The Art of 2 Tone Kitchens

Carly Henkel
Mar 9, 2019
3 min read

A big trend in today's kitchens are two tone cabinets or two colored cabinets. This could be why in the 2019 trends we are seeing less cherry cabinets. Two tone cabinets give your kitchen the life and character many are looking for but one can be afraid to try it in their own home. Two toned kitchens can be incorporated in multiple styles such as modern and traditional designs, but how can it be achieved and executed well!? It can be scary to go out of your comfort zone and try something new but with these tips you can create a cohesive design!

Style & Design Inspiration

To accomplish a successful two-tone kitchen it is helpful to start with inspirational pictures and to know what style you will want to accomplish in the end. Two-tone kitchens are very flexible with all styles of design not strictly modern. Having pictures allows you to use them as references throughout the process. When a specific style is chosen it allows the focus to be solely on that style and keeps the design from becoming too overwhelming.

Pick a Focal Point

Picking a focal point in the kitchen will help unify the space. Usually the kitchen island is used as the focal point since it is placed at the center of the kitchen. Having more than one focal point will cause chaos and eliminate the unity you want to achieve.

How to Accomplish a Successful Two-Tone Kitchen

A good design allows the eye to move around the whole room with a relaxed flow. For the two-tones there should be a light color or wood and a dark color or wood to create the contrast that two-tone kitchens are known for.

Here are a few ways to create a beautiful two-tone kitchen:

1. Grounding the design: Choose a dark paint color or wood for the bottom cabinets that will allow the design to be grounded and to draw the eye down.

2. Creating flow: Choose a lighter paint color or wood for the top/wall cabinets to draw the eye back to the top. Having a lighter tone up top also gives your kitchen an airy feeling, allowing your space to feel larger. The correct utilization of dark & light contrasts gives your kitchen the balance it needs and draws the eye around the whole space.

3. Separation: The use of white can help separate the two different tones/colors. Such as trim, tile, and countertops. This is best when no white cabinets are used in the design.

4. Creating Harmony: To harmonize and tie together the whole design there should be a constant throughout the kitchen. This can be achieved through the pulls and hardware of the cabinets. Having the same pulls/hardware for all cabinets creates the harmony you need for the design. Another way to create harmony is selecting colors from the same color palette. This again, keeps the design from becoming overwhelming.

Paint & Wood

Many think of two-tone kitchens as only being painted cabinets but when done right both paint and wood can create a beautiful cohesive design. The mix of wood and paint goes the extra mile giving your design more texture and interest. But, the popular and more conservative option is sticking with two different paint colors.

Source: Kitchen Cove Cabinetry & Design |Mary Ludemann- New Old, LLC | Lisa Romerein

Colors & Ideas for the Bold

Source: Tradewinds General Contracting Inc.

If you have a bold style and personality, a couple colors to consider are blue & green. Blues and greens paired with a neutral color can give you that pop of color and a harmonized design.

If your kitchen needs something more or if you value texture in a space, the mix of wood and paint could be your solution. Wood grain can give the contrast and texture/interest you are looking for.

Colors & Ideas for the Conservative

If you are still not very sure of two-tone kitchens or are more on the conservative side, no worries! A good tip is to pick one color you can really see being in your kitchen and then selecting your second tone by using that same color but going a little lighter or a little darker.

If you are interested in a more conservative design I would suggest using neutrals such as whites, grays, and tans. If you want color in your kitchen and aren't ready to use bold colors on your cabinets, decorations such as jars, towels and wall hangings are a great way to add color without being permanent.

At Pinnacle Homes we can assist you in Remodels, New Builds, and Interior Design. Contact us to schedule your appointment today! https://www.pinnaclerochester.com/

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