17 Blue Kitchen Ideas for a Refreshingly Colorful Cooking Space

Go bold with bright blue cabinets to make a striking impression in your kitchen. This space balances the dark shade with large undressed windows, open shelving, and clear globe pendants to achieve a light, airy look. Metal chairs and island stools with sleek lines give the space a modern feel.

Paint your kitchen island blue for a quick dose of color and contrast without redoing the entire room. Nearly all shades of blue pair well with classic kitchen elements like white cabinetry, stainless-steel appliances, and wood floors. In this kitchen, a denim-blue shade on the island is accentuated with splashes of bright orange on the barstools, rug, and other accessories.

For a more permanent pop of color, look for kitchen appliances in your favorite shade of blue. Here, a glossy, cobalt range injects color between white-painted cabinets, a gray tile backsplash, and gray stone floors. Butcher-block countertops add warmth to the design, while a stainless-steel hood keeps the spotlight on the range.

Dark, moody shades of blue put a more contemporary spin on farmhouse-style kitchen designs. Filled with a mix of antique and new elements, this kitchen pairs crisp navy blue cabinets with traditional marble and butcher-block countertops, vintage-style lighting, and shiny brass hardware. Modern-looking slate tile floors covered with worn patterned rugs and an antique portrait hung on subway tile walls underscore the duality of styles.

When used on large elements such as cabinetry or walls, saturated shades of blue might overwhelm a small space. To use dark blue successfully in a small kitchen, limit the color to one element, such as a single bank of cabinets or the kitchen island. You can also lighten up dark blue cabinetry by using a high-gloss paint sheen that will reflect light and naturally brighten the space.

This traditional-style kitchen gets its fresh, clean look from a pastel blue-and-white color scheme. Custom cabinets with full-inset doors and drawers feature powder-blue paint accented with hefty black hardware. The sink wall adds white in the form of an informal beaded-board backsplash and a vintage-look apron-front sink. Patterned cushions on white-painted barstools and dining chairs add fresh pops of contrasting color.

Blue, yellow, and red define this formal kitchen's cheery color scheme. Rich, dark blue paint and a yellow marble countertop transform the kitchen island into a dramatic focal point. Rust-red terra-cotta tile flooring grounds the island, and blue diamond-shape accent tiles tie the island to the floor. Adding doses of white, or another neutral, can give a bold color scheme a sophisticated edge. Here, crisp white walls, banks of cabinets, and handsome range hood do just that. The eye-catching mural beneath the range hood ties the colors together beautifully.

Southwestern with a touch of rustic charm, this kitchen boasts turquoise-painted cabinets with twig detailing. A deep red Mexican saltillo tile floor and rough-cut ceiling beams (known as vigas) add warmth underfoot and overhead. Butcher-block countertops, wood paneling, and wood chairs temper the cabinets' vibrant hue with their natural tones.

Although a subtle color, the sky blue walls in this kitchen emphasize the staggered heights and exquisite crown molding of the white cabinets. White subway tile backsplashes extend the plane of white, with a tile mural above the range in smoky shades of gray that help ease the stainless-steel accents into the airy mix. Black granite countertops and upholstered stools add a strong punch to balance the ethereal elements in the kitchen.

French blue-painted cabinets gain the look of age with a distressed texture and a taupe glaze that clings to their door and drawer fronts, turned legs, and crown molding. Concrete countertops and stainless-steel appliances blend into the soothing blue background. A richly stained hardwood floor adds warmth underfoot.

Designed to look like an early-20th-century kitchen, this space features blue lower cabinets with recessed-panel doors and silver-tone hardware. Painting the backs of the white upper cabinets blue carries the lighthearted color upward. A white range hood, tongue-and-groove ceiling, and subway tile backsplash add period details while letting the blue paint pop. Matching quartersawn-oak islands (which resemble vintage library tables) boast white marble countertops for palette continuity. Golden-brown granite countertops, gold-and-white floral wallpaper, and creamy golden pendant lights add warmth to the palette.

Using multiple shades of the same color can create a tailored look with a color scheme that's easy to pull together. Take your cue from a paint swatch: Use one of the lightest shades on the walls and one of the darker shades on an accent, such as an island or a peninsula, as was done in this kitchen. The pale blue walls support the deeper shade of gray-blue applied to the peninsula's beaded-board paneling. Pale blue and white paint help the antique table-turned-island integrate into cabinetry's style fold. White marble countertops with gray veining tie the various components together.

Dark turquoise cabinets almost seem to float within a kitchen sheathed in white. The beamed ceiling, white marble countertops and backsplash, and handsome white island with turned pilasters and molding embellishments congregate around the bank of peacock-blue cabinets. A vintage Hoosier cabinet and a herringbone-pattern hardwood floor add warm touches of wood to the mix.

Blue-gray barn-style doors and upper cabinetry with an eye-catching arched shape and muntin windows create a handsome focal point in this spacious country kitchen. A backsplash in similar tones of blue adds a cool band of color between upper and lower perimeter cabinets. White marble adds a glossy presence, while hefty blackstrap hinges and door pulls have decorative power. A beaded light fixture offers an intriguing bit of glam.

A picture of geometry in action, this precisely designed kitchen accentuates its rectilinear cabinetry with light aqua and white paint. The aqua island features fluted columns atop pilaster blocks at its corners and a dark-stained hardwood countertop. Glass-front cabinet doors repeat geometric shapes with their muntins while offering display space for matching aqua objets d'art. Even the contemporary barstools feature grids of aluminum wire.

Featuring a classic cottage color scheme of pastel blue, green, and white, this kitchen, which opens to the outdoors, offers a place to prepare and enjoy meals in relaxing comfort. White cabinets, countertops, and woodwork set off the pretty pastels with crisp detailing. The subtle tones and organic shapes of the flagstone floor add an earthy influence.

For a sky blue with a little more presence, try a more saturated version of the typically pastel color. Find the hue you like on a paint swatch, but rather than using the lighter shades on top, pick one of the midrange tones on the swatch. Pairing the color with white and medium gray, such as in this kitchen, will temper it, ensuring it doesn't overpower the rest of the kitchen.