Give Your Tiny Kitchen a Spacious Feel With the Right Cabinet Color

Do you ever feel like your small kitchen is closing in on you? No matter how efficiently you organize your limited counter space, it still feels cramped and claustrophobic. But don't despair - with a few smart color choices, you can give your tiny kitchen a much more open, spacious look and feel.

Painting or staining your kitchen cabinets is one of the easiest and most impactful ways to transform the vibe of your petite kitchen. By choosing cabinet colors that reflect light and draw the eye upward, you can visually expand the space. Read on for our top tips on selecting cabinet hues that make your matchbox kitchen look and feel so much bigger.

Opt for Light, Bright Cabinet Colors

Light colors have a magical way of bouncing around light, making any space appear larger and airier. For maximum effect in your small kitchen, stick to soft off-whites, very pale grays, or subtle pastel tones like mint green, sky blue or buttery yellow.

White and ivory white cabinets never fail to make a compact kitchen look crisp and spacious. For a bit more character, try pale putty or greige (a blend of gray and beige). The key is keeping the palette ultra-light so it reflects light around the room.

In addition to light cabinets, be sure to keep countertops, backsplashes, floors and walls in similarly light, simple colors. This will prevent darker hues from eating up the light and cluttering the petite space.

Strategically Use Darker Cabinet Colors

While lighter cabinets open up a small kitchen, strategic pops of darker colors can also work well. Deep blue, green, gray or even black lower cabinets ground the space, while lighter uppers keep things airy.

Painting the backs of cabinets or open shelving a bold color lets you incorporate darker hues while still keeping the main cabinet faces light. This helps contents pop against the dark backdrop.

Done right, a moody color palette makes a tiny kitchen feel cozy and intimate. Just balance deeper hues with plenty of light - painted walls, light countertops, and a bright backsplash prevent heaviness.

Limit Yourself to One or Two Cabinet Colors

While kitchens of all sizes can handle eclectic color schemes, limiting your palette is key in petite spaces. Sticking to one or two cabinet colors keeps things simple and prevents a choppy, disjointed look.

Choose one main neutral cabinet color that covers most of your cabinets, like white, light gray, tan or soft blue. Then optionally bring in a second, bolder accent shade on an island or single set of cabinets.

No matter what colors you land on, keep countertops, floors, walls and other elements neutral. Too many competing colors will make your compact kitchen feel cluttered.

Embrace Bold, Dramatic Cabinet Colors

Just because your kitchen is small doesn't mean you have to play it safe with muted, boring colors. Bold, saturated hues like cobalt blue, emerald green and citrus yellow can look amazing - and make the space feel brighter and larger than neutrals.

The key to pulling off bold cabinet colors is keeping everything else simple. White or light wood countertops, plain tile or white subway backsplash, and light neutral walls allow the dramatic color to take center stage.

One bold hue has maximum impact. Choose one vibrant cabinet color, and resist adding additional loud colors in backsplashes, art or accessories.

Add Visual Interest With Two-Tone Cabinets

Two-tone kitchen cabinets are trending, but they also serve a purpose in petite kitchens. Opt for a lighter color on upper cabinets, and a darker shade on lowers. This adds depth and draws the eye upward, making the compact kitchen appear larger.

Darker lowers also help ground and stabilize the space. Lighter uppers keep things airy and bright. The contrast between upper and lower cabinets creates serious style in a small kitchen.

Use Wallpaper or Tile Backsplash

Wallpaper or tile backsplashes let you add color and interest without overwhelming a tiny kitchen. Choose a small-scale print wallpaper or mosaic tile pattern to prevent busyness.

Opt for pale or neutral wallpaper/tile and pair with bright cabinet colors. Or create contrast with bold prints and simple white or wood cabinets. Wallpaper and backsplash tiles are affordable ways to incorporate color and texture.

Add a Pop of Color With the Backsplash

Painting all your cabinets a bold color feels like a big commitment. But adding a colorful backsplash allows you to incorporate vibrant hues in a more subtle way.

Consider boldly colored glass tiles, ceramic tiles, or painted ceramic tiles. Keep your cabinets neutral to allow the backsplash to take center stage. This concentrated pop of color livens up the space.

For maximum impact, opt for an entire wall of color rather than just behind the counters. This colorful focal point enhances a neutral kitchen beautifully without overwhelming a compact floor plan.

With strategic use of color, it's totally possible to give your small kitchen a light, bright, spacious aesthetic. The key is knowing which hues reflect light, and keeping other elements simple.

So don't be afraid to embrace bold cabinet colors or high-contrast two-tones. And consider wallpaper or colorful backsplashes to inject vibrancy without dominating the petite space. Your tiny kitchen will look so much bigger when you let color work its magic.