Relax and Unwind With Cool Paint Colors for Open Kitchen and Living Rooms

After a long, busy day, few things feel better than coming home and unwinding in a tranquil, relaxing space. For open concept kitchens and living rooms, cool paint colors can help cultivate a laidback vibe that gently eases away the stress of everyday life.

Shades of blue, green, gray, and purple inherently have a calming effect on mood. When used thoughtfully in an open floor plan, they provide a peaceful backdrop for cooking, conversation, and lounging.

Why Choose Cool Tones for an Open Floor Plan?

Cool paint colors come with many benefits that make them a great choice for open kitchen and living areas:

• They evoke a sense of tranquility and relaxation.
• Blue and green hues have been shown to lower heart rate and blood pressure.
• They feel clean, crisp, and refreshing.
• Cool tones make small spaces appear larger and more open.
• They reflect light well, keeping rooms bright and airy.

When you want to create an inviting yet laidback environment, cool colors are the way to go. They provide the perfect balance of visual interest and peaceful vibes.

Benefits of Cool Paint Colors

Specifically, cool paint colors offer several advantages that make them work beautifully in open floor plans:

• They have an innate tranquility that helps people mentally unwind.
• Blue/green hues evoke feelings of relaxation and serenity.
• They appear clean and crisp, creating a refreshing look.
• Cool tones make small rooms seem larger and more spacious.
• They reflect light extremely well, keeping interiors brighter.
• Cool colors pair nicely with warm wood tones and metals.

With their laidback charm and inviting ambiance, it's easy to see why cool palettes are a fantastic choice for kitchens and living areas.

Best Cool Paint Colors for Open Concept Kitchens

When painting a kitchen in an open floor plan, you'll want to stick with light or medium tones. Here are some of the best cool color options:

Soft Blue

Different shades of airy, inviting blue work beautifully in kitchens. Try a pale powder blue, sky blue, or periwinkle for a peaceful yet uplifting vibe. Soft blue complements most cabinetry and countertops.

Light Green

Crisp, natural hues like sage green, celadon, or mint green inject a tranquil essence into open kitchens. These colors pair nicely with materials like granite, butcher block, and tile.

Gray

While gray may seem neutral, many shades lean cool in tone. Opt for a light gray with hints of blue or green that emanate a relaxed feeling. Gray also works well with stainless steel appliances.

Best Cool Paint Colors for Open Concept Living Rooms

For living rooms, you have more freedom to explore deeper shades of cool colors. Here are some stellar options:

Light Blue

A very soft robin's egg blue is an excellent accent wall color for open living rooms. It emanates a beachy, relaxed vibe and goes nicely with white trim and furniture.

Lavender

Lavender instantly creates a romantic, feminine ambiance. Use a deep lavender on an accent wall, or soft muted purple throughout the entire room.

Green

Earthy olive and sage greens bring harmony and tranquility into a living space. Mint green evokes cottage charm. All work well in rooms with lots of natural light.

Tips for Using Cool Colors in an Open Floor Plan

Here are some tips to use cool colors successfully throughout your open concept:

• Combine light and dark shades of the same hue for depth.
• Add texture with layered rugs, pillows, and throws.
• Incorporate warm metals and natural wood tones.
• Paint trim/ceilings in soft whites or pale grays.
• Add pops of contrast with vibrant artwork.
• Place large floor plants to enhance the zen ambiance.

Mistakes to Avoid With Cool Color Schemes

While cool palettes have many advantages, it's important to avoid certain pitfalls when using them:

• Going too dark in a small space will make it feel closed in.
• Forgetting warming accents like wood furniture will create a cold, stark look.
• Using all light low contrast colors reduces visual interest.
• Only painting one wall an accent color looks imbalanced.
• Not tying together kitchen and living room hues makes things disjointed.

When thoughtfully planned, cool paint colors like blue, green, gray, and purple can create a laidback yet visually engaging open floor plan. The key is choosing complementary hues for the kitchen and living areas. Incorporate plenty of texture and warm elements for balance. Then sit back, relax, and enjoy the peaceful vibes of your cool new space!