1. Mellow yellow
While white kitchen ideas, creams and neutrals may seem like the go-to when space is tight, there’s no rule to say you can’t be a bit more creative if more vibrant colours are your thing. And although yellow may not be where your mind immediately goes, this shade has many sunny benefits.
2. Soft greens
Green kitchen ideas have become a go-to choice for adding colour in an accessible, unintimidating way. In a small kitchen, choose muted shades of green to give a fresh and airy look, creating a calming indoor-outdoor feel. ‘For smaller kitchens, lighter shades such as Crown’s Spice Rack, a timeless pale green, can be a wise idea as they work to uplift the room and make it feel more spacious,’ says Kathryn.
3. Light blue
Just like greens will evoke a feeling of the outdoors, so too will lovely, soft pale blue tones. The common worry with blue kitchen ideas is that they will make a small space feel cold, but if you take care to choose those with a warmer undertone, you’ll avoid a stark result. The key thing to remember is to always test the paint in situ before committing to it and see how it looks in different lights throughout the day.
4. A balance of hues
Like we said, the best colour to paint a small kitchen is the shade that you love most, so while the shades already mentioned will help to create an airy feel, if you’re a fan of using dark and moody or vibrant colours, then there is still a way to do so. ‘Dark colours like dark browns, dark grey and black in general should be avoided in a small kitchen because a large expanse of these colours will make the kitchen feel claustrophobic,’ advises Milena.
5. Colour drenching
The technique of colour drenching involves painting the same shade across walls, skirtings, doors, ceilings and even the kitchen units. The result? A cocooning all-over colour can enhance the feeling of space because there are no breaks between the different areas. ‘This technique blurs the boundaries allowing your eye to drift around the room,’ says Milena. ‘I would use bold, saturated jewel greens and teals to create a colour-drenching effect.’