What could be more classically elegant than an all-white kitchen? This refined approach has endured through the ages, and it’s just as popular now as it was in bygone days. It’s clean, fresh, and airy, and probably best of all – white pairs with everything!
As it turns out, however, it is possible to have a little too much white in your kitchen. Many of our clients prefer a look that is predominantly white, but grounded by darker tones. Contrasting hues don’t diminish the look of your white kitchen; it actually tends to make the whites look brighter and stand out even more.
A little contrast helps your whites appear neat and crisp without looking too stark. It gives an otherwise monochrome space a more natural appeal and appears warm and welcoming rather than cold and clinical.
The Problem with Pale
Having an all-white kitchen might seem easy, but it needs to be done right. Not all white is created equal. Here’s why:
When you’re remodeling your kitchen, your materials come from different manufacturers. Cabinets, flooring, fixtures, countertops, and paint can all be ordered in ‘white,’ but that doesn’t mean they will look the same. This can present a challenge when you’re assembling the finished product. Your slightly-off color match could make your all-white kitchen look disjointed and even dingy.
But don’t despair – just because pulling together a bright white kitchen is tricky doesn’t mean it can’t be done. If you have your heart set on white kitchen design, there’s a way to make it happen. You’ll need a keen eye for detail and an excellent plan, but the result will be something you’ll love.
Making a Match
No matter how detail-oriented you and your designer are, some elements might be impossible to customize. Countertops, for example, are only available in the colors offered by the manufacturer. Although a distributor may offer white, there’s no guarantee that it will be the same shade as the rest of your components. The same goes for tiles, although it is possible to get custom glass tiles back-painted in the color of your choosing.
Just because it’s a bit complicated, don’t let that throw a wrench in your plans. You can still have your dreamy white kitchen; it’s just a matter of highlighting the goods with other materials. You can use colored or off-white textiles to break up the white, but you’ll want to use a complementary tone to make the white components pop.
Let’s look at how you can introduce color into your design while still maintaining your snow-white vision.
Flooring
Your floors are an ideal spot to add a dash of color. A gently-patterned tile is a good option if you want to stay relatively monochrome. For a subtle accent, try a light or dark gray grout between white tiles.
Conversely, dark-toned natural wood adds warmth and depth to a white kitchen. If hardwood floors in your kitchen seem high-maintenance, there are also laminate options that mimic the look of wood, with the added benefit of easy cleanup.
Backsplash
Give your kitchen a splash of color or add a neutral to break up the monochrome white. Because the backsplash is at eye-level, it immediately draws the eye. If you have white upper and lower cabinets, a different-colored backsplash will create a visual barrier between the two.
Also, keep in mind that your backsplash is prone to splashes. A white tile backsplash will show stains and grime more easily, which is another reason you might want a block of darker, more forgiving color.
Appliances
A touch of silver is a sleek accent in a white kitchen. Whether it’s matte or shiny, your appliances are the perfect accessory to vary the palette without going wild with color.
Countertops
You’ll rarely find countertops in a perfect, consistent shade of white unless you’re getting a solid-surface topper. Even then, countertops are a heavy-use surface, and you may benefit from one in a contrasting color. It will absorb some of the intensity of the whiteness and make your kitchen look warm and appealing.
Other Ideas
Insert a splash of color into other areas like your furniture, your lower cabinets, your fixtures, hardware, or other fun little decorative pieces. It’s not hard to accessorize your white kitchen; just be careful not to overwhelm your primary palette.
A beautiful, airy, and welcoming white kitchen is within your reach. At Winthorpe Design & Build, we know the ins and outs of a kitchen renovation, and we’d love to help you get the white kitchen of your dreams. Connect with us today, and let’s get started!
