The Property Brothers Issue A Word Of Warning About All-White Interior Design

If you're thinking about changing the design of one of the rooms in your home, you might look for some advice from the pros. HGTV's Property Brothers know bold designs, so they're certainly a good starting point to go to for tips. Jonathan and Drew Scott also provide advice about mistakes you should avoid, like using too much white — especially in the kitchen.

"If people are going modern, they think of white everywhere, but maybe some contrast is good," Drew Scott said in a Room X Room series video conversation on Bright, as reported by The Kitchn. Using a dark wood tone in some accents could bring warmth and texture into the white kitchen, for example. Adding other colors helps make the white areas stand out more because of the contrast, too.

"For the longest time, it's been white cabinets in white kitchens. Lighter colors help bounce light around and feel cleaner and brighter," Jonathan Scott said. "But I love a little color — stained wood, blues, greens." When House Digest sampled design experts to determine which colors you should avoid using in the kitchen, they agreed that all-white kitchens are not as popular currently as they once were. So how much white in the design is too much? We'll discuss ways to incorporate white while improving the overall look by adding a splash of color or a different-looking material that offsets its brightness. We'll also discuss some different primary colors that you can use in the kitchen.

According to the Property Brothers, the biggest reason to avoid an all-white design is simple: "Too much of a good thing is not a good thing," Jonathan Scott said (via The Kitchn). His recommendation is to balance the whiteness with some color because people want something that grabs their attention.

In addition to using a splash of paint color inside a white space like the Property Brothers suggest, you could bring in colorful elements to provide a contrast to the primary white color. Window treatments that have a bit of color or that provide a textured, natural look, such as a woven material, could prove an ideal way of breaking up the simple shade. Another option is to bring in color through the accessories you implement, such as decorative glassware or cabinet handles. Even something as simple as bright green houseplants can add a splash of color that brings some vibrancy to an otherwise all-white design.

If you want to bring in an element that's a little more permanent, consider adding some unique lighting. Try pendants that have a vibrant material and color, such as wood or colored metal. Wood flooring or vinyl flooring that looks like wood is also a nice way to give a rustic and warmer feel to a space that has a primarily white design.

So what should you do if you want to simply avoid an all-white kitchen? The Property Brothers have some favorite paint colors that they recommend in any space when you're looking for a timeless color that you can apply and leave in place without worrying about it going out of style. When you want a safe choice but want to avoid white, heather gray is a strong option. Another soothing color is a muted blue-green.

A few other colors are proving popular for painting kitchen cabinets in 2024, according to multiple experts. Green is a strong choice for cabinets, including olive green and deeper hues. Blue is a classic choice for kitchens as well, especially navy and mid-tone blues. A painting technique that's popular for both blue and green is thinning the paint with water and allowing some of the wood tone of the kitchen cabinets to bleed through. If you use either of these colors inside the kitchen, you could then turn white into more of an accent color.

If you want something even bolder, consider adding a bright color that delivers energy to your kitchen, such as red as an accent color. Even a mustard yellow or coral pink can provide a pop of color and create a striking focal point on an island or pantry door.