Flowers aren’t the only thing in bloom this spring. Where classic white and wood tones have long dominated kitchen styles, bright and bold pops of color are making an appearance—and we’re taking notice. Colour influences much more than just the appearance of a space, it can also affect our moods and emotions. Deciding on what you want colour to do for you in your space is just the start, figuring out where to apply it is equally as daunting a task. Learning how to use colour like even the most sophisticated designers is challenging, but using tools one can make the task manageable.
Colours and emotions are closely linked. Warm colours can evoke different emotions than cool colours and bright colours can create different feelings than muted colours. Red is a great example of a warm colour and it is known to stimulate the appetite which is likely why it has been a staple accent colour in kitchen spaces for years. Gray is what is referred to as a neutral colour and is a great base to build on with other colours. Gray is typically considered to be a cold colour, but there are warmer grays (Such as taupes) and cooler ones. Light blue is crisp and clean making it great for walls and cabinets. Dark blue can work well when accented with whites, grays or other neutrals. Blue is an invigorating colour that should be used sparingly so as not to overpower a space. Yellow is a bright, warm colour believed to make people hungry and to improve their mood. Yellow has a soothing quality that will make people feel calm in your kitchen. This is a great colour for small spaces as it makes rooms feel larger than they actually are. Yellow is a colour that pairs well with white and gray accents. Greens come in many different shades from mint to apple and hunter (A personal favourite). Greens pair well with white and wood accents. Green is a restful colour that evokes a feeling of refreshment, peace and rest.
Now that we understand how colours make us feel, we need to tackle the next obstacle, where to add colour. If you’re looking to make a real statement, painting one or all of the walls in your kitchen is a great way to go. Alternatively, if you’re really committed to a bold colour you can also purchase your cabinets or even countertops in a wide array of colours. For a slightly more subtle approach you can use colour in your choice of backsplash tile, or even in your choice of grout. A predicted trend for 2020 is a boom in the sale of coloured appliances. Again, this option is a longer commitment than simply repainting a wall, but what better way to showcase your favourite colour! If you have a white kitchen you can consider it a blank canvas and add colour in a multitude of ways from an accent vase to your island barstools. A more creative injection of colour would be to add it to your ceiling or the interiors of cabinets with glass doors.
So now we’ve decided where we’ll inject colour, but how do we add it with style? Colour schemes are combinations of colour selections that use a standard colour wheel. A monochromatic scheme is one which uses various shades and tints of the same colour. The triadic scheme is a scheme which selects 3 colours. The selection of these colours is made by forming an equilateral triangle on the colour wheel. Analogous schemes use colours which touch each other on the colour wheel. Typically an analogous scheme uses 3 colours from the wheel. A complimentary scheme uses colours which are directly opposite each other on the wheel. An extension of the complimentary scheme is the split complimentary scheme which uses the two colours next to the compliment colour. A second extension of the complimentary scheme is the tetradic scheme or double complimentary scheme. This scheme uses 4 colours on the wheel which create a square (Or 2 compliments).
At the end of the day the most important thing when selecting colours to use is to select those that YOU love. A good designer can build off of your selection and will work with you to bring your vision to life.