The 60-30-10 Color Rule is the Recipe for a Beautifully Balanced Kitchen Scheme – Here's How to Get it Right, According to Experts
This fool-proof approach to kitchen color ensures your space feels visually balanced and full of life, whether you go neutral or vibrant
Some rules are made to be broken, but this color rule is one you'll want to follow if you're redecorating your kitchen this year. The 60-30-10 approach is key to ensuring your palette feels balanced, considered, and far from underwhelming.
The kitchen colors you choose can make or break your scheme. There are a lot of different surfaces at play here, so getting the tonal balance and color combinations right is what will elevate your design.
Article continues belowWhat is the 60-30-10 Color Rule?
In this design, wood is the primary color covering 60 percent of the scheme, white becomes the secondary color, and the dark accents on the island and wall cabinets make up the final 10 percent.
Choosing colors for your kitchen can be a tricky decision, especially when there are so many different elements to consider. But the 60-30-10 theory makes it easy to divide the elements of your kitchen to create a visually cohesive color palette.
'The 60-30-10 rule is a theory of color balancing that proposes that 60 percent of a room be one color or tone, often a neutral, 30 percent be a secondary color, and 10 percent be an unexpected or bold accent color,' explains interior designer Bethany Adams.
'It's a more analytical approach to design. It’s great for someone who likes a formula and rules to follow because it gives you guidelines for creating color palettes for a space,' agrees Arianna Barone, Color Marketing Manager at Benjamin Moore.
Why is it Good For Kitchen Color Ideas?
'The countertop and backsplash tie together the primary color, Mopboard Black CW-680, and the wall color Sail Cloth OC-142. The ceramics and decor in the bronze accent color also work to tie these two colors in together, found in smaller furnishings like the hardware and lighting,' explains Arianna.
You can use the 60-30-10 color rule in most rooms of the home, but it feels so perfect for a kitchen because the percentages align so well with the elements of a cooking space.
'The theory translates especially well to kitchen design because the proportions of cabinetry to countertops and backsplashes to decorative accents like furnishings or window treatments are basically those same proportions,' says Bethany.
It's also the one room of the home that really needs the balance of three colors to feel visually interesting. 'Kitchens have a lot of hard surfaces and colors that need to work together. From tile to countertop to flooring to cabinets to wall colors, it can be challenging to create cohesion among all these surfaces,' explains Arianna.
'In this kitchen, the island is New Hope Gray 2130-50 and the backsplash is a similar shade, but slightly lighter. These would both be considered the secondary color in the design. Swiss Coffee OC-45 is the wall, ceiling, and cabinet color, making it the primary color in the space,' says Arianna. Instead of a color, rattan accessories form the final 10 percent.
'The 60-30-10 rule can be helpful if you are feeling overwhelmed with creating a harmonious palette. 60 percent of the room should be your wall color and/or cabinet color. This creates the backdrop of the space. Often, the majority of the wall space in a kitchen is taken up by cabinets, so they should be considered your primary color.'
She continues: '30 percent of the room should be your secondary color and provide enough of a contrast to the primary color. This could be a kitchen island, tile, countertops or even lower cabinets if you want to have a different upper and lower cabinet color.'
The final 10 percent then aligns perfectly with the smaller details, like lighting, ceramics, and decor. The theory really ties in perfectly with the different elements of the kitchen.
How to Choose Kitchen Colors For Each Percentage
This design is a really interesting example of the 60-30-10 color rule. Wood becomes the primary color, covering the cabinets and island, the beige backsplash tiles, which go all the way to the ceiling, become a secondary color, and white accents and a lighter finish through the lights and range hood.
When deciding on the three colors to bring into your kitchen, cohesion is important, but that doesn't mean the shades have to be tonal. Contrast is so important in a kitchen, so don't be afraid to experiment with light, dark, and bolder hues.
For Bethany, the process starts with understanding where each color will be introduced. 'The majority of your kitchen color comes from the cabinets, then your backsplash and countertop provide the secondary color, and finally you bring in a pop of interest with colorful stools or a range hood,' she explains.
The colors you choose will depend entirely on the style of kitchen you want to create, the size of your space, and whether you prefer a more neutral palette or something brighter.
'First and foremost, think about the mood you are trying to create. Do you want to create a light and airy space or a dark and moody vibe? I always like to start with the cabinets when choosing colors for a kitchen. They take up the most space and will anchor the entire design,' says Arianna.
Always start with the largest portion of color. 'It can be easier for people to make bite-sized decisions instead of trying to choose everything at once. First, decide if you want a neutral or a color on the kitchen cabinets. That is a great initial step and will help decide your primary color,' she says.
For a more colorful example, this kitchen uses white as the primary color on the walls and cabinets, a blue floor makes up the secondary color, and the red fridge adds a vibrant accent hue.
'Once you choose your cabinet color, decide if you want the walls to be the same color as the cabinets or if you want contrast between the two. If you are looking for some contrast, the walls would be considered your secondary color,' she explains.
Contrast and balance really are key in a kitchen, so try to bring in opposite tones for the primary color and the accent colors so you have a mix of light and dark. This gives you kitchen interest and character.
'Ratio and proportion play a key role in maintaining balance in the space. If your primary and secondary colors lean more neutral, consider a pop of color for the accents. If your primary and secondary colors lean more colorful, look to neutrals and off-whites for the accents. This helps to give balance and a breath when in the space.'
Once you have an idea of what these three colors will be, you can start to get more specific about the other details in the room, such as backsplash tiles, countertops, and even other furniture pieces. These usually fall into the 30 percent or 10 percent colors depending on the design you opt for.
Following the 60-30-10 color rule in your kitchen isn't about being rigid with your choices, but rather helping to guide you in creating a dynamic and cohesive scheme that feels characterful and full of depth, rather than a space that falls flat and feels uninspiring.
The beauty of this color theory is that it can be applied to kitchens of every size, style, and palette, whether you're designing a colorful scheme, a neutral cottage kitchen, or a moody townhouse cooking space.
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