Why Some Designers Secretly Hate Brightly Colored Cabinets

When people search for painted kitchen cabinet ideas that will quickly refresh their space, more often than not they're seeing the current trend of using bright, saturated colors. Some recent favorites have been light green, mustard yellow, and cerulean, or bold, dark colors like a forest green or deep burgundy. Yet, as surprising as it may be, there are interior designers out there who have confessed that they hate this trend, and for good reasons.

Though bright and bold kitchen cabinet colors have risen to popularity in recent years, some interior designers are giving the low down on why they hate this choice, and it all comes down to the colors' inability to play well with others. Interior designer Audrey Scheck spoke with Real Simple and explained, "We typically discourage any paint colors that are overly bright or saturated, as they can overwhelm the space and distract from forming a cohesive aesthetic throughout the home." If you want to add that extra interest in your kitchen, there are other ways to incorporate these trendy colors that avoid these issues.

Though bright color choices can add a fun pop of color to a space and create contrasts, your kitchen cabinets may not be the way to go for this bold choice as multiple experts in interior design have voiced their dislike of this trend. It's much easier to find kitchen wall colors that look lovely with cream than, say, mustard yellow, and some experts have even claimed that certain colored cabinets, like blue, can actually hurt your resale value. Instead, use decor to incorporate bold colors. 

When speaking to The Kitchn, lead interior designer Devin Shaffer explained, "My favorites are creams, grays, and greiges. They are just classy, and they'll always add that visual effect of making a space look bigger, which is something we'll always be looking for. Another great thing about them is that apart from adding warmth to the room, they allow you to play around without committing to any piece of furniture or decor. They're the perfect backdrop or canvas to incorporate your favorite items"

If you want to go dramatic in the kitchen, bold kitchen floor tile patterns are not for the timid and could be exactly what you're looking for. They will add that flare without being overwhelming or making the rest of the kitchen design more difficult to decorate. Aside from tiles, consider using items like dishes, lighting, appliances, chairs, or rugs as your way to get that flash of color in your space. There is a way to go bold in the kitchen — it just may not be your cabinets.