Embracing the blue kitchen

Johannes van Graan Johannes van Graan
A Vibrant and Colourful Kitchen: Kensington Blue Kitchen, Tim Wood Limited Tim Wood Limited Cucina moderna
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To design the perfect kitchen, a myriad of ingredients need to fit together – and one that’s often overlook or deemed as an afterthought is the colour palette.

Big mistake! While a lot of homeowners choose a neutral or earthy toned kitchen for their cooking spaces (which is perfectly fine), the reason for many of them is because they are simply too scared to gamble with colour. The prospect of committing to anything bolder than cream or beige is just too scary for them.

Well, homify is here to set that straight, as we’re going to be introducing an alternative colour palette – cool and serene blue – for your kitchen.

1. What does colour psychology say about blue?

Colour psychology teaches us that every colour has the ability to evoke certain moods and feelings, supporting the idea that colours can have psychological effects. Whether you put stock into this idea or not, it is worth reading up on which colours influence us in which way.

So, what do they say about bringing blue into our homes? Well, it’s a known fact that blue is found in nature – the sky, the ocean, even certain types of flowers and animal. And for this reason, blue is often associated with calmness and serenity. However, in certain spaces and with certain hues, blue can also be deemed icy, cold and distant.  

For interior design, bear in mind that blue is the colour most preferred by men. As it’s often viewed as a non-threatening tone, it can seem quite conservative and traditional. And as research suggests that people are more productive in blue rooms, it’s a favourite for working zones like home offices… and kitchens! 

Speaking of which, if used in kitchens (like paint, furniture or dishes), it is said that blue can even decrease one’s appetite and help to lose weight!

2. Feng Shui and the blue kitchen

Should you put particular emphasis on the ancient Chinese geomancy of Feng Shui, then a blue kitchen might be worth considering. Together with black, blue is known as a water element in Feng Shui and can be used for a cooking space. They key, however, to using either black or blue in your kitchen is via balance: 

• While green and brown are wood element colours that feed the fire element, they are nourished by blue and black (the water elements). Once the wood and water element colours balance out, a kitchen enjoys a fresh design.  

• White (a metal element colour) attracts the water element and makes a terrific accent colour for a blue kitchen.

3. Designing a blue kitchen: The cabinetry

Pedini Arkè in Blue Night and Elm homify Cucina moderna Pedini,Blue Kitchen,Miele ovens,Quooker tap,induction hob,handleless kitchen,custom colour

So, what’s the most popular way of adding blue to a kitchen? Via cabinets, seeing as they take up more space than walls and, thus, are more easily seen. 

Plus, one can get away with splashing a bolder, darker hue on cabinetry instead of painting all four walls in a midnight or navy blue, as that can make a kitchen seem quite cramped. 

Keep in mind that blue is a beautiful choice for a kitchen with wooden floors or -countertops, as those cool blues can act as a contrast to the earthy, warmer tints of the wood.

4. Designing a blue kitchen: The backsplash

Classic Panelled Cabinets homify Cucina in stile classico Legno Effetto legno colonial,classic,new england,ceramic tiles,cararra marble,quartz worktops

Too scared to go all out with a bright (or bold) blue in your kitchen? Then consider an area in your kitchen that is quite small, yet also very prominent: your backsplash.

Basically we have two options here:  

• Pick a blue that works well with your kitchen’s existing colour palette and then pull a blue from the backsplash to use it elsewhere in the kitchen; or 

• Keep the rest of your kitchen soft and neutral, allowing that blue backsplash to really come to life (as shown in our example below).

5. Designing a blue kitchen: Painting the ceiling

White Miele Appliances Hehku Cucina moderna Elettronica

While cabinets and backsplashes are obvious choices for adding blue to a kitchen, a far less common option is the ceiling. But that doesn’t mean you can’t consider it.

A lot of people opt for a white ceiling, which is perfectly fine. However, imagine the kitchen design below had gone the same route – that would have resulted in the white cabinets and appliances getting lost in the neutral colour palette. 

Our suggestion is that you really can’t go wrong with a cool and tranquil blue for your ceiling, like Sky, Arctic or Baby Blue. Also keep in mind that cool colours tend to recede visually, meaning that your blue ceiling is going to appear taller than it actually is – a great bonus if your kitchen is height-deprived.

6. Designing a blue kitchen: Appliances

For those who aren’t afraid to commit to blue, we recommend a blue appliance. That is the one way of ensuring your kitchen is anything but cookie-cutter boring, regardless what colour your walls, cabinetry and backsplash turn out to have. 

And don’t forget that there’s a world of blue hues to consider, from soft Cyan Blue to darker Oxford Blue, to help your kitchen flaunt a look that’s somewhere in-between retro and contemporary.

7. Designing a blue kitchen: The floor

homify Cucina in stile industriale

In the majority of cases, professional interior designers would advise their clients to stick to neutral tones for items that are costly to change, and that includes flooring. However, then we come across a kitchen such as this one and we are most glad that the rules were ignored. 

Not only is this Cornflower Blue so striking, but the patterned design of the tiles ensures that the floor becomes the main style factor of this kitchen. 

Want more options for your cooking space’s colours? Have a look at These 8 are the best kitchen colours to paint.

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