Eva Mendes' painted sunshine yellow kitchen cabinets are 'divisive' but nail 'confident colour', home expert says

Eva Mendes' sunshine yellow kitchen cabinets might be our favourite use of a 'hugely divisive' colour - and the retro look has got us ready to grab our paintbrushes. 

Of all the major kitchen trends of 2024, making the space your own with the use of colour or patterned wallpaper is an increasingly popular way to customise and add brightness. Although vibrant yellows can be hard to incorporate alongside other interior colour trends, the bold bright colour was the perfect shade for Eva Mendes home. Eva shared a sneak peek into her and husband Ryan Gosling's home, showing off the kitchen with a lemon coloured stove and retro painted cabinets, creating a warm cosy space with a lived-in classic feel.

Woman&Home's Home Editor, Tamara Kelly, complimented the old school kitchen design, stating that the sunny yellow cabinets showed real individuality.

"The bold choice of sunshine yellow makes a real style statement. Yellow can be hugely divisive but I feel like the confident use of colour shows a real individuality, empowered to choose what they love regardless of the latest kitchen colour trends and we're here for it. Colour should always feel expressive and personal to each home," said Tamara.

"The shade is a strong yellow, with a deep pigment to make it feel rich in tone and invigorating rather than soft like a mellow lemon yellow. The strong red undertone prevents it from feeling flat and will ensure that when it catches the light it will reflect a beautifully warm, golden glow to create a happy, uplifting atmosphere," she added. 

"A bright and cheery yellow is said to be one of the best small kitchen colour ideas to enliven a compact cooking space."

Tamara Kelly

Tamara is a highly experienced homes and interiors journalist, with a career spanning 20 years. Tamara has spent the last 17 years working with the style teams at, Woman & Home, Country Homes & Interiors and Ideal Home, and it’s with these award-winning teams that she gained a wealth of knowledge and honed her skills and passion for shopping, styling and writing about every aspect of lifestyle and interiors.

Agreeing with Tamara, Dawn Filkins, head of creative at Smile Kitchens added that colourful cabinets are a great way to express yourself. 

"Colour has been gaining momentum in our wardrobes and homes, and the kitchen is no different," said Dawn. "We’ve seen a rise in consumers expressing themselves through bolder colour choices and increased customisation requests."

"Today, design priorities are there to ensure that the hub of the home goes beyond cookie-cutter designs and Instagram-inspired schemes and instead sparks joy and creativity day after day. Whether that’s a pop of colour on the island, a bold choice of artwork or vibrant wall tiles, colour plays an important role in adding your personal touch to the space," she said.

Dawn Filkins

Dawn Filkins studied Interior Design at college then at UCLan University before moving into the creative industry. Dawn believes detail is key in kitchen design because ultimately the functionality must be correct as well as the design. She has been with Smile from day one and finds that quality time with customers inspires her as they work together to get the best result.

Add Pops of Sunshine Yellow

In older shots taken in her home, Eva showed that her kitchen hasn't always been as vibrant and full of life. In older posts the space can be seen decorated with neutral shades alongside wallpapers and tiling that is less dramatic. While the space is still lovely, it clearly has a far less personal feel that the bright yellow kitchen.