I'll admit it: pastels aren't usually my thing. They feel a little too sugary-sweet for my liking, and can sometimes date quickly; I'm much more about the deeper hues. However, lately I've come across a few new pastel kitchen projects that have made me genuinely reconsider. When paired with the right materials, I'm finding these soft, pale shades can feel unexpectedly sophisticated and even quite luxurious as a kitchen color idea.
Designers are increasingly leaning into nuanced pastel color palettes that read as grown-up rather than safe and, dare I say it, feeble. Used well, they can soften the harder architectural edges of a kitchen, allowing the materials to take center stage and be fully appreciated. "Pastels, when handled with restraint and intent, can be transformative in a kitchen," says Tom Howley, design director at Tom Howley Kitchens. "Soft tones such as pale blues and gentle sage green create a calm, light-filled backdrop that allows beautiful shaker cabinetry, veined stone, and architectural detailing to truly shine."
