Co-ordinating Kitchen Colors
For large kitchens with a great deal of cabinetry and granite countertops, using two tones of wood and granite can help enhance the kitchen design.
Large, spacious kitchens, including islands for seating and prep work, may begin to feel homogenous with large amounts of the same color running throughout. Utilizing a different color of cabinetry, and a different counter on the kitchen island, can break up the room and help add more detail without overwhelming the design.
Using Different Counters
For homeowners who do a great deal of cooking or entertaining in the kitchen, utilizing the second countertop material on the kitchen island can be beneficial. Wood butcher block counters for prep work are available in various wood tones and patterns. Look for zebra wood in modern kitchens or a contrasting wood tone to the kitchen cabinetry for more traditional looks.
For bakers or those who do a great deal of dough kneading in the kitchen, consider using a marble countertop on the island. A honed marble surface is excellent for working dough that needs to be kept cool. Also, be sure to use a durable material such as granite or a quartz counter in the rest of the kitchen for prep work and cutting, as marble does tend to stain and scratch when exposed to wines, acids, and knives.
If the island is a heavily used seating area, consider using a quartz composite or recycled glass countertop rather than natural stone. Quartz and other artificial counters are impervious to staining, scratching, burning, or etching, making them great for high-use areas. If using a quartz counter with granite in the rest of the kitchen, choose a color of quartz that is predominantly solid, with little patterning, and picks up a color from the granite. If using a recycled glass island counter, consider using a recycled glass backsplash to tie the two areas together.
Using Complimentary Colored Counters
If using the same type of material for the cabinet counters and the island counter, consider using two complementary shades rather than keeping them both the same. If using granite, try picking out one of the dots or veins of color from the main counter to use on the island. For example, if using light-colored granite, such as Giallo Ornamental, on the kitchen counters, which has dark brown and occasional cranberry dots, try using Imperial Coffee Brown, a rich dark-colored granite on the island counter, to complement and anchor the design.
If using dark granite on the main counters, such as Absolute Black, consider using granite with a great deal of color and movement for the island counter, such as Juparana Fantastico or Costa Esmeralda. It will give a focal point to the room without overwhelming the space, as would the use of a wild counter throughout.
Using Two Wood Tones
Using two tones of wood in the kitchen design, keeping the main cabinets one color and the kitchen island a second color can help keep a kitchen from seeming overly light or dark. For example, a kitchen with white cabinets may consider a mahogany wood island to help cement and anchor the design. In addition, it allows for the use of mahogany hardwood flooring accents inlaid into a lighter floor and deeper tones of granite and backsplashes.
If the kitchen cabinets are a dark tone, consider using a white or light-colored kitchen island to contrast. Consider wenge for the main cabinets, with a bleached maple island for a modern kitchen, or two tones of cherry for a more traditional look.
Using two colors in a kitchen design can bring added design elements without added decoration. For example, consider using two colors of cabinets and counters in a kitchen and bring new depth to the space today.