9 paint colors that instantly make a small kitchen look bigger

Pro tip: Take a cue from your cabinets.

It can be a little too easy for a small kitchen to feel cramped and cluttered—so you need smart design and a lot of clever storage to help it feel more expansive than it is. And choosing the right paint color for a small kitchen can play a role in helping it feel more spacious.

But architectural color consultant Amy Krane suggests that you also keep in mind what you love when you're choosing a paint color. "It’s better to accept the spatial limitations of a space and make a beautiful and interesting space—so if you have your heart set on olive green cabinets or navy walls, I say go for it," Krane says. "No color can literally make a tiny room look big—you have to have realistic expectations about how much you can use color to change the impression of a room."

Meet Our Expert

• Amy Krane, architectural color consultant at Amy Krane Color and host of the design podcast Let’s Talk Paint Color

Tips for Choosing a Paint Color for a Small Kitchen

Before you choose paint colors for your kitchen—or for any room, for that matter—you need to consider the space, how it's used, and the look you're hoping to achieve.

Look at all the other colors in the room

"A factor in any room—but especially a kitchen—is how many different colors are used overall, including the finishes," Krane says. "Don't just consider the materiality of a finish, be it wood, metal, or stone," Krane says. "Consider that color in the scheme, because it counts! Natural wood is brown, honey, tan. Stainless steel is gray. Brass is gold. Marble is white plus other colors in its veining. It all has to play nicely together, adding to the harmony of the room."

To make the room feel more spacious, it may be wise to choose a color that fits with the fixture colors—so a darker painted wall with a darker cabinet. "The more uniform the coloration is in the room, the less chopped up the room appears and this uniformity leads to a bigger and more open feeling." If you choose a lot of things that highly contrast with each other—like light cabinets with a dark paint color—you'll make the room feel more dramatic and potentially smaller.

Head for the lighter, cooler end of the spectrum

Lighter and cooler shades tend to make a room feel more open and slightly larger, Krane says. "Greens, blues, and violets make the walls in any room seem like they recede a bit, and lighter colors make rooms seem more expansive and open."

Consider the light available in the room

If you have a sunnier kitchen with lots of windows, choosing darker and more dramatic colors may not be as big an issue in creating a more spacious room. "How much natural light the room has, the shape of the room, and the ceiling height also affect how large the room can feel, even if its square footage is limited," Krane says.

Top Paint Colors for Small Kitchens

Krane leans heavily toward soft neutrals in shades of cream, green, and blue for kitchens, with a few bolder hues for light-filled spaces or cabinetry.

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Pointing by Farrow & Ball

This creamy white shade is one of Krane's favorites for a small kitchen, especially when paired with light, warm gray cabinetry. Skimming Stone, another paint color by Farrow & Ball, makes a great complementary cabinetry hue.

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Misted Green by Benjamin Moore

A pale green-gray, like this soft green from Benjamin Moore, will work for walls or cabinets to soften your color palette.

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Blue Note by Benjamin Moore

You don't have to miss out on bold colors if you have a small kitchen. This deep blue with a hint of gray, from Benjamin Moore, looks especially beautiful on kitchen cabinets.

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Pigeon by Farrow & Ball

Another soothing, sage hue that works beautifully in small kitchens is Farrow & Ball's Pigeon. You can use this shade on either the cabinets or the walls.

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Cheviot by Sherwin-Williams

If you want a softer, creamy shade, Sherwin-Williams' Cheviot shade can help brighten up a small, dark kitchen, and it contrasts beautifully with darker wood cabinets.

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Green Stone by Little Greene

This slightly muted green has a range of shades associated with it, so you can go darker on the cabinets and lighter on the walls—or vice versa.

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White Sesame by Sherwin-Williams

This ivory shade is a pretty neutral that'll work beautifully with stone countertops and light-colored cabinets—or as a paint for the cabinets themselves.

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Chimichurri by Benjamin Moore

Green and other natural hues have become a hot trend in home design—and if you're looking for a more saturated color for your kitchen, Benjamin Moore's Chimichurri might be up your alley. Krane suggests it for cabinets in particular—but it could make a bold choice for the walls as well.

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Van Deusen Blue by Benjamin Moore

If you want a mid-range blue that's beautiful for a kitchen, Krane recommends this color—especially for painted cabinetry.

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