How to Brighten Up a Dark Kitchen

Dark kitchens usually don't sell as well as bright kitchens, so if you've come across a home with a dark kitchen, you'll want to brighten it up. When building a new kitchen, it's also essential to keep its brightness in mind. Ideally, you want plenty of natural light to shine in the windows and light-colored cabinets and walls to maintain the vibrant, spacious atmosphere that homeowners love.

Use White Cabinets

Our Stonecreek cabinetry, polar white cabinets and basic white cabinets are one of the easiest ways to brighten a kitchen. Brown and other dark-colored cabinets could still work if you take steps in other kitchen design components to brighten it. For the brightest kitchen, however, white cabinets are best.

Glossy white cabinets complement a modern design. Light bounces off of the gloss, causing the kitchen to appear more spacious. If you need a traditional look, then stick to non-gloss cabinets.

Install Floors in Light Colors

Dark flooring reduces the brightness of a kitchen. Light colors, like our oak and driftwood finish, create the most noticeable brightness increase. These pieces are a popular floor choice for contemporary, modern and traditional kitchens. If you're working with a rustic style, you may want to choose our barnwood finish. 

Replace Dark or Wood Wall Coverings

Wood wall panels cause a kitchen to appear smaller than it really is. This might not be an issue in a large kitchen for a rustic or country decor home. Consider replacing it if you're striving for a different style or the kitchen is too small for wood walls to work.

Similarly, dark walls make the room feel smaller while eliminating light. White is a safe color choice. If you choose different wall colorings, look at light colors and wallpapers with silver, yellow or orange. These shades help brighten a space. You can also consider silver, yellow and orange accents in other kitchen areas, such as the backsplash, curtains and blinds.

Use the Right Countertop for the Kitchen

What color countertop is best partially depends on the other aspects of the kitchen. As long as the kitchen receives sufficient light, dark countertops can offer a beautiful contrast to white cabinets and walls. If the kitchen seems to have a lighting issue, you may have to use white or lightly colored countertops to brighten it.

Granite, marble and laminate countertops usually work well to keep a kitchen bright. Tan and light gray colors are often suitable shades, too.

Install More Lights and Upgrade the Existing Lighting

You can install lights underneath overhanging cabinets to increase the brightness of the kitchen. All the bulbs in the kitchen should be at least the equivalent of 80–100 watts to keep the kitchen bright. This is one of the simplest ways to avoid issues with the kitchen seeming poorly lit or too dark.

If you're still not satisfied with the lighting, you can try adding more recessed lights. Another option is to install a semi-flush lighting fixture in the center of the kitchen. Consider using CFL bulbs in the kitchen because they mimic natural light. Halogen is a good choice, too.

Incorporate Reflective Surfaces

Stainless steel appliances help brighten a kitchen. The backsplash is another area of the kitchen you can use for a reflective touch. Some backsplash designs have gold, silver, glitter or other reflective accents that add a gentle sparkle to the space. The accessories you add to the kitchen can have these colors or be in stainless steel. Finished wood has a gentle shine that brightens a space, but you'll still want to stick to lighter shades.

Create the Perfect Kitchen That Your Clients Will Love

Everyone loves a bright, open kitchen with plenty of space to move around in. With the above design tips and tricks, you'll find it easy to design a kitchen that your clients will love. At Wholesale Cabinet Supply, we sell high-quality home products that you can use to design beautiful kitchens, including cabinetry and Stonecreek SPC click flooring.