Kitchen colour ideas

Painted Kitchen Ideas

With more households looking for a bespoke look, painted kitchen ideas have become increasingly popular as it offers fun ways to personalise a scheme by simply painting fronts in any colour of choice. From budget-friendly tips to advice on styling the latest shades, these painted kitchen designs will get your creative juices flowing to capture an individual aesthetic in your home.

1. Try jewel tones

From emerald green to sapphire blue, look to gemstone hues for a luxurious painted kitchen idea. Vibrant and radiant, these shades will elevate a simple design by adding depth and visual interest. Pair these rich tones with matt door-fronts, as found with our Chelford cupboards, which have a smooth, uninterrupted surface that lets bright colours stand out.

See chelford paintable

Modern grey shaker kitchen with black worktops, black handles, undermount sink, built-in oven and integrated fridge freezer.

2. Amp up organic character

Pastoral designs have always been a firm favourite, and with the renewed interest in natural materials, they are right on trend. A dark hue, like slate grey, introduces a contemporary and dramatic edge. Use this tone on our paintable Chilcomb cupboards, which have a grained finish for that authentic, organic appeal.

See Chilcomb kitchens

Blue painted kitchen idea using shaker cupboard doors. Includes a Belfast sink and a silver American fridge.

3. Be a trendsetter

Mix contemporary style into your paintable design by using handleless cupboards, like @ultimatefinishalnwick. This will add a modern update and create an on-trend, handle-free look that reduces visual clutter, keeping all eyes on the colour of your units. With no fiddly fixtures to clean around, this idea is also low-maintenance – great for busy households on the go.

See handleless kitchen cabinets buying guide

Black painted kitchen idea with shaker cupboards, pale oak floors, and white worktops.

4. Bring in black

If, like @2abivh, you want to commit to a carbon interior, then paintable fronts are a great choice. These will give you the freedom to choose an intense hue that truly captures the essence of dark decors. Choose a paintable front with a deep tone, like navy or slate-grey, as this means you will require fewer coats of paint to get an eye-catching finish.

See paintable kitchens

Pebble grey shaker kitchen with inset units incorporating a double oven. Kitchen island with cabinet storage.

5. Renewed neutrals

Make it easy to update a paintable design over time by sticking to neutral tones. This ensures your scheme stays stylish for longer and allows you to experiment with other low-cost features to create a fun look. Unlike darker hues, which require lots of sanding, paler shades can be easily painted in the latest colours, making them a hassle-free way of ensuring your layout always looks on-point.

See white kitchens

Personalise a design with any shade of choice using these Chilcomb paintable doors, which are 20mm thick for a premium feel.

6. Select sunshine shades

If you want the feeling of summer all year round, then go for a cheery shade, like yellow, for your paintable units. This hue will create a bright and warm feel that will have a pick-me-up effect even on the gloomiest of days. Yellow and other citrus tones are also known to get those creative juices flowing – great for adventurous cooks or budding chefs.

See yellow kitchens

Heritage cream kitchen idea with shaker doors and chrome knob handles in an island layout. Includes green wall panelling.

7. Paint your panelling

For a fast and less expensive way to refresh your space, opt for paintable wall panels. As well as adding extra decorative details to a room for a characterful feel, they can easily be customised with your favourite hue or used to add on-trend tones, such as green, to keep your design looking stylish with minimal effort.

See wall panelling

Dark red paintable kitchen idea with white quartz worktops, silver cup handles, silver tap and glass fronted wall cabinets.

8. Reach for red

Take the plunge with the pigment of passion by choosing red for your painted design. This colour is renowned for its motivational qualities, which can be great when completing household chores. Make your mark with merlot shades, which have a dark hue for a striking effect. For a handcrafted approach, opt for rusty tones to mimic the look of sun-baked earth.

See red kitchens

9. Pare back to pink

For a fun and flirty take on a painted kitchen idea, choose pink for your cupboard fronts. From soft blush shades to eye-catching fuchsia hues, this colour is surprisingly versatile and will introduce a warm and luxurious feel to a space. Try out a pared-back, powder tone on an island to create a delicate-looking centrepiece for dining or casual catch-ups.

See pink kitchens

10. Pick two hues

Paintable designs offer many ways to get creative and express your sense of style. See how @littlebigbell has added her love of pastel hues to her cooking space by creating a two-tone scheme. She chose our Chilcomb door-fronts, which are made of solid timber and have a five-piece construction, to ground her layout with classic style and ensure it will look good for years to come.

See chilcomb paintable

11. Opt for undermount

Keep your paintable palette in the spotlight by choosing discreet features that reduce visual clutter. Go for an undermount sink-bowl, like @pingcoombes, as it can be fitted beneath or in line with the work surface to create a sleek look. Thanks to its fitting style and frameless design, it also has the added benefit of increasing counter space – great for compact layouts.

See undermount kitchen sinks

12. Surface white

When you go paintable, it is important to choose other features that will complement your units, whatever the colour. White surfaces have a neutral tone and a timeless appeal that will make your design appear stylish for many years. This hue also has a crisp look that will make statement shades pop, ensuring your cabinetry remains the focus of the design.

See white worktops

13. Single out your design

Make a big impact in a compact space by switching to painted cabinetry. @dustsheets_and_decor has chosen a soft, smoke green shade to punctuate her single-wall kitchen design, so it stands out against the neutral background. This small painted kitchen idea is also a great way to define zones in open-plan areas, which makes navigating a larger room easier.

See single wall kitchens

14. Go for glass

A great way to prevent a paintable layout from looking too overwhelming is to break up large banks of colour with glass fronts. These will let light flow through for an open and airy feel and will also introduce a different texture to create visual variation. Position glazed cupboards on top of drawer units to create a modern dresser feature for an authentic old-world look.

See glass kitchen doors

15. Flexible and freestanding

Painted door-fronts are often selected for their long-stay benefits, as they can be repainted and sanded over time to match changing trends. To enhance the longevity of your design, choose freestanding devices, like cookers. These will make it easy to switch up devices later down the line when new tech or styles emerge, without creating messy work for you or your trade professional.

See cookers