Kitchen in gray tones - relevant and practical design

For several seasons, gray has held the lead among the most popular color schemes for kitchen spaces. The love of designers for various shades of this, perhaps, the most neutral color is easily explained by its versatility. You can create a design of a kitchen room in gray tones for any choice of stylistic direction. Classical or modern, country or loft, hi-tech or Provence - any interior style will look harmonious, practical and attractive in a gray color palette slightly diluted with other spectrum solutions. In this publication, we will consider various options for using shades of gray in decorating, furnishing and decorating a kitchen space, its combination with other color schemes, and of course we will present you an impressive selection of kitchen design projects designed for every taste and budget size.

Before deciding to use the gray palette in the design of the kitchen, you need to find out at least a minimum of information about this light, its effect on the psychological state of a person, combinatorics with other color segments of the spectrum, the pros and cons in terms of use in such a multifunctional room like a kitchen.

The advantages of using gray shades in the design of the kitchen space include the following:

• gray color is neutral, it creates a favorable background for creating the interior, does not irritate the eye even with a very long stay in the room, is able to soothingly affect a person;
• shades of gray are universal in terms of combining with other colors - every kitchen owner can create a bright accent on a gray background, without the help of a designer;
• almost all shades of gray are incredibly practical, and in a kitchen space subject to a large number of different influences, the question of cleaning and cleaning surfaces is always relevant;
• the gray palette is at the peak of popularity, having designed the kitchen in shades of this gamut, you can be sure of its relevance, modernity;
• gray color is able to bring notes of nobleness, luxury and even chic into the interior - its silver shades always look respectable and at the same time modern;
• the gray palette can be used to decorate a kitchen of any size - for small rooms choosing light shades, in a spacious room, however, not limited to color schemes;
• almost any interior style will look organic and attractive if shades of gray are chosen as the main solutions.

There are few shortcomings in the gray tone and most of them can be easily turned into pluses:

• the gray palette may seem dull and even gloomy, if not diluted with solutions from other spectral groups - a white tone, bright accents;
• if your kitchen of modest size has scant natural light (one small window) and is located on the north side of the building, then the choice of exclusively gray shades for its design can lead to a difficult “cool” interior, but uncomfortable, uncomfortable for a long stay;
• cool shades of gray (and there are many of them) must be diluted with the warmth of the natural pattern of wood - the resulting projects always look organically and attractively.

Gray has many shades:

• slate;
• lead;
• graphite;
• smoky;
• dusty;
• tin;
• silver;
• steel;
• wet asphalt color;
• Meringue
• anthracite.

Any of these shades can become the basis for finishing the kitchen space. Experts recommend choosing light colors for decorating walls, and emphasizing certain interior elements with dark shades. For example, a snow-white ceiling, turning into a light silver finish on the walls, is found with graphite-colored floor tiles, and for decorating a kitchen apron you can use metallized ceramic tiles or mosaics that add gloss and chic to the entire interior.

Finishing the kitchen apron in gray will be not only practical, but also accentive, if the rest of the vertical surfaces appear only as a background, for example, white. Matte or glossy ceramic surface, metallic luster mosaic, classic "metro" tiles, but in gray - there are many options for apron execution.

The dark gray color for the design of the flooring is a good move in terms of combination with light walls to visually increase the volume of the room. But from a practical point of view, it is important not to make a mistake in the shade, otherwise even dried up drops of water will be visible on the floor so clearly that you will have to do the cleaning much more often than in alternative options for decorating floors with a “wood look” finish.

The entire image of the room depends on the color of finishes and facades of the kitchen. Given that most of the area of ​​the kitchen is furniture, the tone of the facades will create the mood, atmosphere and character of the entire interior. The gray kitchen ensemble is incredibly practical. At the same time, it can be made in a completely smooth, concise version for a modern interior, so decorated with carvings, luxurious accessories in the Baroque style for a classic look.

In order to visually increase the height of the room, it is enough to use a light tone of the upper tier of kitchen cabinets and a darker, deeper shade for the lower one. As a companion to the gray color in this situation, various shades of white color can appear - from boiling white to milky.

Original, but at the same time, a gray sideboard in the kitchen space with a light furniture set will look harmonious. The gray color is not so bright as to become an accent, but in a bright kitchen, even a slight deviation from the white tone will allow the buffet (or any other variant of cabinet execution) to become a focal point.

Gray countertops can be found in various segments of materials for the execution of this interior item - from natural stone to plates with PVC film. If you use natural material to make such an important element as a tabletop, which is loaded from the point of view of mechanical and temperature effects, it makes sense to make every effort so that even the gray color becomes an accent, attracts attention. To do this, it is enough to create a light background of decoration and execute the furniture ensemble in a contrast with the tabletop version.

The kitchen island in any interior is not deprived of attention - the module standing apart is always eye-catching. If this element is different in color from the kitchen set, then the role of “design star” is ensured for it. Even in a neutral color such as gray, the uniqueness of the piece of furniture will be ensured.

Gray, like other colors, has many shades. And yet, to execute the design of the kitchen space in exceptionally gray colors is possible only for great professionals. When combining shades of gray, you can achieve not only interesting, organic, but also modern solutions for the design of a room important for any home - the kitchen.

If you are taking the first steps in decorating living spaces, if repairing a kitchen is your debut, then the combination of gray with shades of white can rightfully be considered the most safe, but no less spectacular. A gray furniture set will look great on a background of snow-white walls. Perhaps you will not surprise anyone with such design decisions, but create a design that is relevant for many years, in which not only every household will feel comfortable, but also the guest of your home.

The combination of white and gray shades to create the decoration of the kitchen is no less successful solution. The snow-white ceiling, light gray walls with boiled-white skirting boards, possibly moldings and even stucco moldings are an excellent basis for creating a classic interior. For the modern style, you only need to present a more concise version without decor - such a finish will become a barely noticeable background for the main participant in the kitchen interior - the furniture ensemble.

Gray shades are the perfect backdrop for creating vibrant accents. You can safely use any color as an accent spot if the decoration and furnishings of the kitchen are made in various shades of gray palette. This incredible advantage of gray color becomes a key selection criterion for those who first create a kitchen space design on their own and are not confident in their abilities of harmonious combination of colors.

The gray interior of the kitchen is a great opportunity to install a bright household appliance (most often made in retro style). A bright fridge or stove, a food processor or a toaster with a kettle will become the “stars of the program” in a neutral, gray interior.

The easiest and cheapest way to bring brightness to a gray interior is to use textiles. Colorful curtains or plain bright fabric blinds, an authentic style tablecloth on the dining table or decorative pillows of the kitchen corner - any way of applying fabrics and printing on them is suitable for creating a color accent. No less effect can be achieved by brightly upholstered bar stools or elements of mini-chairs in the dining area.

Bringing brightness to the gray palette of the kitchen interior is a simple task. Enough bright bouquet of flowers or a bowl of fruit in the center of the dining table. If your modest-sized kitchen does not have a table for meals, then there is probably a bar or peninsula, a console as a table top for short meals. Bright dishes will become not only a functional household item, but also an interior decoration if they are located in a color-neutral design of the kitchen.

Most shades of gray create a cool atmosphere. To bring a warm touch of excellent wood surface or its spectacular imitation. Depending on whether you want the wooden elements of the interior to become accents or merge with the overall picture of the kitchen space, you can choose one or another version of the natural pattern - from light pine to dark wenge.

The gray color with a sheen of chrome-plated parts of household appliances in the aggregate can create a fairly cool and even somewhat repulsive image of the room. To soften the “grayness” of the interior, it is easiest to use wood as a floor covering; you can achieve no less effect by using wood to create a dining group — a table and chairs or small armchairs. The wooden frame of bar stools or even the countertops of the kitchen set - for the introduction of natural warmth into the gray kitchen design, many options are suitable.

Wooden doors selected in the color of the flooring will help to dilute the gray tone in the decoration and furnishings of the kitchen space.If your kitchen has more than one door (usually in private houses they exit from the kitchen space into the living rooms and into the back yard or into the pantry), the effect will intensify, bringing not just variety to the gray interior, but becoming a harmonious ensemble.

Any items of wood furniture will help diversify the color palette in gray design - from one of the tiers of kitchen cabinets to the island or peninsula. Obviously, against the background of a gray interior, such elements instantly become accents, standing out, attracting attention.

Wicker elements of the interior, of course, can not be called wooden, but the plant origin and the ability to bring natural warmth to the interior, makes the vine and rattan similar to wood. Wicker chairs or elements of chairs (bar stools), serving mats and even lamp shades of lamps look luxurious against the gray background of the kitchen interior.