Red and yellow base tones will give your kitchen a warm and inviting look.

Warm colors are appealing and inviting to the senses. Usually the red and yellow based tones are selected for kitchens. They convey a hospitality element. If you limit yourself to reds, yellows and orange tones, you will still have a variety of options. The terra cotta reds, cork colored yellows and yellow based greens are very appealing. Sherwin-Williams has a great variety. Their Anjou pear is a favorite, as well as the gold and copper hues.

Whatever colors you decide to investigate, picking up trial size paints is a good way to see how different shades will look in your home. Most paint companies sell sample packs of their colors that, after an application of primer, can easily be brushed over a small area.

For accent colors, remember that they don’t necessarily have to come in the form of paint. Window treatments, placemats, hardware and other kitchen accessories can often be found in colors that can be a complement to your kitchen cabinets.

If you’re planning to update your appliances, choosing a warm color instead of the standard white, black or stainless also can make your kitchen more inviting.
Many kitchen appliances are now available in warm, bronzed metallic colors. This gives consumers an opportunity to mix warm and cool colors. The warm metallic mixed with a medium to charcoal gray wall color and oak cabinets can provide a real contemporary twist.

One final point to consider: Not all whites are the same. Many have undertones of another color. Glossy, matte or textured finishes also can differentiate white surfaces. People think anything goes with white, and for the most part it does, but don’t forget to look at your existing finishes for help in determining color selection.

Sherwin Williams

Choosing Kitchen Cabinets and Overall Kitchen Layout

All unfinished kitchen cabinets are not the same. Some types of wood absorb stains better than others. A wood’s final color depends upon its hardness and original shade. It’s easier to darken wood than to lighten it, so select unfinished cabinets accordingly. Light colored woods are ash, maple, pine, oak, birch, beech, chestnut and elm. Medium colored woods include cherry, teak, butternut and rosewood. Darker colored woods are hickory and mahogany.

If you plan on painting, staining or glazing kitchen cabinets, you can use cheaper types of wood. Oak cabinets can be stained to look like expensive mahogany or cherry.

Before making your final choice, try various types of stain on samples of wood you’re considering. Compare those colors against the rest of your kitchen’s woodwork. Which ones complement the furniture you have?

Don’t choose ash unless you want a natural look, or light-colored cabinets. Ash doesn’t absorb stains very well.

If you are considering new cabinets or a simple kitchen refacing, first decide on general distribution of the kitchen cabinets according to the space available. With different types of kitchens, (i.e. single-row, L-shape or corner-shape,

U-shape - with or without kitchen islands), where to put what depends on your room size.

The classical way to distribute basic kitchen appliances around cabinets is: refrigerator, cabinet, oven, cabinet, kitchen sink with dishwasher. Obviously not considering any additional space for a possible washing machine. This traditional lineup keeps the heat of the oven away from the refrigerator and still allows room to have them close enough. You’ll want to find the best distribution, based on the space you have in your home. You can draw a simple floor plan of your kitchen, with the correct dimension, and cut (using paper board) some pieces equivalent to the size of each of your appliances. This will give you a rough idea of what cabinets can be used to fill in the available spaced.