I know we all think of "trendy" as a dirty word, so let's pretend my title says "kitchen element" or "kitchen style" instead. 5 years ago, all we saw were completely white kitchens. Although I always have and always will love the simplicity of an all-white kitchen, after a few years it was time to shake things up a bit. Then, about 2 years ago, gray became the preferred kitchen color. Some brave souls were even pairing it with brass fittings! In more recent months, designers and homeowners have gotten considerably more brave and opted for rich, statement-making colors- like emerald green or bright blue. If the idea of slathering your entire kitchen in a bold or dark color terrifies you a bit, a convenient alternative is to combine the color with white upper cabinets:
Our eyes are typically drawn to a kitchen's backsplash and upper cabinetry before we register the lower cabinets. This gives the other color a chance to accent the white and simply add interest to the overall look.
Keeping the hardware consistent on both the upper and lower cabinets helps to unify the look:
Toronto designer Tommy Smythe carried the black color from the lower cabinets in this kitchen on to the adjoining french doors. Because the door's panes mimic the upper cabinetry fronts right next to it, the black color differentiates the door and keeps the design from feeling repetitive:
This two tone kitchen brought the green paint color up to a few of the upper cabinets, while leaving the glass-front panels painted white:
If you want to keep your upper and lower cabinets the same color but like the idea of having a "pop" of something, choose a rich paint color for your island:
What color combinations (or lack of color combinations) do you prefer to see in a kitchen?