Upgrading kitchen cabinets, refinishing hardwood flooring, replacing hardware — these are just a few of the ways that you can give your kitchen a makeover.
However, it’s possible to make a big statement in your kitchen, just by using color and texture in innovative ways.
Here’s a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
- Go with neutral colors. If your home is surrounded by lots of beautiful landscaping, large trees or a wooded area, bring the outdoors in with neutral wood colors. Try a light pecan wood for the cabinets to warm up the space without making it too dark. Contrast the wood color with bright white walls. A textured stone backsplash will accent the space, too.
- Brighten up a windowless room. Using all wood cabinets in the kitchen — especially if it’s a darker tone — may not seem like an option in your kitchen if you don’t have windows. Instead of natural light to break up the space and lighten up the room, use stainless steel appliances instead, and opt to replace a few cabinet doors with stainless steel ones.
- Offset a bright kitchen. While a white kitchen is striking, be sure to add some texture to break up the look. Brushed nickel or black cabinet pulls will pop against white cabinets. Or add some texture with colored glass tiles.
- Play with color — on the countertops. Don’t be afraid to mix countertop colors. Cherry cabinets offer intimacy and warmth, while a black countertop on the island provides contrast. Lighter-colored countertops on the kitchen’s perimeter will strike a nice balance. Don’t be afraid to use pops of bright colors in a neutral kitchen on island stools or an accent wall.
- Mix textures. An ivory kitchen is very bright, but you can warm it up by mixing textures throughout the room. Try adding a coffered ceiling. Use artisan tiles on the backsplash, glaze the cabinets for extra warmth, and add warmth and color with a marble countertop.
- Mix white and wood. Upper cabinets in white complement the texture of neutral wood cabinets below — creating a bright, clutter-free look that’s modern and, at the same time, timeless.
- Choose romance. Combine whimsical, romantic bricks with a French flare for the flooring, a texture that will really speak to natural elements. Painted cabinets that reflect an antiqued ivory look will complement their color.
Here are some guidelines to follow when mixing color and texture:
- Solid surface and laminate countertops provide a smooth texture. If you’re using a decorative pattern elsewhere in the kitchen, these counters will provide a point for visual interest.
- Choose a smooth stone surface to break up the look other textures in the room provide.
- When using wood grains, choose other finishes with a smooth surface. If you want less dramatic wood, choose maple: It’ll offer a clean look. Cherry wood delivers a bit more punch, with more grain, while pine and oak offer the most texture.
- If you’re working with a tile floor, an unglazed finish provides a rough texture. Glazed tile is a bit smoother; its cuts and patterns will offer visual interest.
- Going with concrete? Its colorations and pits will provide the texture, but its surface will still be smooth.
- Stainless steel appliances and features counteract complicated textures.
- To offset decorative patterns in the kitchen, go with linoleum and vinyl floors, two smooth surfaces.
- Add texture to the kitchen with architectural details, like exposed brick and beams, plaster and concrete and offset with a few smooth, sleek finishes.
For an innovative way to make your kitchen pop, use a clever mix of texture and color.
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