Inspirational Paint Colors for Small Kitchens
Looking for ways to give your small kitchen big style? Here are some beautiful paint colors for small kitchens that will inspire you as you pick the perfect paint color for your space.
If you have a tiny kitchen (like I do!), you may be struggling to visualize what the right paint colors could be.
You might be asking yourself questions like:
- What are the best colors to choose from?
- Will bold colors or a dark colors make an already small room feel smaller?
- Should the base cabinets be painted the same color as the upper cabinets?
- Does having a small kitchen mean I should have white walls to make the kitchen feel bigger? If so, should it be painted a cool white or creamy white?
- What is the most popular choice for small kitchen paint colors?
- How do interior designers choose a color palette for small kitchens?
Believe me – I’ve asked every single one of those questions, too!
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve been given about how to choose the perfect paint colors, is to first collect inspiration pictures of spaces. I suggest you start collecting images and put them into your own personal “dream kitchen” file.
Then, go back and look at them very carefully and ask yourself what you like about them.
Below are some examples of small kitchen paint ideas that may help you as you search for the perfect paint color choice for you!
Inspiration Ideas: Paint Colors for Small Kitchens
1. Grey Green Paint with Creamy White Walls
There are some things to take note of when looking at inspiration pictures and comparing it to your own space. One of the most important things to look for is the amount of natural light that is spilling into the space.
How much light shines in makes a very big difference in how a paint color reads in a specific space.
The lovely natural light spilling into this kitchen reflects off the white surfaces of the counter and creamy white walls – making a beautiful backdrop for open shelving and grey green cabinets.
Green kitchen cabinets seem to be one of the most popular colors for kitchen cabinets this year. It ranges in all different shades of gray green, sage green, mint green, olive green and forest green. Here are some green cabinet colors recommended by the experts. And here are this year’s top kitchen colors.
2. Pastel colors for a coastal color palette
Smaller kitchens with a combination of light colors and white paint can come together to feel like a cheerful greeting.
Source: Better Homes & Gardens
This small kitchen space showcases a pale aqua blue color on lower cabinets, with the other kitchen cabinets being white. Gorgeous tile work add interest and style to the space making this one of my favorite kitchen color ideas.
Remember, a small kitchen color idea can come from other elements than just paint. This kitchen is a perfect example. The kitchen cabinets, tiles, walls, counters, and hood vent focal point all have different colors. However, they all come together to make the space look inviting. Since they area all lighter colors, there isn’t too much visual clutter making in the perfect color scheme!
3. Blue & White
Blue is the color family I tend to be drawn to, so this cheery little blue and white kitchen caught my eye
You know what else caught my eye? Look how the open shelving is white on one side and wood toned on the other. I would have never thought of doing a different color for those, but all together, it creates a cozy space.
3. White Kitchen Cabinets with Colored Island
All white kitchen cabinets and doors with a colored island is also another choice to consider (if your small kitchen has enough space for an island).
If you are considering white cabinets for your kitchen, here is an excellent article on the best white paint colors recommended for kitchen cabinets. And here are some of the best colors for kitchens with white cabinets.
What is the best color scheme for your kitchen?
I believe the best options for small paint color ideas for your kitchen is the one that you love the most. Define what you’d like the feel of your small kitchen to be and go from there. Would you like it cozy & rustic or modern and streamlined? Once you narrow down your choices, paint samples will be your best friend. Try them in your space (in its lighting) to make sure it looks like the color you want it to be.
More Paint Color Resources:
- Tips & tricks to pick a paint color you’ll love
- What HGTV stars can teach us about how to choose paint colors
More Small Kitchen Ideas:
If you’re on the hunt for more small kitchen ideas, here’s a few more round up posts from the series:
- Clever storage ideas for small kitchens
- Small kitchen remodel ideas
- Organize small kitchen cupboards like a pro!
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This post was originally published August 29, 2016 and updated with new information February 17, 2022
The walls of my small kitchen are painted in Natural Wicker and my cupboards, beadboard backsplash, ceiling, and trim are in Whisper White (Behr paint colors). I chose the wall color to help my laminate counters (looks like burlap) and old linoleum floors (looks like old red bricks) to blend in until they can be replaced. My kitchen and dining room are open to each other, so the dining room is painted in the same colors. The dining room floor is the original hardwood (1920’s home). My accent colors in the kitchen are mostly red, but I have small accents of other vintage colors. In my dining room I have a large vintage hutch that is painted blue. My braided rug is blue with red accents. I have many vintage dishes of various colors in the blue hutch, plus I covered the cushions with damaged vintage red and white tablecloths. I also have some very soft mint green tin canisters throughout both rooms. My small appliances are in black and chrome, while my larger appliances are white.