White color is considered universal in the design of any room: it looks rich, visually expands the room and is combined with all colors. In this article you will familiarize yourself with the pros and cons of a white kitchen, and also learn the features of the interior design of such a kitchen in different style decisions.
Advantages and disadvantages
To make a complete and objective picture of the benefits of a white kitchen in the interior of any apartment, one should soberly evaluate all the pros and cons of such a decision. The following pros and cons will relate to a fully white kitchen with rare color or interior additions.
Let's consider some indisputable advantages.
- Imaginary soiled. Today, a negative stereotype has been assigned to white, which claims to be soiled in color, which scares most young hosts. Experienced owners and designers, on the contrary, consider white to be a much less easily soiled color than black, blue or wenge. For example, water stains, dust, plaque or ordinary water droplets are not so noticeable on white furniture, as on dark.
- Spaciousness. The white color performs a particularly pleasant function in relatively small or small rooms. All experienced owners and designers know that white is able to visually enlarge a room, make it more spacious and lighter. That is why all small kitchens are advised to perform, if not in white, then in light shades.
- Ease. White color not only visually expands the room, but also gives it lightness.So, furniture, household appliances and headsets in white seem not so bulky and lighter.
- Lightening. The main plus of white is the natural and natural lightening of any room. This is especially advantageous for rooms that are not on the sunny side or are fenced with balconies and loggias. Moreover, satin and glossy surfaces are able to qualitatively reflect sunlight, giving the whole kitchen a bright, light and sophisticated look.
- Compatibility. White color refers to neutral colors, and therefore, unlike contrasting shades, it can look great with absolutely all colors. White color is so universal that it can be successfully applied in absolutely any style decisions.
- Gentrification. The snow-white kitchen will give more expensive and rich colors more natural depth, while it will ennoble and make rich and simple shades more rich. The same applies to rich and cheap furniture and elements - even the simplest stool or tile in white will look concise and rich.
- Simplicity. If you want to design the kitchen in several shades, you will have to follow the rules of contrast and make sure that each new color looks harmoniously against the background of another. If we are talking about neutral single tones in the design of the kitchen, then here you do not have to make sure to choose the right shade. The same applies to the selection of suitable furniture, appliances and finishing materials for the kitchen - products in a neutral white design can always be found.
Now dwell on some of the shortcomings of white.
- Mediocre. With the advent of the IKEA distribution network, room design options in precisely white shades have become increasingly popular. Today, white (partially or fully) kitchens can be found in almost every apartment. Because of this, the effect of losing the individuality of the room can be created.
- Sterility. Despite the universality of white color, there is a chance to create a completely colorless, faded and uninteresting interior when designing a kitchen. Some people call such a kitchen design “hospital” - when it seems like you are in some kind of ward. The problem here is either in choosing the wrong shades of white or in the incorrect use of free space and the wrong arrangement of furniture.
- Constant care. In order for the desired whiteness to remain white for a long time, it is necessary to carry out constant and tireless care for the furniture. Any grease stain, crumb or smear of ketchup can literally hurt your eyes on white furniture. In addition to constant care and rubbing, to keep the white kitchen in perfect condition, you will have to clean up at least once a month with high-quality detergents and cleaning products.
- Cooker hood. If in a kitchen with dark or black facades the effect of steam and fat on the kitchen facade can be imperceptible for many years, then on light furniture these processes will manifest themselves much faster. That is why you should definitely get a quality hood and constantly wipe the kitchen apron near the stove and remove the grease stains accumulated there.
Finish options
The success of decorating a white kitchen depends on a number of interior elements and how harmoniously and successfully they look together. Below will be indicated the features of design and placement of key decoration elements in the kitchen.
Floor
The floor surface is one of the most important elements of the design of the kitchen. It is the floor that sets the mood for the whole kitchen:
- dark floor in a white kitchen, focuses on the details of the room: facade, furniture, kitchen table, handles and utensils;
- white or light floor visually expands the space of the room, makes it lighter, more elegant and light.
Since in this case it is a question of a bright kitchen, it is worth choosing white, gray or soft shades.
As for the materials that will be used for laying the floor in the white kitchen, here can be used tile, laminate, linoleum or parquet. For greater lightening of the kitchen space, it is recommended to choose shockproof and moisture resistant tiles: the glossy surface of the tile materials casts off sun glare and visually enlarges the room.
Ceiling
In the case of white kitchen design, you can choose absolutely any design options for ceilings. Here, standard white ceilings as well as stretch or panel options can look good.
Headset
Another important element in the decoration of the kitchen is a properly selected kitchen set. As a finishing material for the design of kitchen facades and furniture, wood can be used, and the surfaces can be glossy or matte.
- The classic design option for kitchen sets is considered to be a tree - such a surface looks both simple and rich. The tree is ecologically and universally - it successfully fits into any interior and is absolutely safe for humans. Despite such unambiguous advantages, the natural finish has its own minus - it requires high-quality and constant care. In addition, the tree is extremely unstable to moisture and fumes - constant "friends" of the kitchen.
Modern kitchen sets made of wood are in no way inferior to analogues from cheaper materials and are able to maintain their appearance for more than a dozen years.
- Glossy surface. Gloss is also considered a popular option in the decoration of kitchen sets, and all thanks to its ability to repel dirt, water and sunlight. It also allows you to qualitatively lighten and visually enlarge the kitchen. The advantage of the glossy surface is that it does not allow dirt and grease to be absorbed into the material and does not suffer from detergents. The main disadvantage of this finish is the need for constant cleaning (fingerprints and stains).
- Matte coating. Unlike gloss, in the design of a white kitchen, a matte finish is designed to give the room peace, comfort and harmony. The matte kitchen is more restrained, practical and calm. The obvious disadvantage of matte surfaces is that they absorb moisture and dirt remarkably. That is why such surfaces should be wiped very often if you do not want the dirt to be permanently absorbed into the furniture.
Wallpaper and walls
In white kitchens, some contrasting or bold color solutions are rarely used when decorating walls. As a rule, the color scheme in this case is used only in the strip of an apron or dining area. The walls of a modern white kitchen are most often decorated with white stucco or paint with protection against moisture and dirt. If in the design of the white kitchen you want to see the wallpaper, then you should focus on soft and pastel colors: pearl, beige, yellow, light wheat, light aquamarine (while some experts advise painting only one wall, and leave the rest in white )
Window
A window is as important an element of a kitchen decoration as a ceiling or a suite. The choice of a properly designed window in this case depends not so much on the color scheme in the room as on the view outside and the design style in your apartment.
For example, if your kitchen is made in the loft style, then the metal shutters will look best in the Provence style - wooden windows with ordinary curtains (rustic style).
Apron
An apron is one of the key elements of the design of the kitchen - it is a kind of gradient between the kitchen set, floor and countertop. The general background of the room often depends on a well-chosen apron: it can both refresh the kitchen and give it greater depth, and make it more colorful and vibrant.
In other cases, black or white aprons are used - both of these options are quite easily soiled and need regular care.
An ambiguous but bold decision in the design of modern kitchens is to use metal aprons. The advantages of such designs are obvious: they are more durable, resistant to moisture and high temperatures and for a long time retain a presentable appearance.
Countertop
In the case of a white kitchen, the countertop can both complement the overall interior, and act as a successful accent to refresh the kitchen. Here, the choice still depends on the style: for example, for minimalism, classics and Provence, wood or chipboard countertops are just perfect. You can choose both the black version of the countertop (to create a pleasant contrast), and stop on the white solution. To create additional contrast of a white countertop with a white kitchen, just select a countertop with a different coating.
For example, a matte countertop (or vice versa) can be matched to a glossy headset.
The choice of appliances and furniture
White kitchen, regardless of your chosen design decision, can look organically with any kind of furniture and household appliances. However, to make these elements look the most successful, heed the following recommendations.
- Choose furniture and appliances, based not only on its functionality, but also on the features of appearance. Neither furniture nor appliances should contrast strongly with the rest of the furniture in your kitchen.
- White kitchen requires appropriate white furniture in the form of dining tables and chairs, but this does not mean that the chairs should be the same color. Try to choose furniture options in gray or bluish colors - so they will be less noticeable spots and darkening.
- Do not be afraid to choose exclusively white furniture for room decoration. In the future, if it seems too mediocre to you, it can be painted or refreshed with covers, coasters or stickers. With respect to dark furniture, such upgrades may not always be applicable.
- Regarding the choice of technology, always try to be based on your chosen design style. Agree, in the direction of hi-tech, a metal than a plastic meat grinder will look much more successful.
Add bright accents
When designing a white kitchen, you should adhere to the so-called rule of three. It assumes that in creating a specific design, you need to choose three separate colors that will be present in the room. One of these colors is dominant or primary, the other two colors are designed to complement the overall background and dilute the primary color.
Below will be presented successful options for focusing attention in a white kitchen.
- Natural wood. Wood is considered the most versatile and rich material in the design of a white kitchen. A beautifully selected facade, floor or tabletop made of natural wood softens the eye, creates a pleasant contrast and emphasizes the winning features of the room.
- Accent wall. As a rule, this is one of the side walls in the kitchen, designed to create a pleasant contrast between the floor, the suite and the furniture. Typically, these walls are painted either in some kind of dark but deep shade or in a very saturated and bright color. Often these walls are decorated with an original print, equipped with shelves, decorated with murals, tiles or murals.
Vibrant and vibrant colors like orange, red and gold can be used to give your kitchen more light. A dark accent wall will visually stretch your kitchen wide.
- Dark accents. The most popular color, which they prefer to dilute the mediocrity of the white kitchen, is black: it creates the most vivid, solid and at the same time simple contrast. The best example of such a kitchen is a white facade against a dark and glossy countertop or black apron.
This option is especially successful in the styles of hi-tech, minimalism and art deco.
- Brass and copper in the design. Experienced owners know that the white color just perfectly emphasizes the metal elements in the decor. They set the room a solid tone, make it more concise and complete. Most often, a maximum of two metals is used in the design of a kitchen. Metal can be present in kitchen utensils, kitchen appliances, elements of fixtures, handles, frames and stands.
- Accessories and decor. If the repair in your kitchen is over, and you want to refresh it without replacing the countertops and fixtures, then you can use the following elements: paintings, wall shelves, colorful coasters, bright towels, unusual baseboards, curtains, prints and wall stickers.
Lighting
Good lighting is the main condition for the harmonious white kitchen. A white headset, floor and ceiling should always be well-lit, otherwise they will look cheap and nondescript.
Ideally, you need to ensure that at any time of the day your kitchen is well lit.
In the event of a lack of light in the kitchen, additional built-in lights can be used above the sink, countertop and stove. Some styles do not allow the use of circular spotlights - in this case, it is recommended to use wall sconces.
Do not forget to maximize the potential of natural sunlight. For this, the possibilities of glossy or mirror surfaces (glossy tiles, headsets, glossy walls, countertops, household appliances and accessories) can be used.
Suitable styles
Despite the fact that the white color in the design of modern kitchens is universal, it can be perceived differently in different design styles.
- High tech. This style is just wonderful for neutral colors in the design of the apartment (black and white), and therefore the white kitchen in this direction will look as solid and original as possible. The main thing in this style is to prevent overloading the room with kitchen tools and appliances. In this case, the principle of laconicism should be followed as much as possible - often in such kitchens there are even no handles in the headset.
The best option would be a white glossy headset with metal or glass inserts.
- Classic. This design style in the design of the kitchen will never lose its popularity. The classic style, which in its structure always strives for airiness and lightness, will simply look perfect with a white kitchen. Often this style involves the use of natural light wood in the headset, as well as light gilding of furniture. Massive curtains and a white tulle will look good here.
The main condition is a complete rejection of plastic kitchen appliances, they will only spoil the entire internal appearance of your kitchen.
- Country and Provence. White will look good in the kitchen of these styles, however, it is recommended to create only a partially white kitchen here. A striking example of this style can be considered a completely white set, white dishes and household appliances and a white glossy floor, but beige, green or blue furniture, walls, an apron and curtains. Such a combination will look successful only if only one not particularly bright color is used as an additional color.
Often in a similar design style there are mosaic multi-colored elements.
- Minimalism. White is considered the ideal color for decorating a kitchen in this style. In this kitchen, additional insert elements of glass or chrome will look great. This style prefers a huge amount of light to emphasize all the details. Kitchens in the style of minimalism literally come to life when small black elements are added to the interior; here you can often find tabletops made of natural black stone, dark furniture or dark utensils.
- Scandinavian style. This design style just looks great in white, and especially glossy color, while the gloss here is present not only on the headset, but also on the ceiling and floor. In the Scandinavian style kitchens, elements of natural dark wood are necessarily present. In order to give the Scandinavian style white kitchen more life and freshness, it is recommended to decorate the room with elements of pastel colors (pale red, beige, gray-blue).
Another important condition for the design of such a kitchen is the presence of a large amount of light from several sources at once.
- Loft. A typical “filler” of a white loft-style kitchen is a white suite, as well as one accent wall or apron painted in red brick. Also, natural brick or original tiles can be used here. The ceiling and floor in this case, it is desirable to do not pure white, but a little grayish and glossy.
- Modern. If we are talking about a white kitchen in the Art Nouveau style, then here you just need a large number of dark, gray and burgundy shades. This style is characterized by glossy and glass surfaces that give the furniture depth and solidity.
Good examples of interior design
Below you can find beautiful and stylish ideas for decorating a white kitchen in different style decisions.
- Bright Scandinavian style kitchen.
- Cozy room in hi-tech style.
- Beautiful room in modern style.
- White kitchen in the direction of minimalism.