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I think color for kitchens should be delicious, whether you're drawn to a crunchy green, buttery yellow, or rich mocha. A kitchen is a complicated room with many surfaces, and color looks different on different textures. You'll be considering the cabinets, the countertop, the floor, the backsplash, and the appliances in your color plan. Or maybe you're not looking for a major kitchen renovation, but you want a little color on the walls. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Yellow is a traditional choice for kitchens, and will make yours feel sunny, even if it has a northern exposure. Benjamin Moore's #190 (Pearly Gates) is a warm, light yellow that would be a pleasure to look at every day. I saw it with dark red cabinets, and the combination was gorgeous, though oak would also look great. Picture Old Blue Jeans (I mean the paint color, Benjamin Moore #839) and golden yellow Mushroom Cap (Benjamin Moore # 177) in adjoining rooms or on the trim for a Scandinavian-flavored color scheme. Or use the palest yellow-green to create a kitchen with a vineyard theme. Start with Benjamin Moore #247, Cosentino Chardonnay, on the walls, and use accessories and a wall border decorated with grapes. Then, add accents the color of red wine.

Red makes your cooking look even more delectable, which might not be ideal if you're trying to lose some weight. But it is a wonderful kitchen color. A friend told me that her mother used to paint the kitchen ceiling red, another way to make the kitchen the heart of the home. Ralph Lauren Rodeo Red (SF18A) is a dramatic choice, especially with dark wood cabinets, stainless appliances and modern fixtures.

If red is too much for you, consider terra cotta or peach. Painting your kitchen in Mexican Tile (Benjamin Moore #1194) will provide a lot of warmth. I'm in love with C2 Paints Sweet Potato (C2-2281), which I used in one customer's kitchen. All the C2 paints are very saturated in color and often go on in one coat. Ansonia Peach (#HC-52 from Benjamin Moore) is another deep peach to try. A friend used Benjamin Moore #907 (called Evening White, but really a subtle apricot) in his modern kitchen, beautiful with his light maple cabinets and black granite counters. And don’t dismiss that other member of the red family, pink, which could be a fun color for a retro-look kitchen. Pamela Powell’s book Bungalow Kitchens (Layton, Utah, Gibbs-Smith Publisher, 2000) mentions that pink was popular for kitchens in the 1920s and again in the 1950’s. If you haven’t seen this book, I strongly recommend picking it up for its classic design inspirations.

Green gives you a refreshing and sophisticated kitchen and always brings the outdoors in. My sister-in-law painted her kitchen in Kennebunkport Green (Benjamin Moore #HC-123). It’s is a deep, soft green and it looks even more elegant at night. Herbal greens are appealing in a kitchen. Picture sage in a country kitchen. I really like the bright green of Rosemary Sprig (Benjamin Moore #2144-30) in a contemporary kitchen. A designer I know chose it to bring out the green tones in a client’s stone countertop.

Have you thought about using violet in your kitchen? A lavender with cloud-white trim and white cabinets will provide atmosphere. C2’s Iris (C2-6047) would be pretty with accents in deep berry colors.

Neutrals are part of almost any kitchen. They show up in countertops, cabinets, ceramic tiles, wood floors. Pale, warm brown kitchen walls invite lingering over a cup of coffee. Try a few mochas from Benjamin Moore-- #1152 (Puppy Paws), #2162-60 (Mystic Beige) or go deeper and more golden with #2162-40 (Peanut Shell), for a very rich look.

Since you spend so much time in the kitchen, it's important to pick colors you love, that inspire you, and that welcome friends and family members. Whether you're tackling a total kitchen re-do or a putting a coat of paint on the walls, you can create a more delicious kitchen, with color.