A classic-style kitchen in light colors is a thoughtful combination of luxury and practicality, always relevant, emphasizing the taste of homeowners and respect for traditional values. The calm design with ideal proportions is suitable for both spacious and small kitchens. With the help of design ideas, classics are adapted to modern technology, while maintaining aesthetics and function.
Advantages and disadvantages of light classic kitchen
Light colors used to decorate a kitchen are most often shades of white. For facades and decoration, choose snow-white, milky, ivory or vanilla. Classic interiors with them look easier for visual perception; you can use various decor, since white is one of the achromatic colors that can be combined with any others.
Snow white with blue
There are several reasons to choose a classic style and light colors for your kitchen design:
- Nice view. Classic is distinguished by maintaining proportions in details, harmoniously selected furniture, and is well perceived visually.
- Light colors in decoration and furniture create a feeling of freshness and cleanliness. Sterility for the kitchen space is one of the most important conditions, promoting appetite and comfort.
- The ability to use color spots for decoration and placement of accents.
Colored accents
- Visually increases the space. White and its shades are used for small kitchens to make them look more spacious. This happens due to the property of light colors to repel light, they create a feeling of volume.
- To implement the design, you can use any materials: stone, acrylic, wood or metal. All of them go well with light shades.
- Any decor on a white background will be more noticeable; it is possible to make an individual design.
- The classic style is dominated by many details, from patina on facades to carved furniture. Despite the use of light colors, the design will not resemble hospital walls.
- Psychologists say: surrounded by light colors, your mood improves, relaxation comes, and stress levels decrease. The design is cozy and evokes positive emotions.
The disadvantages include:
- Frequent cleaning required. To make the process comfortable, choose materials that are easy to clean using modern household chemicals.
- Classic interiors require natural materials, which entails significant investments.
- Classic furniture is quite massive. In small kitchens, a clear distribution of usable space will be required; you can only use the necessary cabinets and appliances.
- Careful selection of craftsmen and manufacturers. A bright kitchen in a classic style needs high-quality assembly; all interior details must be perfectly selected. Every unevenness or inconsistency will be noticeable.
Inserts of other colors
With a fairly restrained interior, the flooring does not have to be monochromatic. Snow-white tiles or other materials are often decorated with contrasting inserts - this makes the design more graphic and dynamic.
When the inserts are located evenly, “rhythmically”, the furniture can be placed as desired. If certain zones on the floor are highlighted in color, then the arrangement of all objects is subject to them. In this case, the rearrangement will be much more difficult.
Let's look at some types and colors of contrasting inserts.
Black and white floor
This surface is characteristic of classics, art deco and other elegant styles. It can be a striped pattern, evenly spaced small diamonds, or an imitation of a chessboard - most often in a diagonal layout.
In high-tech and other modern styles you can find inserts that represent one large image. Such a design can be realized, for example, with a self-leveling floor.
Interior for a modern Alice from Wonderland
The contrasting pattern can be so ornate if a self-leveling floor is used
White-gray coating
Marble tiles or their imitation are often white with gray veins. This option is suitable for many styles and makes the coating more practical.
The marble pattern adds solidity to the white floor
Terrazzo
Terrazzo is a mosaic fabric. Most often it has a light base and inclusions of various colors. The Venetians came up with such a material - they needed to find a way to dispose of marble waste, and they began to fill the crushed stones with cement. Terrazzo can be customized to suit any palette and style.
BY THE WAY. This type of finishing was very popular in the USSR and is still found in public buildings built in the seventies and eighties of the last century.
Blue and terracotta accents on a white floor add life to the kitchen.
Colored grout for white floor tiles
Contrasting grout for light tiles is a very practical solution. The fact is that snow-white grout quickly loses its original appearance and darkens. This happens especially quickly with flooring. Fortunately, the color range of grouts, including epoxy ones, is very wide. But in any case, the shade of the tile joint should be “supported” with something by placing furniture of the same tone in the room or laying a suitable carpet.
ADVICE. Very light grouts - beige, cream, yellowish - should be avoided. Against the background of snow-white tiles, they will seem dirty.
Black grout was complemented with objects of the same color
Principles of designing a classic style in the kitchen
There are several rules to follow when decorating a kitchen in light colors and a classic style:
- Traditional interior style does not accept bright details. All colors used should be kept in moderation, even when it comes to accents and decorative elements. You can use gold, copper, brown, beige, gray or black to detail the decor. Colors such as light green, turquoise or orange would be inappropriate here.
Brown Accents
- The optimal distribution of light tones is in the ratio 60:30:10. Where the main color occupies 60% of the surfaces, an additional 30%, 10% is left for placing accents. With this combination, the classic interior will look mobile, dynamic, and excessive formality will disappear.
- To prevent modern technology from standing out against the background of classic facades, built-in models are used, as in the photo.
- Tall cabinets and hanging shelves up to the ceiling visually elongate the walls. Massive furniture will visually look lighter if you do not leave free space between the cabinets and the ceiling.
- Abundant lighting helps preserve the original color of classic furniture and decoration. It is necessary to install lamps throughout the entire kitchen area so that every corner is illuminated by fluorescent lamps. Otherwise, shadow areas will appear due to which the interior will become dull, and light colors will lose their charm.
- To prevent a bright kitchen in a classic style from looking cluttered, it is advisable to leave all horizontal surfaces free. It is allowed to place a teapot or a vase with flowers, but it is recommended to put household items in cabinets. Since a classic kitchen allows for the presence of hanging cabinets and sideboards with glass fronts, it is necessary to maintain order inside them. An overabundance of little things inside creates a sloppy look in the kitchen.
Design tricks
To decorate all of the above “classic” kitchens, very similar techniques are used. This includes antique-looking furniture - with carvings or simpler ones, these are plastered walls, this is a ceiling with a beautiful border, and even the color - preference is given to pastel or even white tones. As a result, a small area of the interior or even a separate piece of furniture becomes a stylistic accent.
An apron is perfect for the role of such an accent. By choosing the material, you can change the interior of the room from palace to English or modern. Which one should you prefer?
- Single-color, medium-sized tiles - white or pastel, this is, of course, a classic, but very well known. Even the most austere and smallest kitchen allows you to combine tiles of at least two matching shades - contrast is inappropriate here. In addition, vertical or horizontal stripes help structure the space.
Tiles that imitate facing stone are suitable - most often marble in light colors. Classics do not like challenge or brightness, so the design should be restrained.
The photo shows the “marble” finish.
- In palace styles, “stone” can be brighter - marble, granite, and even malachite. Bright cladding is especially good in a white kitchen. A skinali made of patterned glass is quite suitable - this option imitates the finishing with luxurious brocade fabric. But the combination of light tiles with patterned tiles depicting flowers or bouquets will make the kitchen-dining room more romantic.
The photo shows a combination of tiles. - This finish is also suitable for Provence style, but taking into account the specifics: the flowers on the tiles should be wildflowers: lavender and chamomile are best. The concept of Provence and marine motifs are emphasized: images of fish, shells, and mermaids.
The photo shows an apron for a white kitchen in Provence style. - Clinker or terracotta, which is also often produced in “brick” form , is the best finish for the English or Dutch style. If you want to bring the interior closer to the classics, choose tiles in soft colors and with a smooth surface.
- Neoclassical and neo-baroque will prefer skins with an image suitable for the occasion. Moreover, here it is necessary to emphasize not the purpose of the kitchen, but the style. Vegetables and fruits are better to choose for Art Nouveau, but “antique” images, drawings made as if by hand, are more in line with the spirit.
The photo shows black and white photos under glass.
In a classic kitchen, an apron can be either a background and not stand out, or a bright stylistic accent. The style of the work area often depends on its design, so you need to choose the material carefully.
Design of a bright kitchen in a classic style
Classics are sometimes associated with pomp and pretentiousness, but the modern approach makes it moderate, elegant, and stylish. Traditional interior styles emphasize the status of the owner; it is preferred by those who often receive guests in the house. Classic interiors are often used in large families where people from different generations live.
There are features that distinguish the classic style:
- Maintaining proportions and symmetry. The basis for planning the placement of furniture and decor is the center of the composition. It can be used as a dining area, kitchen unit or island. The remaining items are installed symmetrically relative to the center.
- The heights of the horizontal surfaces must be the same. On one level there is a countertop, dining table, bar counter, island and window sill.
- The main light colors in the design of a classic kitchen are derived from white, gray, beige or brown. They can be complemented with dark red, blue, emerald or black details. Choose a calm, pastel color palette.
- For furniture and decor of classic kitchens in light colors, natural wood and dense fabrics are used. Chairs, tables, carved fronts, high-quality upholstery with floral patterns, damask patterns, oriental medallions. For textiles, wallpaper and decorative elements, gold threads, mother-of-pearl inclusions are used, everything that allows you to add external aesthetics, nobility, and radiance.
- Metal, forged parts with antique decor create a special, solemn atmosphere. Antique and baroque elements are used: columns, pilasters, balustrades, balusters.
Antique elements in the interior
Design features of a large kitchen
A spacious kitchen in light colors provides more opportunities for implementing a classic interior. The abundance of light will allow all the shades and decorative elements used to sparkle; it is appropriate to use characteristic elements for decoration, such as columns, arches or stucco.
The center of the composition here most often becomes a classic kitchen set. It is recommended to decorate it in light beige or shades of white. The rest of the furniture can be a tone or two darker, a traditional white ceiling or stucco covering will support the solemn look of the decor.
Dairy set in combination with a ceiling with stucco
It is possible to make the island the center of the composition. It will visually divide the kitchen into functional zones. Also, if there is enough space, you can use not a classic, but a modern element - a bar counter. A U-shaped or corner layout or a line of cabinets look appropriate with them.
One or two walls are covered with wallpaper with floral or patterned patterns, the rest are decorated with plain materials. Light lavender, smoky, beige, pink, pearl tones are suitable.
A floor in light colors can consist of two different materials. In the recreation area, milky, gray or amber wood, as well as its imitations, are often used. For a “dirty” work area, smoky or milky tiles or light beige porcelain tiles are suitable. It is necessary to maintain visual balance: a transition from a snow-white ceiling to walls of pastel colors, then to the floor a tone or two darker than the wall coverings.
Two-material floor
Features of a snow-white floor
We will tell you about the pros and cons of snow-colored floors using the table:
| Advantages | Flaws |
| The interior seems weightless and more spacious, especially if the floor surface is glossy | Milk and cream flooring still seems unusual, although in fact it has long been used even in ethnic interiors, not to mention classic ones. |
| White has a lot of interesting, rare shades that will add “class” to the interior. | In some cases, the cost of this floor may be higher than the price of the same one, but in a different color. |
| If you place dark objects against such a background, the interior will look contrasting, graphic and expressive. | It happens that such a surface does not fit into the environment. This happens if the interior is designed as a dark, “dramatic” and enveloping space. |
| This surface looks cleaner; dust and animal hair, especially light ones, are not so noticeable on it. | Stains and damage to light-colored surfaces are more difficult to remove. But this does not apply to all types of coatings. For example, a wooden plank floor can be painted quite easily with your own hands. |
| The universal color goes well with all other shades - pastel, bright and dark. | There is a risk of making a mistake with the shade. |
The disadvantages include some psychological discomfort. According to some people, such an “airy” floor can deprive them of the “feeling of solid ground under their feet.” But if we draw parallels with street landscapes, then the ground is also white when covered with snow or sand.
Dark and light porcelain tiles on the floor in the hallway effectively zone the entrance area and the passage area
How to decorate a small kitchen
Pastel colors combined with elegant classics are one of the best solutions for small kitchens. Visually, the kitchen space will appear larger; you will need to distribute lighting around the perimeter to add volume, lightness, and freshness.
In the interior of a small classic kitchen in light colors, it is necessary to maintain moderation. Stucco molding and balustrades would be inappropriate here; a single-color covering is suitable for the walls; geometrically correct moldings are used minimally. The classic kitchen set itself becomes the center of the composition. Preference is given to facades with direct milling; patina can be omitted so as not to burden the overall impression. Lattice doors, furniture with glass look great, reflective surfaces on the apron add light and volume.
Facades with bars and glass
The traditional white ceiling transitions into light, pastel-colored walls. The shades of the kitchen set and walls should be different so as not to create a uniform color spot. For example, if the facades are snow-white, the walls are made in milky, light beige, soft pink and similar colors. If the cabinets are smoky or ivory-colored, the walls can be covered with pure white wallpaper or paint. Floors made of light wood, tiles or porcelain stoneware will complement the classic kitchen interior.
Patterned tile floor
Intricate decor in a small classic kitchen in light colors will look out of place here and will create the impression of clutter. Handles of facades and plumbing fixtures are chosen in simple shapes, without monograms or patterns. Plain natural fabrics, collectible porcelain, and ceramics are used as interior decoration. Paintings, photos, mirrors are complemented with simple straight frames made of wood or metal.
Pictures with straight frames
Choosing a design for different rooms
Design translated from English means not only to design, but also a plan, drawing, drawing. Therefore, it is better not to keep the design of a home in your head, but to transfer it to paper. Fortunately, the possibilities of the Internet are so great that you can do interior design yourself without hiring professional designers for a lot of money.
Living room design
The living room has long ceased to be exclusively a room for receiving guests. A room in which no one lives permanently, but at the same time serving as a room for the whole family to spend time together, is called a living room.
The living room should be bright, cozy, bring warmth and comfort. The room should be equally pleasant for adults and children. Therefore, it is necessary to achieve a feeling of space, light and cleanliness.
When developing a living room design based on a white floor, you can achieve an expansion of space and a visual increase in area. To do this, you also need to leave the walls a light shade. If you overdo it with white, you can turn a room from cozy and comfortable into cold, distant.
To avoid transition, the design of the living room should contain finishing elements (or decorative elements) in bright or dark colors. These could be doors, baseboards, trim, picture frames, sofas, chairs.
Bedroom design
The bedroom, unlike the living room, does not require visual enlargement. The room may be small, but it must be a cozy space.
To make the bedroom seem warmer, light floors must be complemented by walls in dark pastel colors. Sand, plum, caramel, and chocolate colors are perfect. A dark floor is not the best choice for a bedroom space.
Additionally, you need to think about the color of the furniture and accessories for the bedroom.
If the walls are quite dark, then it is better to choose light curtains, sconces and bedspreads, matching the color of the floor. If the floor and walls remain light, then the textiles must be dark. This will prevent the bedroom from turning into a room without shapes and colors. A harmonious combination of light shades in decoration and dark shades in furniture will add a sense of style, warmth, and harmony to the bedroom. A large number of combinations of white tones will add coldness.
Kitchen and bathroom design
The kitchen and bathroom are rooms where the word “cleanliness” comes first. It is recommended to use the same material for the floor of both rooms. So let's combine them.
The kitchen and bathroom are high-use areas. The number of visits to these places far exceeds the use of the bedroom or living room.
Frequent use of a room increases the level of pollution. Therefore, it is recommended to use a design based on the dark color of the doors, the dark, non-stainable color of the floor, trim, and baseboards. The use of dark color is explained by the low level of soiling, which leads to the need to wipe the product less often, and, accordingly, to less wear.
In fact, everything is far from true. Rooms such as the kitchen and bathroom are cleaned regardless of the appearance of contamination. Rooms with high humidity levels that require special care. Such a room is at risk of mold growth. Therefore, regular ventilation and wiping is a necessary procedure.
Grease stains from cooking require frequent cleaning. Accordingly, using a light color to decorate the kitchen and bathroom is not at all scary and is completely acceptable.
When choosing a light-colored floor when designing a kitchen, you can use the principle of zoning the room. For example, near the kitchen unit, in the passage areas, the shade of the floor can be lighter; the place where the table will be installed can be highlighted with a dark floor.
The advantage of a light-colored floor in these rooms is its versatility. Against the background of a white, coffee, or light gray floor, any wall color will look beautiful. We combine a light floor with any color of the kitchen unit; brightly colored furniture will appear juicier.
A light-colored floor can not only expand the room visually, but also add a sense of cleanliness. A dark floor is significantly inferior in characteristics to a white floor. The color of the floor should hide traces of water drops and stains.
Selection of furniture and equipment
To prevent modern appliances from standing out against the background of the classic kitchen interior, choose models with a vintage design. Manufacturers offer various colors; there are options for oven bodies that match the color of the facades of the set. As an alternative, black technology is used, as a contrast it looks harmonious.
Equipment to match the color of the facades
The optimal solution for classic kitchens is light-colored furniture. For implementation, wood painted in shades of white, smoky or light beige is used, as well as tables and chairs made of light wood. Upholstery made of tapestry, jacquard, satin, velvet will add luxury. We recommend fabrics that match the pattern on the wallpaper.
Simple design option with white furniture
Choosing colors for doors and skirting boards
Doors and baseboards are irreplaceable elements of the overall style of the room. The first thing to note is that the doors must match the style of the floor. For example, the floor is wooden and a plastic door is installed. This combination is unacceptable. The wrong choice of material and color can destroy any harmony.
The basic rule of designers is that the floor, door and baseboard should be the same color. The presence of a dark-colored floor in the room leaves no choice; the door and baseboard are automatically matched to it.
The light floor gives free rein to your imagination. Doors in dark shades and those as light as the floor itself are perfect for a light-colored floor. Dark doors can add clarity to the interior of a light room, while a dark baseboard will highlight geometric shapes.
Dark doors against a light floor can add visible space. For rooms with an area of 2 * 3 m2, dark doors will turn into an absurd bulky structure.
If there are two doors to a room, located next to each other, then they should be the same color, while light doors may get lost against the background of a light floor and walls. If these doors hide the bathroom and toilet, then this is exactly the effect you want.
When choosing the color of the baseboard, you can rely solely on personal preferences. The plinth can be white, black and colored. The main thing is that in the overall design the plinth does not “harm” the eye. The color and shape of the baseboard matches the door frames perfectly. Designers recommend using the same material for the platband and baseboard.
Which apron and countertop to choose?
The work area can be decorated in one color scheme. The main option for a light kitchen is white. The apron is made of tiles, porcelain stoneware, and tiles. Table top made of stone, acrylic. Since patina and milling are used for facades, the apron should be as simple as possible, without drawings or patterns, so as not to cause visual overload.
White countertop and splashback
An interesting design option is a white apron and a contrasting black tabletop. For implementation, choose dark marble, onyx or granite. This combination looks stylish, creates dynamics, and is recommended for use in spacious kitchens or those combined with a living room.
Delicate pistachio set with black countertop
A tabletop made of light wood is one of the most current solutions. Durable rocks of amber and milky shades add coziness to the kitchen, but require care using special household chemicals. They can be replaced with a similar texture and durable imitation.
What decor to choose
A classic kitchen in light colors is distinguished by an abundance of themed decor. A wrought iron or crystal volumetric chandelier stands out as a central design element. Facades and plumbing fixtures are made of artificially aged metal, coated with gold, silver or copper paint.
Classics are characterized by the placement of mirrors or paintings on the walls in heavy metal or wooden frames. Open shelves are complemented by ceramic dishes, collectible figurines, and porcelain. Crystal, copper or forged vases and heavy candlesticks are placed on tables and windowsills.
Kitchen interior with mirror
Curtains with garters are made of natural materials using a floral or patterned print, complemented by simple, white, translucent tulle. On the floor of a classic kitchen, you can place a small carpet with a plant theme or a complex geometric pattern, similar to that used on the rest of the kitchen textiles.
The pattern on the curtains and chairs is similar
