Colour my kitchen

Calming neutrals, rustic elegance or whisky-den noir – here’s how to whip up the perfect palette for this busy space.

The days are (blessedly) long gone when the cook was banished to a secluded room to prepare meals. Kitchens are a deserved focal point of the modern home, whether you’re feeding the family or entertaining. Enter the statement kitchen. Whether yours is farmhouse-cosy, city-slick or somewhere in between, creative use of colour and wood finishes can set the perfect tone for this hard-working hub. Here, we deconstruct the colourways of four showstoppers.

Neutral wonder

Into the woods

Top of the pops

Dark materials

Neutral wonder

If you pair the right neutrals, not only will you create a soothing tone but your space will also have a strong presence. In this reno, the contrast of Resene Quarter Rice Cake on the living room walls and ceiling and Resene Armadillo on the kitchen ceiling draws attention to feature lines and subtly delineates the areas.

Top tip:

Play with light in a space by choosing neutrals in contrasting colours. Use pale colours to amplify natural light, then create depth and solidity with darker shades.

A calming neutral kitchen

In this fresh space by Nobbs Radford Architects, Resene Quarter Rice Cake on the walls and ceiling in the living area contrasts dramatically with Resene Armadillo above the kitchen.

Into the woods

This creamy, dreamy kitchen aces rustic elegance with its trio of pale shades. A warm palette of Resene Quarter Villa White on the ceiling and Resene Spanish White on the walls is enhanced by oak cabinetry finished with Resene Colorwood Whitewash. Unlike a stain, Resene Colorwood Whitewash isn’t absorbed into timber but coats the top of it, lightening and enhancing the surface.

Project Description

Into the woods: Lightness abounds in this kitchen by Stephen Cashmore, with cabinetry in Resene Colorwood Whitewash, walls in Resene Spanish White and the ceiling in Resene Quarter Villa White.

Top tip:

Remember the “sixth wall” – the floor. Rejuvenate the colour in wooden flooring with a wood stain or lighten it with whitewash or greywash.

Top of the pops

The use of Resene Colorwood wood stain in Resene Rock Salt on the ply-lined cabinetry in this kitchen by Studio of Pacific Architecture allows the beauty of the grain to show through and creates the perfect blonding effect, while Resene Aquaclear urethane protects it from water damage. Pops of Resene Wasabi add punch.

Top tip:

Painting just one or two small areas in your kitchen in a bold shade is a fun way to embrace a colour you love without being overwhelmed by it, and can be easily and inexpensively updated when you’re ready for a change.

Green and plywood kitchen

Top of the pops: Ply is in! In this case it’s sealed with Resene Aquaclear and stained with Resene Rock Salt. Resene Quarter Tea on the walls and ceiling tones in, while splashes of Resene Wasabi stand out.

Dark materials

Layered shadows and a cosy whisky den vibe inspired this moody look by Cambridge firm Designmarked. To make the ceiling appear to recede, it was painted in Resene Element. The kitchen then got an injection of noir glamour with dark oak features teamed with cupboards painted in sophisticated dark green Resene Jurassic. The cupboards were coated with Resene AquaLAQ, a waterborne coating designed especially for preparing MDF.

Top tip:

When choosing cabinetry, be aware that acrylics and laminates come in limited colour ranges. If you instead get your cupboards painted or stained, you can have any shade your heart desires.

A modern dark kitchen