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The most dramatic way to change a room is to paint it but what if you can’t or don’t want to?
Thankfully, there are several ways you can add color to your kitchen without ever touching a can of paint. Check out the following list to get some ideas on how you can bring your kitchen decor to life with a few simple additions to your kitchen.
Simple Ways to Add Color to Your Kitchen
1. Blinds or Curtains
Adding colorful blinds or curtains can add a bit of flair to a kitchen in more ways than one. Depending on window position, natural light can create a hue of the color you choose throughout the entire room.
If you have a small kitchen you can also hang a curtain as an alternative to a door into the pantry or laundry room.
If you are looking for a natural option, try avoiding synthetic materials like polyester which is one of the worst fabrics you can use. Instead, choose natural fibers like cotton, linen made from flax, hemp, wool, or cashmere.
2. Ceramic Jars & Bowls
Ceramic jars and bowls are a great way to add a bit of color to your kitchen. Place them on the counter for convenient storage of bulk items like flour or place a ball on the counter to display fresh fruit.
If you are looking for a non-toxic ceramic option, check out this bowl from Emerson Creek Pottery. Emerson’s prides themselves on having lead-free and cadmium-free pottery both of which often line the inside of ceramic items.
You don’t see mats or rugs in the kitchen often but I love them. They’re easy to clean, keep my feet from freezing, and can add color and life to a kitchen.
The best rug options I have found are from Hook and Loom and Fab Habitat. I love their selections and the clean up for both of them are great. They’re also made from recycled, non-toxic material.
4. Open Cabinets or Floating Shelves
Floating shelves and open cabinets are “in” right now which is perfect for this kind of project. Floating shelves are simple and cheap to hang and opening your cabinets is as simple as removing the doors and filling in the holes. If you are renting and not sure of the color of your cabinet your landlord should have the information you need.
Then find your favorite color dishes and stack them for a nice splash of color in your kitchen. Check out this article at The Spruce on the differences between the most common types of dishware and their benefits.
5. Wallpaper Your Cabinets
Wallpapering the inside of your cabinets is an easy way to add a bit of surprise color to your kitchen. Open the cabinets and get a little pop of color. This works well if you choose to do open cabinets but make sure if you do both open cabinets and colored dishes the colors compliment each other.
Check out this article on where you can find the best eco-friendly wallpaper for your cabinets
6. Colorful Appliances
Most appliances come in black and white but we’ve all seen different colored options- red, blue, rainbow with stars. Not the last one but you get my point).
Whenever you find yourself needing a new appliance, keep your color scheme in mind. Choose the appliance in a color which will compliment your kitchen and brighten things up a bit. All the appliances here come in different colors. It’s something you have to buy anyway- you might as well enjoy looking at them.
To keep appliances as healthy as possible, look for stainless steel or BPA-free plastic when possible.
7. Art
Art in the kitchen can instantly liven things up. You can browse through the art or picture sections of everyday stores like Walmart or Target to get ideas. But, your best bet for finding art at a good price is to check out local garage sales and online sales pages like Craigslist, Let Go, and Facebook Marketplace.
One of my favorite things to do is find a picture I like and then have it printed on canvas. You can then keep a picture with you to ensure you to help you pick other items with the same color tones to help you decorate.