1. PARED-BACK AND PRETTY
Eco paints come in many colors, but lend themselves to this calming, airy feel. 'Opting for a pale neutral is the obvious way to keep the kitchen light, bright and feel more spacious,' says Adrian Bergman, Design Manager at British Standard by Plain English. 'Darker colors can add depth to a small room but it can be trickier to get this right.'
2. POP A VIBRANT TEAL ON KITCHEN CABINETS
Kitchen cabinet colors are the perfect place to experiment with bolder shades and breathe life into a small space. Why not try adding a vibrant yet calming hue like teal to liven up the heart of the home?
Elizabeth Sherwin, Designer at Naked Kitchens, says: 'We love a punchy color in a small kitchen - picking a dramatic color can really change your perception of a space and can make the smallest of kitchens a fun and joyful place to be.'
3. SOFT GREEN IS A SAGE IDEA
Our desire to create tranquil sanctuaries at home has seen an explosion in the popularity of sage green kitchen ideas, thanks to its calming effects and biophilic properties.
4. GO FOR A SKY BLUE HUE
If you're looking for a biophilic color that connects you to nature but want something more vibrant than earthy tones, blue kitchens are perfect.
5. DARK AND MOODY
'Dark kitchens are striking yet timeless and are especially good at giving presence to a small room,' says Farrow & Ball's Patrick O’Donnell. 'This is even more true if your cabinets are the lower units - this will provide ‘structure’ to your room. Think something elegant like our blackest blue Railings.'
6. DARK GREEN SHOULD ALWAYS BE SEEN
Whether you just have it on your cabinets or on all your joinery and the walls, dark green is a soothing and sumptuous small kitchen color.
7. SUNNY SIDE UP
Don't be afraid to experiment with an upbeat, joyful color in your small kitchen. Ruth Mottershead, Creative Director Little Greene, says: 'The kitchen is often the hub of the family home – usually a place of activity, the heart of family life, whatever its size.'
8. NO MATTER THE SHADE, KEEP EVERYTHING THE SAME COLOR
'As an interior designer, color will always be one of my essential tools in playing with a room’s proportions,' says Linda Holmes, Interiors Director, LuxDeco. 'It’s crucial to choose a color that you love, but to discover a selection of hues that will play to your room’s strengths or help with its weaknesses.
9. A GAME OF TWO HALVES
Create a vibrant two-tone color scheme by pinching this kitchen cabinet idea and adding one color to the lower cabinets and contrasting colors for walls and upper cabinets.
10. PASTEL PERFECTION
Baby blues and soft pinks are a lovely, tranquil choice for small kitchen colors and work to keep the space airy and light while still adding life and vibrancy. The fresh aesthetic of pastel hues is ideal for a small space. Graeme Smith, Head of Retail and Commercial Design at Life Kitchens, says: 'Go for warm, earthy tones or pastels if you still want to incorporate color into a small kitchen, as a more subtle approach to color will bring interest into the space without making the kitchen feel enclosed.'