What colours should you choose?

An all-white kitchen can look ultra-modern, whilst a grey kitchen is super atmospheric. Together, a grey and white kitchen is sleek and sophisticated, creating a colour combination that looks great in all styles of kitchen, whether you prefer a modern, traditional or shaker style.

Dark grey and white kitchen

Add a touch of drama to your space with a beautiful dark grey. Contrasting perfectly with white - a shade that’s known for opening up your space and making it seem bigger than it is - dark grey adds a splash of colour and sophistication to what might otherwise feel like a cold and clinical space. Whether you use dark grey for the kitchen units and white for the walls, or vice versa, this is a colour combination that you can’t go wrong with.

Charcoal grey kitchen

Looking for something even darker? Consider charcoal grey, a deliciously deep and dark shade that’s almost black, but still with distinctive grey undertones shining through. This shade works wonderfully with white, especially in bigger kitchens where the darker colour won’t dominate the space. What’s more, darker cabinets are easy to keep clean, making this a particularly good choice if you have young children with sticky fingers.

Light grey and white kitchen

Prefer something brighter? Light grey and white is a great pairing, creating a contemporary look with added interest rather than a plain white kitchen. White walls with light grey kitchen cabinets look thoroughly modern, yet it’ll stand the test of time for a kitchen you’ll be delighted with for years to come.

• Related: Kitchen colour ideas to bring your space to life

Kitchen elements to consider

There are endless combinations to choose from, from door styles to paint colours and cabinet colours, so you really can choose the best options to suit your home and your style. Here are some of our favourite options.

White kitchen with grey worktop

If you love the look of a fresh white kitchen but want to give it added depth, this is the perfect solution for you. Whether you go for painted white walls or add in a bit of texture with tiles, it’s a classic choice that will never go out of style. Grey worktops break up the white and can choose to match your cabinets to the worktops or open up your space by keeping them white as well.

Grey kitchen with white worktops

Alternatively, go for an all-white kitchen with grey walls. This is a slightly more unexpected option than classic white walls, so is a great choice if you want a modern kitchen.

Cabinet colour

Will you go for grey kitchen cabinets or white ones? White is classic and timeless, whilst grey will add warmth. If you have a small kitchen, consider base cabinets in a darker shade of grey with wall cupboards in a lighter grey. This will open up your space and keep your kitchen from looking too top-heavy.

Flooring

It’s not all about the cabinets and worktops when you’re designing your kitchen. One really modern way of mixing grey into your white kitchen is to go for a white kitchen and grey floor. This can add lots of character to your space whilst not overpowering - ideal if you have a small space. Keep a thread of grey running through your kitchen by matching the handles to the floor shade, or by using grey accessories throughout.

Kitchen island

What about your island? What colour should it be? With a grey and white kitchen, you’re lucky to have the choice of several colours for your island. If you have light grey kitchen walls, for example, then painting your island a deep shade of grey makes it a stand-out focal point. An island allows you to create several layers of grey within your kitchen to create a cohesive look. Consider a dark, black-grey for the island and base cabinets, a lighter shade for the wall units, and flecks of grey in a grey marble worktop. Tie it all together with white walls, flooring and a white ceiling to keep the room feeling light and airy.

Of course, you can create this look even without an island. Just mix and match the shades of grey across your kitchen for a pulled-together look that fits in with your style.

Tiles

Another great way of creating a cohesive look is to go for a grey kitchen with white tiles. Not only will the tiles add a fresh look to break up the grey, but the tiles add a different texture to the room, which is fantastic for opening up a smaller space.

White tiles also work well as a backdrop for accessories. Whether you choose grey accessories or add a pop of colour to the kitchen through your choice of accessories, white stops it from looking shambolic and instead creates the perfect shabby chic style.

Appliances

Lucky for you if you’re considering a white and grey kitchen, as grey and white are the two most common colours for kitchen appliances. Go for sleek silver or glossy white - the choice is yours. Silver is a strong choice for a grey and white modern kitchen, whilst white is the shade to go for if you’re concerned about silver appliances not quite matching your grey kitchen cabinets. Either way, you can’t go wrong with these timeless choices.

Feeling inspired to go for a grey and black kitchen? Take a look at our range of kitchen brands, and start planning your dream kitchen now, from the cabinets and walls, right down to the fine details of appliances, accessories and handles.