How To Make A Classic White Kitchen Less Boring

If I had stopped there, my kitchen would not be what it is today.

White kitchens are gorgeous but without the right elements, they can quickly become boring and dull. The simplicity of an all-white kitchen is its biggest selling point. But you need to “add a little spice” to bring it to its maximum potential.

And then there’s versatility. A classic white kitchen can change with you as your taste and style change over the years.

You don’t necessarily get the same luxury without a white kitchen because you need to stick within certain color families for any other kitchen color.

With a white kitchen, options are endless! My style has evolved, your style will evolve, and the classic white kitchen accommodates this perfectly.

Cabinet hardware makes the cabinets pop

The hardware on your cabinets is a simple way to make your white kitchen a little less bland.

Brass or black hardware is the best way to make a white cabinet pop. This doesn’t mean that stainless steel or nickel finishes are out of the question. The issue with this finish option is that it almost blends in, while brass or black can give you some much-needed contrast in a white kitchen.

My ultimate favorite hardware finish is brass because it brings a sense of luxury to your kitchen.

Brass is also a bit softer than black, but if your style is a bit more farmhouse, I would recommend going with black or dark bronze.

Check out my top picks for brass cabinet hardware if that’s something that piques your interest!

Aside from the color of your cabinet hardware, deciding on the shape and texture of your hardware is also important. I replaced my nickel knobs with these flower-patterned brass knobs. This small little change gives my cabinets an automatic facelift.

You can find different textured options out there for both knobs and handles so that you can make your kitchen feel unique and truly pop.

Lighting (pendants, chandeliers, and lamps) add much-needed warmth

Light fixtures play a major role in making your kitchen look more interesting!

Do you have the opportunity to install some beautiful pendants over an island or a peninsula? If you do, it might be time to replace your builder-grade light fixture with something more modern.

In my kitchen, I added three copper pendant lights above my breakfast bar to incorporate my favorite finish, copper (if you can’t tell, I love a little brass and copper combo). When you’re looking at my kitchen from the living room, the copper pendants are always in your line of sight. This helps give my space some much-needed warmth and breaks up the white color with contrast.

In your kitchen, use pendants and chandeliers as an excuse to incorporate some accent colors. Don’t be afraid to go bold here! Outside of color, replacing old light fixtures is automatically going to make a white kitchen less boring. Different shapes and styles of lighting will go a long way.

And then there’s my all-time favorite countertop decor idea – lamps!

A cute lamp on your kitchen counter can offset some of the white between your countertop and upper cabinets. My brown/copper-colored lamp does an incredible job of beautifying this rather simple corner.

Decor for the countertop can take it to the next level

As I already mentioned, finding a corner for an adorable little kitchen lamp is such a good idea. Not only do they help bring in some color, but they also bring style and personality to a classic white kitchen.

I use warm, wood tones such as cutting boards and utensils to break up some of the white. If your countertops are stark white, or mostly white like mine, decor with color, texture, or contrasting metal finishes will help bring life to your countertops!

Check out my post for some countertop decor ideas if you need some inspiration.

You can utilize patterned towels, small artwork in frames, vases with flowers, or live plants, to add a sense of hominess to a basic white kitchen.

The best part about counter decor is you can change with the seasons or as often as your style changes over time. Instead of having to renovate your entire kitchen to accomplish your vibe, simply change out the decor. It’s a heck of a LOT cheaper than brand-new cabinets!

Kitchen appliances can use an upgrade too

Stainless steel appliances go with just about every kitchen. In fact, out of all the kitchens I’ve helped design and pins I’ve saved over the years, a stainless steel appliance has never caused an issue from a design perspective.

The same is true for an all-white kitchen. You don’t need anything like a vintage-looking Smeg fridge to throw a block of color into your kitchen (although one day I’ll convince my husband 😏).

One thing that would be a HUGE lift to a white kitchen is if you currently have white appliances, you may want to consider upgrading to stainless steel. A white kitchen with white appliances is a total whiteout condition that will make your kitchen feel sterile.

If you’re someone who likes to keep smaller appliances out on the counter, try buying a toaster or blender that is both functional and beautiful. That way, it doesn’t distract from your white kitchen but acts as an interesting feature!

If you’re adding enough interest and color to your kitchen using the other ideas in this post, then there’s no issue with a small white appliance here or there.

In my kitchen, I still have plenty of white countertop items. But there’s just enough color sprinkled in to balance it all out.

Sink faucet can make a surprising difference

An outdated sink faucet can also be the reason for making a white kitchen dull.

Since a faucet is literally a metal pipe sticking out of your countertop, it automatically draws attention to itself. Changing out your faucet, and other sink fixtures (water spout, pot filler, sprayer, etc.) can drastically change the look and feel of your kitchen.

I went with a simple, black stainless steel finish for my faucet – keep in mind this decision was made immediately upon moving into my home. And before any of my new brass cabinet hardware or the rest of my kitchen came close to where it is now.

Would I go this same route today? Honestly, I probably would. I knew I’d want to incorporate a lot more into my kitchen with other decor, and didn’t want my faucet to steal the spotlight. The black stainless steel does a great job of blending into my space.

But maybe I’d also change it to brass? I know…my brass obsession is taking over! 😂

When you take a look around your kitchen for the different metal finishes you are using, contrary to popular belief, you do NOT need to match your metals.

You can do something called mixing metals which is where you use two different metal finishes throughout your kitchen. This design tip makes your kitchen look like it was professionally designed and purposeful. Just something to keep in mind if you want to add an extra dash of appeal to your kitchen.

I have a whole post talking about mixing metals in your bathroom. Don’t worry, these same concepts can apply to any space including your kitchen!

Area surrounding the sink doesn’t have to be boring

The area around your sink shouldn’t be overlooked when looking to update a white kitchen.

First and foremost, if you don’t need to have a drying rack next to your sink, then don’t! Dishes collected throughout the week can pile up and hurt the aesthetic of your kitchen.

I use a large silicon drying mat when I do dishes. Once dishes are dry, I then roll up the mat to be stored in a nearby cabinet. It’s the perfect alternative to a bulky drying rack.

Getting rid of the drying rack might not be practical for some, and that’s okay! My recommendation would be to see if there is an option for you to store it away when dishes aren’t drying or find an in-sink drying rack.

Outside of drying racks, you can upgrade your soap situation since this will always be a needed element in your kitchen. Try grouping your hand soap and dish soap on a tray or pedestal. It’ll look nice and organized on your countertop. I use glass amber bottles that add the perfect amount of color near my sink.

Between the drying rack and your hand soap station, you can get rid of some of the clutter, and introduce a subtle bit of interest to this area that can become a little hectic!

Counter stools add so much personality

Counter stools can make a BIG impact and add color, texture, and personal style to your kitchen.

Choose a counter stool that complements the rest of your space. In a white kitchen, dark wood tones can help accent the rest of the room. But depending on your personal style, lighter wood can also look stunning against a white backdrop.

After a lot of research, I ended up choosing the Serena & Lily Carson counter stools. The back and seat of the stool are wrapped in rattan, which is the perfect match for the ebony frame. As a finishing touch, there’s a black stripe down the center.

The rattan material and the black stripe help incorporate the perfect texture and pattern into my kitchen and blend my living room and kitchen seamlessly.

Aside from wood, you can also play around with different kinds of fabric on counter stools and chairs. For example, a beautiful leather stool or a rich dark velvet chair can look stunning in a simple white kitchen. The possibilities are endless!

Don’t be afraid to buy something that contrasts your white kitchen, you’ll end up loving it.

Rugs and runners bring comfort and style

Something that can help bring comfort and additional texture into your classic white kitchen is adding a rug or runner.

It’s a great way for you to show off your personality since there are so many options available. Plus, this allows you to add a pop of color in the midst of all of those white cabinets.

If you have space around your island, this is the best spot for a runner. For an open-concept kitchen that has a lot of space, you can even get away with an area rug.

The most common place to put a rug or runner is in front of the sink, so make sure it’s cozy, and make sure that it looks stunning. And most importantly, make sure it doesn’t slide!

For help with picking out the best size rug for your kitchen, read my rug size guide.

I went with a brown natural woven material (I know, that’s so me) a cute white pattern throughout, and a bunch of tiny tufts. This feels heavenly under your feet while doing the dishes, trust me!

How to warm up a white kitchen?

The most important thing to remember when warming up an all-white kitchen is a little goes a long way.

The keyword that summarizes this post is subtle. You don’t have to make every change in this post – they’re simply just different ideas to get your classic white kitchen a bit more exciting.

Plus, these are changes you can make in just one weekend without spending a fortune on a whole kitchen remodel.

Do I still love my white kitchen? What would I do instead?

I’m still obsessed with my classic white kitchen and happy with my decision years ago to design my kitchen as a white kitchen.

I look at a white kitchen as a base layer. All of the decor, hardware, lighting, and everything else that goes into it are the true stars of the show. But I couldn’t make a lot of my design choices with a different colored kitchen. I just love the customizability I get with a white kitchen!

If I couldn’t choose a white kitchen, I would most likely end up with a dark, moody kitchen. Or get natural, custom-made cabinets if I had all of the money in the world. 😊

I have been heavily considering painting my island cabinets to create more of an accent (a warm neutral color) – but I haven’t fully convinced myself of that just yet. Just stay tuned and see if this idea becomes a reality!

White is an evergreen, timeless color to paint your kitchen, and if you asked me if you should do it, I wouldn’t hesitate to answer yes.