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5 Kitchen Paint Color Trends That Will Be Everywhere in 2025, According to the Experts
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE Decor editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.You dont need a therapist, they said, you need a newly painted kitchen. And you, in your post-pandemic flight of fancy, hopped on that trend bandwagon with hasty zest, giving your kitchen a Barbie pink-on-pink-on-pink color wash that would make Greta Gerwig proud. But now, a year in, youve had to live in this pink hellscape and youre slowly descending into madness. Thats why designers in 2025 are rethinking kitchens with longevity (and sanity) in mind.Its less about bold, attention-grabbing shades and more about crafting an ambience that feels calming and timeless, says ELLE DECOR A-List architect Hannes Peer, who was recently inspired by a Mark Rothko exhibition in Paris, where he saw powerful color combinations that, as he put it, felt almost eternal. The colors that feel most relevant have a sense of ease and adaptability.How does that translate to kitchens? Were seeing a more comforting but nuanced take on color, says Hannah Yeo, Benjamin Moores color marketing guru. There is still a strong interest in embracing color, but the colors that feel most relevant have a sense of ease and adaptability. Yeo calls out the brands color of the year, Cinnamon Slate, a delicate mix of heathered plum and velvety brown that is tonally ambiguous. U.K.-based designer Nicola Harding says shes seeing what she calls in-between colors everywhere across the pondand shes here for it. Is it pink or is it brown? Is it cream or is it yellow? Its not purple, its not mustard, she observes. These colors, in particular, prick my interest. They are less obviousand they drive a sense of curiosity. While muted tones and rich hues are cropping up across the design universe with impressive staying power, we arent fully ready to walk away from our love of all things retro, it seems. The interior design world has been drunk on disco fever for the past year, with the hashtag #discodecor amassing 38 million views on TikTok since fall 2024, paving the way for what Etsy trend expert Dayna Isom Johnson is calling a Chrome-mas. What does this have to do with kitchens? Pinterest mood boards are rife with kitchens doused in colors that complement this cool metallic. Shoppers are going nuts over warm neutrals like taupe, as well as rich earth tones like rust and deep olive, Isom Johnson explains. These combinations merge warmth and sophistication with a modern edge.In the same vein as the unexpected red trend, Isom Johnson is betting that well take that ethos one step further in our cooking spaces next year. There will also be a shift toward using color on unexpected surfaces, like countertops, accent walls, and even fixtures, she explains. Smaller design elementssuch as open shelving, barstools, and even tile backsplashesoffer a great way to add pops of color.Ready to talk color shop? Below, weve tapped the crme de la crme of color forecasters and interior designers for insight into what paint colors are poised to shape modern kitchens in 2025 and far beyond, from rich reds to earthy wood tones to custard yellows. Finally, you can retire your paintbrush and meet your forever kitchen.Skip SectionJump toOxblood RedStephan JulliardThis Paris pad designed by Hugo Toro is literally gleaming with a custom shade of burnt sienna from Redfield & Dattner topped with lacquer and accented with handsome brass finishes. A red kitchen doesnt have to scream with the boldness of Paolo Castellarin and Didier Bonnins color-saturated, fire-engine red universe (though we love that they went there). Instead, a more muted, sophisticated tone can transform the space into something warm, inviting, and exude a sense of understated luxury. These deeper, subdued redslike shades of crimson, burgundy, and oxbloodare on high demand in the paint world, according to Joa Studholme, Farrow & Balls color curator. We are generally looking at earth tones in the kitchen, so clay shades or deep greens that connect us with the earth and reflect the peace and tranquility of nature while adding a flourish to our homes that has an old school feel," Studholme says. Studholme predicts that the U.K.-based paint companys deep clay tone Etruscan Red will spotlight in many a kitchen next year, which Studholme says, feels luxurious and atmospheric on a central island with warm neutral Stirabout on walls and Jitney on cabinets.Plum PurpleJoshua McHughThe kitchen in this Manhattan apartment was converted into a functional showpiece, with bold marble and cabinets lacquered in Farrow & Balls sultry Preference Red.Purple is having a moment in the design world. As this years COTY announcements trickled in, it became clear that were poised for a bona fide purple fest: with Minwaxs Violet, GLIDDEN Paint by PPGs Purple Basil, Benjamin Moores Cinnamon Slate (which is really just a muddied purple), and Behrs ruby red Rumors (infused with cant-be-missed purple undertones). Its simply a matter of time before these trending colors find their way into the kitchen decor arena. With its rich, dusky hue, a muted plum purple adds depth and warmth to the kitchen, creating a space that feels both inviting and unique. Muted plum evokes a sense of luxury without being overpowering, creating an environment thats subtly bold yet calming and adds a touch of drama without overwhelming the rooms ambience. When incorporating this hue into your home, Emily Kantz, Sherwin-Williamss color marketing manager says these muted tones lend themselves well to a color drenching opportunity. I see these deeper colors being used primarily as the cabinet color and even as the corresponding wall color to give that immersive color experience that we have seen gain popularity over the past few years in color drenching, she explains. We have also seen these deeper shades paired with wallcoverings to add in a dose of pattern and personality.Earthy TonesChris MottaliniIn the kitchen of his parents California midcentury residence, designer Garrett Hunter gave it a wash in Sherwin-Williamss Van Dyke Brown.Trends are cyclical, and deep earth tones, it seems, are continually ripe for a comebackor are they simply timeless? Weve seen natural wood cabinetry and flooring take over kitchen design this past year, and people are gravitating towards authentic wood tones that bring that innate warmth into the space especially the kitchen which is the main hub of the home, says Kantz. People are moving towards colors and materials that bring comfort and that enhance natural materials such as marble, granite, and quartzite.We practically have an amen from ELLE DECOR A-list designer Christine Gachot. Chocolate brown takes the cake, she holds, adding that earthy browns are the firms It color of the year. Call it Caramel, Cinnamon, or Camelthe warmth of a tawny brown defines our Gachot Palette DNA, bringing an earthy sophistication to any space. This deep hue is both timeless and refreshingly modern, providing a grounding presence that resonates throughout the room.An earthy wood-tone kitchen brings the outside in, blending simplicity and elegance in a way that feels modern, but with a deep-rooted connection to the natural world. When using it in the kitchen, Gachot recommends highlighting this hue with a soft blush to create a delicate balance between warmth and freshness or, for a bolder statement, pair it with deep jewel tones to enhance its luxurious quality. This shade serves as a canvas for both subtle elegance and bold statements, offering versatility that feels at once familiar and refreshingly new, she adds. Deep Olive GreenTim LenzThe very 70s avocado green kitchen had its comeback moment for one hot minuteand now we're moving on. According to Farrow & Balls Studholme, that means turning the dial way down on the color wheel, with deep greens kitchens poised to be all the rage next year. We are generally looking at earth tones in the kitchen, so deep greens that connect us with the earth and reflect the peace and tranquility of nature while adding a flourish to our homes which has an old school feel, she explains, noting that Farrow & Balls classic Studio Green is a fan favorite for cabinets as of late. It reads almost as black but with some extra subtle character, feels reassuring and sophisticated, she adds. As people seek environments that promote well-being and serenity, Yeo of Benjamin Moore says designers are increasingly drawn to this sophisticated hue. Green hues have staying power with their flexibility, appearing rich, calming or refreshing, she says. These colors beautifully highlight the millwork on cabinets and trim, and instantly create a wonderfully moody kitchen, perfect for hosting.Muted YellowBjrn WallanderGreek architect Lilia Melissa gave this kitchen a paint treatment that she likens to seaweed. In 2025, yellow is poised to be a big hit in kitchens. But it wont be the yellow you think you know. A tonally ambiguous yellow could have undertones of greens, grays, and even blues. It might appear more like chartreuse or a desaturated gold. Hardings favorite rendition of this hue is what she calls custard, a brownish yellow that she has observed appear in English gardens. Nature is so clever, she creates a palette that works with our murky British skies, the designer explains. The light we have here is subtler and more gentle than other places, so we get these softer, muted tones as a result.When incorporating this into the kitchen space, Harding likes to paint joinery in this hue for contrast. To keep that tonal approach and get away from it feeling blocky, Ill break it up with different in-between shades to create soft, subtle contrasts, she explains. Rachel SilvaAssistant Digital EditorRachel Silva is the associate digital editor at ELLE DECOR, where she covers all things design, architecture, and lifestyle. She also oversees the publications feature article coverage, and is, at any moment, knee-deep in an investigation on everything from the best spa gifts to the best faux florals on the internet right now. She has more than 12 years of experience in editorial, working as a photo assignment editor at Time and acting as the president of Women in Media in NYC. She went to Columbia Journalism School, and her work has been nominated for awards from ASME, the Society of Publication Designers, and World Press Photo.
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