From red kitchen disaster to a mint green showstopper
Cozy DIY Home
DIY Home Decor on a Budget
Want to create a beautiful & cozy home? I share weekly budget-friendly DIY decor ideas to inspire you to create a home you love.
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Let me tell you about my red kitchen disaster...
Picture this: 800 square feet of garage living, and I decided to paint the tiny kitchen RED.
Not a soft, warm red. HOT PEPPER RED.
I thought it would make the space feel energetic and bold. Instead, it felt like cooking inside a fire truck.
Every meal prep was overwhelming. The red walls seemed to close in on us. Even our morning coffee felt aggressive.
I lived with that red kitchen for years because I didn't know how to fix it without starting completely over.
Our first kitchen with the, er, BRIGHT walls
Fast forward to tiny lake cabin renovation...
By then, I'd learned about the 60-30-10 Colour Formula through pure trial and error, and I was determined to create the coziest little kitchen possible.
Here's the formula that changed everything:
60% = Your neutral base (walls, large furniture)
30% = Your supporting colour (accent furniture, textiles)
10% = Your pop colour (accessories, art, plants)
The cabin kitchen using this formula:
60% = Crisp white cabinets + subway tile
30% = Soft mint green appliances + drinkware
10% = Warm copper toned countertops + accessories
Our Tiny Lake House kitchen (one of my favourite spaces ever!)
The transformation was magical.
Same small space constraints as our garage kitchen, but this one felt fresh, welcoming, and effortlessly beautiful. Guests constantly commented on how the kitchen made them want to cook and gather.
Why this formula works:
Prevents colour chaos automatically
Creates visual balance in any style
Makes shopping decisions easier (you know exactly what percentages to look for)
Works with ANY colour combination
Your weekend challenge: Look around your living room right now. Can you identify your 60-30-10 breakdown?
If everything feels the same colour OR if you can't tell what the dominant color is, that might be why the room feels "off."
Quick fix: Choose one colour to be your 30% (maybe the color of your favorite pillow), then add accessories in that same color family until you hit the right balance.
This colour formula is just one of 22 systematic approaches I use to create homes that feel both beautiful and authentically personal.
More formulas coming your way!
Christina @cozydiyhome
P.S. I still use bold reds in our home during the Holidays - but now it's the perfect 10% pop that makes everything feel warm and happy instead of overwhelming!