.
Chalk It Up
You don’t have to go all out with a chalkboard door, but a small chalkboard on a bare wall is an ideal place for your little ones to add color and creativity to your kitchen. A chalkboard is also a great surface for weekly schedules and chores or a monthly calendar.
Float On
Display colorful dishes on floating cabinets for a sleek look. Cabinets with glass doors will also showcase your bright pots and pans.
Add Artwork
Whether a painting, an old map, a cool print, or a creation from a little one, a piece of art is a great way to add color.
Paint the Ceiling
There’s nowhere else to go but up! This color is modern and bold, but for a look that will work in any kitchen and make a small space seem larger, use a soft blue paint color.
Appliances That Stand Out
Colorful appliances are not something you see every day, but we’d love to see more of them. If you’re a little nervous about purchasing a bright blue stove, start with smaller items like a colorful standing mixer or toaster.
A Place for the Pup
If a place for the dog bed is too much, hollow out an area on one side of the kitchen island for the dog bowls. You wouldn’t want Fido to feel left out during family dinner!
Bold Countertops
A sleek countertop in a bright color is modern and unexpected. This trend would be ideal for a small kitchen island.
Beautiful Barstools
Swapping out the barstools is an easy way to add color. Go fabric-covered, wooden, or iron.
Win With Windows
Whether you add a window treatment, colorful flowers and plants in the windowsill, or replace a small window with antique stained glass, windows are an overlooked opportunity to add color.
Inside the Cabinets
Painting inside the cabinets is less risky than painting the outside. A coat of paint that contrasts with the color of your dishes will make your china stand out.
Don’t Desert the Island
If you have an island in your kitchen, it’s literally the center of attention. Shouldn’t it be beautiful?
Cute Corkboard
Whether it’s the kids’ artwork, family pictures, event flyers, local restaurant menus, or weekly reminders, a corkboard is an inexpensive and easy way to tack up some color in the kitchen.
Fabulous Floors
We’ll admit it—painting over gorgeous hardwood floors is a minor sin, but it can look incredible. This idea would be great to try if you have concrete floors, too.
Show Off the Good China
Gorgeous china shouldn’t spend its life locked away. If you don’t have room for a china cabinet, hang plates or trays right on the wall or create a display with floating shelves.
Dress Up the Dishtowels
Dishtowels are accessible and inexpensive. Change up the colors of your towels every now and then for a bright boost.
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