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Purple Paint in the Kitchen(1 of 5)

Purple has long been a favorite color of tween-to-teen girls. While it's a great paint color for the transition from little girl to grown-up, purple shades are also the perfect choice for many adult spaces, from the bedroom to the kitchen, in city apartments and country homes alike.

"Purple has become more popular in recent years, due to the acceptance of multicultural influences," says Catherine B. Stein, color trend forecaster and president of THE COLOR COUNCIL. "Lavender, pink-violets and magical magentas are all looking especially fresh and sophisticated today."

"I do kitchens in all colors," says designer DD Allen. "White kitchens, while beautiful, can sometimes look sterile. But purple is a nice backdrop for the white and silver of today's appliances."

Allen chose purple for this Chelsea loft, owned by a bachelor in his 40s. "This room is pretty slick and modern," Allen says of the kitchen, which includes stainless appliances, an industrial-looking hydraulic-lift table and a pale gray concrete floor. "The color gave it some necessary warmth and character."

Using purple in the kitchen also allowed Allen to create flow in the apartment, which includes a master bedroom decorated in plums, violet-indigo and navy. And while the choice of color is an unusual one for a kitchen, Allen actually favors soft colors like this lavender (DKC #36) in modern cooking/eating spaces.