Remodeling your kitchen is an exciting project that can breathe new life into your home. However, without a careful color selection, you could end up with a kitchen that looks too busy or is filled with mismatched pieces. To create a seamless, beautiful kitchen that is easy to update when you need a change, begin by matching the biggest focal points of your kitchen. Countertops, cabinets, and floors are the main elements of any kitchen. Choosing the colors for these items will determine the overall appearance of your finished kitchen.

Matching your kitchen countertops, cabinets, and floors can seem intimidating at first, but if you take the right steps it can be fun and easy. Your kitchen color scheme can be contrasting or complementary as long as you choose colors that pair tastefully. Take these steps to find the perfect countertop, cabinet, and flooring combination.

1. Choose a Color Trio

Your kitchen’s color scheme should mainly consist of three colors. These colors should be chosen to complement or contrast with each other for visual appeal. Often, modern kitchens have stark contrasts, while traditional kitchens have more neutral colors with softer contrasts. There are a few different ways to pick your kitchen color combination.

Choose a main color and then pick two complementary accent colors.
Choose two contrasting colors, then add a complementary color to bring the two together.
Choose two complementary colors and add a contrasting color as an accent.

If you have difficulty choosing colors for your kitchen, try using a color wheel to find colors that complement or contrast with each other. Additional ways to choose kitchen color schemes include visiting showrooms and browsing catalogs for ideas. Granite patterns with complementary or contrasting color patterns can provide a natural palette for your kitchen’s color scheme.

2. Begin with Countertops

While the cabinets and floor typically take up the most space, your countertops and backsplash will likely be the main focal points in your kitchen. Picking the countertop first will provide a starting point to build your kitchen around. Choose a countertop in one of your primary colors. Many materials used for countertops, like granite and quartz, contain patterns with accent colors that can be used in other areas in your kitchen. If you’re having difficulty choosing colors, your countertop pattern can help you make the final decision for the other colors to be used in your kitchen.

3. Match Cabinets with Your Countertops and Backsplash

Kitchen cabinet and countertop combinations can be designed to complement or contrast with one another. For example, a modern kitchen with a bright white color scheme might have white cabinets with countertops that are mostly white as well. Conversely, warmer white cabinets in a traditional kitchen might be paired with a beige toned granite that includes darker patterns that naturally work as an accent color for other areas in your kitchen. White or golden wood shades create an attractive contrast when paired with black countertops.

4. Consider Your Island Choices

Your island cabinets and countertop provide you with the opportunity to pull the room together or create a contrasting focal point. You may choose to match your island exactly to the rest of the room with identical cabinets and countertops. Another popular choice is to create a contrasting focal point with your kitchen’s island. This could mean choosing a different shade within your kitchen color scheme for the island cabinets and countertop. For a balance between the two choices, consider using matching cabinets with a contrasting countertop for a dazzling focal point that still provides cohesion.

5. Choose a Floor Color

To match your floor with the other elements in your kitchen, you’ll need to investigate the colors you’ve already chosen. Generally, there are two common ways to choose a floor that complements your cabinets and countertops.

Coordinate the floor color with cabinets and countertops so the floor acts as a secondary color. This choice may mean your wood floors closely match the color of your cabinets or match the dominant shade in your countertops.
Choose a contrasting accent color to use for your floor color. If your cabinets and countertops already provide a close match, you may choose an accent color to make the floor a bold contrast.

No matter how you pair your floor color with that of your cabinets and counters, it isn’t necessary to have a perfect color match. Similar shades that complement each other provide an attractive appearance for any kitchen.

6. Determine the Job of Your Trim

Deciding which of your kitchen elements should match your trim depends on what you want to accomplish with the color. It’s a common choice to match trim with cabinets, but it’s not a decision that should be set in stone. For instance, trim stained to match stained woodwork can create a cohesive look. If you choose to match trim to the surrounding walls or cabinets, the uniform color can make the room feel larger.

7. Accessorize

The main elements of your kitchen are those that change little over time. After creating a uniform palette with your cabinet, countertop, and flooring combination, you can further personalize your kitchen with accessories. Your accessories provide you with colors and styles that you can change when you want. Accessories allow you to add bright or unexpected pops of color to your kitchen. The colors you choose for your accessories can add warmth to your kitchen or create a theme. For instance, reds and yellows create warmth while blues and greens can be used to accent a coastal kitchen. Your accessories can be functional like your favorite small appliances or decor that adds focal points to walls, shelves, and counters.

Coordinating your kitchen countertops, cabinets, and floors is a great way to create a stylish kitchen that will stay classically beautiful for years to come. If you’re planning a kitchen renovation, it’s a great idea to visit a showroom to see the colors you love in action. Explore our Arch City Granite & Marble gallery to view a variety of countertops that will bring new life to any kitchen.