Joanna Gaines' Retro Kitchen Scheme Is Timeless Thanks To 3 Cozy Colors

In recent years, mid-century modern style, known for its clean lines and muted tones, has been criticized for producing spaces that feel bland and cold. This is especially true when it comes to kitchen design, as seen in the now-outdated millennial all-white kitchen trend. So, while retro-inspired spaces can feel clinical, they don't have to. Joanna Gaines' Lakehouse kitchen reveal, featured on her HGTV series "Fixer Upper," proves just that.

Gaines, best known for her modern country style and inventive home hacks, such as her trick for using wallpaper to make a kitchen look bigger, has managed to do the unthinkable: create a space that blends the simple, clean lines of mid-century modern design with a super-rich, earthy color palette of sage green, beige, and deep brown.

For many, kitchens aren't just spaces for preparing food; they're also gathering spots within the home. So, it makes sense that Gaines would use warm tones in her space. Unlike bright whites and cool hues, warm neutrals add a sense of warmth to a room. The earthy tones are also great for layering with natural elements and other colors in the same family, as Gaines has done by pairing warm brown high-top chairs with rattan backs and dark terracotta decor accents. While the inspiration may be mid-century modern, the space feels cozy, inviting, and ultimately timeless.

It's not just the colors that make Joanna Gaines' kitchen so appealing. She's also done an incredible job of mixing different textures to add depth and interest. For example, instead of using sleek surfaces everywhere (think the once-popular granite counters of yore), the space features elements like leather seatbacks, chrome legs, gold accents, a table with a textured base, and what appears to be Macaubas quartzite — a luxurious slab material.

That said, not everyone can afford a full-on kitchen renovation — nor do they need to — to make their space feel more inviting. Simple hacks, such as painting white or neutral cabinetry with a bold yet earthy hue like sage green or warm brown, can help create a focal point. Similar to what Gaines has done in her kitchen, you can also replace bright white with an elegant beige to warm up the space and paint the base of your kitchen island a dark brown or black to create depth and drama where there wasn't any before.

Lastly, don't be afraid to experiment with different textures to make your kitchen more inviting. Swapping builder-grade silver-toned drawer pulls for something warmer, like antique brushed gold, or adding personal touches, such as a vintage brass vase, terracotta-hued accessories, or framed artwork featuring the same nature-inspired color palette, keeps the space from looking one-note. These small details give your kitchen that timeless, lived-in feel that makes Joanna Gaines' Lakehouse design so irresistible.