Updating your kitchen can be a big, and expensive adventure. But the results can be so worth it. There are also a few things to focus on that can help save you time and money as you embark on the adventure. These things include: kitchen cabinet paint colors, flooring, counters, and backsplash tile. But one other piece you should consider is the lighting. Both natural and artificial lighting will have a huge impact on the overall aesthetic of your kitchen. Lighting will also have an impact on your design choices, particularly your cabinet paint color. Here’s what to know before you choose a cabinet paint color.

How Lighting Affects Cabinet Colors

Lighting and color will always go hand-in-hand. The natural light and artificial light you have in your home will play together and change the way your color looks and feels. That’s often why colors will look different in a store or online than they do once they’re actually on the cabinets. As a simple rule, the more light in a room, the more vibrant the color will appear. Low light will mute and dull colors. It’s all about intensity so controlling the blend of natural and artificial light in your kitchen will help ensure your cabinets color will appear exactly how you want them to.

Taking Control of Natural Light

Okay so you can’t really control natural light in the sense that you can’t change the weather and you know, the forces of nature. It will still get dark at night and brighter in the afternoon. So the position of the sun will ultimately affect how your cabinet colors look, as well as the time of year and changing of seasons. So what you can affect may be your windows and what’s in the way of the

If your kitchen is lacking natural light, your cabinets will appear less bright. Again, you can’t change the forces of nature but you can maybe change your blinds or curtains. In a more dramatic remodel, you could try to change the size of your window too. Alternatively, you can also choose a brighter hue to paint your kitchen cabinets. 

Here are some ways to make the most of the natural light you do have pouring into your kitchen. This includes:

  • Use lighter and brighter paint colors
  • Skip any kind of window treatment that’s going to tint or darken the window and opt instead for light, airy window treatments rather than heavy ones
  • Hang a mirror to reflect light back into the kitchen
  • Keep up to date on your pruning and tree trimming.

If, on the other hand, you have a lot of natural light in your kitchen, achieving the true color is much easier.

Taking Control of Artificial Light

This is a lot easier to control. Sometimes something as simple as swapping out your lightbulb for a brighter wattage can make a big difference. Here’s how you can tell the difference between different light bulbs which will help you pick the best one for your home:

  • For warmer, more intense colors, consider using more incandescent lighting.
  • Halogen lighting will behave more like natural light so it can help colors look truer to life.
  • LED lighting is an awesome option because you can affect the temperature. Depending on the bulb you select, this type of lighting can make kitchen cabinet colors appear cooler or warmer.
  • Smart lightbulbs are the last on the list. This is the bulb that gives you the most amount of control. When you’re cooking and trying to read a recipe, you can opt for a brighter light setting. When you’re entertaining or relaxing over a meal with your family, you can choose a softer, cozier glow.

How to Choose Kitchen Cabinet Colors with Lighting in Mind 

Lights in stores are never going to imitate exactly what you have at home. That’s why it’s important to never commit to the first color you see in the store. Bring home multiple samples and see how they look in your kitchen. Be sure to do this at different times of the day too so you can see how the colors will look when the sun isn’t shining through as strong. You should also urn off the lights, open the blinds, light a candle, etc. This will help you understand how your cabinets will look in any circumstance. 

The experts here at N-Hance Wood Refinishing of Greenville can help you choose the perfect cabinet color in Greenville. We understand the ins and outs of how lighting works with with our solid stain colors and can make recommendations that are a perfect fit for your kitchen. Plus, we don’t use traditional cabinet paint which means we deliver a rock hard finish you can trust for the years to come.

Our color pallet is vast, and we offer color matching so you’re sure to find the perfect color. As part of our process, we’ll even give you some samples so you can see how the different colors will look throughout the day. All in all, we want to help bring new life and light into your home, and assist you with the perfect kitchen cabinet makeover.

Call N-Hance Wood Refinishing of Greenville at (864) 558-1000 to set up a FREE consultation.