Whether you choose neutral or bright colors, the colors used in the kitchen follow very precise rules that everyone should know before daring to incorporate new ones or change them. Everything related to this area of the home has an impact on what we experience in it.

According to decorators and interior designers, choosing the wrong color for the walls, furniture or even accessories, can have undesirable results. Extremely crowded kitchens, spaces without light or excessively suffocating, are some of the issues that could arise if you make the wrong choice.

For this reason, rather than thinking about the colors to paint the kitchen, it’s a good idea to know the fundamental guidelines that aim at generating well-being. Bellow, we share 3 rules that experts use to combine tones to add life and style to this space.

Rule No. 1. Putting light above all else

Is there anything worse than a dark kitchen? Probably not. In this space both natural light and artificial lighting are important. Why? Because this combination guarantees: (a) that you can appreciate what you cook and what you eat; b) that you see clearly and maintain the hygiene that this space needs and c) that it’s a space with a unique style that promotes sharing and well-being.

At this point, you may be wondering: What does color have to do with all this? The answer is simple. Color can add or subtract illumination to an environment like this, especially if we’re talking about an enclosed space with little natural light.

This is when a classic color like white becomes the protagonist of the scene. White not only increases the feeling of spaciousness and enhances the natural light of the area, but it’s an easy tone to combine and opens the spectrum of creativity when it comes to generating contrasts in it.

So, no matter how small, you can mix white with bright colors such as yellow or orange or with more “serious” tones such as brown, gray, and even black. It’s just a matter of knowing in what proportion to use the latter.

Rule No. 2. Honoring materials

In these days of kitchens with countertops made of wood, steel, polished cement, or quartz and colorful and smart appliances, knowing how to establish harmony between the textures of the former and the style and materials of the latter, is a real challenge.

In this sense, it’s essential to know what kind of kitchen you want so you can combine all the elements that’ll be part of this orchestra. For example, let’s say your idea is to have an industrial kitchen where naked walls dominate with steel or gray polished cement countertops and stainless-steel appliances. The recommendation here is to honor the materials by adding a touch of color with a single appliance or even decorative elements such as lamps, plants, or pictures. This will break the monotony and at the same time highlight the texture and color of the materials used in this composition.

Of course, it’s not that easy either. However, if you follow the principle “less is more” and adapt it to the theme (“just a touch of color”) you’ll have amazing results, which you’ll be able to confirm through the atmosphere generated in your kitchen and the “wow” effect that it creates in your guests.

Rule No. 3. Don’t exaggerate

Both an excess of elements and the absence of them are considered expressions of this point: exaggeration. The norm behind this is the search for harmony and balance.

For example, leaning towards the prevalence of color such as white or worse, red, can be detrimental to an area of the home as essential as the kitchen. Both the absence of color and the exaggeration in its use can destroy the harmony this space needs.

And just as it happens with the use of color, the same applies to decorative elements (plants, appliances, lamps, paintings, etc.) The excess of objects is as harmful as the absence of them. Why? On the one hand, many elements, whether they are made of the same material (or color) or not, can overpower the area, while the absence of them generates monotony. In this regard, using common sense as you would use salt in your recipes could be a good metaphor to use as guidance.

Following these three golden rules when you decorate, renovate, or just change the color of your kitchen will preserve the charm of this space, so it remains as the retreat everyone ends up gathering to spend time together.