The journal

Our Top 10 Kitchen Colour Combinations

19 June 2025 4 min read

Our kitchens have to work hard for us. We need them to be functional spaces for preparing meals, and family spaces where we relax and spend time together. They can also be where we entertain friends and family or let the kids play, and these days they often fold in the dining and living rooms too. So getting your kitchen design right really matters, and your choice of paint colour matters just as much.

Are you after a timeless, traditional shade or something more contemporary and striking? Think about how you want this multi-functional space to feel. Here are our top ten kitchen colour schemes. Move over white kitchens, it's time to add a combination of colours to your cabinets and walls; an injection of colour transforms the look and feel instantly, and if you need inspiration, you'll find plenty of ideas here. It's time to plan your dream kitchen.

Two-tone kitchen wall painted Rose Taupe No.292 above and Gentleman's Pink No.221 below a timber rail — Rose Taupe No.292 upper wall over a Gentleman's Pink No.221 lower wall in a kitchen

1. White and neutral

A white kitchen makes sense; it's a room we associate with cleanliness and hygiene, and white ticks that box, while also being a designer's trick for making a small kitchen feel larger. But a stark white kitchen can feel clinical and slightly harsh, so adding neutral tones brings warmth while keeping the simple style. Here, Mylands Hoxton Grey™, a warm mix of light grey with umber undertones, contrasts with the white wall, shelving and countertop while staying within a natural, neutral palette. White and grey is becoming a popular neutral combination.

Narrow galley kitchen with Hoxton Grey No.72 cupboards, white shelving and Whitehall No.9 walls — Left, a Hoxton Grey No.72 cupboard against Whitehall No.9 walls; right, Bond Street No.219 navy cabinetry in a kitchen

Kitchen island and cabinetry in navy Bond Street No.219 with pale pink Palmerston Pink No.243 walls — Left, a Hoxton Grey No.72 cupboard against Whitehall No.9 walls; right, Bond Street No.219 navy cabinetry in a kitchen

2. Navy blue and pastel pink

Navy is a popular choice for contemporary kitchens, especially on cabinetry; a blue island can become the focal point in a bold navy like Mylands Bond Street™ No.219. Instead of classic white, pale pink makes a soft, warm partner on the walls, livening up a largely neutral kitchen against the dark island. Confining the navy to a small area introduces bold colour without it feeling too dramatic.

3. Dark blue and white

A classic combination, dark blue and white feels clean and fresh, working well in coastal schemes and as a contemporary take on monochrome. Dark blues run from midnight to navy, cornflower to cobalt, and white brings much-needed light and contrast against the intense deep tones. Below, warm wood on the island adds texture and depth against the Mayfair Dark™ blue cabinetry and Charterhouse™ white walls, echoing natural coastal colours, think driftwood by a turbulent sea.

Coastal cottage kitchen with deep blue Mayfair Dark No.218 cabinets, Charterhouse No.4 white walls and an elm island — Mayfair Dark No.218 cabinetry and Charterhouse No.4 walls in a coastal kitchen with a wooden island

4. Olive green and off-white

Earthy and organic, olive green and off-white is a familiar, grounding combination that reinforces our reassuring connection to nature, so it pairs well with natural materials like wooden flooring and stone or marble worktops. The deep olive of Mylands Messel™ No.39 looks sophisticated and captivating, especially on wood cabinets, and metallic accessories like gold or brass handles or taps elevate it further.

Farmhouse kitchen with olive green Messel No.39 wooden cupboards, brass handles and St James No.40 walls — Left, Messel No.39 cupboards with St James No.40 walls; right, Greenstone No.190 cabinetry, Honest John No.58 walls and a Charterhouse No.4 ceiling

Sage Greenstone No.190 kitchen cabinets, Honest John No.58 walls and glazed doors open onto a garden — Left, Messel No.39 cupboards with St James No.40 walls; right, Greenstone No.190 cabinetry, Honest John No.58 walls and a Charterhouse No.4 ceiling

5. Soft green and off-white

Green kitchens are right on trend, as is biophilia, both helping restore balance and stability at home. Kitchens often lead onto the garden, so similar colours encourage that indoor-outdoor flow, and houseplants add further green, biophilic touches that bring the outside in. Pairing green with off-white echoes combinations seen in nature, on plants, flowers and blossoming trees, so look for soft, natural shades like myrtle or sage. Off-white is softer than pure white, adding comfort and wellbeing alongside light green décor and pale natural wood flooring.

6. Vibrant yellow and burgundy red

Mature cheddar and red wine; berries smothered in thick custard, there's something warming and comforting about the mellow pairing of earthy yellow and burgundy, and the key is keeping it mellow and muted. Bright primary red and yellow would look zany rather than sophisticated, while warming terracotta or burnt orange works if burgundy feels too dark. Here, mustard-toned shaker cabinets offset the deep burgundy on the alcove shelving, which would also make a good feature wall; the rich matte colours contrast yet complement, and pops of white on the tiled splashback, sink and ceiling add light and lift.

Mustard Haymarket No.47 shaker kitchen with a burgundy Huguenot No.49 shelved alcove and white tiled splashback — Left, Haymarket No.47 cabinetry and walls with Huguenot No.49 shelves; right, Freegrove Mustard cabinetry.

Tenement kitchen with Freegrove Mustard cabinets.</div srcset= — Left, Haymarket No.47 cabinetry and walls with Huguenot No.49 shelves; right, Freegrove Mustard cabinetry.

7. Golden yellow and soft pink

Is anything more cheerful than golden, sunshine yellow? It can't fail to lift the spirits and energise a room, and teamed with soft pink it makes a warm, vibrant look. The pastel pink tile splashback here, with sunny yellow walls, recalls a Mediterranean-style kitchen, and the uplifting colours on the open-shelf accessories heighten that; the warm scheme bounces natural light around for a summery feel all year.

Sunny Mediterranean kitchen with golden yellow Pimlico No.136 walls, pink tiled splashback and open shelves — Left, Pimlico No.136 walls with a pale pink tiled splashback; right, Palmerston Pink No.243 walls and a cupboard in New Lime No.149 and Clerkenwell No.21

Pastel Palmerston Pink No.243 kitchen wall with a white Clerkenwell No.21 dresser edged in lime green New Lime No.149 — Left, Pimlico No.136 walls with a pale pink tiled splashback; right, Palmerston Pink No.243 walls and a cupboard in New Lime No.149 and Clerkenwell No.21

8. Pastel pink and zesty green

Green and pink make a really fresh combination, the soft pink complementing and enhancing the zesty lime; the vibrant green adds a burst of colour and energy, ideal as a contrast against the more neutral pastel pink, which is itself a friendly, welcoming colour, perfect where you spend time with loved ones. Below, Mylands New Lime™ No.149 on the cabinetry, outlining the white cabinet in yellow-green, is an effective way to update and upcycle the piece, a relatively simple project.

9. Black and white monochrome

If you love timeless, minimalist décor, monochrome is for you, a classic two-colour combination perfect for a modern kitchen. Sleek matte black cabinets are very now; finished with a gold or brass handle or a stainless-steel splashback, they're the height of sophistication, but they need a light contrast to keep the room from feeling oppressive, which is where white walls, ceilings or countertops come in. Black and white work like yin and yang, complementary forces that balance each other.

Mews kitchen with matte black Blackout No.41 cabinets, brass pulls and Maugham White No.2 walls — Left, Maugham White No.2 walls with matte black cabinets; right, Alderman No.60 walls with white cabinetry in a monochrome kitchen

Converted schoolhouse kitchen with dark Alderman No.60 walls, Pure White No.1 cabinets and a marble worktop — Left, Maugham White No.2 walls with matte black cabinets; right, Alderman No.60 walls with white cabinetry in a monochrome kitchen

10. Soft white and floral pink

Pink may not be the first colour you'd think of for a kitchen, but it offers welcome relief in an otherwise white one; pretty pink is a subtle way to lift a white kitchen with refined sophistication, and where light blue would feel cold against white, light pink adds warmth. Think of pale pink as a new neutral, gentle, serene and calming. On the matte wall here, Mylands Kensington Rose™ No.22 brings a pretty elegance, softness against sleek marble counters and a subtle contrast to the Holland Park™ No.5 white walls.

Pale pink Kensington Rose No.22 kitchen walls with Holland Park No.5 white woodwork and marble counters — Kensington Rose No.22 matt walls with Holland Park No.5 woodwork and marble counters in a kitchen

When planning your kitchen scheme, think about how you use the room and how you want it to feel, whether you crave a traditional shaker kitchen in natural tones, a vibrant Mediterranean look or a super-modern space. Why not try our colours before committing? Consult our colour cards or order a sample pot. Discover more kitchen ideas and trends, or shop our extensive range of quality paints.