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3 hours ago
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I'll never forget walking into my house for the first time. My wife and I had been combing through the Colorado foothills, trudging through overpriced flips that were more lipstick-on-a-pig than dream home. Then this place hit the market, and the second we stepped inside, we knew this was where we wanted to live.
Back then, we were all about minimalism, so the open floor plan, hardwood floors and brick fireplace felt like a win. Sure, it was a little sterile — gray walls, white cabinets, gray granite, stainless hardware — but we figured that was an easy fix. Fast-forward six years, and while we've splashed a little color elsewhere (and I've learned how much I hate painting), the kitchen still looks exactly the same.
The upside? You don't actually need to pick up a paintbrush to make a gray kitchen feel fresh. I asked an interior design pro how to wake mine up — without using a single drop of paint — here's what she told me.
Bring in a little brass
Forget gray on gray on gray. The fastest way to warm things up is with brass. Think cabinet hardware, pendants, or even a set of salt and pepper shakers. "A little bit of brass goes a long way," explains Barb Chandler, interior designer at Furniture Row and cohost of "Seated," the brand's interior design podcast. There are plenty of options to choose from too, whether you prefer polished, aged, brushed, lacquered or unlaquered. Swap out your pulls and knobs, add a brass-handled tray or tuck a brass vase with greenery on the counter.
By far the easiest upgrade we made to our kitchen was changing the cabinet and drawer pulls. Coincidentally it also had the largest impact, looks-wise. The taper and distressed look of these handles will make them stand out over the rounded, perfectly cylindrical handles seen in most flips.
One thing I was certain of when swapping out hardware in my kitchen what that I wasn't going to be drilling or filling any existing holes. That meant a mixture of cabinet handles (which have two holes apiece) and circular knobs like those above. These have the distressed look to match the handles, while adding some character that perfectly round and polished knobs lack.
This tray looks just as at home topped with a summery vase full of flowers on top of it as it does decked out for the holidays. More importantly, it adds warmth to my cold, gray granite countertops.
Layer in stone accents
Stone doesn't have to just be for countertops and backsplashes. "Add a little bit of marble," says Chandler, like "a cutting board in an interesting color palette, think burgundy, greens, browns, gold." It's functional, but it also breaks up all that gray with natural color and texture.
When it comes to adding color to my kitchen, I gravitate towards green (who knows why, maybe it's my Irish roots). This marble cutting board is easy to clean and classes up a countertop.
If you're after just a hint of color or warmth, the brown veins in this stone cutting board offer a more subtle approach.
Soften with fabric
"If you have a window in your kitchen, a fabric Roman shade" is another fantastic option, explains Chandler. "The fabric will visually soften the lines of the cabinets." Even something as small as patterned hand towels can add life (and yes, you have permission to go wild with color here).
When I first moved into my home, none of the windows had treatments. I felt like I was living in a fish bowl. We quickly drove to The Home Depot and bought cheap plastic blinds, which do the job, but just barely. These blackout Roman shades introduce a warmer, softer element into what is on its own a cold, sterile room, and block out much more light than blinds.
I love how fun these checkerboard towels are. After years of living with white or black towels, seeing these hanging on my oven door put a smile on my face. Plus they remind me of the Vans slip-ons I used to wear in high school.
Treat your counters like mini galleries (and add a lamp)
Gray kitchens can feel sterile when every surface is utilitarian, but according to Chandler, this is one of the easiest things to change. Add small pieces of art on a wall or even an easel right on the counter. Show off a beautiful cookbook (open to your favorite recipe) or prop up a lamp with a battery-powered bulb ("Cords be gone!", exclaims Chandler) for softer light.
"Show off a beautiful cook book cover or open the cook book to your favorite recipe and display on the counter top using a small easel to hold the book," suggests Chandler. This wooden stand has the added benefit of allowing you to see what you need to add next to your mixing bowl without having to touch the pages.
I'm not a fan of shiny metallics, but would rather see hints of them, which is why I usually go with items that have an antique brass or bronze finish, like this pottery. It adds warmth without the shine. This also aligns with Chandler's advice to bring in brass, giving your space an intentional feel.
Don't forget the floor
"Add a runner or two to your floor," advises Chandler, and "go with a pattern." It does more than protect your floors — it introduces warmth, color and texture. Bonus: it makes standing at the sink or stove more comfortable.
Reviewers love how soft these mats are and how easily they wash — both important features for a kitchen rug. The soft, thick structure makes them lightly shock absorbent (clutch if you’re standing over a sink doing stacks of dishes). And when it comes to kitchen rugs, machine-washability isn’t a bonus — it’s a must.
Avoid the "gray everything" trap
One of the most common mistakes people make, my wife and I included, was doubling down on gray — to all of that gray, we decided, for whatever reason, to add gray furniture. That just magnifies the problem. Instead, add color and warmth wherever you can.
Let there be light
One way of adding warmth is with elevated lighting choices. In fact, second only to switching out your hardware, Chandler advises you swap out any cold, sterile or lighting sources. Hanging new pendant lights or sconces is a low-cost, high-impact upgrade that adds personality to a kitchen without the need to hire a contractor.
"A little bit of brass goes a long way," cautions Chandler, which is why a mixed media pendant like this is so appealing. The combination of green, wood tones and brass keep it from feeling overwhelming.
Think you have to hire an electrician to install sconces? Think again. I have similar ones next to the bed in my primary bedroom and all it took was a drill and a level and I had them up in less than an hour.
Of all the changes we've made in to our kitchen in the past few months, adding a lamp to the dark, under cabinet corner is far and away my favorite. It adds warm light to the room, making it feel cozy and welcoming. Ours has a cord, which is hard to hide (currently it is shoved behind some jars) but a better solution is to get a battery-powered one like this (this one is waterproof too, perfect for next to sinks) and lose the cord completely.
Already have a lamp you like but want to go cordless? Just snag a rechargeable bulb (they can change colors too) and snip the cord away.
These changes will warm up your kitchen faster than your oven!
(Getty)
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