6 Kitchen Island Paint Color Ideas That Will Bring Personality to Your Space

A kitchen renovation, while beautiful—and often necessary—can be a real headache. Luckily, you don't have to spend thousands or wait months to give your cooking area a facelift—you can just give your kitchen island a fresh coat of paint instead.

In recent years, the kitchen island has risen to a new level of prominence. It's always been an important place for meal prep, but it now doubles as a gathering space for friends and family. Some are even designed to be larger for this express purpose. It goes without saying, then, that painting your island can make a big impact on your kitchen design scheme. Here, we spoke to experts about the best colors for this all-important piece of real estate—from blue to brown and everything in between.

Deep Gray

To bring color into the kitchen while staying in a fairly neutral zone, try Oxford Gray 2128-40—which has a navy-like depth—Magno suggests. "[It] complements many countertop materials beautifully in its ability to enhance veining with gray-and-blue undertones," she says.

Green

Both timeless and bold, a green paint color can help elevate your kitchen island's design. "A pleasing deep green with a warm undertone, Boreal Forest AF-480 is an excellent choice for a kitchen. It pairs perfectly with many neutrals, wood tones, and counter materials," says Magno."This is a color that delivers interest while remaining classic to stand the test of time."

If you want a softer option, consider Mizzle, a beautiful pale mint, says Patrick O'Donnell, international brand ambassador of Farrow & Ball.

Blue

There are several blue hues that work well on a kitchen island, including Benjamin Moore's Caribbean Blue Water 2055-30. "[It] brings an attractive dose of color that is a bit unexpected, but contrasts well with cabinets in whites or grays," says Magno, who notes that this eye-catching, saturated shade has major personality—and looks "refreshing and playful" in a kitchen.

Blue-Green

Can't decide between a traditional green or blue hue? Consider a blended shade that's the best of both worlds. According to Magno, a tranquil blue-green, like Wythe Blue HC-143, is a welcoming and versatile kitchen island paint color; it "sings when paired with a number of off-whites and other pale hues," she says.

If you have a more organic, earthier kitchen aesthetic, a muted green shade with just a hint of blue, like Farrow & Ball's Pigeon, could be a strong choice, says O'Donnell.

Brown

Most kitchens tend to have one streamlined cabinetry and island color, but giving your centerpiece a distinct shade can help break up the space—and make the room feel brand new. "Islands tend to benefit from a darker color to contrast with surrounding cabinetry in a lighter tone, but it's up to you whether to go tonal," says O'Donnell.

It's easy to go tonal with brown shades, so consider a dark chocolate color, like Farrow & Ball's Cola, for your kitchen island if you have lighter wood cabinetry, says O'Donnell. And if your goal is to create a stylish complement, not a gradient? Paint your cabinetry a pale mid-blue; these shades naturally highlight each other, he adds.

Charcoal

Here's a great example of high-impact contrast: A kitchen island painted in an inky shade, like Benjamin Moore's Kendall Charcoal, pops against a bright-white backsplash. "No matter what the color preference is, creating a connection between the island color and other points in the kitchen will create a cohesive color scheme that displays style and attention to detail," says Magno.