Diane Keaton uses glass cabinets to cleverly introduce color to her white kitchen – it's one of the most inventive decorating techniques I've ever seen

The actress intelligently uses rainbow-colored accessories for a Mexican-inspired twist on her classic Californian kitchen – I'm following suit in my tiny home

Diane Keaton
(Image credit: Amy Sussman via Getty Images)

There are white kitchens, then there is Diane Keaton's Mexican-inspired twist on this classic color palette.

As a celebrity style editor, I've seen countless twists on a traditional white scheme, but Diane Keaton's colorful kitchen is the most playful. Like many other stars, she's introduced pockets of color, but instead of using conventional methods, such as tiles or paint, she's opted for vibrant crockery – best seen through her glass cabinets.

The question of how to style glass-fronted kitchen cabinetry is ever-present among designers, considering that everything you introduce behind this transparent front is visible in your kitchen. However, while many choose to keep things ultra-streamlined, using neutral cookware and decorative vases, Diane Keaton has filled her cabinet shelves with color. The result is unlike any other I've ever seen before, and the best part is that it's easily replicable, even in my tiny urban kitchen.

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Unsurprisingly, I am not alone in my admiration for Diane's vibrant decorating style.

'Incorporating glass-front kitchen cabinets is a great way not only to showcase beautiful possessions but to introduce color into a room, adds Isfira Jensen, the CEO and principal designer at Jensen & Co. Interiors. Alongside using crockery and cookware, you can introduce color through unexpected wallpaper inside your cabinets, as Isfira explains.

'One of my favorite ways to do this is by incorporating a fun wallpaper (or tile) on the cabinet interior. It's an unexpected way to introduce some personality into an otherwise neutral room. Visually, it creates great dimension behind the items on display, creating a colorful backdrop for favorite dishes and glassware,' Isfira says.

'This method works great because the color is confined to a small area, doesn't feel overwhelming, and can be changed out without a major overhaul.'

Diane's colorful plates look beautiful behind her glass kitchen cabinets, but they're just as impactful on her open shelving, offering yet more opportunity to introduce vibrancy to a neutral kitchen. In my small kitchen, I've placed this beautiful Yotam Ottolenghi FEAST plate (available from Selfridges) in the area that's fronted with glass, but have chosen to decorate with colorful wine glasses that always start a conversation with my guests.

There is, however, no wrong way to follow her example. Start with your favorite colors, then place these bright, functional pieces wherever they make you happiest.


Megan Slack
Head of Celebrity Style News

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens, where she leads the celebrity/ news team. She has a history in interior design, travel, and news journalism, having lived and worked in New York, Paris, and, currently, London. Megan has bylines in Livingetc, The Telegraph, and IRK Magazine, and has interviewed the likes of Drew Barrymore, Ayesha Curry, Michelle Keegan, and Tan France, among others. She lives in a London apartment with her antique typewriter and an eclectic espresso cup collection, and dreams of a Kelly Wearstler-designed home.

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