Black & White Kitchen Accessories

A colorful kitchen doesn't necessarily require look-at-me cabinets or a bold backsplash; instead, color can be added in small doses for a more balanced look. Here, designer DD Allen creates a peaceful backdrop with soft grays then brings in lots of kicky colors with the kitchen's accessories, furniture and artwork.

Rhapsody in Blue

Boasting a soaring, exposed ceiling, Wedgwood blue tempered glass cabinets, quartz countertops and pro-grade appliances, this Florida kitchen is a chef's dream. A high-end choice, the glass cabinets are not only easy on the eyes, they're also a snap to keep clean.

Fiery Orange

Designer Robin Siegerman chose the upper cabinets' intense hue for its mood-lifting qualities. Studies have shown that the color orange stimulates optimism and a positive outlook. Considering most of us spend a little time each morning in the kitchen, starting each day with a cheery outlook is ideal.

Bright, White and Buttery

Designer extraordinaire, Sarah Richardson, breathed new life into her 1885 farmhouse with this bright and airy kitchen. White wall cabinets offer plenty of storage space and act as a clean backdrop to the kitchen's real star: the massive butter-yellow island that features a charming salvaged newel post at the corner of the bar. Rather than restaining the 130-year-old hardwoods, Sarah chose to simply strip then protect them with a clear coat so the wood's natural golden tone would show through.

Chocolate + Yellow and Green All Over

Rich, espresso-stained wood cabinets provide a dark backdrop to this kitchen's sunny yellow island. Sustainable materials, like a mosaic backsplash made from reclaimed stained glass, quartz countertops, energy-efficient appliances and low-voltage lighting make this HGTV Green Home kitchen as eco-friendly as it is beautiful.

Copper, The Hot New Metallic

Remodeling pros Anthony Carrino and John Colaneri, the Kitchen Cousins, give this moody, dark kitchen just the right amount of glitz with a custom copper range hood. Positioned above the freestanding gas stove to remove cooking smoke, fumes and steam, its sculptural form combines the best of form and function.

Smoky Sophistication

As any fan of her shows can attest, designer Sarah Richardson certainly isn't shy of bold colors — but she's equally adept at creating a high-end space using a softer, neutral palette. To update this formerly cookie-cutter suburban kitchen, Sarah used shades of gray in the island, honed granite countertops, fabrics and Carrara marble mosaic backsplash.

Easy Being Green

This kitchen showcases the homeowners' love of green with an eye-catching key lime-hued backsplash. After looking at dozens of green tiles, she chose Walker Zanger's Vibe-Ashbury for its saturated shade and curvy arabesque shape.

Dramatic Red

Saturated red walls in this kitchen by designer Meg Caswell are a real showstopper — but the intense hue isn't courtesy of a tile backsplash, instead Meg painted the walls red, then covered them with glass panels for added shine and ease in cleaning.

Beachy Blues

Just a short distance from the shore in Jacksonville, Fla., this HGTV Smart Home kitchen's watery color scheme certainly puts you in a vacation state of mind. Designer Linda Woodrum chose crisp white for the wall cabinets, quartz countertops and glass subway tile backsplash then painted the walls and ceiling in a soft teal. For the kitchen's hard-working island, she chose a more saturated turquoise.

Sunny Yellow

John and Anthony, the Kitchen Cousins, relied on the perennially popular color combo of yellow and gray for this kitchen remodel. Sleek, laminate cabinets in a bright and cheery hue pair beautifully with the cook space's stainless steel appliances and island countertop.