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Contemporary kitchen with white cabinets, a breakfast bar, and open shelves.

Define Your Kitchen Design with a Colour Palette

Choosing Your Colour Palette

When choosing the design of your kitchen, there are three popular types of colour themes you can select from:

Monochromatic	Complementary	Analogous
Uses several values of the same colour. Contrast is soft and quiet because the colours are similar. The effect can be soothing and peaceful.	Uses colours that are directly opposite of each other on the colour wheel. Dynamic contrast feels energetic and stimulating.	Uses two or three related colours that lie next to each other on the colour wheel. Related colours create moderate contrast and pleasant combinations. The effect is colourful yet comforting.

Warm & Cool Colours

Warm Colours

They tend to create a sunny feeling in a room.

Cool Colours

They tend to create a calm atmosphere in a room.

Red, orange, and yellow will make your kitchen feel lively and warm.
Woods like oak and cherry work well with warm tones.
Metals with warmer tones include brass, bronze, gold, and copper.

Blues and greens create a restful environment.
Woods like maple have cool tones.
Metals with cooler tones are chrome, nickel, iron, steel, and aluminum.

Traditional Kitchen Design

Galley kitchen with rich wood cabinets, a breakfast bar, and stainless steel fridge.

Traditional Style

The traditional look draws from classic English and European design. Symmetry is an important an important element this design. Classic elements such as columns, arches, decorative trims, and patterns are all part of the look.

Traditional Colour Palette

Colours in traditional palettes usually include rich shades that blend harmoniously, rather than stark colour statements. Rich wood finishes combined with neutral colours are what make traditional kitchens calm, warm, and welcoming.

Traditional Textures

Textures and finishes tend to be smooth with highly-polished surfaces and tightly-woven, patterned fabrics. Cabinetry and furniture are usually embellished with carved details. Traditional finishes include dark or light classically-sculpted metals such as polished brass, antique bronze, and satin nickel.

Contemporary Kitchen Design

Galley kitchen with white glossy cabinets, blue walls, and black light fixtures.

Contemporary Style

Clean, unbroken lines. Sleek surfaces with very little ornamentation. Think colour instead of patterns in the contemporary kitchen. It’s all about simplicity and functionality. Here, less is most definitely more. Smooth finishes and soft colours with touches of bold tones make a contemporary kitchen feel fresh, while clean and sleek lines add interest to the design.

Contemporary Colour Palette

Colours that work best in contemporary rooms are usually monochromatic schemes. Sometimes a bold accent of a more intense colour can be powerful. For example, white walls make an interesting backdrop for optic-yellow barstools.

Contemporary Textures

Textures and finishes are smooth and simple in contemporary designs, whether they are polished, brushed, high-gloss, or matte-finished. Angular or curved shapes can be incorporated. Fine-grained natural wood and glass work well.

Casual Kitchen Design

Kitchen with dark vinyl cabinets, a white countertop and stainless-steel appliances.

Casual Style

Natural and uncomplicated, the casual style kitchen welcomes family and friends to come in and relax. Warm wood tones, natural colours, and interesting textures work with each other to create a comfortable feeling of home. It has a lived-in look that is always comfortable and inviting.

Casual Colour Palette

Colours in a casual style of kitchen are usually analogous mixes, ranging from soft pastels to warm, robust tones inspired by nature. The casual palette gives a sense of security, tranquility, and comfort.

Casual Textures

Textures and finishes are not fancy or fussy. Cabinet and hardware finishes that appear worn or aged add to the look of a casual kitchen. Materials inspired by nature, like wicker, cotton, and wood, always work perfectly in a casual setting. Alder and slate make great partners in this style of kitchen.

Eclectic Kitchen Design

L shaped kitchen with white matte cabinets, stainless-steel appliances and white and black countertops.

Eclectic Style

In an eclectic kitchen, a variety of styles can be combined to create an individual look. This "freestyle approach" is often tied together with colour, texture, or shape. Light and dark finishes create exciting contrast. Repeating this contrast throughout the kitchen brings balance, and adds a sophisticated, soothing feeling to the room.

Eclectic Colour Palette

Colours are complementary, spirited, and visually stimulating. The unexpected variety is pulled together through the simple use of key colours. Use coloured appliances to make a bold statement.

Eclectic Textures

Textures and finishes may vary dramatically throughout the kitchen, but they balance each other. Consider mixing appliances of different finishes to complement split finishes in the cabinetry, or even have two different types of countertop.