The combination of white and gray in the interior seems boring and cold to many owners of apartments and houses. But if you correctly combine different textures, add a couple of color accents, the decor will sparkle with new colors, and the white and gray kitchen will become cozy and conducive to friendly gatherings. We tell you what needs to be done for this.
Photo: Alvhem
Photo: Alvhem
Photo: Stadshem
Photo: Stadshem
Design: Bedrock Quartz
Design: Bedrock Quartz
Pros and cons of gray
Gray color is called a neutral option. Smoky shades are easy to use both as a background and as details. Gray is suitable for recreating any interior style.
The range of shades is not subject to rapid contamination, which is incredibly important for the kitchen. Gray easily combines with other colors. He is not prone to “drawing” attention. These are the main advantages of using the option for kitchen decoration.
Selecting a specific shade must be done with great care. There is a high probability that instead of a noble background you will get depressing “dirt” that will irritate.
Owners of small premises need to be especially careful in selecting the tone. A lack of light in a room risks creating a gloomy, cold environment. The predominance of gray often makes the interior boring. This is the disadvantage of color for design purposes.
What to combine with?
The mouse shade can be combined with any color, but the perception of the interior and the final design result will depend on the proportions and correctly selected combinations. Gray can act as a basic, predominant color, for example, in a monochrome and calm interior.
If the kitchen is already rich in colors, then it will help dilute the motley and too bright interior.
Depending on what kind of interior you like (calm or bright), you can choose several combination options. Let's see how additional colors in the form of white, yellow, and red can set a different mood for the interior.
With white
A duet with white is a universal background for accents. A kitchen set or dining area can be decorated in white. And as a bright accent you can make an apron, curtains, lamps, and decorative elements.
The advantage of this color scenario is its versatility. The white and gray design option can be diluted with bright tones or left monochrome, choosing textured materials so that the interior does not turn out boring and depressive.
With beige
Beige, sand, and vanilla will soften the grayness and add warmth. If the kitchen windows face north, then it is better to use these shades instead of white. The calm beige and gray color scheme is suitable for decorating classic kitchens.
Wallpaper imitating concrete, plaster or stone can be complemented with a beige tabletop under natural ash or oak, and wooden shelves of the same shade. The combination with surfaces of a natural wood shade looks stylish and meets the trend towards environmental friendliness.
With yellow or orange
Bright, rich shades of yellow and orange stand out against the backdrop of dark gray. Such interiors look stylish and authentic, revealing the originality and creative personality of their owner. Complex shades - lemon, mustard, turmeric - look especially impressive against this background.
It is better to mix bright yellow or orange in equal proportions with gray or use them only as accents. Sometimes a bright orange refrigerator or colored kitchen chairs are enough to introduce the right color into the interior.
If yellow or orange are used in the design of such large items as a kitchen set, then the overall design should be restrained so as not to overdo it with rich tones. For example, a mustard kitchen set can be highlighted against a background of dark gray wallpaper, but add a little white to the design to smooth out the contrast.
With purple or pink
Gray balances out the pinks and purples without making those colors seem too marshmallowy. But it’s still better not to overdo it with pink, purple and similar shades and use them spot-on, in small quantities, to create accents.
For example, mouse-colored wallpaper will go well with a neutral white set, and to prevent the atmosphere from seeming boring, add purple chairs, curtains or a purple tablecloth to the table.
With blue or light blue
Blue or light blue in combination with gray will gain even greater severity. If you add complex, dark shades of emerald, terracotta or marsala to this combination, the interior will acquire chic and status. This color scheme can be used to create a kitchen in art deco or classic style. When using such combinations, it is very important to pay attention to the quality of materials.
Features of using shades of gray
It is important to design a gray kitchen based on careful control of the shades used. To create a noble, calm interior, soft options are suitable:
- silver;
- pearl;
- light haze.
For a strict and laconic design, mouse and graphite tones are suitable. Shades of ash of varying intensities are considered universal. When choosing an option, pay maximum attention to the area of the room. The smaller the space, the lighter the shade needed.
The material used as a base plays an important role. Wood or textiles are perceived as soft and cozy, while metal or marble is laconic and aloof. The abundance of cold shine is repulsive, and complex colors and combinations arouse interest.
From a practical point of view, it is important to pay attention to the color structure. Complex mixtures, light colors are preferable. Such elements do not have to be persistently cleaned. The same cannot be said about gloss and textured surfaces.
Nuances of color distribution
Selecting and distributing smoky shades, especially if it is a small gray kitchen, must be done carefully. The more compact the area, the lighter the tones used. Gray should be included in moderate portions. Color may predominate as a background. At the same time, interesting shades of other spectrums should become accents.
Gray is better given minor roles. It is not recommended to paint everything in similar colors. It is important to pay attention not only to the color, but also to the texture of the material. Markability and appropriateness are determined in each specific case.
Individual perception comes first. The selected shades, their combination, and distribution scheme must correspond to the kitchen owners’ concepts of aesthetics and visual comfort.
Secrets of proper planning
From the photo of the gray kitchen it is clear that the interior must be designed taking into account the square footage and features of the room layout. Particular attention should be paid to orientation in space:
- For a northwest kitchen, warm shades are needed. It is acceptable to use bright, life-affirming colors or moderate options. Don't forget about additional lighting.
- When creating the interior of a south-eastern room, strict restrictions are not required. Both warm and cold shades are appropriate. Gray can easily be made the center of attention.
- To design southwestern and northeastern rooms, you need to focus on the predominant side of the world. Various solutions are possible.
A predominance of dark shades is not suitable for a small or narrow room. The presence of a gray glossy kitchen will help expand the scope of the interior. The absence of upper cabinets in furniture will visually expand the height of the boundaries.
Lighting
Lighting in a Scandinavian kitchen-living room is very important.
Since the sun is a rare guest in the northern regions, this circumstance must be compensated for by lamps, luminous strips, and spotlights in large quantities.
Spots will help make the light directional. It is better to choose white ones so that they visually merge with the surface of the ceiling.
Light bulbs hanging from black wires are great additional lighting for a kitchen island in this style.
A “dandelion” chandelier with shades in the form of transparent glass balls will help you comply with all Scandi canons and create good lighting in the dining area.
And even candles on the dining table are an appropriate source of additional lighting in a Scandinavian kitchen.
An interesting contrast and at the same time a completely harmonious combination will be created by household appliances in black with metal accents, built into a kitchen set of a delicate, not too dark gray shade.
If there is an island in the kitchen, it is better to decorate it in the same way as the suite. An excellent option is gray matte facades with a “marbled” countertop.
Natural materials used to create a kitchen can always be replaced with imitations. It will turn out no less beautiful. After all, stylish does not mean expensive!
Photo from source: pinterest.com.au Tabletop Cedar 2384/S Greek Marble
Concrete pendant lights are a fresh and creative solution for lighting gray Scandinavian style kitchens. They fit perfectly into sleek interiors, thanks to their streamlined shapes and rough aesthetics of raw concrete.
Photo from source: vauntdesign.com
Compliance with the style used
A gray kitchen in the interior will fit well into most well-known styles. Designers advise remembering that shades of silver and graphite do not go well with pretentiousness. The lines should be as simple as possible, and the decor should be unobtrusive. Gray fits organically into the following design directions:
- high tech;
- loft;
- eco.
It is possible that there are different mouse shades in classics, Provence, and minimalism. Gray can be the basis or an equal participant in a color scheme. In other styles, only a moderate amount of graphite tones is acceptable. Most often these are metal fittings and various accessories.
Kitchen design in gray and white tones: styles and solutions
Traditionally, a white and gray interior is furnished in modern design styles - high-tech, functionalism, minimalism, etc. In this case, the kitchen has very specific features:
- The floor is most often made of stone or ceramic tiles in cool shades. It can be black and white tiles, marble covering, or tiles with an imitation of the texture of natural rock. Typically, such a floor is equipped with heating. Of course, such solutions are relevant for all styles, but in modern technological styles, cool shades are relevant. Here the floor will be gray or even black, and perhaps white, but not wood or brown.
The photo shows a modern gray and white kitchen: the floor is in shades of gray.
- The walls in such an interior are most often painted or plastered. Their color can be either white or black-gray, especially in a spacious room. And it’s not just the backsplash, but also the dining room and living room can be quite dark. This design will be organic in a room where part of the walls are glazed at full height.
- Furniture, countertops and decor can be anything. For example, the living room can be quite bright or, conversely, neutral; curtains - invisible or even in the form of blinds or roller shutters; the countertop and kitchen apron are dark, as in the next photo.
The photo shows a dark beige countertop, curtains and flooring in a modern, functional kitchen.
- The set is most often chosen in glossy or metallic color. The facades can also be snow-white - in the same shade as the walls of the room, which visually makes it more spacious and neat. You can also make a combined set: white top, dark gray bottom. It is better to install such furniture against the background of white walls; in this case, a dark gray apron will be harmonious.
The interior of a gray and white kitchen in one of the old design options will appear completely different.
Classic kitchen interior: dark gray and white palettes
A classic kitchen design, when gray and white colors together predominate, will look non-standard, because in the traditional version, the classic involves a set and finishing in white tones with gold trim or pearl patina. A gray and white palette can make the interior more restrained, at the same time less luxurious and more laconic. Nevertheless, the gray range can be quite luxurious, because it is also the color of silver.
- The floor in a retro interior will always be wooden, ceramic or stone, but in a warm color - natural terracotta ceramics, wood or brown stone. Of course, in the work area it is better to use coatings that are easy to clean. At the same time, such a floor should not be destroyed under the influence of water. Wood is best left for the living room and dining room.
The photo shows ceramic floors in the kitchen and living room, covered with wooden flooring.
- The walls can be covered with striped wallpaper, a small flower or a large openwork pattern. If the main background is made in white and neutral tones, then the ornament and stripe can be dark gray, black and graphite. The beige range is also applicable if this color is also used in other details.
- If the living room is combined with a kitchen , then here you can change the roles of individual shades by swapping them. For example, the pattern on the walls in the work area becomes the background in the relaxation area.
The photo shows a kitchen with dark gray wallpaper and a living room with light trim.
- A set in a classic, as in any retro style, is usually quite simple and geometric. Without unnecessary decor and openwork, the furniture facades will be decorated with overlays, carvings, and glass inserts. You can make the top lighter and the bottom darker, then the room will seem less cluttered. Glass in upper facades works in a similar way; a light apron, tabletop, dining area and an equally bright living room.
The photo shows a white top and gray bottom headset.
- Curtains, decor, countertops and aprons are details that are usually made different in a retro kitchen. For example, in a classic kitchen the curtains will be heavy and perhaps even black and gray. In a Provence style room, the curtains are usually light. The apron, tabletop and curtains can even be neutral – beige and warm coffee palettes are appropriate here.
The photo shows a gray and white kitchen: a beige palette in addition to the main colors.
Floor decoration
For a modern gray kitchen, a variety of flooring options are suitable. When choosing, be sure to take into account not only the budget and style of renovation, but also the features of the use of the room. The flooring material must meet the following requirements:
- resistance to moisture;
- tolerance to chemical treatment;
- wear resistance.
Taking into account the characteristics, most often the choice falls on stone, tile, linoleum or self-leveling floor. Laminate and parquet are considered less popular. The worst solution is carpet.
Regardless of the choice, any of the materials can be found in gray or a variation that optimally matches the desired shade of graphite.
What color should I make the floor?
What kind of gray floor a kitchen can have is up to the owners of the apartment to decide. And we will show you practical and beautiful floors that modern designers use.
Ceramic tiles are used.
Tiles come in any size and different installation methods are used.
Dark floor. For this purpose, laminate or linoleum is most often used.
Light floor. Wood, laminate, linoleum are used.
Wall decoration
There are no less materials suitable for wall decoration. Often in the kitchen they try to combine different options. This is due to the specifics of the room. An apron is required in the work area. The rest of the space is decorated to your own taste. Usually the choice is made on the following materials:
- wallpaper;
- dye;
- Wall panels.
Decorative plaster, natural stone blocks, brick, and wood are used less frequently. Using “play” with materials, color, and texture, it is customary to divide into zones. In this case, it will be possible to purposefully emphasize or distract attention.
When choosing finishing materials, special attention is paid to the practicality of the options. A smooth matte surface is easier to care for. Texture and gloss require special attention.
Color is no less important. The darker the finish, the more kitchen dirt will be visible. It is better to place options that are inconvenient for cleaning away from the work area.
How to support a black countertop in the kitchen?
There is no particular need for this. Black, in principle, does not need support. But if you get the feeling that the tabletop is slightly out of line, you can always choose a “rhyme” for it in the form of some decorative elements. This could be, for example, lamps, small household appliances, black and white posters, etc.
When planning to equip your kitchen with a black countertop, you can immediately select appliances of the corresponding color. By the way, it is not at all necessary and even undesirable for all household appliances in the kitchen to be made in the same color. Therefore, one or two items to match the tabletop will be enough.
To prevent the countertop from creating discord, you can use other techniques, for example: - paint one of the kitchen walls black; — install black dining room or bar furniture; — choose black tiles for the floor; - decorate the windows with black curtains.
Options for ceilings
For a kitchen in gray tones, it is not necessary to make the ceiling a similar color. This option risks visually lowering the height of the room. Although modern stretched canvases with pictures look impressive. With careful adjustment of color distribution and proper lighting, the effect on height is minimal.
To carry out the finishing, the use of paint, wallpaper, ceiling tiles, special panels, and other materials is not excluded. The choice depends on the interior, personal preferences, and financial capabilities. When decorating the ceiling, you can combine different types of materials.
Black countertop in the kitchen: a matter of practicality
It is known that various contaminants are clearly visible on black surfaces. They say that any specks of dust, crumbs, fingerprints, drop marks and water stains are visible on a black countertop. Is it so?
Reviews from people who have used black countertops are contradictory. Some say that it requires careful care and constant rubbing, but even this does not guarantee impeccable cleanliness.
Others argue that a black countertop is no more fancy than any other.
Is someone really lying? Most likely no. After all, it all depends on the shade, material, presence of a pattern, as well as the degree of smoothness and gloss of the surface. Some countertops are truly invisible, but there are others that are sure to cause a lot of trouble.
How to choose a black countertop and not become its slave? Firstly, you need to keep in mind that dirt and stains are very noticeable on completely plain and smooth surfaces. It doesn’t matter whether they are glossy or matte. Tabletops with a stone or wood pattern are more practical. The same can be said about tops with a non-smooth top (embossed, textured).
A tabletop with veining, speckling, or other colors will still look black. To enjoy all the benefits of this color, you don’t have to buy a plain work surface.
The second point: the more shiny a glossy tabletop is, the higher the likelihood that clear and clearly visible prints will remain on it.
In order not to be tormented by doubts and not to make a mistake, you can test the “probes”. Take home small samples of black countertops and test them: wipe with a damp cloth and let dry naturally; Spray with water and do not wipe; drum on the surface with your fingertips. Assess how visible streaks, dried drops and fingerprints are. Choose the option that looks the cleanest.
To ensure that there are no streaks left on the countertop after washing, housewives recommend wiping it dry with a microfiber cloth.
Subtleties of choosing a headset
When purchasing furniture, take into account the area and configuration of the kitchen. The format and location of the headset depends on this. A modular “constructor” without upper cabinets is considered a fashionable variation. Various models of similar products are presented in a wide range among gray IKEA kitchens.
In addition to the location and composition of the headset, the design and materials used are important. The simpler the appearance of the product, the more relevant the option. At the same time, the price of furniture can be surprising. The cost level is influenced by manufacturing costs, and components are not always priced cheaply.
When creating a classic interior, it is recommended to take a closer look at a gray kitchen with gold handles. Due to the fittings, the model looks expensive and stylish. For furniture in the spirit of minimalism, external fittings may be completely absent.
The choice to decorate a gray kitchen is relevant for many. The option is universal and interesting. The difficulties of design lie in the correct choice of shades and determining the balance between the colors used. Following the advice of designers will help quickly dispel all doubts.
