Why pale kitchens are appealing to homeowners after a 'new neutral'


Why pale kitchens are appealing to homeowners after a 'new neutral'

Why pale kitchens are appealing to homeowners after a 'new neutral'


Feature by Sally Smith | Tue 3rd Jun 2025

White kitchens are back in vogue with consumers wanting to create elegant, calming spaces designed with longevity in mind – Sally Smith talks to the experts.

The latest pale, off-white kitchens on the market offer much warmer tones and complex palettes opening up a wealth of options for kitchen designers to offer customers a contemporary take on the white kitchen.

Martin Moore’s Classic Shaker-style kitchen collection has been hand-painted in Chalk, with contrasting veined worktop, brass tap, door handles and oak panelled flooring bringing warmth to the space

"The beauty of kitchen furniture painted in off-white is that it allows the interior scheme to shine. Its recessive, neutral palette allows designers free rein with fabrics and furnishings. Within the kitchen itself a mix of glamorous and natural materials, such as satin brass handles and taps, dramatically veined quartz worktops, natural timber floors and ribbed glass, elevate the design," says Richard Moore, creative director at Martin Moore.

The Hunton kitchen in Porcelain Outline, Second Nature Collection from PWS, includes a narrow surround and a smooth painted finish. This handleless kitchen could be equally at home in a modern or traditional setting

Graeme Smith, head of retail & commercial design at PWS, has seen how a paler off-white kitchen can appeal to a wider range of customers. "A white kitchen creates a perfect backdrop for colour and trend-driven styles to be added and layered in when required without driving the full scheme - flexing between both contemporary and traditional styles, even rustic and heritage designs," he says.

Olive & Barr designed this Shaker-style kitchen with cabinetry hand-painted in Portland Stone by Little Greene, shown with Armac Martin handles and contrasting Arabescato marble worktop – a perfect example of how a paler off-white palette can work beautifully in a smaller kitchen

Warm whites tend to feel cosier and more inviting, while cool white suits a more contemporary design, but both have a timeless look. "White comes in an abundance of shades, with both warm and cool undertones," says Al Bruce, founder of Olive & Bar. "In recent years, there has been a noticeable shift from grey to warm white as homeowners look for a fresh take on a ‘new neutral'. A warm white kitchen offers creative freedom for designers to experiment with intricate worktops, accent colours and various hardware finishes, resulting in beautifully layered and considered design."

A timeless kitchen design by Kitchens by Holloways using its Linear range of cabinets paired with a Palermo quartz stone worktop and contrasting splashback feature wall

Homeowners are definitely looking to invest in their kitchens but with sustainability and longevity in mind. "This move toward understated elegance reflects a broader desire for something that looks good now and will still feel relevant years down the line. And unlike the stark whites of previous years, off-whites now create a more grounded and inviting atmosphere, which aligns with how people are using their kitchens today," says Charles Elwell, design director for Kitchens by Holloways.

This Furore kitchen collection by Crown Imperial is shown in a Cashmere finish, with a focal dining island featuring Crown Boxworks styled in a complementary mocha. Available in 5 gloss shades, it gives a feeling of space and light for retailers to achieve an elegant design

Sophie Devonald, designer at Crown Imperial, agrees. "An off-white kitchen scheme suits smaller spaces particularly well, helping to create a brighter, more open feel. Consider introducing contrasting elements, such as handleless profiles, statement appliances, or distinctive storage features as focal points, whilst allowing the cabinetry to stand out to achieve a harmonious design.”

A traditional-style kitchen designed by Tom Howley using The Hartford collection painted in paler off-white Tansy and Nightshade with a complementary Caesarstone Organic White worktop creating an elegant look

"Off-whites can be incredibly versatile, but without contrast and variation, the space risks feeling flat," explains Tom Howley, creative design director. "Mixing matte and gloss finishes, incorporating natural materials like wood or stone, and using strategic lighting ensures the kitchen feels warm, spacious, and full of character – rather than cold or clinical," he adds.

This timeless kitchen designed by Humphrey Munson uses the Southwold collection for perimeter, island and wall cabinetry, with 2 contrasting worktops to add warmth and depth – Caesarstone Statuario Maximus quartz for the perimeter worktop and CRL Verona for the island

The appeal of more colourful kitchen designs can be short lived and on the whole people want to retreat to a calm oasis. Louisa Eggleston, creative director at Humphrey Munson, says:  "The trick with a pale, off-white colour scheme is balance – you need some yin to the yang so that it’s complementary but there is an opposing tone or colour. A dark, rich wooden floor can work wonders for grounding a room and ensuring it doesn’t just blur into a mass of white."

This scheme designed by Jones Britain featuring Masterclass Kitchens uses contrasting textures to add warmth and depth to this kitchen with Ashbourne Highland Stone cabinetry, high-gloss metro tiles and open Portland Oak shelving with recessed lighting

"Warm neutrals work beautifully across both modern handleless and classic Shaker designs, making them perfect for achieving a soft contemporary look that suits a wide variety of homes. These schemes age incredibly well, making them a smart long-term investment for customers and an easy-to-sell option for designers and retailers," says Cassie Jones, brand manager at Masterclass Kitchens.

In addition, pale off-white kitchens work well with more traditional properties offering an opportunity to update a space without overwhelming the original features.

A Shaker kitchen designed by Darren Taylor, MD of Searle & Taylor, uses a highly pigmented pale taupe to reflect natural light to contrast with the timber features along with Armac Martin satin chrome handles and an Everhot range cooker in Sage Green adds subtle colour to the space
Photo: Paul Craig

Simon Taylor Furniture used Cornforth White – a pale neutral grey – on all the cabinetry to contrast with the natural oak beams with a complementary quartz worktop in Clamshell by Caesarstone. 
Photo: Nick Smith.

 

 

Tags: kitchens, features, pale kitchens, off-white kitchens, martin moore