The 11 Best (Bright) Colors for Painting a Kitchen, According to Interior Designers
Take a look around your kitchen. Is it filled with playful pops of color or does it air on the painfully neutral side? If I had to guess, I’d say that most will answer with the latter. (I know I certainly fall into that camp.)
Color can be scary because there’s so much to consider! Will it look completely different on the walls compared to the swatch? Will I get sick of it? Will it clash with everything else I own? Will the color go out of style? The list goes on.
To quell some of those concerns and help you feel more comfortable with taking color risks, we consulted a few experts to find out the best bright paint colors for your kitchen.
Here are our favorite interior designers’ picks.
1. Flamenco Pink Interior Paint by Valspar
“We’re seeing a lot of excitement around coral tones. It adds warmth to a space and also pairs nicely with other warm colors like browns and neutrals. It creates a beautiful, bright contrast when paired with navy, turquoise, and greens.” — Caroline Harmon, trend and style analyst for Lowe’s
2. Bayside Interior Paint by Valspar
“This year is all about bringing the outside in, so why not try a bright turquoise accent wall to mimic the ocean? Pair this color with natural wood pieces and live plants to bring life to your kitchen.” — Harmon
3. Euphoric Lilac by Sherwin-Williams – HGTV Home
“To energize a room, this color is the perfect blend between lavender and millennial pink that feels fresh but mature. This color is calming when mixed with neutrals and creates dramatic contrast when paired with deeper shades like blues, violets, and grays. For a bright pop, I love this color with crisp black and white tile and matte black hardware.” — Harmon
4. St. Giles by Farrow & Ball
“I have this color in my own house and it reminds me of nature — blue skies and blue waters.” — Susan Serra of Susan Serra Associates
5. Pickle by Sherwin Williams
“More nature! This green reminds me of gardens, fields, and trees — and helps me to visually connect with the outdoors. Pickle is not super bright but far brighter than a lot of people [think they] are comfortable with.” — Susan Serra of Susan Serra Associates
6. Pacific Ocean Blue by Benjamin Moore
“Both bright and rich, this blue is a beautiful accent color or a dramatic touch for an entire room. It pairs well with rich fabrics like velvet and similar deep jewel-tone colors,” says Jennifer Carter of Studio Envie. Caitlin Murray of Black Lacquer Design agrees. “This color is equal parts intense and playful — a winning combination in my book. I love the idea of using it on a ceiling, which would give any space instant depth and interest.”
7. Stiffkey Blue by Farrow & Ball
“This is the perfect happy blue without being too royal or moody.”— Emily Henderson of Style by Emily Henderson
8. Green Smoke by Farrow & Ball
“We painted the island in our kitchen this color and I am in love with it. It’s a happy bright green that has such a great tone to it. It’s not too forest green or too apple green either.” — Henderson
9. Pewter Green by Sherwin Williams
“This is a new find for me that we used on the kitchen cabinetry in a recent Portland project and I could not be happier with this shade. We tested out a million greens, but ended up loving this super deep one with a lot of gray in it (rather than being teal or emerald). It’s not bright, but it’s deep and saturated.” — Henderson
10. Chinese Orange by Pratt & Lambert
“This is such a fun, punchy, pinkish orange. I recently used a high gloss lacquer version of this hue on a vintage table and it turned out lovely.” — Murray
11. Paradise by Sherwin Williams
“I’m all about a deep grass green! This would be so striking and velvety.” — Murray
Do you have a bright paint color in your kitchen? What is it and what do you like about it?
