Easy Ways to Add a Pop of Color to your Kitchen
We’re thrilled to share that Shine Interior Design Studio was recently featured in The Kitchn’s October article, “I Asked 5 Designers to Share the Best Way to Add Color to Your Kitchen: This $8 Gem Blew Me Away,” by Isabella Paoletto.
The piece celebrates creative, budget-friendly ways to bring color into your kitchen, and we were honored to contribute our favorite renter-friendly idea using temporary vinyl and peel-and-stick wallpaper for instant impact.
We believe color does more than make a space beautiful; it shapes how you feel in it. In addition to our feature in The Kitchn, we’re sharing a few bonus Shine-approved tips for adding color and personality to your kitchen. These ideas are simple, affordable, and rooted in our philosophy of wellness-focused design.
“Natalie Biles and Stacey Breezeel, cofounders and lead designers for Shine Interior Design Studio, recommend wrapping a small board for a faux backsplash look, lining the back of open shelving, or refreshing an island or drawer front with vinyl for a fresh look. “The impact is huge, and the commitment is low,” Biles says.”
1. Try Temporary Vinyl for a Low-Commitment Kitchen Refresh
Check out JesRose Vinyl for some gorgeous bathroom and kitchen updates
As featured in The Kitchn, we love using peel-and-stick wallpaper or vinyl decals for an easy, renter-friendly transformation. Wrap a small board to create a faux backsplash, line the back of open shelving, or cover an island or drawer front for a fresh, stylish look. This small change allows you to experiment with pattern and color without permanence. It’s the perfect way to test what feels right for your home.
We loved sharing our quick vinyl idea in The Kitchn, and we have even more ways to bring color into your kitchen that go beyond what made it into the article. Here’s some bonus Shine tips for adding color that are quick and simple!
Seasonal fruit like pears, pomegranates, and citrus fruit easily add color (and are useful!)
2. Add a Bowl of Fruit for Natural Vibrancy
It might sound simple, but it’s one of our favorite go-to styling tricks. A bowl of fresh fruit adds instant life and warmth to any kitchen. Lemons, oranges, or pomegranates offer seasonal color that feels effortless and inviting.
When we’re styling kitchens, we often roam the produce aisle with an eye for what’s most colorful. It’s design that doubles as a snack!
3. Bring in Art That Makes You Smile
The kitchen is an unexpected and often overlooked place for artwork. Frame a print, prop up a favorite photo, or hang a local artist’s piece in an unused corner. Art adds personality and joy to a space where you spend so much of your day.
Intentional details like this remind you that wellness starts with the environment you create around you.
4. Curate Your Glassware
Colorful glassware collections are an easy way to style open shelves while keeping things functional. Choose pieces in a single tone, such as amber or cobalt blue, to create a cohesive and elevated look. Vintage shops, thrift stores, and even big-box retailers often carry great options for layering personality into your space
5. Layer in Functional Color
From retro-style appliances to patterned vinyl mats or washable rugs, functional items can double as design moments. Try a colorful one-cup coffee maker, a cheerful teapot, or a rug that ties your palette together.
These everyday items bring small sparks of joy and prove that design can be both practical and beautiful.
6. Choose Colors That Support Wellness
Collections of colorful glass or china can add color to your shelves or cabinets.
Every design decision begins with how a space should make you feel.
For the kitchen, we love:
Soft greens and blues to promote calm and focus
Warm yellows or corals to energize and uplift
Natural neutrals to ground the space and create balance
When chosen intentionally, color becomes more than decoration. It becomes part of a daily rhythm that supports your well-being.
Color has the power to shift your mood and energy. Whether it’s a small vinyl update or a simple bowl of citrus on the counter, these thoughtful choices can make your kitchen feel refreshed and inspired.
We loved being part of The Kitchn’s conversation about budget-friendly kitchen color ideas, and we hope our bonus tips from Shine help you take those ideas even further.
Explore more wellness-centered design inspiration on the Shine Interior Design Studio blog, and read our Kitchn feature here.