When you think colour, you are often left thinking of bright reds, yellows and blues, but there is so much more to colour than many realise. Even the texture and finish of a colour will affect how you look at it. When it comes to kitchens, going for a matte finish on any colour gives an elegant, on-trend look, as well as a low maintenance one. Let’s take a look at some of this year's hottest colour trends in kitchen design.

You have probably read that black kitchens are this year’s biggest trend and while black is technically not a colour; there are many things you can do with black. Firstly, it goes with just about every other colour and material you can imagine, leaving design options infinite.

Some of the most timeless combinations with black would have to be incorporating natural products. An all black kitchen with a rustic wood wall or black cabinets with a marble benchtop and splashback are elegant, practical and timeless. If bold is what you seek, then pick a colour. Black makes any bright colour pop in contrast. You could take advantage of incorporating this seasons Pantone colour of the year, “living coral”, or go wild and bring in some yellow.

Think about the colours around your house and what you are trying to achieve, be careful to not bring in too many colours and turn your house into a circus or overdo the black and create a dark hole. Remember lighting is important to consider in this regard. 

Another colour we see making a big appearance this year is forest green. Its beautiful, natural tones bring an earthy feel to the kitchen while still being dark enough to keep it elegant. Forest greens pair beautifully with walnut wood benches or any natural wood finishes. This could be from a bespoke wood larder, feature wall or splashback. To really tie the kitchen in with this colour, try brass doorknobs, lighting features or splashbacks. The natural brassy finish works beautifully with forest green while giving your kitchen that extra bit of pop.

A deep khaki green in the kitchen pictured below was paired beautifully with a natural limestone benchtop. The green cabinetry really accentuates and compliments the greenish veins through the stone slab creating an ultra modern & earthy colour combination.

Beautiful blue in its darker shades are also dominating the scenes and being a base colour, gives you many colour options to work in with it. You can incorporate corals and yellows to give it a bright fun feel or for a more elegant look, white or light blue. Dark blue and white is a stunning combination and brings all time elegance to the kitchen and not as stark contrast as you get with black and white. It pairs beautifully with marble bench tops and splashbacks as well as light tiled floors.

The coloured appliances we see in this year’s trend reflect the darker kitchens. They bring some pops of colour, with toasters in any colour you can imagine all the way to fridges. When choosing a coloured appliance, think about how you will feel looking at it in 10 years time. A yellow toaster is great, a small splash of colour than can easily be replaced, but what about an oven or stovetop? Some things just don’t work with bright colours, they can quickly look dated and are very expensive to replace.

White on white was another kitchen colour trend that has been prominent for many years, it’s timeless, bright and fresh. But the problem with white is just that, it’s white. It lacks a certain charm to it. Yes it’s practical, but it’s also a bit boring. If white is something you have your heart set on, think about incorporating painted white bricks, white washed wood or creative tiles.

You can also look at marble and other white stone finishes to bring in some textures. White can feel cold and stark if you aren’t careful, but with clever use of complementary materials such as timber flooring, feature cabinets, wall artworks and colourful or textural home decoratives, you can offset the plain white look.

Along with white, we see less use of grey. This is another cold colour and is nice to avoid if wanting to create a welcoming multipurpose space. Although grey is a light neutral tone, it can easily become flat and lifeless if not carefully balanced against other colours and materials.

Although not exactly a colour, metals have been making a big appearance in kitchen designs this year, especially bronze. Its soft, warm tones add a unique touch and work beautifully with the other natural colours we see. It’s a great way to make your faucets and cabinets really become a feature. It’s also a great finish for your lighting.