Want to Repaint Your Kitchen? Here's How to Choose the Best Color for Your Space

Painting your kitchen can be as daunting as it is exciting-especially when there's a whole world of colors to choose from. From bold hues to subtle neutrals, selecting the right shade of paint for your walls is essential in establishing the tone and atmosphere of any room. And since this is a space where you'll come together and make delicious meals with family and friends, giving your kitchen the right look and feel is so important.

A coat of paint can transform a room from outdated to cutting-edge, from dark and intimate, to bright and welcoming. While choosing a can of paint might feel overwhelming, it doesn't have to be. Here, we're sharing tried-and-true advice to help you select the right the paint color for your kitchen. One important tip? Start by selecting a paint palette for this the space that speaks to how you most often use it. For example, if you're an avid entertainer and an adventurous cook you might opt for more exciting colors that spur creativity and bring lively energy to the room; if you're looking to create a calming environment for family meals, you might prefer cool tones.

And while it's important to think about how you most often use the kitchen, it's also essential that you consider whether or not the shade you select will flow with other rooms in the home. Before making your final decision, look at your preferred hue against the walls in the rooms directly adjacent to it—while they certainly don't need to match, they should feel complementary.

Whether you're looking to spice up your space or keep things calm, cool, and Sunday-brunch serene (take this soothing nook by Michelle Gage Interior Design, for example), here's what you need to know about picking your kitchen paint colors—plus, one prep step to never forget.

Nod to Nature

A great color inspiration? Mother Nature. If you're puzzled over what colors go together best, take a gander at the great outdoors. For example, the blues, greens, sandy whites, and driftwood grays of the seashore naturally work together.

White Out

When in doubt, opt for white. "White is classic," says New York City-based interior designer Alyssa Kapito. "You'll never ever get tired of it and it'll always feel the cleanest, even when you have dirty dishes in the sink!" A helpful hint: Choose a shade that's just off-white, as pure white may be too harsh. "Something with a touch of beige will appear white but have so much more warmth."

• The Incredible Decorating Power of White Paint

Sync Up Your Style

While some color rules may tell you to always avoid or opt for certain hues in the kitchen, you should really pay more attention to your vision for the space and how you intend to use it. If you plan to use your kitchen largely for casual family dinners, a neutral paint color will help you relax; if you like to try lots of new recipes, a bright, energizing color might inspire more creativity.

Follow a Flow

Another factor to consider when selecting your kitchen color is any adjacent rooms. While your kitchen's paint choice doesn't have to match the rest of the house, it should feel coordinated and cohesive. If you really want to go with something different in this space but want the kitchen to feel coordinated, you can build cohesiveness by painting or staining a room's trim to match cabinets.

Dare to Go Dark

If darker hues are your color of choice, Kapito suggests going all the way. "With dark colors, I like to really commit and go very dark-almost black. You'll want to focus on the undertones though."

Let There Be Light

If your kitchen has windows, you'll also want to consider how natural or artificial light may impact the colors. Test a paint sample of your desired color(s) on pieces of foam core or poster board to help isolate the color, then move it around the kitchen throughout the day so you can see how the changing light impacts how the hue reads.

Cabinet Care

If you're deciding to paint your cabinets, be sure to thoroughly clean them first; this will result in a more even, polished finish, as even extremely high quality primers and paints won't adhere to grease-coated cabinets.

• How to Clean Your Cabinets

Finish Strong

Keep your kitchen's new coat looking fresh for years to come by picking the appropriate finish. For higher-traffic rooms like the kitchen, where spills and splatters are frequent, experts typically agree that a higher gloss finish, like satin or semi-gloss, is the best choice; these tend to be more durable, easier to clean, and will generally resist buildup of mildew, stains, and dirt.

Find Color Clues

If you're not sure what shade will stand out best, consider the color palettes that are already in place in your kitchen—countertops and backsplashes are great places to start.