How Kitchen Colour Schemes Can Create Space And Play With Light

Colour is an essential aspect of interior design. Choosing the right colour scheme for a room can have a huge impact on the comfort and enjoyment that you get from your home, while choosing the wrong colours could lead to the exact opposite. Nowhere is this more important than in the home's focal point - the kitchen. But what makes a 'good' colour scheme?

First and foremost, the right colour scheme is one which matches both the unique needs of your home and your stylistic values. Colour creates mood, so your choice of colour scheme should tie in with the purpose of your kitchen for you and your family. Is it just a place to prepare food or will you be eating in there as well? If your kitchen doubles as a dining room, then it's often suggested that you choose more restful colours such as whites, light grey, blue or green which all help to create a relaxed atmosphere.

Colour is also integral to your visual theme and can help create a kitchen's design aesthetic. If you're looking for a more rustic, earthy theme then natural colours such as green and brown are perfect. On the other hand, an intense palette of magenta and cyan could maximise the impact of your kitchen's modern style.

Colour schemes should address the individual features of your home. As a starting point to making your own colour choices, consider the different effects that opposing colour schemes can have.

Be Bold. When to choose strong contrasts and striking colours
Opting for deeper and more impressive colours can lead to a wonderful aesthetic that suggests intimacy, style and sophistication. They can also add balance to a kitchen's overall design. For example, if you have a large kitchen, darker colours can help to create the illusion of a smaller space. This colour scheme is also suitable for kitchens that don't get a lot of light because dark colours absorb rather than reflect light, therefore taking the attention away from this aspect of the kitchen.

Add this to a strong colour contrast between different elements of the kitchen and you'll have a room which makes a visual impact. It's perfect for maximising the aesthetic effect of a modern kitchen's clean lines, but it's also important to practice moderation. A colour scheme which is too bold can overwhelm the room and detract from your other design choices.

A Subtler Effect: Use colour to create harmony and space
A more muted colour scheme builds an atmosphere of serenity and light, and is perfect for kitchens designed to be warm and inviting. By choosing colours that are adjacent to each other on the colour wheel, you'll have a 'tonal' or 'harmonious' colour scheme that has a balanced and relaxing effect. Lighter colours are also suitable for rooms that receive a lot of light and can help to build an impression of space.

Regardless of the colours that you prefer, it's also important to consider how they work with the schemes of adjoining rooms. So whether you want a striking kitchen that acts as the centrepiece of the house or a lighter room that can serve many functions, think about how it will fit in to your home and contribute to your overall interior aesthetic.