What Kitchen Color Will Still Be Loved in 10 Years?
It’s a question worth asking yourself before you commit to a new kitchen scheme: if you were going to live in this home for a long time, do you think you would still be in love with the color you choose after five years? What about 10 years?
There’s something to be said about embracing what you love, regardless of both trendiness and timelessness. Choose something that’s on trend? It’s a shortcut to being tired of your kitchen color choice in a couple of years. Only considering timelessness? There’s not much room for creativity or layering in your own personal preferences.
It’s easier said than done. Separating your own taste from what you’re fed by the algorithm isn’t easy, but if you interrogate your choices, you might just find the real reason behind your decision. To give you some examples, I asked some of my favorite kitchen designers to give their insight on what they would choose for their own kitchens if they knew they were living with it (and, hopefully, loving it) for the next 10 years.
Latest Videos FromLivingetc
Contrasting Colors
Matthew Andrews
Matthew is head of design at luxury kitchen and joinery company, Cor Domi. He has a wealth of experience in kitchen design helping to create dream spaces for the home.
Taking a swing on a characterful combination is less likely to age badly, this designer says.
(Image credit: Malcolm Menzies. Kitchen: Cor Domi. Interior Design: Project London)
For Matthew Andrews, this question isn’t a hypothetical. “We’ve actually just bought a house in the countryside, an old cottage dating back to the 1800s, and we’re extending it at the moment,” he explains. Instead of playing it safe and choosing a neutral, Matthew wants to highlight the contrast in the architecture between the original house and the new kitchen extension.
“I’m planning to pair tiled flooring with a moody, darker green door front, then bring in a big pop of color — something like Caravan from Paint & Paper Library, set hard against Nori, also from Paint & Paper Library, or Mid Azure Green from Little Greene. Then a timeless marble worktop on the back wall and sink run to pair with the green, and a full butcher block worktop on a dairy table island in the Caravan finish. That combination gives you a scheme with real visual interest.”
It’s a very specific choice, yes, but there’s a wider lesson in Matthew’s choices here. “Done properly, contrasting colors don’t fade or date the way a single safe or trendy color eventually will — if anything, I think they get more characterful with age. It’s the kind of scheme I’m confident we’ll still love in 10 years.”
2. Something Deep and Dark
Allison Lynch
Eager to apply her skills, Allison approached Roundhouse Design when they opened their Richmond showroom. Drawn to their distinctive approach to kitchen design, she embraced the opportunity when the showroom manager took a chance on her. Nearly 22 years later, she now leads the Cambridge showroom, playing a key role in shaping its success. She remains passionate about the company’s vision, working alongside a team of talented designers who continually push the boundaries of kitchen design.
A dark kitchen color has real versatility for a kitchen that can evolve.
(Image credit: Farrow and Ball)
Kitchen brand Roundhouse is one of those design studios that I think balances innovation with timelessness really well, so I’m interested to hear what its designers would pick for their own kitchen colors.
First up, senior designer Allison Lynch, who picks (another) Paint and Paper Library shade — Squid Ink. “It’s got depth; it’s easy to pair with timber, tiles and soft furnishings,” Allison explains. “It is a timeless color. It ties in with the green from the garden.”
For junior designer Isabella Pacelli, it’s another dark shade — Little Greene’s Invisible Green. “I love greens and think they’re very timeless,” Isabella says. “This green has a really nice earthy muted tone to it, and feels calm and elevated without being too dark and moody.”
3. Something Unexpected
William Durrant
William Durrant has worked in the cabinet and furniture manufacturing industry for over a decade. After learning from powerful kitchen brands, he had a desire to manage all aspects of home design projects, so he founded Herringbone Kitchens, now known as Herringbone House 10 years ago.
Rather than following trends, make an unexpected choice for timelessness.
(Image credit: Herringbone House)
Choosing something a little bit different is William Durrant‘s secret to still loving your color choice year after year. “My own kitchen is light blue, with a burgundy and red pantry. It’s an unusual color combination, but it works well: bright enough to make a statement, but not too dark, as the space has low ceilings.”
It’s more personal in its execution, and less about choosing a timeless kitchen color.
Earthy Neutrals
Emily Newmarch
Emily is a design consultant at Kitchens by Holloways, a design and build company that creates bespoke kitchens and thoughtfully planned interiors. Known for their holistic approach, the team considers not just the kitchen but the overall layout — whether it’s a single room, an open-plan space, or an entire home — to deliver beautiful, functional designs that enhance everyday living.
“Colors that have real longevity are ones that are adaptable and versatile,” suggests Emily Newmarch, a design consultant at Kitchens by Holloways.
So, what kind of color would she choose for a kitchen if she couldn’t change it for the next 10 years? “Earthy tones tend to be colors that never go out of style, such as warm taupes, deep mushrooms, and muted greens, or, as an alternative to paint, a wood-paneled kitchen is a style that can work in both traditional and modern settings.”
“Your kitchen is a long-term investment, so it’s vital to select a color that continues to feel calm and sophisticated but also functional,” Emily adds.
Off-White and Timber
Jayne Everett
Nestled on an old RAF base in Norfolk, Naked Kitchens is a family-run business that creates beautiful, bespoke rooms that don’t cost the earth. It may have started when Jayne and Jamie Everett were renovating their own kitchen, but 20 years on, they’re still dedicated to making the type of kitchens they love; it’s just no longer only for their family home.
It’s a classic for a reason. Could you ever get truly tired of this combination?
(Image credit: Naked Kitchens)
While some of the designers offered bold choices for their 10-year kitchen picks, Jayne Everett of Naked Kitchens suggests she’d keep it classic. “I would definitely choose a warm off-white combined with timber,” she says. “I love this look, and I know when I revisit it in 10 years, I will still love it. The scheme can be pulled together using a bolder wall color and grounded with a neutral floor; I always love the warmth of timber for this,” she adds.
As William Durrant suggests, as long as you’re considering how a color functions, not just how it looks, you’ll have a scheme that endures. “Instead of worrying about the timelessness of your choice, consider the size of your kitchen and the amount of natural light it gets,” he says.
But whether you’ve got a small kitchen, a dark kitchen, or a bright, open, airy one, if you’re looking for more inspiration, why not sign up to the Livingetc newsletter?
