3 Ways to Balance a White Kitchen

Consider color, contrast and wood to keep a white space from feeling cold

White continues — and will continue — to be the overwhelmingly popular choice for kitchen cabinets. Some 42 percent of homeowners will choose white cabinets this year, according to a recent Houzz study on kitchen trends. But the choices you make in addition to the white cabinets will make the difference between having a comfortable, bright space and an icy lair reminiscent of Superman’s Fortress of Solitude. The following kitchens with white cabinets show how to introduce color, contrast and warmth.

Contemporary Kitchen by Orsi Panos Interiors
Orsi Panos Interiors

1. Accessories and Color

Designers: Orsi Panos of Orsi Panos Interiors and Louie Katsis of Olympic Kitchens
Location: Toronto

Homeowners’ request: Overhaul a combined kitchen, family area and seating area into a new kitchen with white cabinets and a dining area.

Balance: Open walnut shelf. Blue gray paint on the peninsula — “It’s just enough color so the kitchen doesn’t feel all-white,” designer Orsi Panos says. Accessories like large wood cutting boards, plants and blue-and-white dishes bring more balance.

Special features: Quartz countertops. Full-height cabinetry. Nine-foot ceiling.

Also on the team: Lyons Construction (general contractor; flooring installation)

Peninsula accent paint: Lead Grey, Benjamin Moore; cabinet paint: Simply White, Benjamin Moore; wall paint: On the Rocks, Sherwin-Williams; countertops: Calacatta Nuvo quartz, Diamante Granite and Marble; pendant lights: Union Lighting; backsplash tile: Olympia Tile; stools: Shelter Furniture; faucet: Plumbing & Parts Home Centre; runner rug: H&M Home; art: Art Interiors; flooring: hardwood, Summit International Flooring

This article was originally published at Houzz.