The soft colors and floral patterns are echoed at the decoratve painting on the ceiling beams.

Turquoise: Inspired by the Sea An epoxy floor in a personalized color of turquoise alludes into the ocean not far from this shore house kitchen with DD Allen. (If you love the idea but live inland, how about grass-green sandpaper to elicit an open area?) Throw pillows in bright shades add punch into the space.

Turquoise: Custom Color The Icestone terazzo countertops within this kitchen by Massucco Warner Miller are made from recycled glass bottles that give the surface a sea-glass-like sheen. The cabinets were painted a light turquoise to coincide. When trying to match kitchen stuff, keep in mind that paint can always be tinted to coordinate with your countertop, cabinets or fabrics, so pick the paint.

Turquoise: Chalkboard Contrast These super-glossy blue wall tiles from the Italian firm Fap Ceramiche add colour and sheen to a modern kitchen. "A dose of your favourite color can personalize a kitchen and make it a refuge," says architect Susan Doban partition glass . who frequently recommends vivid hues in her projects. A strip of chalkboard paint adds contrast -- along with a practical method to share information and favorite recipes.

Blue: Fit for Assignment Designers Tim Scott and Erica Westeroth, CKD, NCIDQ, took their inspiration for this Canadian bachelor's kitchen in the colours and contours of Havana, in which he's a vacation place. "The blue mosaic tile reflects the dancing waves of the sea," states Westeroth. "The convex curved wall was wrapped in closets of amazing English Sycamore veneer, emulating the lush soil along with also the sugary white marble floors shimmer like the sandy shore"

Blue: Created by Menswear The traditional menswear combination of navy, white and tobacco inspired the palette for this kitchen with architect/homeowner John Laren and interior designer Karen Soojian, ASID. "Bold contrast is a major design element for the room, as seen from the mix of the two white (not shown) and navy cabinets," states Soojian. "This is softened by the coming of the warm color of the cork floor and the walnut-toned center island"

Blue: Modern Two-Tone The first inspiration for this blue and crimson kitchen came in the red of the Icestone countertops, that were matched to a stock glass shade from the cabinetry company. All told, the designers at Gaia Kitchen & Bath used three different color glass inserts, two different color cabinets and two different countertop materials.

Blue: Organic Color Cues This open-plan kitchen by designer Mark Dutka in his house near the Northern California coast was created to reflect the colours of the local sky, sand and woods. "The lower cabinets have been painted a deep gray-brown (Benjamin Moore "Midsummer Night" 2134-20) to signify the local forest soil, and the top cupboards are tinted rift oak, as a nod to the surrounding forest. Walls at Benjamin Moore Chicago Blues signify the ubiquitous Pacific Ocean," Dutka clarifies, "along with the unbelievable blue skies residents are treated to on sunny days"

Green: Calming and Cozy Neither bright nor light; not light or neon, the delicate blue-green of the backsplash tile in a kitchen with Ryan Christenson of Remodel Works Bath and Kitchen is odd enough to grab the eye, but subtle enough to live professionally for ages.

Green: Bright Budget-Friendly Color is a superb way to add life to a cheap kitchen. The cabinets in this area by TS Kitchen Projects are from Ikea, and the ceramic tile was under $10 per square foot. Thanks to its bright green hues, the backsplash functions as a focal point for the space, which makes the room memorably lively.

Green: Leafy Hues Garden Views Cool slate grays anchor this kitchen with Susan Diana Harris, ASID, while brighter greens steal the display both indoors and outside. The walls are painted Behr's Fresh Grass (color #426), and the ceiling is Benjamin Moore's Pale Vista (2029-60). The windows (not shown) were left unobstructed to allow for views of the leafy garden outside. If your own kitchen has been graced with garden views, do not forget that your selection of plantings will affect the color experience when you're inside.

Yellow: Joyful Hue In this kitchen with DD Allen, seafoam green cupboards are a soft background to bright yellow stools from Wyeth from new york. "Another way to change up colour in a kitchen," says Allen, "would be to use director's seat stools, and easily change the canvas out covers, which you can get in many different colours and patterns."

Yellow: Inspired by Antique China Designer Elizabeth Swartz, ASID, attracted colour inspiration for her own kitchen (that stunning yellow paint is California Paint's CAL #7263M, Sunspot) out of Stangl Pottery's Fruit Pattern. "My aunt had this because of her everyday china when I was a child," says Swartz, "and I have good memories of wonderful family dinners with loads of cousins. I found a piece in an antique store, started collecting it built my kitchen color scheme around it." What favorite family items make you happy? Look to them to get a kitchen color that will keep you grinning.

Yellow: Mexican-Inspired Sarah Leedy-Dooley, ASID, NKBA, used bright yellow walls and an intricate arrangement of hand-painted Mexican Talavera tiles in this kitchen on a large Texas ranch. When picking strong colors, be sure to check on them in situ before purchasing, so you may see how they appear in the area at various times of the day as the light changes.

Orange: Color Pick-Me-Up "I think that colour in a kitchen has a hugely positive, psychological effect and makes people happy," says Designer Robin Siegerman, Author of Renovation BOOTCAMP: Kitchen -- Style and Remodel Your Kitchen. . .Without Losing Your Wallet, Your Mind or Your Partner. And as for this particular colour? "Orange is shown to excite optimism," she states, "bringing spontaneity and a positive outlook to life. It is a fantastic color to use during tough financial times, keeping us motivated and allow us to look on the bright side of life"

Orange: Bold Banquette Designer DD Allen's client wanted a rosy breakfast nook and she made it, thanks to the colorful coral and tile banquette. White Eames chairs along with a neutral floor and ceiling keep the colour from overpowering the space.

Orange: Saturated Shade The least expensive -- and permanent -- method to color a kitchen up is with paint. Designer Angela Bonfante picked this pumpkin hue for a tight room with an eye on budget. Against a shade this wealthy, the chain-store throw pillows look like luxury custom function.

Orange: Natural Inspiration The metal sculptor who possesses this Oregon kitchen chose a palette of golds, reds and greys as a nod to the local landscape. "The khaki accent walls will be the color of Sumac leaves -- or perhaps someone's lipstick," says designer Rhonda Knoche, CMKBD, CAPS "The yellows, reds and oranges were grounded with black and gray, so the colour scheme did not summon circus music, which can occur with these vivid colours."

Pink: Sunny Salmon Designer Judy O'Neil Labins chose custom-colored milk paint with a level, chalky surface for this vintage-style kitchen. "Salmon is a great color," says Labins, "and most people can wear it in a flattering way." Trying to decide on a color for your kitchen? Think about the colors you prefer to wear. They are probably the ones you most enjoy looking at, and also can help you look your finest when you're working your hardest in your stove.

Pink: Art Deco Pizzazz In this kitchen, co-designed from Patricia Caulfield and Marc Goodwin, anigre veneer cabinets were stained with a pink dye. A honed black granite countertop ties from the black appliances and the Art Deco-style custom crown molding in black. Grey marble tops part of the center island, together with another elevation topped with Corian in "Strawberry Ice."

Red: Statement Cabinets Jill Green of Sand Castle Designs used a bright, glistening red for the top cabinets in this spacious kitchen. The eye color turns the spacious galley into a design element from the apartment, while a stainless steel backsplash and black cabinets increase the glamour.

Red: A Vintage Look A rug can add excellent notes of colour to your kitchen either to replicate a shade already set up much like the red china cabinet inside this kitchen with Sandra Bird Designs, or to decorate an otherwise neutral space. Because this particular crimson is matte, rather than glossy, it creates a timeless appearance.

Red: Bold Lacquer Color Not for the faint of heart, this red, red, red kitchen with John Ryba is saturated in a wealthy, lacquer red. The white ceiling and stainless appliances assist reflect light, an important consideration when you're working using a darker colour.

Red: All in the Details Having a colour as powerful as red, sometimes a few strong accents are enough. In this kitchen with Ines Hanl of The Sky is the Limit Design, a reddish pedestal for a counter-height table along with a red runner rug add vibrancy to a subtly colored kitchen. And remember artwork as a source of colour in kitchens; note the way the framed poster on the far wall rounds out of the colour scheme.

Purple: Sleek Curves Deep Color Purple tones in the 'Red Sunset' granite in this kitchen with XTC Design inspired the home's overall colour scheme, with extreme doses of aubergine on the cabinets (at a satin metallic lacquer finish), also in accent walls, pillows and art throughout the house. Designers Tim Scott and Erica Westeroth, CKD, NCIDQ, used neutral flooring, upholstery and ceilings to balance the rich hue to get a look that is distinctive but not overwhelming.

Purple: Naturally Pleasing Palette A slightly paler purple distinguishes this kitchen by Jeff King, designed for homeowners who wanted a happy, vibrant space. The kitchen faces south and opens onto a very colorful garden, so the color inside reflects and complements the colours out. "Don't be concerned about making design choices for resale," says the homeowner. "You'll be living in the home and spending a lot of time in the kitchen, so do what really is pleasurable to your eye."

Purple: Inspired by Vino The wine lovers who own this home had several images of favorite Italian palaces in spaces adjacent to the kitchen, therefore designer Connie Rabias-Sbarboro picked a glass/tumbled marble backsplash with a great deal of purple tones, and painted the walls Benjamin Moore's "Tropical Dusk," a brilliant beige colour. The rich wood cabinetry enriches the room's Tuscan feeling.

Brown: Subway Tile Backsplash When utilized in the form of glossy glass tile, rather than stone or wood, brown becomes a color, too. Drury Designs utilized the glass tiles here in order to bring drama into an otherwise multifunctional kitchen. The tile sheen helps reflect light to keep the room looking lively.

Multicolor: Intricate Handmade Tiles Can not choose only one favorite color? Use ALL of them, as tile designer Vicki Morrow did in this kitchen, clad in ceramic pieces she layouts and hand-fabricates herself. An accent wall in deep improved picks up a color running through the backsplash and offers stunning contrast to the deep purple counter tiles.

Multicolor: Patterned Pillows to get a Pop of Color Fabric is another great way to introduce plenty of colours to your kitchen, as designer Jessica R. Caviness of Ross Thiele & Son did here. The soft colors and floral patterns are echoed at the decoratve painting on the ceiling beams.

Multicolor: Whimsical Fairy Garden Certified Kitchen Designer Elina Katsioula-Beall's customer asked for a kitchen that resembled a childs fairy garden -- and she got it, '' says Katsioula-Beale, "with daring green stalks made of high-gloss laminate cabinets, opening to a vibrant fuchsia flower bed of countertops!" And the walls? Marigold orange. If this much hard-to-change color frees you, says Katsioula-Beall, "have glass doors installed on some of your cupboards and paint their insides a glowing hue. If you hate it," she says, "that is a change that's easy -- and inexpensive -- to make."