Anna Maxwell-Martin's kitchen cabinet color is a 'fresh take on a warm neutral' – experts say it's endlessly versatile

When interior designer Laura Stephens set out to create Anna Maxwell-Martin's North London kitchen, the brief was simple: 'Rescue it from becoming a bland white box.' By painting the cabinets salmon pink, she went above and beyond. The kitchen is at once unique and striking while feeling cozy and grounded.

For Maxwell-Martin's kitchen cabinet color, Stephen's selected Farrow & Ball's Menagerie, which pairs gorgeously with the room's industrial-chic concrete floors. She installed rounded lighting to provide a delicious contrast to the clean lines of the cabinetry and kitchen island. The walls are Little Greene's Clay. Eclectic furnishings, ranging from a vintage dining table to joyful decorative cushions make it feel like a space where one could linger for hours.

'I’m known for incorporating color in all of my designs, so painting the cabinets something a little out-of-the-box was one of the ideas that first came to mind to transform this kitchen,' Stephens tells Homes & Gardens of the pink kitchen. She continues: 'Because this kitchen was part of an extension to a traditional London townhouse, it had the potential to feel disconnected from the character of the rest of the home. Before we were brought on to design the kitchen, our client was afraid the space felt like a bland white box. Knowing that we wanted to bring a sense of warm brightness into the space, we settled on salmon pink as it served as both a pop of color, as well as a play on a neutral tone that didn’t feel too over the top. It’s not a color choice you see often in kitchens, and it felt like a fresh take on a warm neutral. Although a little bit bold, it helped marry the modern feel of the kitchen addition with the familiar color palette found in the rest of the home.'

Further, Stephens asserts that the kitchen cabinet paint color could work well in any kitchen. She states: 'You rarely see large swaths of cabinets painted pink, which I think is a shame, as it truly is such a versatile color. I think some people fear that pink might come off as too juvenile or girly, but paired with the right scheme, it can feel incredibly bright, fresh, and bold. Pink can range in warm to cool tones and play the role of either a focal color or a drop back to almost neutral when paired with bolder tones. It’s incredibly versatile.'

She cautions: 'Although I think decorating with pink can work in pretty much every scheme, it can be tricky to color match. I would stay away from any pinks that clash tonally with the rest of a space by either being too warm or too cool. Make sure to check the pink tone with other aspects of the spaces such as rug color, wall color, or other focal pieces.'

How did she achieve the perfect color combination in Maxwell-Martin's kitchen? Stephens says, 'Because we chose a more modern take on pink by opting for a salmon tone, we wanted to balance this by incorporating antique pieces and plenty of soft furnishings into the space. I love the classic combination of pink and blue- there’s something about it that is so familiar! We chose robin's egg blue accents to not only warm the space but also compliment the brightness of the cabinet color.;

She continues: 'The concrete kitchen flooring also had the danger of feeling too cold, so the jute rug from my Laura Stephens x Bombay Sprout collection brought in a warming, natural texture with bits of blue. We carried the blue onto the upholstered bench seat, as well as the lampshades and cushions in the window nook. Lastly, our client had a really fabulous collection of eclectic artwork and trinkets that we played with, like the fabulous cherry red lacquered table that they painted themselves. These small details truly made the space feel more like their home.'

Shop the Pink Kitchen Edit

For those hoping to recreate the look, Stephens advises unexpected pairings. She says: 'My recommendation would be to start with a shade of pink that truly works for your space. Depending on the amount of light, shadow, and even the climate, certain pinks will work better than others. In this space, the salmon cabinets were paired with contemporary accents such as the concrete floors and the cherry red lacquer table. Try balancing the pink with any contemporary accents you might have, whether that be something large like a rug or a piece of furniture, or even something small like a vase or a table lamp.' Some colors should never be paired with pink, so choosing the right accents is of utmost importance in this scheme.

She continues: 'Don’t be afraid to include pops of a primary color, as that imitates the palette of this space. Lastly, it’s important to focus on balance. One reason this space works is that we incorporated old and new, classic and contemporary. It strikes a balance between the unexpected and the familiar that gives this home such a unique feel.'

Pink is an unexpected, but classic and grounding color. Anna Maxwell-Martin's kitchen is the perfect example of how the shade can transform any space.