If you’ve ever planned a kitchen renovation, or even added a little decor to refresh any space in your home, you know how important color can be — and that’s especially true for homeowners. According to a recent 2026 study by Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate, “Color is playing a bigger role than ever in how buyers connect with a home” for this year. Findings show that wall color can elicit an emotional reaction that impacts how people truly feel in a space. And with kitchens as the heart of every home (and the most influential room in a house when it comes to resale value), it’s important to choose your hues correctly.
Experts agree. “I have seen firsthand the benefits of mood improvements with light and color therapy,” Dr. Sharmin Dharas, owner of Hotel Zazz in Albuquerque, says. “This is why we ask our guests, ‘What color are you feeling today?’ at check-in or booking, so they can be assigned a room that may fit their vibe or elevate their mood.”
I asked professional home and restaurant designers and kitchen specialists which colors you should try to stay away from when picking your kitchen colors, and here’s what they said.
7 Kitchen Colors That Can Negatively Affect Your Mood
Well, it’s not quite that simple. “Nearly any color can work when it’s used with purpose and restraint,” says Chris Demant, founder and CEO at Grills by Demant, who led the recent kitchen redesign of Michelin-starred Atlanta restaurant Atlas. “But in kitchens especially, color has to support function, endurance, and focus, not just make a visual statement,” he adds. He suggests considering lighting, materials, and the purpose of the space, but more on that later.
As Caitlin King, CEO of Wrap Your Kitchen, says, “A color might look gorgeous in a magazine or on your feed, but when you’re living with it day in and day out and dealing with cooking splatters and changing light throughout the day, that’s when you discover if it really works.”
In King’s experience, dark brown is “one of those colors that looks warm and inviting in theory, but in practice, can make your kitchen feel like a cave.” She says that it absorbs light, making kitchens feel smaller and closed in. Similarly, dramatic pure black does the same, but “is even more unforgiving when it comes to showing dust, streaks, and watermarks,” she warns.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, stark white is also a pass for her, and surprisingly for the same reason: “It shows every single mark — coffee splashes, tomato sauce splatters, and greasy fingerprints all show up immediately on pure white surfaces.” Like with black, “you’ll be constantly wiping things down!”
And despite bold, cherry red being an iconic kitchen color, surging to popularity back in the 1940s and ’50s, it’s also a big no-no for King. “Red demands attention, and in a kitchen, that constant visual stimulation becomes exhausting,” which can create a sense of restlessness, she says.
Charlotte Broadribb, cofounder of feng shui and color psychology consultancy Yinteriors in the U.K., agrees. “A strong red could lead to tension,” she says, which is the same reason Dharas also avoids using red in any of her designs. “We stay away from colors that are known for danger and alarm,” she says of her hotel’s design.
Finally, neon colors are another theme that look great on Instagram but not IRL. “Electric lime, hot pink, fluorescent orange might look fun and playful in small doses, but they’re overwhelming when covering your kitchen walls,” King says, “Plus, neon is trendy now, but what looks edgy today can look tired and outdated within a year or two.”
9 Kitchen Colors to Choose to Boost Your Mood
Gabriela Fiorentino, founder of eco-consultancy Nest Earth, says, “I’m in favor of earth tones as a way to bring the calmness of the outside world and natural elements into your home.” She likes to bring in tans, terracottas, and floral tones like muted yellows, purples, and oranges. But across the board with all of the experts I chatted with, soft, warm neutrals like sage green, grays, creamy off-whites, and peaceful blues are unanimous recommendations.
“They uplift a space without demanding attention,” Demant says, suggesting that these colors “work best to lift moods when they’re subtle rather than declarative.” King points out that they’re also practical, since “they’re incredibly forgiving when it comes to showing marks and wear.”
The BHG study showed that 52% of respondents favored coastal and sky blues with misty or aqua undertones for “serenity and optimism,” and 42% felt that gentle, nature-rooted greens bring a feeling of balance and renewal to their kitchens.
Warm neutrals rooted in nature are also favored, especially when layered. Dharas loves using eggshell beige and grays as accents instead of main color palettes to ground bolder choices. “If it’s done tastefully and not in your face at all times, alternative colors can be very healing and energizing,” she says.
“From the perspective of color psychology, the hint of yellow within creams provides an emotionally calming effect, as it soothes the nervous system,” Broadribb adds. However, “light pinks will be physically soothing but may feel too restful if trying to get things done at pace,” she says. So know that home shades do very much matter, and it all depends what you’re looking to achieve in a space.
How to Choose the Right Colors for Your Kitchen
Overall, the key to selecting the most mood-boosting kitchen color scheme is to create a harmonious palette of up to two main colors and two accent colors, Broadribb recommends. “Materials like woods, metals, and tiles will provide the balance needed to ensure the room is inspiring, not draining,” she says.
For instance, for Demant’s recent project at Atlas, they “used stainless steel, a true neutral, grounding the kitchen, reflecting light, and reinforcing its functional character. Brass is introduced more selectively to add warmth and depth, softening the overall palette” — a signature British racing green — “without competing with it. Together, the colors and materials create a kitchen that feels balanced, timeless, and rooted in both its history and its use.”
If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to choosing colors for your calming, inspiring dream kitchen, these are the best colors and color combinations, according to designers. Remember to focus on what feels good to you in your space, whether it’s a bold hue or an earthy green.
