From emerald green to cheery yellow, it’s never been easier to add a little color to your kitchen.

Consistency Is Key
Jessica D'Itri Marés

As much as we love a serene white kitchen lined with subway tile, the past two decades of kitchen design have leaned toward one too many shades of gray: ash, pewter, charcoal, and slate dominated cabinets and walls with a dose of white or wood thrown in here and there. In the last year or so the pendulum has swung decidedly more vibrant. Thankfully, incorporating color into your kitchen can be as simple as placing a dusty pink stand mixer center stage on your countertop or as advanced as a complete kitchen renovation with cabinets emblazoned kelly green. We tapped experts in the field to share advice on how to make the leap from neutral to colorful, and you’ll be wowed by how easy it is.

Moody Yet Minimal

Dark, moody jewel tones are all the rage in kitchens right now, and designer Jessica D’Itri Marés’ recently renovated dark green kitchen (the color is Narragansett Green by Benjamin Moorein her Thousand Oaks, California, home is a great example. “I wanted a color that was still a color, but could read neutral. Put it next to black or a white and it reads colorful, but if you put it next to brights or pastels, it can be a wonderful backdrop!” D’Itri Marés says.

PRO TIP: An easy, low-risk way to make a colorful impact in your kitchen is with rugs. D’Itri’s came from eBay.

Go with the Flow

Jessica D’Itri Marés

If you have glass fronts for your kitchen cabinetry, make the color pop by using a single type of dishware like white ceramic with small doses of brass and copper. “We understood that once we switched to all white ceramic dishware, it didn’t matter how things were put on a shelf, our collection would always look pulled together. It is so foolproof,” says D’Itri Marés. 

Go with the Flow

D’Itri Marés knew from the get-go that she wanted to convert the laundry room into a pantry, and that she wanted it to include both hidden and open storage. “I wanted the pantry to feel like a little jewel box, with lots of attention to detail,” says D’Itri Marés. “It was natural to bring in the same kitchen motifs into the pantry, but we gave it something special with the bold tile floor.”

This story originally appeared in our summer 2020 Outdoor Living issue.

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