I just found this photo in my inspiration file. The Slate blue is out. The blue of that bowl on the bottom is the blue I must have:

I can say I have Milk paint finish on the CP cabs and it is beautiful! I was very tempted to do milk paint on my kit cabs but after reading about difficult the application is I decided not to.

Barnstead door kitchens from Crown Point with a milk paint finish are among the finest you could find -- right up there with Peacock and all the fanciest names. I wouldn't think twice.

Our contractor installed a CP milk paint kitchen for a client of his and he always says how beautiful it is -- when carpenters praise kitchen cabinets you know they are good.

Have you seen Crown Point's fabulous oak kitchen with an island similar to the color you showed? It's one of my personal favorites.

CP's milk paint finish is exquisite. Surely they've sent you a sample? As I recall, they're samples were a nice size and very indicative of what the final will look like.

I love the idea of the blue, and I like the Slate. When I dealt with CP there were a limited number of milk paint colors offered, so not sure if they are able to customize a blue or not. That blue island posted above seems very close to what you want, so definitely ask them which that is.

How cool is it that they're waiving the mark up on milk paint? Isn't it like 10 or 20 percent? I remember it was high.

We almost went with Barnstead. Gorgeous. In the end went with the one with wider stiles and rails. Can't remember name now.

Good luck!

We went with Barnstead too!

I personally would drive over there and see the colors in person. Perhaps take some samples home and see them in your light. I wouldn't make this decision over the computer.

The slate sample is more appealing to me personally than the mountain mist, only in that the mountain mist looks sort of pastel-y which seems little girls room vs. dining room. Having said that, the M. Mist looks closer to the blue bowl in your inspiration pic than the slate.

So, I would say to a drive or have them send you samples, but the drive might be worth it because then you see the full door painted vs. the little sample.

I cannot wait to see how this all comes together. It is goign to be amazing. That is great that they are doing your dining room too.

Would you ever consider their tiger maple for your dining room? It is GORGEOUS!

This kitchen was one of my inspiration photos and I love the blue color. Looks a bit like the bowl above.

Thanks everyone! I asked my KD to send me samples of the Slate and the Mountain Mist.

rococogirl, I think that island you linked is indeed Slate. I'll ask my KD.

pirula, I'm pretty sure my KD told me that they can customize their classic paints, but not the milk paints. You're right that the milk paints are usually a very expensive upcharge which is why I never considered them before. Maybe they're trying to stimulate a little extra business?

Karen, thank you for your valuable input. My dining room is open to my kitchen and the furniture isn't formal, but I wanted to give the space a little more of a formal feel than an eat-in kitchen. Do you think the light blue is too precious? I guess I'm gravitating toward a very light blue thinking that lighter colors are more neutral? It's scary for me to be going with a color in the first place, but seeing willow's gray butler's pantry has inspired me to want to take a chance. On the other hand, I don't want to choose a color that's would be an instant turn-off for most future buyers. I confess I've never seen tiger maple in person. Is it to die for?

I love that color too Katie!

Erika

Tiger maple with the Slate would be superb. I think the light blue is lovely but coastal. Depends on where you live. Whatever, don't think you can go wrong. Getting milk paint (which I believe is hand finished by them) without an upcharge is a deal IMO

Hi Erika,
When I was up at Crown Point, I saw a tiger maple door sample and swooned over it. In the custom cabinetry shop I used for my daughter's built ins and our master bath vanity, I saw an entire kitchen made from tiger maple and I will never forget it. It is a rare wood and the figuring in it is just gorgeous and sort of irredescent. If you decide to go over to Crown Point definitely check it out.

I agree that you can't go wrong. The Mountain Mist would be less serious/more casual. The gray that willow used would be in the middle and then something out of wood on the more serious side, but probably still casual depending on the hardware and with your barnstead door.

Have you considered Black Milk Paint? I am only throwing it out there because I so love one of your inspiration photos. posting below:

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rococogurl, I'm in New Hampshire does that count as coastal? We have the shortest coastline of any state bordering the ocean. ;)

Karen, I adore black cabinets in other people's houses! My dining room cabinetry is about 11 feet long. Do you think that would be too much black or too much blue? I wish I weren't such a fraidy cat. =(

Erika,

If you can post a picture of the space in your dining room, I can try and photoshop some options for you. Not sure if that helps. Ultimately go with your gut and what will please you, whether it is Mountain Mist, Slate, etc. I think with all that you are putting into this house there is no way your choice of color in the dining room will hurt resale.

Karen

New Hampshire speaks "coastal" to me. However, if what you're going for is more neutral, I think the lighter blue strays away from that. I think the darker, more grayed down Slate is way more neutral. And more sophisticated as well.

Glad you're getting samples. Do please report back!

I would do white or blue cabinets in the middle section of your dining room cabinets and then on the end pieces do black milk paint. It would look so beautiful!!

I agree with pirula, who knows what she's talking about.

Coastal or not, you have such wonderful options. Very exciting. I would go slow and be sure whatever you do in the kitchen will look as one with the house and be very "you." when you're standing in one of the adjacent rooms looking in. Not that you wouldn't but I've concluded that doing a kitchen is as tantalyzing as getting an engagement ring -- all about the fantasy and only after do you realize how wearable it is.

Thanks everyone for all your input! I received the 2 color samples, and I'm in agreement that the slate blue is more neutral and will complement other colors such as stained wood, white and black. In person, the slate blue isn't as bright as the photo I posted above ... it's grayer and more muted ... very pretty.

Karen, I've always adored that black hutch by Susan Serra. At this point, my dining area is a blank slate: just floors, walls and French doors. I would love to incorporate black into my dining room, and was thinking about painting black an old table I have with a damaged top. Now I'm wavering between black or blue for the hutch, and I have to decide by tomorrow. blackorblueblackorblueblackorblue aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

the hutch in the kitchen? I'd go for black. To me, if you did it in the blue that you are doing for the DR, it would look too matchy matchy and I don't think that's the look you're going for. I think it sounds great to paint your table black. It will help tie into the kitchen.

oopsie, mahlgold, I'm not making sense in the middle of my delirium. The hutch in my kitchen is white like the rest of the kitchen. I'm talking about the dining room hutch now, which I need to order by tomorrow. =P

One thing I forgot to mention is that I've scaled back the size of the dining room cabinetry to save money and leave space in the corners for extra dining room chairs. I eliminated the tall pantry cabinets on the ends and lowered the height of the middle part so that instead of looking built in, it's now going to look like a freestanding china hutch. Something like this, but without the posts and different color of course:

{{gwi:1562064}}

How about black with blue beadboard? Or blue with black beadboard? Or blue top and black bottom? Or all blue with black countertop?

Sigh, I need a nap ...

Candy, does that cabinet have anything to do with this milk paint thread? You will get more help if you create a new thread with this question.