Spruce Up Your Outdated White Kitchen With These Design Tips

If you are a nineties baby or earlier, the words "outdated kitchen" probably bring to mind orange wood, busy granite, and Tuscan themes. All design is cyclical, though, and these days, the outdated browns of the past are being outshined by another once-popular home trend you might've not realized has become a relic, rather than relevant: All-white kitchens. 

You heard that correctly — whether your white kitchen is minimal and modern, farmhouse or high-tech, it doesn't matter. They've been considered outdated for a few years now. These days, a kitchen void of all color is no longer seen as clean and contemporary. Instead, it's cold, sterile, impersonal, and — worst of all — out of touch. And while there's no denying that those white-white-white kitchens had their moment, recent trends are leaning more into color, personality, and individuality. 

Of course, you don't have to follow trends. There is a way to make something "outdated" as contemporary as anything else. And if you have a white kitchen, don't panic — there are a ton of easy fixes that can help bring life back into the room. The good news? There's nothing like white to serve as a blank slate.

One of the easiest, quickest, and cheapest ways to add some color and warmth back into your kitchen is with your accessories. While this can be done by adding wall decor, you can also add some warmth and personality in functional items. Wood and white is always a great match, so this could mean displaying wood utensils and cutting boards. Alternatively, you can achieve it by adding some patterned towels, or dishware and appliances on display in your favorite colors. Adding some warmth and color also doesn't have to be limited to your cookware. You can add a pop of color with other practical items like a clock, or in your furniture: For example, wood or leather elements in your dining table and chairs do a lot to break up the white, as does a fun fabric on your chair or bench cushions. 

When it comes to non-essential decor in your kitchen, then, you want to pick things that feel appropriate to the space, but that are also personal (to balance out the impersonal nature of the white). That means you don't have to stick with just kitchen or food themed art: Go with design elements that really feel "you." Choose styles and colors that you are drawn to. If you really don't know where to start, you can create a Pinterest board and save anything that you like or are drawn to. Then look for similarities between the pins to pull out specifics from which to build your room around. 

Also look into houseplants that'll thrive in your kitchen, because sometimes there's nothing like a splash of green.

If you want to break down white on a larger scale, you can still get by without ripping out all of your cabinetry and chipping away at your backsplash. Peel and stick tiles and wallpaper — while they won't last as long as real tiles — are a great way to add some color and texture to your space. Plus, if you live in a rental space, you can usually get away with using peel and stick options: When applied properly, they won't damage the surface they are stuck to. A peel and stick backsplash creates an instant focal point in the room, especially if you opt for a vibrant or unique color.

If you go the wallpaper route, you can apply it to anything from the interior of a cabinet to an accent wall, to mixing and matching wallpaper on all of your walls. This will create an eclectic vibe. Although it can be a bit trickier to apply than faux tile (as it is prone to wrinkling), the options provided with wallpaper are nearly endless, and there are tons of clever ways to apply the peel and stick version throughout your home. Since it can be cut and shaped to any size, you have a ton of freedom when using it. And even if you don't want to commit to a whole wall, you can even do a portion of the wall and place a frame around it. Alternatively, use it in smaller spaces like the backing of an open shelf, or even as a fun drawer liner. 

As these tips prove, there's no reason to stress out over your white kitchen being outdated: A little creativity will go a long way.