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Moods, Morsels & Makeovers: A Colourful Take on Kitchen Design
May 20, 2025
Team Kitchen Ideas
In a kitchen, colour isn’t merely a decorative element; it’s rather a powerful force that shapes mood, energy, and even appetite. The right hues can create a sense of warmth, calm, or vibrancy, making the kitchen not just a place to cook, but a space that feels uplifting, inviting, and emotionally in tune with the users.
Colour isn’t just something we see; it’s something we feel, and kitchens are where this sensory alchemy unfolds most powerfully. Think about it: the zesty energy of a lemon-yellow backsplash, the brooding elegance of deep navy cabinets, or the grounded calm of muted sage countertops. In kitchens, colour becomes a silent partner in the art of living, influencing everything from the mood of a Sunday brunch to the vibe of a midnight snack raid.
But here’s the twist, colour in kitchen design isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a strategic tool. It’s where psychology meets practicality. The right hue doesn’t just make a space look good; it can make a small kitchen feel expansive, a chaotic morning feel composed or even influence one’s appetite. Designing with colour in kitchens is less about following rules and more about orchestrating emotions, because, in this space, function and feeling are inseparable.
While paradoxically fewer people are cooking at home the significance of the kitchen is getting stronger. It is more and more becoming a space that brings families together. Hence, one is seeing more natural materials palettes emerge to blend with the palette of the living spaces.
Anshul Chodha
Principal Architect
Sanctuary Architects
Colour Psychology and the Kitchen Design
Colour has the unique ability to shapethe atmosphere of a kitchen, influencing how it feels and how people behave in it. A bright yellow kitchen may exude warmth and optimism, promoting lively conversations and cheerful mornings, whereas a sleek black-and-white palette can evoke sophistication and modernity. These emotional responses are based on colour psychology, which studies how different colours affect our moods and behaviours. In a kitchen where functionality meets creativity, the right colour scheme can energise the space, inspire culinary creativity, and foster a welcoming environment for social interaction.
Anshul Chodha, Principal Architect, Sanctuary Architects and Designers says, “Colour is a very powerful tool that can greatly influence the perception of space. Warm colours like orange, red, and yellow can make a kitchen feel cosier and smaller.
Cool colours like blue, green, and purple can make a kitchen feel calmer and larger. Bright colours can make a kitchen or any space feel more energetic and expansive. Dark colours can make a space feel more intimate and confined. These effects can be used to create different ambiences and moods in kitchens.”
Manish Dikshit, Principal Architect, Aum Architects agrees, “When selecting kitchen colours, we always consider the psychological impact of colours on creating a functional, inviting space that is in alignment with the client's lifestyle. Kitchens are a space for cooking and gathering, so we often look for colours that balance energy, warmth, and comfort.”
He further adds, “Warm tones like earthy reds, yellows, and oranges can stimulate appetite and encourage social interaction. These colours are particularly effective in creating a dynamic, welcoming atmosphere. On the other hand, cool tones like blues and greens evoke a sense of calm and freshness, ideal for creating a serene, organised cooking space. Neutral colours, like soft greys and whites, are often used as base tones to allow flexibility with accent colours, giving the space both balance and sophistication. Ultimately, the colour selection is based on the intended mood, the style of the home, and how the kitchen will be used daily.”
Consumers are moving away from overly generic designs and leaning into colours that evoke specific emotions or memories. Photo Courtesy: Freepik
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Shalini Gehlot, Founding Partner, Architects Shalini Amit shares, “I like to experiment with neutrals as well. The definition of neutrals for kitchens has also widened, from white to grey and all in between. Though I have done very few kitchens, they are all different. I love the idea of having something neutral with a dash of an accent. This could be a metallic colour hood, accent tiles or the colour of the cabinetry itself.”
Talking about the recent colour trends in kitchens, Vandana Buddhia, Founder and Principal Designer, Vermillion reveals, “In recent kitchen design trends, a few standout colours have gained popularity. Many of these hues are a blend of calming, natural tones and bold accents, reflecting broader shifts in design preferences toward comfort, sustainability, and personalisation. Soft, earthy neutrals dominate kitchens, creating a serene, warm, and inviting atmosphere. Pastels, especially soft pinks, mint greens, and lavender, have seen a resurgence in kitchens, particularly in more retro or mid-century modern-inspired designs.”
She further adds, “While not technically a colour trend, the return of wood finishes—especially in lighter tones like oak or maple—adds warmth and texture to kitchens. While black kitchens have been around for a while, we’re now seeing more kitchens with matte black finishes, which offer a sleek, modern aesthetic.”
When selecting kitchen colours, we always consider the psychological impact of colours on creating a functional, inviting space that is in alignment with the client's lifestyle. Kitchens are a space for cooking and gathering, so we often look for colours that balance energy, warmth, and comfort.
Manish Dikshit
Principal Architect
Aum Architects
Balancing Aesthetics and Functionality
One of the most important aspects of kitchen design is striking the appropriate balance between aesthetics, functionality, and the psychological effects of colour. A kitchen must be visually appealing, functional, and emotionally supportive—a space in which people can feel at ease and inspired. This delicate balancing act entails more than just selecting colours; it also necessitates an understanding of how those colours interact with light, materials, and spatial layout to form a cohesive design.
Gehlot emphasises that when neutrals are chosen for the base colour scheme, they allow other design elements—such as cabinet hardware, backsplash tiles, lighting fixtures, or even the natural colour variations in stone countertops or wooden shelves—to stand out. “The simplicity of neutrals can create a more focused, harmonious kitchen environment where every element has room to shine,” she adds.
From a practical standpoint, colours can also affect lighting. Lighter colours reflect light, helping to maximise natural and artificial lighting, while darker tones absorb it. “This dynamic is particularly important when working with a kitchen's layout and lighting design. For instance, reflective surfaces (like high-gloss finishes) paired with light tones can make the space feel brighter and more expansive. At the same time, warmer tones can introduce a feeling of warmth, especially in kitchens that don’t receive a lot of natural light,” opines Dikshit.
When using bold colours, one has to go the whole hog and not have a half-hearted approach. One must see the whole picture. The size of kitchens can be a constraint. A larger more open kitchen has more opportunities for colour experimentation.
Shalini Gehlot
Founding Partner
Architects Shalini Amit
Customising Colour Palettes
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to the selection of colour palettes for a kitchen. It widely varies according to the kitchen sizes, settings, family lifestyle and the overall design of the house. A designer, for example, could use warm tones such as terracotta or soft yellows in a farmhouse-style kitchen to create a sense of warmth and familiarity, echoing traditional, homey aesthetics.
Similarly, a modern minimalist kitchen may have a neutral palette of whites and greys, accented with subtle pops of green to add calm and vitality, which is often achieved through plants or backsplash tiles. These conscious choices contribute to the transformation of kitchens into spaces that meet their users' emotional and practical needs.
Working with bold colours in kitchens requires careful planning to ensure they don't dominate the space or create visual chaos. “One of the main challenges is maintaining balance and harmony when using vibrant or saturated tones. Bold colours, while exciting, can make a space feel overwhelming if not tempered with neutral elements or thoughtful design choices,” shares Dikshit.
Talking about the colour selection for a recent kitchen in an urban setting, he recalls, “The homeowners wanted a kitchen that felt modern yet inviting, and also functioned well for both cooking and entertaining.To achieve this, we used a combination of warm tones with creamy whites. The tones were carefully selected for their calming and restorative properties, which work well in a space where people spend considerable time. We also used these colours to create a visual connection with nature, giving the kitchen a sense of tranquillity amidst the hustle of city life.”
Gehlot shares, “In an ongoing project we are using white to give the kitchen a spacious calm feel. But to add a quirky element, the centre island is to be in deep green. The hood on the island too is green and both have metallic details which are rather striking. This would bring a lot of positive energy to the space. We recently did a beautiful neoclassical kitchen with green-grey cabinetry and white tiles in a herringbone pattern. The hoods had metallic trunk inspiration with a hammered finish. It looked sophisticated and beautiful!”
She asserts that when using bold colours, one has to go the whole hog and not have a half-hearted approach. “One must see the whole picture. The size of kitchens can be a constraint. A larger more open kitchen has more opportunities for colour experimentation. Younger clients are generally more open to experimentation with colour,” Gehlot remarks.
A designer could use warm tones such as terracotta or soft yellows in a farmhouse-style kitchen to create a sense of warmth and familiarity, echoing traditional, homey aesthetics. Photo Courtesy: Aum Architects
Changing Lifestyle and Evolving Colour Schemes
The role of colour psychology in kitchen design has evolved alongside changing lifestyles, technological advancements, and design philosophies. Traditionally, kitchens were viewed as purely functional spaces, with colour schemes restricted to neutral or practical tones such as whites and greys. However, as kitchens have evolved into the heart of the home—a place for socialising, creativity, and connection, designers have begun to experiment with more dynamic and expressive colour palettes.
Buddhia emphasises, “Colour psychology in kitchen design is constantly evolving, reflecting shifts in lifestyle, cultural values, and broader design philosophies. Kitchens, once primarily functional spaces, are now seen as central hubs in the home—places not only for cooking but for gathering, entertaining, and even working. As these functions expand, so too does the role of colour in creating the desired mood and experience.”
She further adds, “One of the most significant shifts in colour psychology over recent years is the growing focus on well-being and mindfulness. People are increasingly looking to their homes—particularly the kitchen—as spaces for relaxation, connection, and mental clarity. As such, colours that promote calmness, balance, and a sense of grounding are becoming more prominent.”
Dikshit agrees, “I do believe colour psychology in kitchen design is evolving, particularly as our lifestyles and design philosophies shift. With a greater emphasis on wellness and sustainability, we’re seeing a growing preference for softer, nature-inspired palettes. Earthy tones like sage green, terracotta, and muted blues are becoming increasingly popular as people seek out colours that reflect a connection to nature and promote relaxation and mindfulness.”
Soft, earthy neutrals dominate kitchens, creating a serene, warm, and inviting atmosphere. Pastels, especially soft pinks, mint greens, and lavender, have seen a resurgence in kitchens, particularly in more retro or mid-century modern-inspired designs.
Vandana Buddhia
Founder and Principal Designer
Vermillion
Additionally, there’s a shift towards more personalisation in design. Consumers are moving away from overly generic designs and leaning into colours that evoke specific emotions or memories. “We also see a trend towards unexpected colour combinations, such as pairing deep jewel tones with neutrals or incorporating bold accent colours in traditionally subdued spaces like kitchens. This reflects a larger trend of flexible, multi-functional spaces, where colour can help define mood and function while adapting to changing needs,” adds Dikshit.
Moreover, the kitchen is one area of the house that is becoming more of an extension of one’s lifestyle and living. “While paradoxically fewer people are cooking at home the significance of the kitchen is getting stronger. The reason is that one still has basic practical needs and the kitchen is becoming more and more an extension of the living and family spaces. It is more and more becoming a space that brings families together. Hence, one is seeing more natural materials palettes emerge to blend with the palette of the living spaces. The colours are getting more muted and natural, and materials being opted for are also stone, wood, concrete – materials that one would otherwise use in living spaces,” remarks Chodha.
In modern kitchens, colours are shaping not just how a space looks but how it feels. By understanding its emotional impact, designers can create kitchens that spark creativity, encourage connection, and reflect personal style. And, as design trends shift towards sustainability, individuality, and well-being, kitchens are evolving beyond just cooking spaces. This makes choosing colours – whether bold or subtle even more critical. Designers must strike a balance between aesthetics and functionality, and thoughtfully select colours to bring warmth, and vibrancy and add a touch of personality to the kitchen design.
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