Modern kitchen colours & how to style them

Here are some of the most popular modern kitchen colours:

Sleek and soft black kitchens

The modern pink trend

Nature-inspired green kitchens

The new neutral trend

Modern moody blues

Modern kitchen design favours sleek lines, paired back structures and seamless colour palettes.

Before beginning your kitchen design journey, consider what exactly you want out of your space. Is it a place for you to relax and unwind in, a home office or entertaining space? Or perhaps even all three?

Kitchens continue to be more than just cooking spaces, and colour is crucial for setting the tone. Warm hues like red and yellow help to wake you up, whereas cool green and blue tones help you feel calm and relaxed.

Read on to learn more about how to incorporate colour into your modern kitchen.

Explore all kitchen colours

Sleek and soft black kitchens

Break the mould of classic kitchen design with a seductive, sleek and sophisticated soft black kitchen that can be styled to suit you.

Gravitating towards the darker side of kitchen design allows you to let textures do the talking – consider merging natural materials with high-shine elements.

If you’re not quite ready to embrace a jet black kitchen, opt for a sleek and soft black or charcoal alternative.

Whether you tap into the trend with black accessories or you’re looking to go all out with black kitchen cabinets, there’s something for everyone with this trend.

Cabinetry & walls

Exude a minimalist Scandi feel throughout your kitchen space by opting for matt black frontals. This is a great option if you want a kitchen design that looks sleek and understated.

Matt black cabinets blend exceptionally well with exposed brickwork for an understated yet modern look. Or if you’re looking to make a stark, monochromatic contrast, opt for white or light grey walls.

Terracotta stones blend graciously with charcoal greys for a warm contrast, while a combination of soft matt black walls and cabinetry will create a truly dramatic space.

Flooring

Exude a laidback minimalist feel in your kitchen space and pair your soft black or charcoal cabinets with rustic wood floorboards, which you can further accentuate through matching wooden chopping boards and accessories.

To add some natural warmth, consider choosing black slate flooring. This looks particularly inviting next to high-gloss kitchen cabinets for an all-black kitchen design.

To create a sharp monochromatic contrast, consider contrasting with white stone flooring or warm up your space with herringbone oak flooring.

Accessories

When paired with metallics or bright pops of colour, even the darkest colour on the spectrum can shine. Finish black cabinets with high shine metal handles, such as brass or copper.

If you’re looking to give your kitchen a retro feel, consider adding a pop of colour to brighten up the overall aesthetic of your black kitchen design.

Create a minimalist appeal by focusing on texture instead of colour. One way to do this is to incorporate wooden, rattan or stone accessories.

The modern pink trend

Ice cream pink kitchens were all the rage back in the 1950s - and they are back with a sugary sweet bang today. Inspired by art-deco interiors, pink kitchens help to create a warm, fun and inviting atmosphere in your kitchen space. 

Pink is often associated with love, joy, creativity and optimism, and is said to inspire comforting feelings that help to relieve negative emotions.

From bold and bright fuchsias to subtle lilac blossom tones, the pink palette is surprisingly varied and offers a whole host of opportunities within your kitchen space.

Cabinetry and kitchen islands

If you’re looking to really express your love for pink, consider colour drenching your cabinetry with a bold shade of pink, such as Lilac Blossom.

Prevent this from feeling too overwhelming by breaking up the colour scheme with a contrasting neutral colour through colour blocking your cabinetry or incorporating neutral accessories. 

If you’re not quite ready to go all-out with the pink, consider introducing a splash of pink through your kitchen island. Team with neutral Shaker cabinetry to exude a serene atmosphere within your kitchen space. 

Balance a candy pink hue with a dark midnight blue for a touch of drama, or sage green for a retro appeal. 

Worktops & flooring

White marble worktops and kitchen islands offer the perfect contrast to pink kitchen colour schemes and help to bring a luxe feel to your space. The marbles veining can create a strong focal point in your kitchen area.

Warm herringbone wooden flooring pairs gorgeously with pink to add an organic warmth to your kitchen space, alluding to an art deco aesthetic.

Soft furnishings & accessories

If you’ve opted for a pink kitchen space, consider incorporating neutral accessories such as a kettle, cake tin, crockery or soft furnishings. Alternatively, you can lift your neutral kitchen design with bright or baby pink kitchen accessories.

Brass, gold and copper metallics work exceptionally well with pink hues, helping to add a touch of warmth without feeling too overwhelming – the perfect finishing touch to your contemporary pink kitchen.

Nature-inspired green kitchens

Connect with nature and bring the outdoors indoors with a biophilic kitchen colour design. There are plenty of ways to invite the outdoors in, and a nature-inspired green kitchen is the perfect way to rejuvenate the heart of your home.

Spaces that connect us to nature have been proven to help stimulate creativity, while reducing stress and anxiety. Organic colour palettes include olive and eucalyptus greens, intertwined with sky blues and clay browns. 

Cabinetry

Green is synonymous with nature, so implementing green cabinets into your biophilic kitchen design is a strong starting point.

If you’re considering opting for a green shade for your cabinetry, our Misty Moors colourway helps to connect your kitchen space with nature, exuding a serene and tranquil feel.

You could also consider playing with textures and introducing a blend of wooden and green cabinets to create a calming contrast.

Kitchen islands & accessories

A great way to introduce green into your kitchen is through a kitchen island. Green colourways intertwine perfectly with organic textures and materials, such as stone, white marble slabs or rustic wooden finishes.

Bring the concept of biophilic design into your home through potted plants or accessories with natural finishes, such as wooden chopping boards. Consider teaming your green colour scheme with punchy terracotta colourways, as well as rattans and raw stone decorative accessories.

The new neutral trend

Understated and timeless neutrals help to strike the perfect balance between light and space in the heart of your home.

Neutral kitchens spark architectural interest without the need for bold colourways in kitchens of all shapes and sizes. Play with textures and discover our ‘new neutral’ shades for the kitchen: Pebble and Cashmere Sweater.

Cabinetry

Consider choosing a combination of two versatile shades to create a dual-toned design. Combine a neutral palette such as Pebble or Cashmere with a light shade for a cosy feel, or a contrasting tone for a bold design statement.

To enhance interest in your neutral kitchen, consider introducing a combination of textures - this could be through the incorporation of textured wooden cabinetry or tiled splashbacks.

Accessories

Matt black finishes can really bring your kitchen design to life. Pairing neutral toned cabinets with matt black handles offers an alternative to the forever-favoured modern monochromatic scheme.

Raw materials lend themselves beautifully to neutral colour palettes, helping to exude a natural and earthy charm.

Consider introducing soft, oak-finished accessories through chopping boards, fruit bowls, ceramic vases and tableware, and linen cloths, seat covers and cushions.

Modern moody blues

We want our kitchen spaces to feel as calm and soothing as possible, and the soothing palette of modern moody blue tones help to create a tranquil setting, even in the chaos of mealtimes.

Blue kitchens exude a timeless and serene flow. Implementing zoning techniques in the kitchen through kitchen islands and dining tables alludes to a serene Scandinavian dynamic, that pairs perfectly with a modern moody blue shade.

Cabinets

Blue cabinets are as versatile and timeless as a pair of your favourite jeans – whether you choose a dark Midnight blue kitchen island or sprinkle a soft Sky blue throughout your kitchen space.

Consider implementing dual-toned cabinetry and team your perfect shade of blue with white, soft grey or natural wood cabinetry.

Accessories

Matt black details help to set off the cool tone in blue, and are a great addition juxtaposition to metallic tones.

Cascading blue hues on cabinetry pair well with marble countertops and kitchen islands for a minimal yet chic look.

Blue hues blend deliciously with cool toned oak herringbone flooring. If you’re opting for a dark navy kitchen colourway, consider implementing a high shine tiled marble flooring.