This is one of the questions I get all the
time. How do I choose warm paint colors if my kitchen finishes are cool?
Or vice versa.
There is this idea that once you have selected
your kitchen cabinets, countertop and backsplash in cool tones you are stuck
with the cool paint colors throughout.
This is also very important for real
estate agents when they show a condo unit that is all ‘cool’ and potential
buyers seem to be against cool color tones.
Well, there is always a solution :) or almost
always. While certain finishes combos allow for a mix & match of cool and
warm tones, others seem to just simply work better if you stay in one range.
Let's have a look at some of the options…
You see the ‘scotch maple’ kitchen cabinets,
with kashmir gold granite countertop? Many of you may be tempted to go with
warm orange-sandy colors throughout. In fact, just by incorporating a cool
tone backsplash (like the dark charcoal one shown- which is one of the color tones
you actually find in the granite) you can play with a wide range of cool
paint colors that will only make your cabinets and countertop pop and stand out
as a vibrant accent in your kitchen area.
Another example is the off white kitchen cabinet doors.
Off white is usually preferred (vs pure white) by people who prefer warm
colors. When you pair off white kitchen cabinets with dark brown granite
countertop and matching backsplash, you have both options on hand- to use off
white paint colors and make the kitchen cabinets blend while the countertop
& backsplash will stand out OR you can go the opposite direction, use
cooler darker paint colors close to the backsplash and make the cabinets stand
out.
The advantage of using granite countertops is that they almost all have a
wide range of color hues which allow you to play with the paint colors and go
from cool to warm in an instant!
One of the 'preferred choices' in selecting your
upgrades is to use the same countertop finish for the basksplash. Whether it is
slab (best option if possible) or tiles of the exact same type of granite, it
will allow you to create a kitchen with a very ‘clean’ look.
However, as this may not always be the option,
you have to think about your final outcome:
- Do you
want the kitchen cabinets, countertop and backsplash to be tone on tone and
paint colors much darker or lighter? With this option your entire kitchen will
stand out and could create quite a statement! This option is great for “U” and “L”
shape kitchens.
- Do you
want the kitchen cabinets and countertop to stand out and backsplash to match
(or go with) the paint colors? This option is great for linear kitchens.
- Do you
want the countertop and backsplash to be close in color and the kitchen
cabinets to be much lighter or darker? Then you have the option to either visually
connect your paint colors with the countertop & backsplash OR with the
cabinets. 2 different options, 2 different looks! This option is also great for
linear kitchens, however it works well with all other kitchen layouts
especially when you have a reasonable amount of closed doors cabinets. 
One more tip- the smaller your kitchen is, I
recommend less changes in finishes and colors in the kitchen space. If you
think about it, appliances take quite a bit of space and break down the overall
look (that if you don’t have panel ready appliances) and the intent is to keep
the overall look of your kitchen quite simple and not overdone so there is more
visual space for your small appliances, accessories etc.like I said....this should be fun! :)
