Cooking With Color: When to Use White in the Kitchen
Make sure your snowy walls, cabinets and counters don't feel cold while you're riding white's popularity peak
As much as I'm drawn to boldly colorful kitchens, I also have a soft spot for the opposite: the white kitchen. But you can't just specify white for all the materials, fixtures and finishes and call it a day. Similar to a slim-fitting white dress or a pair of white skinny jeans, white is not the most forgiving color — when something is white, we tend to notice small details about it, like the quality of the material or texture. This is because white reflects light — unlike darker hues, which tend to absorb light. So while I might use bold, bright color to distract the eye from lower-quality or less-interesting materials, I would use white to accentuate higher-quality or beautifully made materials, allowing them to take center stage.
Also keep in mind that too much white in your kitchen can feel cold, sterile and unwelcoming. You'll see that most of the kitchens below, while predominantly white, also tend to include natural wood in some way — usually in the form of flooring or furniture, which adds warmth, charm and character. White also makes the perfect backdrop for small dashes of bold color. Or, for a serene and soothing space, add other light neutrals, such as shades of beige, tan and gray.
Let these 11 exquisite white kitchens, along with a few of my favorite white paints, inspire you.
Also keep in mind that too much white in your kitchen can feel cold, sterile and unwelcoming. You'll see that most of the kitchens below, while predominantly white, also tend to include natural wood in some way — usually in the form of flooring or furniture, which adds warmth, charm and character. White also makes the perfect backdrop for small dashes of bold color. Or, for a serene and soothing space, add other light neutrals, such as shades of beige, tan and gray.
Let these 11 exquisite white kitchens, along with a few of my favorite white paints, inspire you.
This beautiful kitchen in shades of white, gray and wood tones is a lovely example of how to work with white in a kitchen. There's quite a bit of slick stainless steel, but it's balanced out nicely by the farm table — with its rich patina — and the wood floors.
The exposed wood post and beams and the interesting pendants over the peninsula add charm and character to this modern white kitchen.
My ideal kitchen would have a connection to the outdoors and abundant natural light trickling in via walls of windows. But for many reasons, this scenario is often not possible. The best way to fake it is to go with a monochromatic white palette and good artificial lighting. This kitchen appears to get natural light from an adjacent wall or room, but even if it didn't, it would still feel light and bright and open due to the abundant use of white and light-reflecting stainless steel.
Here's another space lacking windows on the main kitchen walls, but because of the white walls, cabinets and countertops it feels open and airy.
For those who want to display colorful artwork or collectibles in their kitchen — such as these turquoise dishes — a white kitchen provides the perfect backdrop. Think of it as a gallery space, in which the objets d'art are on display and get your full attention.
I love the pendants and stools in this kitchen. The white walls and cabinets act as a blank canvas, allowing the interesting fixtures and furnishings to really stand out.
White is also a good color choice in a kitchen if you are fortunate enough to have a tantalizing view out your windows. With views like these, you don't want your attention diverted by intense colors or busy patterns and textures on the inside. Also, white works well to balance out black; we tend to favor darker colors set lower to the ground, with lighter hues going up the wall and onto the ceiling.
This kitchen illustrates how white works well as a supporting color to high-quality materials and craftsmanship details. Colorful walls and cabinetry would distract from all of the gorgeous marble.
White also works to open up a kitchen, making it seem larger and more spacious than it actually is.
And if you are blessed with a large, expansive kitchen, you can use white to tie together other areas of the house that are open to it for a seamless feel.
Most paint companies have a "pure white" or "ultrawhite" paint, which will give you a very crisp and clean look in the kitchen. But you can also go with a shade of white that has a tiny touch of yellow, brown or gray, which will warm up or cool down the white and add a little life to it.
Note: The differences in the paint swatch appearances will vary depending on your monitor, but this can give you a starting point at the paint store. As always, be sure to paint a large test area and look at it through the day and week, with natural and artificial light, before making a final decision.
White paint picks for the kitchen (from left to right):
1. Marshmallow SW7001, by Sherwin-Williams
2. Swiss Coffee OC-45, by Benjamin Moore
3. Sauterne OW-6-1, by Mythic Paint
4. Bistro White 7006-4, by Valspar
Tell us: Are you a fan of white kitchens? Or do you prefer cooking with more color?
More: Browse thousands of white kitchens by style
Note: The differences in the paint swatch appearances will vary depending on your monitor, but this can give you a starting point at the paint store. As always, be sure to paint a large test area and look at it through the day and week, with natural and artificial light, before making a final decision.
White paint picks for the kitchen (from left to right):
1. Marshmallow SW7001, by Sherwin-Williams
2. Swiss Coffee OC-45, by Benjamin Moore
3. Sauterne OW-6-1, by Mythic Paint
4. Bistro White 7006-4, by Valspar
Tell us: Are you a fan of white kitchens? Or do you prefer cooking with more color?
More: Browse thousands of white kitchens by style