Kris Jenner's modern kitchen uses a two-tone color combination that will dominate trends for 2024

Mixing and matching colors has been popular in kitchen design for some years now. It's not only for painted styles, where shifts in shade or bolder contrasts give an inviting feel of freestanding furniture, but the look also works well with modern styles too, breaking up plain runs of units or highlighting an island or pantry cabinet. 

Choosing any color for a space can be daunting, especially where such a large investment is at stake, but committing to more than one shade feels less pressure – the colors become part of a palette rather than having to be 'the one', and there are plenty of classic kitchen color combinations to choose from. It doesn't have to be bold either. Subtle natural hues needn't be boring, insists Alex Cottle, senior designer at Matrix Kitchens. 'Make a kitchen in a gray, white, or cashmere palette really stand out with clever use of textures and different materials,' he says. 

Even a kitchen color idea as straightforward as a gray and white kitchen doesn't have to be, well, gray and white. In mogul Kris Jenner's kitchen, designed by Waldo Fernandez of Waldo Designs, the neutral palette is right on trend, its tonality means it works well on its own with minimal interruptions. 

‘Gray is a classical kitchen choice that works well on its own but can prove even better when used in a two-tone scheme,’ enthuses Tom Howley, design director of Tom Howley. Dark gray is a great choice for creating dramatic contrasts that will pair beautifully with a crisp white. 

‘If you’re considering dark gray on cabinetry, you should use warmer shades of white or creams on the walls and countertops to ensure the kitchen doesn’t feel too dark or foreboding,’ adds Tom. 

Banish the thoughts of battleships, gray is a versatile and chic alternative to beige or white. From subtle almost-whites to striking nearly-blacks, there are shades to suit all tastes. 

Now the biggest-selling paint color after white, gray has secured its position as the modern neutral. Finding the right gray is exactly like buying a red lipstick: you choose one with the undertone that suits your skin shade. If you hold together a fan of gray paint charts, you'll see how widely the tones vary. 

The size of your kitchen and the amount of light it receives are important factors in choosing the materials of your cabinets, and also how dark you decide to go. Smaller rooms will benefit from paler shades, as they will help to create the illusion of space, or you can add drama and elegance to an open-plan kitchen with darker slate grays.

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