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How to Use Color in Kitchen Remodeling: Tips for SoCal Homes

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Kitchen remodeling breathes new life into a home. In Orange County, where style reigns, creating a high-end kitchen relies on the creative use of color. From cabinetry to flooring, backsplashes, and lighting, the right color choices transform your kitchen into a stunning, functional space.

Kitchen remodeling after with Black and white kitchen design with matte gold accents

Cabinetry: The Heart of Kitchen Design

Cabinets constitute the largest visual feature in most kitchens, making their color choice critical. Consider neutral tones like white, cream, or gray for a high-end look. These timeless shades give your kitchen a spacious and elegant feel.

Opt for deep navy, forest green, or even black and make a bold statement. These darker tones create a luxurious atmosphere and pair beautifully with brass or gold hardware. Orange County kitchens that draw on the environmental beauty of our area pull in soft blues or sage green without creating dark rooms.

Ladera Ranch kitchen remodeling after showing contrasting quartz countertops

For a stunning and stylish statement, mix cabinet colors. Use a neutral base for the upper cabinets and a richer tone for the lower ones or the island. This two-tone approach adds depth and visual appeal, creating a standout kitchen.

Kitchen Remodeling and Your Flooring Choice

Your choice of kitchen flooring provides another avenue to play with color in kitchen remodeling. For a warm and inviting feel, opt for light wood such as natural oak or ash shades. These tones work well with both contemporary and classic kitchen designs. That makes them the safe choice for long-term appeal.

Kitchen remodeler after photo White and walnut kitchen with blue glass herringbone backsplash

If you prefer tile flooring, consider wood-look tiles. They offer the beauty of wood and the durability of tile. Or look for traditional floor tiles with patterned or textured designs in neutral or earth tones.

Backsplashes: A Canvas for Creativity

Planning the backsplash provides a playground or having fun with color. Subway tiles in white or neutral tones serve as the most classic choice. But modern Orange County kitchen remodeling projects often feature backsplash tiles as art. Glossy tiles in rich tones like teal, emerald, or cobalt blue bring energy to your kitchen.

White shaker style kitchen cabinets with blue backsplash and quartzite countertops

For a more subdued, high-end look, consider marble backsplashes with natural veining. These offer subtle eye-catching patterns with a classic look. Orange County coastal kitchen remodels use tiles in beach-inspired hues like aqua or sandy beige to match the coastal vibe.

Balance your backsplash with the rest of the kitchen’s color palette to maintain harmony.

Lighting For Function and Mood

Lighting does more than illuminate the kitchen—it influences how colors appear. Choose fixtures that complement your kitchen’s overall style casting the best light on your color scheme.

Pendant lights over an island or dining area allow the introduction of metallic tones like gold, bronze, or copper for warmth. Opt for matte black or sleek chrome finishes for a modern or industrial touch.

Consider the lightbulbs you use.  Cool white bulbs make whites and grays appear crisp and clean, ideal for a minimalist kitchen. Warm yellow bulbs create a cozy atmosphere and enhance natural wood tones. Include dimmer switches so you can adjust the brightness based on the mood and occasion.

kitchen remodel incorporates open concept for kitchen and dining areas

Kitchen Remodeling Tips for Picking a Cohesive Color Palette

Start with your primary palette and build from there. For example, if you opt for white cabinets, bring in warmth through wood floors and color through the backsplash. If you love dark cabinets, balance them with lighter floors and countertops.

Don’t forget to consider the colors in the adjoining rooms. This gives the entire home a feeling of cohesiveness.

Orange County kitchen and bath contractor after photo with furniture style kitchen island

Kitchen Remodeling in Southern California Style

For a Southern California kitchen that reflects the Orange County climate and lifestyle, work with an Orange County kitchen remodeler. Inspired Remodels helps incorporate colors and finishes in a design that creates a space that feels fresh and welcoming. From sandy neutrals, ocean blues, and earthy greens to marble, quartz, and natural stone, you’ll see options for materials that not only give you a high-end look but also stand up to daily wear and tear.

 

4 Orange County Kitchen and Bath Contractors 2025 Trends

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Orange Couty kitchen and bath contractors like Inspired Remodels constantly scan the horizon for new design trends. They then separate the flash-in-the-pan fads from enduring trends. For example, biophilic design continues in everything from flooring choices to décor.

Here are four kitchen and bathroom remodeling trends gaining traction and coming on strong in 2025. Incorporate these ideas into your design for function, beauty, and lasting style.

White and navy kitchen cabinets with Spanish influenced backsplash tile

Large Islands

Kitchen islands started as additional space for food prep tasks. They slowly evolved into additional spaces for cooking and cleaning.

Now, supersized islands double as in-kitchen dining areas. Large islands serve as the base for your holiday buffet and home of weeknight dinners.

Orange County kitchen and bath contractor after photo with furniture style kitchen island

No longer the spot to grab a bowl of cereal before school or work, they literally serve as the proverbial kitchen table.

Furniture-style legs on islands evoke memories of dine-in kitchens of the past.

But today’s kitchen dining surfaces include easy-care surfaces.

If you add an island to your kitchen in 2025, super-size it!

kitchen and bath contractor after photo green cabinets

Color in the Kitchen and Bath

Sure, grey remains a favored neutral along with white.  But in 2025, color comes on stronger than in 2024.

Instead of a blast of in-your-face color, new hues debut in contrasting upper or lower cabinets. Backsplash areas transform into palettes for colorful tiles and exquisite patterns.

kitchen remodeling after photo stainless sttel stove and hood with gre, black & white backsplash

Take inspiration from our beautiful and varied Orange County environment (in a nod to biophilic design). Cool blues and greens pay homage to our beautiful seaside; while tans, rust, beige, and brown pull inspiration from the mountain landscape.

Kitchen and bath contractors tell you that even the choice of wood provides an opportunity to incorporate more color in the kitchen or bath.

Orange County kitchen and bath contractor renovation after warm tone cabinets added

Minimalist and Scandinavian Design

Spa-like bathrooms take inspiration from Asian aesthetics. In 2025, the pivot to Scandinavian design continues. No, not Ikea. But clean, minimalist spaces that serve as sanctuaries.

Floating vanities grace en-suite bathrooms as well as secondary bathrooms and half baths. Their visual magic makes small spaces look larger.

custom kitchen remodeling after picture white and brown cabinets stainless steel appliances La Cabana windows

Linen-look flooring and light-colored flooring contribute to the Scan visual appeal.

Minimalism doesn’t mean industrial or austere. Find pure beauty in simple kitchen and bath design.

White shaker style kitchen cabinets with blue backsplash and quartzite countertops

Mixed Metals

Mixing metals like brass, chrome, and matte black is a trend that adds depth and character to your bathroom. This combination creates visual interest.

Plumbing hardware no longer determines cabinet hardware.

Transitional master bathroom

Even kitchen and bath hardware mix it up.

Want to do a quick update without a complete remodel? Update the fixtures or cabinet hardware and then mix those metals!

Orange County kitchen and bath contractor in showroom

Inspired Orange County Kitchen and Bath Contractors

For an inspired kitchen or bath remodel, look to Inspired Remodels. These Orange County kitchen and bath contractors create functional and beautiful spaces.

From one room to the whole house, their design and build approach gives you a single point of contact and reduced friction.

Schedule a consultation today.

Flooring Contractor Uses Biophilic Design in Orange County

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Biophilic design evolved from Biophilia and was introduced by Stephen Kellert in 1983. It has gained popularity ever since. This design connects our indoor living spaces with the outdoor environment through design. Inspired Remodels, an Orange County flooring contractor, understands that the choice of flooring materials and colors plays a key role in the overall biophilic design. Think of a color palette that resonates with the local Orange County landscape, from desert to mountains, sea, and sky. Consider natural and man-made materials that emulate their natural counterparts.

after flooring contractor installs grey flooring in living area

Grey wood floors, plants, and natural fiber rug contribute to biophilic design

Flooring Material Options

Any Orange County flooring contractor that uses biophilic design looks first to natural materials like stone, wood, bamboo, or even concrete.

Natural Stone

For the Orange County landscape, slate, sandstone, and travertine offer the rugged textures and tones of our beautiful mountains and rock formations. The use of a matte finish maintains the earthy look of the stone.

Wood or Engineered Wood

While any wood does the job, selecting light tones or weathered woods maintains the biophilic aesthetic and complements other natural design elements. Woods like oak or hickory bring warmth while mimicking the sun-bleached look of our arid region. Use wide planks to maintain the natural feel.

Bamboo

For a sustainable and durable alternative to wood, consider bamboo flooring.  Bamboo comes from grass and the natural color complements our Orange County environment. Opt for this sustainable, eco-friendly option and choose natural or lightly stained planks.

Polished Concrete

For an unusual but easy-to-care flooring option consider polished concrete. It offers an industrial look that still brings an earthy vibe to the décor. Tint concrete with warm, desert-inspired colors before polishing. As a bonus, polished concrete keeps interior rooms cool, saving energy costs.

Color Schemes

Natural finishes make the ideal starting point for color options. Matte finishes maintain the aesthetic. The flooring color should complement or contrast with the other colors used in the room.
Earth tones such as sandy beige, soft taupe, or warm terracotta work with rust red, ochre, or burnt orange to mirror the rocks in the Santa Ana mountains.

Neutral grays mimic the weathered look of rugged stone and mountain shadows. This flooring color pairs well with warm walls and balances cool tones in the room.

Orange County flooring contractor photo after installing wood LVP in kitchen with green cabinets and white countertop

LVP looks like wood

Desert greens like sage or olive echo native flora. Soft blues and blush pinks bring in the colors of the Pacific and sky at dusk or dawn. Luxury vinyl flooring (LVP) planks in ash or oak naturally match these colors.

Tips for Picking Rugs

A good flooring contractor designs beyond the flooring material itself. They understand how the use of rugs adds visual interest and comfort to bare feet.

Natural fiber rug contributes to design

To maintain the biophilic principles, pick textured rugs made from natural fibers like jute or wool to add warmth, mimic the terrain, and complement the flooring. Natural materials align with the eco-consciousness of biophilic design.

Look for rugs with freeform, wave-like patterns or designs that mimic rippling water, shells, or coral reefs. Rugs with raised or varied textures resemble the undulating Pacific Ocean floor or tide pools. Gradual shifts in tone from ombre effects mirror the changing colors of the ocean and mountains of Orange County.

Artisanal handwoven or knotted rugs align with the natural imperfections and craftsmanship associated with biophilic design. Choose low-VOC rugs to maintain indoor air quality and stay true to eco-friendly design principles.

Flooring contractor after picture: Hardwood flooring on stairs and landing

Stair flooring is not a DIY project

Orange County Flooring Contractor for Biophilic Design

Not every flooring contractor in Orange County understands the use of biophilic design. Get your flooring through Inspired Remodels and you will be assured that your design incorporates biophilic design if that’s your preference.
Bring your design ideas to Inspired Remodels and reap the benefits of a truly inspired design for years to come. Schedule a consultation today.