These 4 Paint Colors Can Make Even The Smallest Kitchen Feel Larger

If you have a smaller kitchen, it's easy to get complacent about the cramped atmosphere and feel frustrated with your little space but not be able to see a way to change it. After all, you can't change the size of your kitchen, right? Well, technically, that may be true, but there are many clever ways to make your kitchen seem larger, and one of them is with the paint color you use for your walls and your cabinetry. 

"To enhance the sense of space in smaller rooms, I recommend using paint colors with a high Light Reflective Value (LRV)," Erica Illions, designer and project manager at Kitchen Design Concepts, told Southern Living. The higher a paint color's LRV on a scale from 0, which is black, to 100, which is white, the more the paint will reflect light and make the space seem brighter and more open.

The color with the highest LRV is white. But that doesn't mean you have to paint your kitchen white for it to look bigger. You can still inject lots of style and personality into your space with color while making sure it's as visually open and airy as possible, giving your cooking area a peaceful, spacious feel. Let's get into the best paint colors to use to make your kitchen look and feel bigger than it is. These can be used for the walls, for the cabinetry, or both (though we don't exactly recommend painting your walls and cabinets the exact same color).

Bright white can be harsh or give your space an extremely sleek, modern feel, but if you're looking for something a little warmer, an off-white or cream color can lighten up your kitchen and make it feel spacious while providing that coziness at the same time. 

There are endless options when it comes to choosing a shade of white, so it's important to test out swatches in the space itself. Changes in light (both natural and artificial) can drastically change how each shade of white comes across. Don't be afraid to paint swatches on several surfaces and walls of your space to make sure the color works from all angles and at different times of day. Additionally, if you opt for off-white cabinetry, try to keep the majority of painted surfaces in the room light, if not exactly the same color. It will do wonders for the feel of your small space and keep the room looking harmonious but not homogenous.

Pastels like light blue are perfect for creating the illusion of light, airy space in a small area, like a galley kitchen. Ideally, you should aim to choose a blue with an LRV of over 65. And blues with gray or yellow undertones, like sky blue, as opposed to red undertones will create that light, fresh, roomy feel your kitchen needs. Even though it is cool toned, it doesn't feel cold or risk seeming uninviting, as other hues might.

Additionally, using a glossy finish on your kitchen cabinets will add to the reflective nature of the paint job that will bust the feeling of your space wide open in addition to making your small kitchen feel luxe. Whether you have a narrow kitchen or low ceilings or both, a pastel blue color can elongate and brighten at the same time, transforming your whole kitchen with just a few brushstrokes. for those who want to experiment with color but worry it will look dated soon after, light blue is the perfect option, being as close to neutral as colors can get. 

Soft greens are all the rage these days, and for good reason. Light sage greens evoke nature and create peaceful and therefore open, alive spaces. If you want to open up your kitchen but still inject it with a lot of personality, a pale sage green might be the answer, especially if you're hoping to achieve a modern country farmhouse  or a boho chic look. 

Extend the look of your kitchen further by painting the crown moldings, door frames, and doors themselves in the same color. The not-quite-monochromatic look has an elongating effect that will serve your space well. One tried and true method to making a space seem larger is to experiment with subtle variations in tone. You could choose a slightly darker green for your lower cabinets, and a lighter one for your walls and upper cabinetry. Basically, the idea is to create seamless images for your eyes — don't cut your kitchen in half visually by choosing a much darker backsplash, for instance.

Millennial gray may be the kitchen cabinet color to avoid these days, but when chosen well, a light gray, especially one with blue undertones, is always a solid choice for a small kitchen because not only does it open up your space and make it seem larger than it is, but gray is a perfect, neutral base from which you can go in pretty much any direction when it comes to style and décor.

Whether you're going for more of a sleek, modern aesthetic or a rustic, homey farmhouse feel, a kitchen with light gray walls and/or cabinetry can help you get there. An all-gray kitchen may strike some as dull or one-note, but there are plenty of ways to give your gray kitchen personality while still keeping the space feeling open and bright. Think funky fixtures, interesting lighting, and stylish countertop items like fruit bowls, toasters, and even plants.