Sunshine and Style: 6 Upgrades to Brighten Up Your Kitchen This Summer

With longer days and sunnier weather, the summer is the perfect time of year to breathe new life into your kitchen. As one of the most used rooms in a home, kitchen redesign is about balancing function with style. 

Before you decide if you prefer vintage, contemporary or rustic decor, these inspiring upgrades might help you redesign a kitchen that captures the essence of summer.

1. Lighten up with colours

One of the most transformative and budget-friendly upgrades you can make is refreshing your kitchen with a vibrant coat of paint. Summer equates to softer colours that reflect natural light for an airy atmosphere.

Consider sage greens, warm tones, or crisp whites that maximise brightness. Or, opt for warm, earthy tones like terracotta and muted greens, that are a nod to Mediterranean summers.

For a contemporary twist, and if you have a kitchen island that acts as the centrepiece, go for bold and beautiful colours against neutral walls or cabinets for an instant, attention-seeking effect. If you want to add depth to the space, consider painting handles or cabinet doors, or look at brushed brass for warmth, matte black or organic themes.

Spread your inspiration further, decorating above your kitchen cabinets and not overlooking the interior shelves where it works well to throw in surprise colours, with small and effective paint details here and there.

2. Design a statement kitchen 

Today’s kitchens prioritise personal taste, style and function with a strong emphasis on designs that are smarter, created with sustainability in mind and ones that connect you and the space to nature.

For a statement kitchen, you can explore on-trend designs, colours, and useful insights from industry experts such as The Brighton Kitchen Company, who highlight the latest bright and beautiful ideas.

Whether you are seeking a complete overhaul or simply looking to freshen up an existing space with upgrades that modernise your kitchen without major works, there are a wealth of resources to guide your decision. 

When it comes to the practicalities, modern styles lean more to combining bold aesthetics and ideas focused on improving functionality. For instance, high-tech kitchens are very much in vogue, so you might opt for smart lighting to brighten the spaces alongside kitchen gadgets to help cook up your signature dishes.

3. Merge inside and outside areas

Summer living celebrates the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, making this the perfect time to enhance your kitchen's relationship with your garden for lovely al fresco dining and entertaining. Large folding doors, pass-through windows, or even strategically placed mirrors can create the illusion of extended space whilst facilitating entertaining flow.

Yet, if structural changes aren't feasible, focus on design elements that reinforce outdoor connections. Soft neutral colours weaved in with raw timber or wicker features follow the trending biophilic kitchen styles that merge indoor/outdoor spaces. In this way, your home, whether modern or traditional, truly celebrates nature and sustainability.

Likewise, choose natural materials like stone countertops, wooden accents, or tile backsplashes that echo garden pathways. Colour palettes inspired by your outdoor spaces create visual continuity that makes both areas feel larger and more connected.

4. Rejuvenate with an indoor garden

The mood-boosting mental health benefits of indoor gardens are also well-documented, helping to reduce stress, improve air quality, and create that desirable connection to sunlight and nature that enhances overall wellbeing.

If you're a foodie who loves homegrown, healthy ingredients for your salads, nothing brightens a kitchen more than creating your own herb garden. The summer months are the perfect time to create one, and fresh herbs not only provide ingredients but add a natural fragrance to your kitchen.

Meanwhile, if you live in a flat or you find space is limited to a galley or small area, there are some great ways to maximise kitchen space with clever storage solutions or smart upgrades throughout your home.

Install floating shelves near windows to create dedicated plant displays, or invest in a stylish herb garden system that fits your worktop. Basil, mint, rosemary, and thyme thrive in kitchen environments and offer immediate culinary benefits. 

5. Illuminate zones for purpose and style

Strategic lighting upgrades can dramatically enhance your kitchen's appeal and enhance its functionality for cooking, morning through to balmy summer evenings. Replace harsh overhead lighting with layered illumination that creates warmth and ambiance.

Under-cabinet LED strips eliminate shadows on worktops whilst adding a subtle glow that makes evening cooking more pleasant.

Pendant lights above islands or breakfast bars work well as both functional lighting and decorative focal points. Choose designs that incorporate natural materials like rattan or bamboo to reinforce the summer theme, or opt for coloured glass shades that cast striking patterns when lit.

You might also like to install dimmer switches throughout for softer lighting when entertaining and brighter lights at night.

6. Declutter and decorate shelves

Open shelves make kitchens feel less enclosed and more connected to adjoining gardens and other living rooms while having a practical use. If you want to add interest to them, install subtle LED strip lighting beneath them to brighten them up or add dramatic uplighters that add the wow factor to dinnertime.

Ideally, you’ll want to avoid cluttering up your shelves with cookbooks, random kitchenware and pots, there are inspiring ways to stylise open shelving according to the theme, colour choices and design you have. A thoughtful mix of functional items and decorative pieces is a good plan to have so you know where everything lives if you’re preparing food on the go. 

Visually, displaying white ceramic pots and pieces or coloured glassware and bottles looks stunning. They’re a fun item to collect in addition to any celebratory wine or champagne bottles you might keep for sentimental value. If you have a collection of wicker hampers you can reuse them for storage, and they look chic when stacked.

Whether you’re planning a whole new kitchen or making upgrades for a summery flourish, these ideas will help you create a bright and stylish space to enjoy this summer and for years to come.

All images: The Brighton Kitchen Company

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Our writers like to blog about the home and garden. We launched the award-winning Seasons in Colour in 2015 and the luxury property and interior decor blog www.alltheprettyhomes.com in 2024 to cover all your interior design, travel and lifestyle inspiration needs.