Color selection
You have seen a lot of white cabinets and now you’re sick of them but what color can you choose instead? You’d love to go with that green or the blue but are worried about going too bold? Maybe you want to go with stained wood look but would it look too dated in a couple of years? How do you pick a color for your cabinets and a color scheme for your kitchen that you will love five years from now, will not go out of style and still make your space look roomy and yet cozy and reflect your personality?
Never in isolation.
Selecting cabinet color is never a good idea in isolation. Consider the overall space, the lighting, the atmosphere you want to create in that space and your choice of material for the countertop, backsplash and floor finish. If you have dark floors you may want to go with light colors for cabinetry and perhaps dark countertop.
Why is white so popular?
White has been the preferred choice for new construction homes. White cabinets, white quartz countertop and light gray walls. In addition to this being the most budget friendly, this scheme allowes potential buyers and homeowners a blank canvas to easily envision personalizing the space. It makes the space look large, bright, clean and welcoming. This has worked for decades but some people are done with that color scheme. They want to try something different and so we have seen a shift in color choices in the last couple of years.
How do you select the right color?
I recommend my clients start by looking at photos of kitchens online and save ones that call out to them. It’s a great starting point, not just for me, as it tells me what my clients like but also for them as it gives them some direction.
Other than looking at photos you can also make a selection as is done with a lot of Interior design planning. It starts with that one color or that one finish that influences your entire look of the space. For example, a love for a specific piece of furniture which you want displayed in the open kitchen/family room made of beautiful rich American Black Walnut. That may influence your wanting to bring that finish into the kitchen by way of say, the island. We then figure out if combining that with painted color cabinetry (in perhaps a linen white or even a light gray) would work or having the entire kitchen cabinetry in the rich wood walnut finish work better. Would a countertop in black work well or is a light color marble/quartz/quartzite such as Taj Mahal a better choice to brighten up the space if it has smaller windows and less light? Selection of all these materials is part of the process and the hardest part is getting started but after that, the pieces simply fall into place.
So what is the role of the Designer?
I had someone ask me once that if they are looking at photos and figuring out what they like then what is the role of the designer? To which I say, do you want a space designed to my style or to yours? The role a good designer plays is of someone who can create a space that reflects the personality of the person living in it. The role we play is of an aid, a moderator, of someone who helps the client to recognize their own style if needed and then create, mold, chip and edit to finally arrive at a space that works beautifully, that feels like a perfect fit.
