Whether calming, vitalizing, or appetizing, the kitchen wall color greatly influences the spatial effect and well-being. Because white is associated with purity and hygiene, it often plays the leading role in the kitchen. If you like it more lively, you can give the center of family life a completely new look with just a little wall color. We reveal the best tips and tricks and present the most beautiful ideas for using wall colors in the kitchen. Let us inspire you!

Photo: living4media/Hausmann, José-Luis; Little Greene; Ikea
Color Psychology: Which Wall Color Suits the Kitchen?
As in all other rooms, you can use the effect of wall colors on the feeling of space in the kitchen. In doing so, each shade can do something different for the room, but they all contribute to creating a warm and inviting space. Often, just painting a single wall with a subtle color is enough to improve the atmosphere in the kitchen. Of course, this also comes down to personal taste, but it helps when choosing if you know how different colors affect mood, disposition, or even appetite.
For example, red, orange, and yellow are appetizing, vitalizing colors that immerse the kitchen in a warm, cheerful, cozy atmosphere. Gray, blue, and violet, on the other hand, are said to have an appetite-suppressing effect. In the room, they look cool and less inviting.
Commonly Used Wall Colors and Their Effect
- Signal color red. In color theory, red represents energy, love, sensuality, fire, vitality, and activity. This wall color is always expressive and best suited for setting eye-catching accents in the kitchen. Since it is very stimulating, it should be used sparingly and preferably only on one wall. In the kitchen and dining room, it invigorates the appetite and releases energy.
- Cheerful yellow. Like a ray of sunshine, yellow as a wall color can instantly brighten the kitchen. It has an energizing, cheerful, stimulating, and radiant effect. The calming effect of a yellow environment positively affects the mind, calms, even makes you happy and increases appetite. Because of its spatially expansive appearance, yellow suits small kitchens with little natural light.
- Neutral green. Even Goethe knew, “Green is the color of balance, in which the eye finds peace.” These colors are soothing and revitalizing, and it is suitable for all rooms where you want things to be relaxed. Green is perceived as neither warm nor cold, and because it is so close to nature, as a wall color, it gives a lot of freshness and positive energy that invites you to linger.
- Blue wonders. The color of the sky and water brings calm to a room, relaxes the mind, and provides balance. Especially light shades create a clear, fresh, and clean look as wall colors in the kitchen, making it seem airier and wider. However, blue is also suspected of inhibiting appetite and is only conditionally suitable for kitchens with an integrated dining area.
- Black is back. Black walls convince with a deep color image and are perfect for setting a strong accent. The kitchen dipped in elegant black, is tremendously modern and looks like a cozy cave. Especially white kitchen cabinets make the contrasting color shine.
- Gentle natural tones. Cream, sand, or beige walls are warmer than white but delicate and restrained. In the kitchen, they look very harmonious with white furnishings and radiate a warm, homely, and comfortable atmosphere. Due to their relaxed aura, they increase the feeling of security and are ideally suited for an inviting eat-in kitchen.
- Delicate pastel shades. Do you just want a touch of color? Then pastel colors are the right choice. The nuances tinted with a lot of white are more discreet in their effect and attract less attention when designing the kitchen walls. With them, the kitchen looks gently dipped in color but not too flashy, loud, or colorful. Rather, they exude freshness and lightness.
What Kind of Wall Paints Are Suitable for the Kitchen?
For the wall paint in the kitchen to stay beautiful for a long time when buying, it is important to consider that, similar to the bathroom; it will be more exposed to condensation and fumes from cooking. Therefore, not all paints are suitable for use in the kitchen. We have compiled a list of possible wall paints:
Washable latex paints are a perfect choice for kitchen walls, as they are particularly hard-wearing, resistant, and easy to clean. Best of all, water simply beads up on the surface painted with washable wall paint, and contaminants can be easily washed off with a cloth or sponge. So a wall treated with latex paint is also a good alternative to tiles.
High-covering emulsion paints are the most common wall paints made of water, color pigments, and binder. They can be mixed into almost any conceivable shade and convince with the highest opacity. Provided with the “Blue Angel” seal of approval, they are environmentally friendly and harmless to health.
Ecological wall paints, such as clay or lime paints made from certified clay minerals, are a sustainable alternative to conventional emulsion paints. They are free of artificial binders and preservatives and ideally suited for allergy sufferers. The breathable, moisture-regulating paint creates a delightful room climate and binds food odors in the kitchen. However, they should not be applied near the sink or stove, as they are only waterproof to a limited extent.
Which Wall Color Suits Which Style?
Country kitchen | Predominantly earthy and neutral nuances such as beige, cream, sand, terracotta, or green create a homely and homely and cozy ambiance. |
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Vintage kitchen in retro style
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Brown and natural tones or gaudy nuances like red and turquoise. Soft pastel colors fit perfectly with the 50s and Mid Century styles. |
Modern designer kitchen | All white or with details in a color palette from cool gray to dramatic black accentuate the minimalist, uncluttered look. |
Mediterranean kitchen | Terracotta, natural tones, and olive green or the classic A combination of blue and white is preferred here. |
Classic kitchen | A lot of white, but also various shades of gray and beige tones underline the clear design language. |
Romantic playful kitchen | Red, rosé and lilac give it a feminine touch. |
