3 overlooked colors you never thought could work in your kitchen – but interior designers swear by them

Choosing a color scheme for your kitchen is an important decision to get right. Serving as the heart of the home, kitchens are often the most frequented rooms that are as functional as they are social.

And while a palette of soft neutrals offers timelessness, it's equally worth exploring more adventurous hues in kitchens. Sure to add personality, unexpected kitchen color ideas can be just what's needed to add design interest to this utilitarian room.

Below, we've rounded up three kitchen colors that are often overlooked, but interior designers recommend for a stylish space.

1. Teal

Decorating with teal is expected to be big in 2025. An in-between color that includes undertones of blue and green, teal makes a statement and can vary from mid-tones which feel playful to darker variations which add opulence to the home.

When it comes to kitchens, designers are channeling this bold hue, whether that be as the wall color or across kitchen cabinets, adding interest and character to the heart of the home. Below, interior designer Natalia Miyar elaborates on this shift away from lighter neutrals:

'Kitchens have traditionally leaned towards neutral colors like white, gray, and beige, but adding color can really bring personality and warmth to the space – especially if it's also serving as a dining area. Color can set the mood, create visual interest, and make the space feel more inviting.'

Designer Tineke Triggs is also a fan of using teal in kitchens, especially in pared-back tones, adding: 'A less saturated teal feels historical yet fresh and brings depth without being overwhelming. It's terrific used on cabinetry paired with honed limestone or soapstone countertops.'

2. Yellow

Yellow kitchens are often associated with dated interior design trends, but it's a cheerful shade that can work incredibly well in this social space. From butter yellows which offer a pared-back and neutral look to much livelier orange yellows as seen in this farmhouse kitchen, yellow comes in many forms as an unexpected color that designers are championing for 2025:

'Yellow ochre is a beautiful color in a country kitchen that is often overlooked as a thing of the past but when done correctly it can be so warm and inviting,' says interior designer Sarah Latham of Latham Interiors.

'We recently painted kitchen cabinets a butter-yellow color, which you don’t often see these days,' adds designer Ann Wolf of Houston-based Wolf Holden Design, who opted for Benjamin Moore's Golden Tan. 'It feels like a throwback to the 1950s, but it’s fresh and happy.'

3. Olive green

While dark green paints feel aligned with the latest color trends, designers say that olive green tones can often be overlooked in kitchen color schemes.

'One kitchen color that’s often overlooked but I absolutely love is a deep olive green,' says interior designer Jessika Gatewood of Gatewood Designs. 'It has a grounding, nature-inspired feel while still feeling rich and sophisticated. Unlike the more common sage greens, deep olive has a bit of warmth, making it pair beautifully with natural woods, brass hardware, and creamy countertops.'

When choosing this bold shade for kitchen cabinets, Jessika recommends balancing it with a light neutral paint color on the walls, adding: 'Pair it with warm white walls (like Benjamin Moore's Swiss Coffee) to keep it feeling fresh and airy,' while you can 'incorporate natural textures – wood beams, woven light fixtures, or handmade tile – to add depth and warmth.'

If you're looking to refresh your kitchen color scheme this year, these overlooked shades are worth exploring. Whether you want to create a cheerful space with a yellow color scheme or lean into something moodier with dark green, each of these colors is bound to add excitement to the heart of the home.