Why White Works: The Benefits of Having an All White Kitchen
Thursday, December 10th, 2015
If you haven’t heard, white is IN when considering kitchen design for your new home build or remodel. In fact, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), 67% percent of members say white is their top choice for kitchens, a 20% increase from two years ago (House Logic). So, what’s so great about white? Well, just keep reading and I’ll tell you.
1. White will leave your kitchen looking clean and fresh.
White is often associated with “clean” and “fresh” and a white kitchen will emulate the same. Use white to camouflage architectural flaws, mechanical ducts, or blemishes in the dry wall. White can also highlight the unique features in an older home, such as crown molding and other craftsman details. To keep your kitchen from feeling too cold, add a splash of color with appliances, backsplash tile, or bar stools.

2. All white kitchens appear larger than same size kitchens of a darker color.
According to Forbes, white rooms always look the largest, even if the space is tiny. If you’re wondering why that is, think back on your lessons in high school physics. Dark colors absorb light and bright colors (like white), reflect light. When a room is painted a dark color, our eyes register the absorption of light and tell our brains that the room is smaller. When our eyes see a room that is painted with bright colors reflecting light, they tell our brain that the room is larger. Of course, we all know that the room is actually the same size. That’s what’s so cool about incorporating the science of perception into design.
Pastel colors can also work with white to make a room appear larger. If you’d like to add a little flair to your white kitchen, consider creating an accent wall with paint, tile, or photographs.

3. White enables you to be creative with design and allows flexibility when you want to make changes.
White is an extremely versatile color, which is perfect if you’re the type of person who likes to change up the look of your home on a regular basis. When first building or renovating your kitchen, choose white as your dominant color, install stainless steel appliances, and complete the look with a unique focal point or colored accents (a red kettle, a vase of flowers, or a dark shelf with plates and wine glasses). Instead of re-painting or re-tiling when you want a new-looking kitchen, simply switch out your focal point or accents and voila! Your kitchen has a different look.
4. White is traditional and sophisticated, yet modern and classy.
Layering white on white — white backsplashes beneath white cabinets on white countertops — was spotlighted in the 2014 Best in American Living Awards presented by the National Association of Home Builders. My wife and I used this technique when we remodeled our kitchen.
Like many homeowners, we bought our house with intentions of doing a few renovations shortly after signing. We saw the kitchen had great potential the day the realtor walked us through the house. We ultimately decided on an all white kitchen because of the many design benefits explained in this blog post.
Our old cabinets were made of pressed board and white veneer and we replaced them with white cabinets made of solid wood, a durable material that would give our kitchen a classy look that would stand the test of time. The new cabinets were beautifully crafted with crown molding and light rail trim. They even had a decorative toe kick molding on the base cabinets for a furniture feel.
We switched out the green formica for white marble-looking quartz countertops and installed under cabinet lighting that brought out the natural details of the material.
While still holding close to a “white-on-white” kitchen design, the backsplash tile was our chance to be creative. We chose long, narrow, rectangular natural white marble tile. While the shape of the tile was unique, it wasn’t so unconventional that it would go out of style quickly. The fact that it was white made it even more timeless.
Read more about the changes we made during our kitchen remodel in this blog post.
5. An all white kitchen provides an opportunity for a unique focal point.
White highlights dark and dramatic colors, so it’s an ideal backdrop if you want to show off your favorite furniture or a cool piece of art. It also allows you to be creative in other more permanent areas of kitchen design, such as in your countertop, backsplash tile, or wallpaper accents. The custom backsplash tile in this Wellington Chase home is a perfect example of how you can create a unique focal point in an all white kitchen.
From new home builds to kitchen renovations, we at McCamy Construction are your kitchen design experts. We have been named the number one Knoxville contractor for new construction and renovation by CityView magazine and Knoxville Mercury in 2015. We always put our all into everything we do and you’ll fall in love with your kitchen when we’re through. Click here to request a quote.
Tags: kitchen remodel, new kitchen, white interior design, white kitchen