After seeing these 5 kitchens, I'm convinced that this color trick is the best way to update the space

All too often, kitchens can feel a little sterile. They are busy, functional spaces, which sometimes means they are void of much personality. Color pops are the key to expressing your character in the kitchen, creating a harmonious palette that feels playful and balanced, and there is no better way to bring in those accents than with trusty kitchen appliances.

Kitchen appliances are an important feature of kitchen design and must be chosen with as much care and devotion as the color of your splashback or kitchen cabinets. You could have a brand new kitchen with a cohesive color scheme, only to realize once you start filling out the space with your appliances that the color of your toaster, for example, completely ruins the whole look. So accenting your kitchen with color-pop accessories and appliances might just be the best way to inject some fun into the space as well as tie the room's palette together.

And there are some great options out there to be shown off. From Smeg's ongoing collaborations with Dolce & Gabanna to Drew Barrymore's Beautiful By Drew cookware set (with a recent colorway in a matt green mixer that we love), to bold colors for fridges and ovens, there are so many styles to pick from. For inspiration for your modern kitchen update, here are five kitchens that use appliances to perfectly accessorize the space.

1. This sunshine-yellow kitchen

(Image credit: Dimitri Tricolas. Design Studio Barbara)

The main takeaway color from this kitchen is sunshine yellow, but the designers have managed to create that impact without using the color on the walls. Introducing the shade on the high gloss sliding cabinet doors, it's the accents that turn it into a scheme. 'With rectangular and textured neutral tile splashback with contrasting grout, this yellow kitchen refers to the mid-century design era.

'Complimenting the surrounding vintage mid-century furniture, selection of objects and appliances in the apartment, the kitchen acts as a vibrant working space to not only cook and entertain but to exhibit the client's personality and character,' says Felicity King, designer at Studio Barbara who created the space.

The retro coffee machine is a wonderful finishing touch and in the perfect shade for this kitchen, and brings a dose of sunshine to your morning coffee routine.

2. This mix of marble and pink

(Image credit: Le Whit)

I love this kitchen with an indulgent marble island countertop and splashback, accented with pops of bubblegum pink and brass hardware that make the kitchen look more expensive.

The crowning glory of the room is the oven with a matching hood that feels modern and cool in bright pink, and not too sugary sweet. 'The pink stove was something the client had her eye on before we even began the project, as that’s her favorite color, explains Le Whit principles Corey Kingston and Liza Curtiss. 'It became the focal point of the kitchen, and the color dictated the finish palette in that room.'

3. This kitchen that embraces contrasting colors

(Image credit: Hugo May. Design: Howark Design)

I love the way this kitchen by Howard Design has applied color to the ktichen. A bright and warm green has been chosen as the prominent kitchen color for the cabinets, and orange has been picked as a bold accent color that works alongside the green. Orange and green pair well together as they sit on opposing sides of the color wheel.

The orange counteracts the green and stops it from feeling too cold, and the green dulls the warmth of the orange. The result is a harmonious palette.

The orange accents are used on the stove, on a retro kettle that sits on the hob, and coffee machine on the island. Another appliance in orange might make it a little too overwhelming, but the use of three has been cleverly used in this instance to make sure the balance is just right.

4. This kitchen that celebrates clashing primary colors

(Image credit: Nick Glimenakis. Design: The Brownstone Boys)

It looks as though the kitchen sink has been thrown at this setting by The Brownstone Boys. It throws all color rules out of the window to create this kitchen that bursts with primary colors.

Instead of adding color carefully and in adherence to tried and tested color theory rules, all colors have been used, with accessories and appliances somehow contriving to create an overall cohesive look.

The kitchen oven is a beautiful stainless steel with bright red oven knobs that contribute to the theme. With the addition of a bright blue kitchen kettle, the whole space really comes together.

5. This kitchen with bright blue coffee machine

(Image credit: Josh Geelen. Das Studio)

Finally, I love this blue coffee maker, added to a kitchen by Das Studio. The sage green units and terracotta light fittings are beautiful in themselves, but this lovely little dusty blue coffee machine adds an unexpected counterpoint, creating a joyous colorful kitchen.

Pale blue is such an easy color to bring to the kitchen, as it works with so many different styles, and is a subtle way to bring a calming color to the space.