Is a White Kitchen Sensible?
White kitchens look sophisticated and crisp but here's what you need to know before you commit
Many homeowners love the pristine look and beauty of white kitchens but there are debates and questions about the practicality and feasibility of maintaining a white kitchen. This guide explores the strengths and shortcomings of a white kitchen design so that you can decide whether a white kitchen is best suited for your home.
What are the advantages of having a white kitchen?
- A white kitchen design imparts a sophisticated and timeless look that never goes out of style because it is not dictated by any design trends.
- White kitchens can easily blend with a modern, transitional or traditional style home.
- The best part about white kitchens is that they impart a bright and airy look because white reflects light. Gloss-finish cabinets bounce more light than matte finish cabinets.
- Another interesting fact is that white kitchens give the illusion of a larger space and visually bigger look. Therefore, white kitchens are best suited for compact homes.
- White kitchens impart the feeling of cleanliness as every bit of dirt or stain can be spotted and cleaned up, so it feels more hygienic to cook food and work in a white kitchen.
What are the disadvantages of having a white kitchen?
- White kitchens cabinets show off dirt, grime, scratches, smudges, fingerprints and stains so they need to be maintained and cleaned regularly. Consider easy-to-clean surfaces like acrylic or laminate finish for the cabinets.
- The combination of white kitchen cabinets, white kitchen tiles and a white kitchen countertop may create a sterile and clinical look, with a cold and uninviting vibe.
- Another minus is that white cabinets have the tendency to fade and develop a yellowish tinge over a period of time if they are exposed to a lot of direct sunlight. Therefore, it is recommended to install window blinds for the kitchen windows.
How to maintain a white kitchen?
- Routine cleaning should include regular wiping with a soft cotton cloth dipped in warm water. For tough stains on the kitchen cabinets or tiles, use a solution of warm soapy water for cleaning.
- Indian cooking involves a lot of deep frying, which produces a lot of smoke, pollutants and creates grime. Therefore it is highly recommended to install a chimney with a high suction power so that it can extract all the kitchen pollutants and smoke before they settle down on surfaces of the kitchen.
- You can also opt for household cleaners such as baking soda, vinegar and lemon to clean grime from the countertop and all the other surfaces of the white kitchen.
How to add warmth into a white kitchen?
It is essential to add warmth to an all-white kitchen so that it feels more welcoming and does not look sterile.
It is essential to add warmth to an all-white kitchen so that it feels more welcoming and does not look sterile.
- Introduce plants to add life to a white kitchen design.
- Install brass handles to accent the white kitchen cabinets. The sheen of metal can infuse a warm and luxurious vibe into the space.
- Introduce wooden elements by combining white cabinets with wood tones, like in the image above .
- Add pops of colour in the form of accessories in the open shelves, if any, or put colourful art on the walls.
- Introduce contrasting coloured cabinets and countertops. Since white is a neutral colour, it is easy to mix and match it with other colours. You can also opt for a white kitchen countertop in trending materials like solid surface, nano white and engineered quartz
- Combine white kitchen cabinets with a patterned floor or a patterned backsplash. In this example, geometric patterned tiles and a black countertop break the monotony of the all-white kitchen.
Since the strengths of a white kitchen outweigh the pros, white surfaces can be a great addition to your kitchen. However, if you find it difficult to maintain a fully white kitchen then go for white overhead cabinets and dark base cabinets (which are prone to stains and smudges) in a contrasting colour. Go for warm colours for the flooring and backsplash tiles.
Read more:
Inspired by the Rann of Kutch: Colourful Kitchens
11 Captivating Modular Kitchen Colour Combinations
Tell us:
Do you have a white kitchen in your home? Share your experience and recommendations in the Comments section below.
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lakshmiramarao vedurumudi