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Material and colour co-ordination: ideas and inspiration for visual harmony in the kitchen

14 aprile 2025

The kitchen is so much more than just a functional space. It is a space where aesthetics and functionality come together to express who we are. A place where materials and colours are the way we express our idea of home.

In this space, each element, from finishes and colour schemes to the layout and lighting, contributes to creating an atmosphere that reflects our lifestyle and aesthetic preferences.

We will take you on a journey to discover kitchens from Milan to Copenhagen, from Lake Garda to Padua, where the Ar-Tre collections offer solutions that combine style and functionality. They are not showroom exhibitions, but living spaces where materials interact with natural light, and modern colours blend in with existing architectural elements.

Together we will discover how to create harmonious colour combinations between worktops, doors and floors, how to balance matt and gloss finishes and how to incorporate warm or cool colours to create the desired atmosphere. We'll be exploring innovative ways to combine lacquers and different types of wood, technological surfaces and traditional materials. Our aim is to create a space that's as beautiful as it is functional.

Whether you are furnishing an open-plan kitchen or wondering how to choose between a range of styles, colours and materials, this article will guide you through specific, tried-and-tested combinations to transform the heart of your home into a unique and personal aesthetic experience.

Choosing a colour palette: ideas for modern kitchen colours

The choice of colours forms the visual basis for the entire kitchen design. Colours are not just decorative elements, but actual design tools that influence our perception of space and light, as well as how we feel in a room.

Two-tone kitchen ideas: Milanese elegance

Based on the Sky collection by Ar-Tre, this beautiful Milanese design is a colourful kitchen that combines the timeless elegance of white and grey. In this recently renovated 1930s flat, the white and grey modern kitchen stands out against a neutral palette. It's a perfect example of how to give a retro character to a contemporary home.

This project shows how a two-tone kitchen can become the focal point of a home, providing an elegant contrast to existing architectural features. The smooth, double-sided melamine cabinet doors of the Sky collection provide a practical and durable surface. The choice of White Artic for the base and wall units, combined with the open units in Utopia Piombo, creates a visually balanced composition.

A guide to selecting colours for modern kitchens

When choosing colours for a modern kitchen, there are some guidelines to follow:

Consider natural light: in very bright rooms, dark colours work well, while in rooms with little natural light, choose light colours that enhance brightness.
Consider size: modern kitchens with light colours are ideal for small rooms because they create a sense of spaciousness, while dark modern kitchens can add character to large rooms.
Create focal points: the whole kitchen does not have to be the same colour. Coloured kitchens often incorporate an island or a wall in a different colour to create a focal point.

Current trends are showing a return to natural colours in modern kitchens. Shades such as terracotta, sage green and midnight blue are replacing the neutral greys of recent years. This shift in colour preference reflects the desire for more welcoming and customised environments, where colour assumes a central role in defining the space.

The appeal of a dark base paired with light wall units is a timeless design solution for those who appreciate two-tone kitchens. It creates visual depth and a sense of lightness at the same time.

Matching ideas for kitchen worktop colours with other materials and finishes

If colours determine the immediate visual impact, materials determine the tactile experience and durability of the kitchen. Texture, durability and maintenance are key considerations when choosing a surface, with the worktop being the visually focal component. Learn more about how to choose a kitchen worktop, including materials and practical advice.

Balancing worktops, cabinet doors and walls: the Lake Garda experience

A house on the shores of Lake Garda is a perfect example of how to skilfully combine different materials. This contemporary home features a kitchen from the Up Design collection by Ar-Tre.

The kitchen is the heart of the house. It features a combination of LN12 medium blonde walnut wood and 800M burnished lacquer finishes. The 2810 Cement HPL worktop, available in 20 mm and 140 mm thicknesses, defines the working area and provides visual continuity with the architectural elements. This composition is completed by open elements and display cabinets with an Air frame and smoked glass, which add lightness to the whole.

Ideas for combining the kitchen worktop with cabinet doors and the floor

The relationship between the worktop, the cabinet doors and the floor is key to achieving the right balance of colours and materials in the kitchen. An interesting approach is to use the worktop as a transitional element. If you have a dark wood floor and want to use light-coloured cabinet doors, a mid-tone worktop will create a gradual visual transition.

Here are some effective strategies for a perfect match:

Follow the 60/30/10 ratio rule: allocate 60% to the main colour (which is often the floor), 30% to the secondary colour (usually cabinet doors) and 10% to special features (like the worktop or decorative elements)
Consider the light factor: in dimly lit rooms, using a worktop with a reflective finish can increase the amount of light available, while in very bright rooms you can be bold and use a dark, opaque worktop
Consider the direction of the grain: matching the direction of the worktop pattern to that of the floor can create a sense of continuity even between completely different materials.

Finally, remember that the worktop is also the element most likely to wear out: consider not only the design but also the technical characteristics, taking into account your lifestyle and cooking habits.

How to create a visual continuity between the floor and the walls in the kitchen

When we think about colour in the kitchen, we often focus on doors and worktops. But floors and walls are just as important to the overall balance of the room. These elements form the frame within which the furniture fits and take up large visual surfaces.

Surface and sensation: the new declination of the I Naturali collection

One of Ar-Tre's latest designs, created to present the new version of the I Naturali collection, is an extraordinary example of how to create continuity between the different elements of the kitchen area. In this home surrounded by nature, the kitchen is the focal point and the main protagonist.

In this kitchen, the light-coloured travertine floor interacts with the Ambassador 466 HPL worktop and side panels. The cognac-stained ash wood bases of the peninsula add warmth to the room. The champagne lacquered tall units provide a finishing touch, creating a balanced contrast. The back panel and shelves in cognac-stained ash wood echo the finish of the base units. This creates a visual continuity that links the different elements.

How to match the floor and the walls to the kitchen

Here are a few basic guidelines to help you create a harmonious combination:

Visual hierarchy: define which element should stand out. If the floor has a strong visual impact (such as terracotta or veined marble), the walls and furniture can be more neutral to balance it out.
Line of sight: Wall colours can draw attention to certain points in the kitchen or create a sense of height (lighter tones upwards).
Architecture: When planning the overall colour scheme, take into account existing architectural elements (beams, columns, niches).
Kitchen wall colours in combination with dark furniture: If you've chosen a dark kitchen, light walls will help balance the room and avoid an overly heavy effect.
Style consistency: Terracotta floors are perfect for rustic or Mediterranean kitchens, while in modern kitchens wall colours should match with contemporary furniture styles.

Recent trends in wall covering design include porcelain stoneware floors (often blended with the worktop), enamelled walls for continuous surfaces, saturated colours (sage green, powder blue, terracotta) combined with white furniture and natural tones to modernise even classic kitchens. The secret is to look at the room as a whole. Observe how natural light interacts with the surfaces during the day, creating a harmonious visual interaction between all the elements of the kitchen.

Combinations in the kitchen between classic and contemporary

The art of creating a kitchen that is both modern and timeless lies in the ability to combine classic and contemporary elements. This fusion of styles is an increasingly popular trend. It adds personality and character to the kitchen space.

Reinterpreting tradition: Nordic elegance in Copenhagen

In Copenhagen, a flat overlooking the sea has become the setting for a nautical-inspired kitchen created with the Elite collection by Ar-Tre. This composition is a perfect example of how traditional elements can be re-interpreted in a modern way.

The combination of a framed door for the base units and a plain door for the wall units, combined with smoked framed display cabinets, makes this composition unique. This mix of styles adds movement and shows how a modern dark blue kitchen can add depth by using different structural elements.

The worktop and backsplash are in Dekton Kelya, a technological material composed of porcelain, glass and quartz elements. They add a contemporary touch to an environment inspired by nautical tradition.

How to balance classic and modern elements in the kitchen

The creation of transversal combinations demands attention and aesthetic sensitivity. Here are a few guidelines:

Balanced shapes: the clean lines of modern kitchens can be softened by more elaborate elements, such as external handles or frames.
Modern kitchen with warm colours: the use of warm colours like terracotta, ochre or metallic champagne can soften the contemporary look of a kitchen characterised by clean lines.
Contrast of materials: the combination of technological materials such as FENIX or porcelain stoneware with natural elements like wood, creates an interesting interplay between innovation and tradition.
Details that tell a story: in a modern kitchen, the inclusion of a few decorative elements inspired by tradition can give it character and personality.

An effective example of this interplay of styles is the combination of seemingly contrasting materials: technical and industrial surfaces softened by natural elements, matt finishes juxtaposed with reflective metal details, pure geometric lines punctuated by decorative elements.

The colour combinations for the walls of a classic kitchen can also follow this principle: contemporary shades such as pearl grey or powder blue can revamp a traditionally styled kitchen, retaining its elegance while projecting it into the present.

Transversal style allows you to create customised environments that do not rigidly follow a single trend. Instead, they draw freely from different eras and styles, combining them into a harmonious and distinctive whole. It is an approach that reflects the complexity of today's tastes, which are increasingly in favour of bespoke solutions rather than ready-made models.

Open space and multi-functionality

At a time when domestic spaces are becoming more fluid and versatile, the kitchen is often integrated with other rooms in the home. Maintaining aesthetic coherence in these contexts is a design challenge. It requires attention to visual continuity and overall harmony.

Functional and visual integration: the Padua-based example

A newly built house in Padua, surrounded by lush vegetation, provides an excellent example of how rooms with different functions can be harmoniously integrated. The project uses the Flo Evo collection by Ar-Tre, introducing an original distribution scheme for the living area, by incorporating the kitchen into the laundry room.

The choice of using white walnut as the main finish, both for the tall units and the base units in the kitchen and for those in the laundry room, creates visual continuity, thereby unifying the spaces. This combination is complemented by the use of Bianco 101 matt lacquer for the base units of the laundry room and Ecoresina WR06 for the kitchen worktop and side panels.

The laundry room, despite being a separate functional space, maintains visual communication with the kitchen through a sliding glass door. This shows the importance of maintaining visual harmony between rooms with different functions.

Strategies for effective matching in open-plan kitchens

The creation of coherence in open-plan spaces requires a design approach that takes the whole environment into account. Here are some effective strategies:

Narrative Coherence: In an open space, the coherence of the visual "story" matters more than repeating the same elements. Define a theme (natural, industrial, minimal) that can be used in different ways in different areas.
Contact points: Identify specific elements (a material, a finish, a feature) that can be strategically repeated throughout the space to create visual links between functionally separate areas.
Transitional elements: Consider using architectural or furnishing elements that act as a transition between the kitchen and the living area, such as islands or peninsulas that gradually take on different functions.
Visual balance: If there are dominant colours or materials in the kitchen, use them in small doses in the adjacent room to create visual references that link the spaces together.

Special attention should also be paid to lighting. This can help to define different areas within a single open space, creating different atmospheres according to function, while maintaining an overall aesthetic coherence.

The secret to a successful open space lies in balancing unity and variety, creating a cohesive and articulate environment that responds to different functions without losing visual harmony.

Harmony in the kitchen as an expression of your personality

The journey through materials, colours and combinations for the kitchen has shown us that visual harmony is not a rigid formula. It is a creative interaction between different elements that come together to create a unique aesthetic experience.

The various projects we analysed, from Milan to Copenhagen, from Lake Garda to Padua, clearly show how each kitchen is a unique interpretation of its inhabitants' needs and personality. Ar-Tre collections thus become a flexible tool that can be adapted to different spatial narratives.

The principles we have shared are not rigid rules, but guidelines for finding your personal interpretation of harmony – from the conscious choice of colours to the strategic combination of materials, from the continuity between floors and walls to the integration of different styles and the coherence of open spaces.

The ideal kitchen is not one that rigidly follows current trends. It is one that reflects your functional needs and aesthetic tastes, creating an environment in which you feel comfortable.

What colours and materials best describe the kitchen you want to create? Which elements of the Ar-Tre collections have inspired you the most? Share them with your nearest Ar-Tre dealer.

Find your nearest Ar-Tre dealer now