5 Easy Ways to Add Color to Your Kitchen, From an Interior Designer

When Atlanta-based interior designer Gina Sims learned that the owner of the kitchen shown above loved green—in particular, the varied shades of succulent plants— she went to work incorporating different tones of the hue into her renovation. Whether you want to go all in or just add a few little pops here and there, Sims has five ideas for adding color to your kitchen.

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Cati Teague Photography

© Cati Teague Photography
Score some of the same items this interior designer used to revamp this kitchen, as well as budget-friendly lookalikes.

Related: See This Boston Kitchen’s Radical Before-And-After Renovation

Install a bright backsplash

It’s the showstopper in this kitchen (and both the homeowner’s and Sims’ favorite design element). “White subway tile is fine, but a colorful backsplash makes a big impact and is a great way to bring personality to a space,” Sims says. “There are so many different shapes of tile, and you can play with patterns, or opt for tiles with a fun print.” And because it’s a fairly confined area, you can go bold without making the whole room look too loud or busy.

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The amazing tiles Sims chose are handmade by Ohio-based Seneca Tiles. You can’t purchase from them directly, but head to their website to find a vendor in your area. Buy it: Price varies, 8-inch Fan Water Lily Tile,  senecatiles.com

Play with paint (or peel-and-stick wallpaper)

Looking for a safer (and more budget-friendly) way to make a splash than a backsplash? “Painting your island’s cabinets is a great place to start,” says Sims. (She recommends a semi-gloss paint, so it can be easily wiped down.) If you’re happy with that change, consider moving on and painting the rest of your kitchen cabinets. A popular trend right now is uppers that are painted a lighter color than the lowers. If you’re leery of taking a brush to your nice wood cabinets, Sims has another trick: “Try a peel-and-stick wallpaper on the back of cabinets with glass doors.”

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This peel-and-stick wallpaper looks so much like the tile backsplash above, we had to include it. Anyone else doing a double-take? Buy it: Goncalves Mermaid Fish Scale Wave Peel and Stick Wallpaper Roll, $84, wayfair.com.

Roll out the red (or purple) carpet

An often-overlooked way to introduce color into any room is adding it to the floor. Sims ordered several vintage rugs for the homeowner to try out. (Buying a few—keep those return receipts!—lets you see each one in the space and decide what you like best.) Ultimately, Sims says, “She had a sweet spot in her heart for this purple and green combination.” Look for flat-weave rugs, or indoor-outdoor versions, both of which are easier to clean than something with a higher pile. And opt for a rug with a pattern to help hide stains. If the rest of your room is pretty neutral, add some other accents, so not all of the color is on the floor.

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Wayfair

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This rug has a similar look to the vintage one pictured, and is a serious bargain. Buy it: Mistana Indira Violet/Fuchsia Rug, $44 and up, wayfair.com

Swap out your hardware

New knobs can give your kitchen a totally different look in the hour it takes to install them, notes Sims. (As can adding hardware to bare cabinets.) She chose copper drawer pulls for this kitchen, inspired by a copper clock the homeowner already had. But there are endless colorful options out there, from glass and ceramic to leather-covered.

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Etsy

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You can find inexpensive copper drawer pulls all over the internet, so we’re stepping this pick up a notch and advocating for color, brass and leather with these beauties. Buy it: $11 and up, Brass with Leather Drawer Pulls by HookedPullMeKnob, etsy.com

Accessorize

Color shy? Adding small accents all in one shade—so it looks considered—is a great way to dip your toes into the trend, says Sims. Here, a Dutch oven, canisters and various plants all speak to the homeowner’s love of green. The more you experiment with color, the more confident you will become with your own tastes. “Most of my advice,” says Sims, “is ‘just go for it!’”

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West Elm

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Wood accents work with all colors. The exact stools Sims used for the homeowner’s kitchen island can soon be sitting pretty around yours. Buy it: $199, Alden Wood Counter Stool, westelm.com