How to Warm Up a White Kitchen or Bathroom in 3 Easy Steps

Over the last decade, white and gray have been the dominant color palette for kitchens and bathrooms. And, while this design trend helped created a ton of clean-looking, neutral, bright spaces, it also resulted in rooms that don’t always feel cozy or warm. The good news is that you can make your kitchen and bathroom feel more cozy and inviting without making any major changes. In fact, with just a few simple additions, you can instantly create a warmer vibe in your space. Here are 3 easy tips for how to warm up a white kitchen or bathroom. And, I recommend you do all three!

Step #1 – Add in Some Wood or Copper

Incorporating natural wood is a fantastic way to warm up any room, including your kitchen and bathroom. You can add some warm wood tones into your kitchen with cutting boards, wooden utensils, trays, and bowls on the countertop. When it comes to kitchen design, interior designers love to use wood flooring in kitchens with white cabinetry because it’s the easiest way to add warmth into the space. Other opportunities to add wood include bar stools, and a kitchen table if you have a breakfast nook.

Similar to wood, copper has beautiful warm undertones, and is another great option for warming up your kitchen. You can hang copper pots and pans over the island or range, add copper mugs to your floating shelves, or display copper bowls inside glass cabinets.

For the bathroom, incorporate bamboo or teak accessories, floating wood shelves over the toilet, or even a wood blanket ladder for towels. Baskets are another great way to add warm tones that emulate wood, and introduce some texture into your bathroom to compensate for all of those smooth, hard surfaces. Even just a couple of wood-toned accents sprinkled into the space will make a big impact, and create a more cozy feeling  in the room.

Step #2 – Go Green

Plants and fresh flowers are an easy way to make a space feel more cozy and relaxing. They add color, texture, and breathe a little life into a room.  ​Small plants on the countertop of your kitchen, or a vase with eucalyptus stems or florals on your bathroom vanity or kitchen island will make a huge difference in the look and feel of the space.

Have a brown thumb like me? As I always say, “faux plants are better than no plants!” For those of us that have trouble keeping plants alive, don’t stress. You can get the same overall aesthetic effect by adding in fake plants and florals. Ikea’s FEJKA plants are the perfect small size for kitchen and bathroom countertops.

Step #3 – Introduce Pops of Color

White kitchens and bathrooms typically have neutral, fixed materials, like white and gray tile, white cabinets, and a white backsplash. When you have a mostly white room, it can make the space feel cold and sterile. One of the best ways to counteract this is to introduce a different color into the color palette.

Warmer colors, like beiges or rusty hues, will make the room feel more welcoming and less…cold. Another popular choice is to use colors like blues, greens, or turquoise to inject some energy into the space. These fun colors will help the room feel less boring and sterile.

Once you have your accent color in mind, it’s an easy fix to then introduce a vintage rug, art, decorative accessories, and towels with that color into the space. Shop for small area rugs and runners for your kitchen and bath, rather than focusing on bath or modern kitchen mats, which don’t tend to have a lot of color or pattern to them. Ruggable has washable styles that are perfect for these rooms. And for art, check out Minted, where you can search for unique pieces by color and customize the frames.

Three More Expert Tips for How to Warm Up a White Kitchen

Once you’ve completed the three steps listed above for warming up your white kitchen or bathroom, there are a few more designer tricks you can use to up the cozy factor.

Tip #1 – Increase the Natural Light

Rooms that have ample natural light will always feel more inviting and cozy. Make sure to clean your kitchen and bathroom windows, and remove any heavy or unneccessary window treatments that could be blocking light from entering the space.

Tip #2 – Add Natural Materials

Natural elements, like woven baskets, stone, or terracotta are a great choice for decor in a white kitchen or bathroom. Their natural texture and warm earthy tones add visual interest to the room.

Tip #3 – Replace Cabinet Hardware

Replacing black, nickel, or stainless steel cabinet hardware (knobs and pulls) with gold or brass accents is another good way to add a touch of warmth to your kitchen or bathroom. It’s an easy and affordable DIY project for a quick win.

Tip #4 – Update Light Fixtures

Installing new kitchen pendant lights or a new vanity light in the bathroom are more great ways to inject some warmth into the room. A bit of color or a warm metal finish, like antique brass, can add warmth and create a great focal point at the same time.

Wrap-Up

Now that you’re armed with three easy steps and some expert tips for how to warm up a white kitchen or bathroom, you can start today to implement these ideas and create a much more cozy and inviting space. Tackling just one of these tips will help out a lot, but doing all three will really help you to create a warmer kitchen and bathroom that will stand the test of time.