I think you should wrap the island in a lot of paper and cardboard painted the color you like. I am not sure that the grey isn't going to make your floor look orange.

It is such a lovely kitchen, and the grey is beautiful!!

you might be surprised if you simply get the stools first in gray if that's your choice,then... the existing island color may work.The stools will be more eye catching than what you have, it might actually look good to leave the island in the wood tones. Any black appliance /or stainless replacement will work nicely with the gray stools, and I see the island as perhaps then working better with the newer stools....more like a backdrop. Of course you can always change the island later. I wouldn't be too quick to paint the island....personally I'd spend the time on finding a fabric covered stool-with a print that is vibrant/colorful to bring the different light/dark tones together. The space lacks color and gray paint on the island won't be any better.

Mobydog - as far as the spraying, definitely! I've lived with re-painted cabinets in two homes and got tired of the chips. Good idea springroz. I can at least do the front fairly easily.

I am by no means stuck on the grey in the inspiration picture. Open to any greys!

Of course gray will be beautiful. I love your island now,
but this is YOUR kitchen. And I fully understand your
pining for gray.

Go for it! It will make you smile.
~boxer

Thanks herbflavor. Good idea to wait and see but I dislike the red in the island though. I like more of a monochromatic look; can add a pop with accessories later on.

I'm doing a gray island. I think it will really look nice in your room. Have you gone to Houzz and searched for "gray island" and "grey island" yet? You will be amazed at how many you can find.

some from my ideabook:

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[kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/kitchen-ideas-phbr0-bp~t_709) by seattle kitchen and bath Signature Woodworks

[

[traditional kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by minneapolis general contractor Hendel Homes, Rick & Amy Hendel

[

[contemporary kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2103) by birmingham interior designer Tracery Interiors

[

[traditional kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by birmingham general contractor Structures, Inc.

[

[traditional kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by boston kitchen and bath Divine Kitchens LLC

Wow that inspiration pic with the gray cabs made me drool! I saved it it to my faves for the day I move and get my dream kitchen ;-)

I say go for it! I cant wait to see the after pictures! You have a beautiful space. I bet you are excited.

Hi, what are your plans for the desk on the left? Grey as well? If not, you are introducing a third colour for cabinetry into your kitchen. Just a thought ...

I would do it if I were you. It's just a matter of choosing the right grey, one that matches both your flooring and existing cabinetry. For that, I would definitely paint some large samples and watch how the colors change throughout the day, before paying to have your doors sprayed.

There are greys with blue (you'll see this more at night, also your 2nd inspiration pic), purple, or green undertones, as well as greys that read more taupe (mixed with brown).

I say go for it!! To me the island looks too dark currently especially with no other upper view point that is stained to tie it all together. The grey will definitely soften the contrast. Is the desk a built-in or separate piece of furniture? If it's a built in do you plan to paint it grey too? I would. Happy painting!

The desk is not a built in; whole area was designed around it, and for it, (it's a Guy Chaddock and one of my favorite pieces of furniture). That said, there is a little cabinet on the side, which will also be repainted.

I am very excited at the prospect of doing this! Off to look at paint samples at lunch :)

Oh, yes, that would tie it all together. Good luck with the paint hunt!

If you really like the gray...have you considered a gray/green? I think it would look better with your wood pieces and your floor. I'm thinking your first inspriation picture with just a hint more green. That would be pretty :)

I have a grey island...SW Peppercorn... which looks to be a little deeper than the beauty in Beekeeper's 2nd photo. In the store it looked like dark grey flannel, but in my kitchen it definitely has a blue cast. My surrounding cabinets are off-white similar to yours. I think they look lovely together. I'm curious about your wall color; it's very pretty and soothing. Want to share the name?

Painting brand new wood cabs is a crime in my book ;)

How dark of a gray are you wanting? I just paited a headboard in a very similiar color of your photo that has all gray cabs. I found it at Lowes and was Olympic brand. Its called granite. I wouldnt use that brand but you could check it out. It looks very similiar in shade and depth to your inspiration photo.

Ha!!! I want grey too!!! I say go for it. Looks to me like it will match the style of your house. Also, FWIW, I think you should keep the brick fireplace. :)

The grey in your second posted picture is beautiful and would look really nice with your floors which are similar to the color in the seat of the barstools in that pic. Very pleasing colors together. GO FOR IT!!!

Love the grey too. Show us your colors.

Beekeeperswife--how did you embed those pics directly from Houzz without having to put them on photobucket or some other site?

Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal (according to the KD that did this kitchen)

Here is a link that might be useful: [Grey island[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/eclectic-kitchen-transitional-kitchen-charleston-phvw-vp~298237)

I know it's far from being a fancy island, but I painted the top of my old cupboard that I use as a counter top grey. It was the only color I could envision it being.

{{gwi:1620030}}

I see what you mean about the red, but given it's pretty finish, I'd do your chairs first and see if it tones it down. It was suggested here and I think it's a good idea.

The custom color you can get for your chairs, though. Would those folks consider either doing your island, or giving you the colors to have your island redone to compliment your chairs?

just another thought. :)

I love the grays. I am going to repaint about 117' of cabinetry because the gorgeous gray green I absolutely love turns turquoise-y when the natural sunlight hits it in the afternoon. Ironically, it doesn't hit the uppers and they remain the beautiful gray I love. Kill me.

But if a color doesn't speak to you, it just doesn't speak!
Did I mention your kitchen is beautiful!?

Schoolhouse- I always love seeing pictures of your kitchen. It's just charming :)

I agree with you Oldbat (btw, I doubt that you are an OLDBAT, lol). I think it would look better painted OR to stain it darker. A bit of an identity crisis with the stain the color that it is. JMO of course.

I just painted the upper part of my dining room dark gray and I am so in love with the color that I am thinking about painting my kitchen island gray as well. I say go for it.

Bee is correct, houzz has a lot of great gray inspiration pictures. This is one that I saved that you might like.

Forgot to say you could do your back splash gray.

Thanks to all. Pharaoh -- you are exactly right. Maybe not a crime - but boy what a waste of resources. Still, sometimes plan A just does not work out. If able to, one tweaks.

I've listed all the panels which are simply nailed on and which can come off. Doors and drawers can be taken off. DH is going to bring home some stamp from work, which will imprint a number (so I can match up, after painting). I don't think this will be that big a project. (Boy that phrase sounds familiar).

caminnc -- I LOVE that picture -- gorgeous. Backsplash could be grey, but with grey island, I may go more white.

gr8day - I am concerned about going darker, though. It struck me the island is actually more Darth Vader than the fridge. I think perhaps a lighter grey would go better than darker.

I do have PhotoShop but while quite good with paintbrush, haven't mastered the former. Time to learn.

cefreeman -- I just really dislike the red tones. Good luck with your repainting. There are shades of blue which I am surprised to find I really dislike. Note the skylight (blue, going to be white again). Originally, we primed whole kitchen that color and I hated it. Very innocuous color, which seemed to go well with cabinet color choices and floor and countertop. Go figure!

Actually, I can provide the color for the frames staining to the furniture mfr, and they color match it (for the stools). So yes, I can match the two.

Thanks boxerpups, it Will make me smile!

Beekeeperswife -- thanks for the images. Your new home is going to be so fabulous. Glad to hear you are doing a grey island. What color/kind of floors? Your cork was so pretty.

Thanks aktillery. Keep ripping pictures out of magazines and filing your favorites. Remember to note what you liked about the space -- if I don't I forget what it was that struck me about the picture in the first place.

I'm not sure how dark a grey (at this point) I am looking for; possibly lighter. But maybe if this were the ONLY dark thing in the room (vs. competing with the fridge and other dark objects, it would go better?

Thanks annsch -- I'm liking that grey too!

red_lover-- OOOh. I like that one! Being color challenged, I think that's a grey with green in it?

Schoolhouse -- Your kitchen makes me smile and that grey suits the space. How has it held up?

Petra66/mydreamhome: Here's the desk area. (Egad, had to clean again first. It's like having company over, if I didn't post pictures, I'd never clean up...).

I think it makes more sense to paint the computer cabinet (right hand) the same color as the perimeter cabs (white). Haven't decided what to put in for glass yet. Eventually, all cables will be hidden. (cab on right floor is for computer#1, hadn't planned on two initially but it works out well). Yes, cable management is a mess but eventually we will tackle.

laurajane02: Definitely, to the sample painting and living with, thanks. I am currently thinking a lighter grey vs. darker.

lavendar_lass; I will look for a gray/green and see how it looks.

kat3kits -- wall color is Benjamin Moore Aura, Vancouver Day. It looks quite different in life than on the screen I've found. We like it a lot and have it in the pantry, kitchen area, and mudroom. Your dark grey sounds very nice.

I'll be honest. I painted that cupboard top around last April/May. It already could use another coat because of some flakes and gouges. But - my bad for not putting on a protective coating afterwards. The paint I chose is for decking or porches and the clerk said I shouldn't have to put a coating on it. Well, I will repaint and do that this summer.

I would try to stain it dark black because it would wear better than an aftermarket paint. It would also tie in your appliances....
If the question was at the ordering stage, I'd be answering differently because gray is your preference. I do think the black would be great though...
At minimum, I'd try photoshopping before you do anything else.

redlover--posting pics directly from Houzz is easy. If you right click on the image, a box will open, then just copy and paste the text for the large image directly into your GW post.

If you want to grab the photo to keep in your own files, I have found that you do this step into a GW post, then hit preview, then right click it and do "save as". Then, get rid of the post you started.

I often do a Test Post as the subject, but they never go any further than the preview button.

Hope this helps.

Oldbat2be--thanks, that 's nice. We are doing a dark oak this time on the floor throughout the house. I will really miss the comfort of the cork.

Afterthought---I typed this message. Then hit "Preview Message" and a full page Activa ad comes up. I can't get beyond it!!!! I sit there and wait but it doesn't end! I'm trying again...

Some progress! I've figured out photoshop, DH has installed lighting, and I've spent way too much time on grey samples. Here are final candidates and some photoshopped pictures. Note colors I've used in the pictures are guesstimates.

Here are colors, along with perimeter cab color (same as trim) and countertop:

And original...

As always, comments/suggestions appreciated. Thanks!

THere's no question in my mind. The darker gray. What color is it?

Just my personal opinion but I like the darker gray. There isn't much contrast with you cabs and the lighter.

Another vote for the darker gray it gives the island a punch of color.

I honestly prefer the stain. Without the dark wood island the desk seems out of place and your kitchen loses the warmth the island now adds to the space. Between the two painted options I think the darker grey but then I think the desk space needs to be changed too and it is lovely as it is now.

I know that I am way out of line because this is not your question:
but, like roarah, I think the existing dark wood stain is a better choice for your kitchen.

Why? Because the dark wood will age and patina better than the paint.
Also, although there is no style or finish that is truly timeless,
the existing stain will stand the test of time longer than gray paint.
I say that as someone who has loved and embraced the gray design trend
of the past five or six years and have gray in my own kitchen.
I am not anti-gray. In fact the darker of your two choices looks very nice in your kitchen.

With the right backsplash to pick up the warmth of the wood island,
and perhaps a few other simple changes,
the wood island is going to look great in your space.

My first impression is that it's just that the island is a little too red with your floor. Staining it darker - espresso or walnut brown (or even black would work though it won't have the same type of warmth) might change how you feel. And adding grey in fabrics, stools etc. could satisfy your need for grey. The thing about staining it too is that if you really find that it doesn't help you love your kitchen and you're still stuck on grey, you can have it painted then and it's paint over stain as opposed to layers of paint. And you can't really go in the opposite direction - from paint to stain - without a lot of headaches. But the bottom line is that it's your kitchen and you get to pick what you like and if the answer is a grey island then go for it.

The darker gray! It looks fantastic, especially if you're painting the desk white. And so much nicer, with your beautiful floors, which are no longer competing with the stain :)

I have admired your kitchen from the first time I saw it. Love the layout. However, I think the island is too red, as others said, especially with your floor that has alot of yellow. I like the idea of espresso. I think it would anchor the island better. If you do go gray, I'd make it a darker gray, with undertones that don't compete with the floor. But keep in mind, I am not a designer nor a decorator. Just my first thoughts.

Is it an optical illusion that the island top bows?

The gray will be beautiful with your kitchen )which is very pretty anyway.) Your floors are not an issue. Most hardwood floors are like a neutral.

Whether you do the light or medium gray, watch the undertone. I'd be more concerned with how the gray paint color looks against the fabric you chose for chairs. I think a silvery-sage will be gorgeous but keep in mnd the green undertone of the sage part and go with a greened gray for the island. If you dont check a fabric sample against the paint colors, you could end up with a purplish or blueish looking gray against those chairs.

Haha, I just saw the dates of this thread. What did you end up doing?

nhm92 - Thank you for the input:) Inertia won in the end - we did nothing. We added the stools and that made a big difference. Then, moved on to backsplash. The color has deepened some since this picture, as expected with cherry, and I no longer actively notice the red tones, but still think I would have chosen something else if I could do it again.

I think what you ended up with is great! Your backsplash ties everything together well, and now you don't have to worry about anyone kicking the painted island.