Top 6 Colour Pairings for Your Kitchen

Last Updated on September 12, 2024

Select the right colour pairings for your kitchen and you’re guaranteed a timeless and sophisticated space. Here, we’ll talk you through six neutral and versatile kitchen design colour ideas that will enhance your aesthetic and create a serene, inviting atmosphere.

Should I use neutral colours in my kitchen?

On first consideration, neutral tones might not seem like the most exciting palette for a kitchen. But these earthy, organic hues are well-loved for good reason. Their hidden talent? To bring balance and harmony to one of the liveliest rooms of the house.

Greys, creams and rich wood colours have been proven to slow your heart rate. So you can breathe easy and relax, no matter how many guests you have for lunch (or how far the dinnertime mess has spread).

Neutral kitchens – except for white – are known for hiding a multitude of sins. Dirt and marks show less easily on natural-coloured cabinets, meaning you have to clean less frequently to keep them looking their best.

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Check out our Oak worktops

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Why combine colours in a kitchen?

There are plenty of reasons to embrace a two-tone kitchen colour scheme.

• It makes the room feel bigger and brighter

Opting for a classic palette, with a beautiful soft shade supported by an accent colour, can make a kitchen feel spacious and full of light. By adding contrast, your decor will feel well-considered and cohesive.

• It adds visual interest

Use a pale neutral as the main colour for the walls and cabinets and keep your secondary tone for other features such as backsplash tiles, cupboard handles, and accent walls to mix things up and tie the room together.

• It helps features to stand out

A two-tone colour palette can draw attention to particular areas. Go for cabinets in one colour and a contrasting kitchen island to help it shine as a centrepiece.

How to choose kitchen colour combinations

When it comes to natural colour pairings, how do you choose? Grey, cream, greige, taupe and brown may all seem like similar tones but, in combination, they can work wonders.

Look for balance

If you have a small, dark kitchen with low natural light levels, pale cabinets and kitchen worktops can add brightness. In contrast, darker colours will make a larger room feel cosier.

Let the materials speak for themselves

Rather than opting for two paint colours, combine contrasting materials to broaden your design. Pair light or dark wood, coloured glass, or shining metal for a more industrial feel.

Work with what you’ve got

Already have a wooden floor? Lean into the existing colour scheme and mirror it in your broader palette choices. Solid oak worktops will pair nicely with warm, honey-coloured timber and can be combined with neutral cabinets to make the organic materials stand out.

Go for what you love

If grey decor puts you in a zen mood or cream cabinets speak sophistication, follow your heart! You’ll be living with your decision for years to come, so it’s important that it makes you happy.

Our top six kitchen colour ideas

Ready to choose a colour pairing that will work for your home? Discover our favourite combinations and start planning your dream kitchen.

1. White and beige

Kitchens are often the central hub of the house and get thrown a lot of mess. However, this pairing brings a clean, light and airy feel, making even the busiest space look serene. Kitchens with small windows can be lifted with a little help from pale neutrals.

Why not try

• Opt for beige cabinets to complement white countertops, or vice versa. Our white sparkle laminate worktop looks exceptional paired with pale tan cupboards.

• Go for something more traditional. Try this white Bella Bianche, marble-effect laminate countertop with buff or taupe cabinets for a cultured, architectural look.

• Alternatively, select beige tiles for your backsplash and paint the walls a warm white to create a subtle, but classy contrast.

2. Taupe and ivory

Off-white colours can add texture and make a colour scheme feel less stark or intense. Taupe – a dark grey-brown colour – adds warmth without overwhelming. Teamed with soft ivory, it brings an inviting touch.

Why not try

• Combine ivory walls with taupe cabinets for a harmonious and soothing feel.

• Introduce this palette in accents. Use off-white for your worktops and cupboards and save taupe for trims and mouldings to balance the effect.

3. Cream and brown

Brown is a brilliant colour in a kitchen. Far from being dull and muddy, it can bring a whole lot of texture and light. And when it comes to timber worktops, there are plenty to choose from. Rich oak worktops are awash with warm and inviting tones, deep walnut countertops have a rich, cosy hue, and some ash worktops have an ultra-pale, elegant finish.

Why not try

• Cream cabinets with dark brown worktops, for a striking contrast. Our Iroko countertop comes from West Africa; made from bronze-coloured traditional hardwood, it’s both durable and good-looking. For something even more dramatic, take a peek at our black ash worktop.

• Let a wooden floor add personality to your kitchen. Choose a natural wood worktop to match the tone and add cream tiles around the room to tie everything together.

4. Soft grey and charcoal

Grey has a crisp, modern feel and can bring calm to a kitchen. Monochromatic colour palettes are less stark than bright white schemes but still offer a lot of light. And they tend to look cleaner for longer – always a plus! Soft grey and charcoal are a perfect colour pairing, bringing depth and contemporary sophistication.

Why not try

• Welcome natural grey textures in to give an organic feel. Our Magma Rodolit Compact worktops have a metal-like surface with a weathered appearance.

• Soft grey walls, combined with charcoal cabinets, provide a feeling of balance. Consider a kitchen island with a Graphite Grey worktop as a focal point for gathering around.

• Add stainless steel appliances and hardware as accents to enhance the modern look.

5. Greige and white

Greige, a blend of grey and beige, combines the best of both worlds, offering versatility and warmth. Paired with white, greige brings a classy feel wherever it’s used; whether you prefer a modern or traditional kitchen.

Why not try

• Pair white cabinets and worktops with greige walls to create a serene and zen-like space.

• Go for greige cupboards with white tiled walls and add a darker accent – like our Cloudy Cement laminate countertop – to achieve a modern, industrial feel.

6. Sand and Stone

Truly inspired by the elements, this colour pairing will keep your kitchen grounded. Take the natural world as inspiration and introduce golden sand tones. Combine them with stone effect features for elegant and timeless appeal.

Why not try

• Pair sand-coloured cabinets with a stone effect worktop for a perfectly rustic aesthetic. Our Grey Avenue Solid Surface laminate countertop is covered in grey and black freckles; while it looks like real granite, it’s far easier to clean and maintain.

• Use stone tiles for your floor and sandy cabinets on the walls to create a cohesive, traditional look.

Give it a go

Time to take it away. Any one of these colour pairings will transform your kitchen into a haven of calm…not to mention style! Turn your two-tone mood board into a reality and get ready to make your home shine.