I like the idea of distressed green cabinets because it's my favorite color, it goes with either black or white appliances and because it's so easy to accessorize - sine leaves are green and green is found so abundantly in nature, a large myriad of accessories (from floral to fruit and further) feature green, even if it's isn't the main color. I could change out from spring accessories to fall accessories to winter and all would coordinate with the green.

This post was edited by beth0301 on Sun, Feb 24, 13 at 13:43

I like red because, well, red is "me" and I already have some red things. Plus it is a little different, a little country (but not crazy country). I like to be a little different. :)

I think it would look ok with either white or black appliances

So, here's where I get confused. If the walls are a warm (but not yellow) cream and the cabs are either red or green (or even walnut re stained), I'll need to decide on the paint for the floors.

I like the idea of stencils, and I'm a fan of harlequin, but I don't want to get too much going on in a galley kitchen (well, open at each end but narrow). I've got square tiles, arched detailing on the cabinets, white on the tiles, black on the appliances, cream on the wall, can I afford to go diamonds on the floor? Or should I just sponge paint it the wall color plus one shade darker and keep it simple?

Sorry, here's another flooring stencil idea, it's busier, but also a little dressier. If I kept the colors very close though I think it would be subtle ....

OK, time for input. I posted this here as opposed to the kitchen forum because it's really not about the kitchen, it's about trying to pull the elements I like in without clashing or overdoing it. I like the layered look, but tend to like lots of different patterns and styles (French country/cottage as well as the more ornate baroke and Tuscan - also a sucker for english garden prints (but not the cutesy pink ones - give me red and black plaids, deep greens, red fruits and florals, etc.)

Here is a link that might be useful: wall/floor stencil pattern

Love the green you posted, and you could take it almost anyway you want to -- country, French, English.

You could do the diamond pattern on the floor in mottled white and cream/beige to tie in your tile and countertops.

What's in the adjoining rooms, decoratively speaking?

The dining room / living room is one one end and the family room on the other. Both sides are starting out with the same cream wall color because I've decided to do all the public areas (not bedrooms) in the same and then tweak them out after I'm moved in.

This fabric is my favorite and it's what my sofa/loveseat are upholstered in. I would like them to go in the family room (the cream I picked for the walls matches perfectly with the lightest color in this fabric and both the red and green cabinet choices are a perfect match as well).

The furniture may not fit in the family room because of it's odd shape - I made need to buy a series of chairs for in there instead of a large sofa and loveseat. In that case, I'll put these in the living room.

I wanted to paper the dining room in a paper similar to this fabric but am waiting to see how the furniture fits and how the budget plays out.

Either way, I'm really strong on this red / green / cream / gold combo.

Ugh, but really am not a blue person. When I purchased these, they were in a home with blue accents and I almost didn't take them.

In my current apartment, there is no blue at all and I can't even see the blue in the fabric. The green looks way stronger in my room because I have lots of green accents to pull it.

Might I suggest that you cross post this in the kitchen forum, you will get lots of feedback from people who have done kitchen remodels within all sorts of budgets. People who have painted (red, gray, yellow, white...you name it), gelstained, gotten great deals from Craigslist, etc. Seriously a wealth of knowledge over there.

Just be sure to specify what you are NOT willing to change. Just as many spend on a kitchen what many others would spend on a house!!! Great results of course, but different budgets!

Well I would paint the cabinets rather than do a darker wood since you are keeping the faux wood counters. I think real wood and faux wood just don't mix well. And I like the green. Just because I like green. And because I like my kitchen to be somewhat peaceful. So I would paint the cabinets green.

Then I would do the simpler painted floors. I would stay simple because I think that will work better with the existing counters. I would paint two similar neutral colors--two shades of brown maybe--since the floor space is limited.

The reason I didn't post it in kitchen is because it's really only about choosing colors/patterns that fit, the room happens to be a kitchen more than it is about redoing a kitchen. I'm not choosing new surfaces or doing a new layout, appliances will be what I can find reasonable (and clean and working well) on craigslist - not something I've comparison shopped for and chosen based on anything other than the best I can find for my few $$.

OK, so I'm really thinking the green cabs, keep the tile backsplash and fake butcher countertops for now, and then just do the floor in the same color as the walls with a little LIGHT sponging of the shade lighter and the shade darker - basically just so they don't look flat and blah. Then I'll get a couple of runners and swap them out every so often. With green I can go with a floral or an fruit theme or whatever, so many have green in them. Runners are fairly inexpensive and I should be able to pick of 2 or 3 different ones that will allow me to change things up every so often with only a roll of a rug and maybe a swapping of a couple of accessories.

Should I shoot for black appliances or white given the description above? I'm thinking black?

Also, since I'm keeping everything pretty simple, I'm thinking of adding beadboard or some kind of embellishment to the cabinet doors. Nothing elaborate, just something to catch a little more of the glaze on the centers.

Often the panel in dishwashers can be flipped over (yours might be white on the other side and you can also sometimes order new panels. That might be helpful if you find appliances of a different color that you like.

I'm excited for you! Like all of your ideas for kitchen and don't see the need to do beadboard on cabinets (not sure how you would do that anyway) sounds like a lot of extra work/expense and doesn't seem needed. Beadboard in a kitchen just seems like more places for dirt/grease to collect. JMHO. Will enjoy seeing the after pictures!

I like the green cabinets and I love red, but you will have more flexability with the green - it is a fantastic green. For the floor the simiply pattern in the creme an white would work well to pull the tile, counters and wall together. Would you consider cutting out the center of the upper cabinets and replacing them with glass. I don't think that is too expensive and it would keep the green from being too heavy. You could then paint the interior of the glass fronted cabinets in the creme or white.

Yes to the green cabinets and yes to the black appliances.
I know you said there wasn't a budget for the flooring and the choices were overwhelming (I really get that!) But by the time you do all that you described, not to mention your time and labor, you might just want to compare the costs on your flooring material and do it now. That being said, I love painted stenciled floors and the charm they bring to a room.

Green and red, my favorite colors. I have always loved that green kitchen. Now I love the red too. There is no way I could do a complete remodel, but worry about painting looking like it was painted. Perhaps from a house seen which did so and looked, well, painted.

My current kitchen has natural maple cabinets with arches. One day I say leave them alone, another it is time for a big change. It would be easy to buy doors for 10 at Restore and paint. Many are brand new and match my lowers, without the arch.

What is it about the two kitchens that make them so intriguing beyond those wonderful colors? Would love comments regarding such.

I like the metal insets in the drawers, this would be my thing. Not the entire kitchen, just this added detail .

I agree that the green looks really great. However, I just spent days painting one single tiny bathroom vanity and am still not done. Compare this to General Finishes gel stain, which was easy peasy and way, way faster, and looks pretty 'professional' if I may say so.
@technicolor: If possible, I'd change out the arched uppers before spending so much time on painting them. (But keep them; they may come back).

If you go with the green and I hope you do, I'd suggest using black appliances.

I could be totally off-base, but I am wondering if that bright white back splash will work against giving you that rich look of the inspiration kitchen? Were you going to try to match that green?

Many may want to flog me, but would you consider putting up a paintable vinyl wallpaper over the back splash, and painting that also?

If it's just the green cabinet color that you love in the first shot, I'll slink back into my hole. But the dark counter tops and back splash in the pic are also gorgeous, and I wonder if just maybe, your cabinet (only) paint may not give you the full effect you want?

I've linked some photos below, although most of them are white.

I LOVE to do inexpensive things that can give a big bang, and am just brainstorming along with you!

Here is a link that might be useful: painted beadboard wallpaper backsplash

You read my mind! I don't like the bright white tile and I think something a little softer would be way better. I can't afford to rip it out and retile and all of the tile over tile choices I checked out were way expensive. Also, painting them is an option and I have done it before. It held up well but I didn't like the painted grout lines look and trying to not paint them is a nightmare.

I did consider putting up the paintable wallpaper, which is what I was thinking when I mentioned using beadboard ... was thinking putting it over the tile and painting it a softer white, something a little bit creamy and not so stark.

And I did consider glass inserts in the top cabinets. I forgot to check and see if the panels popped out or if it would have to be cut out. If it's a cut out process I'll have to price that and see. Glass is free because my bf makes glass for a living, he can bring me whatever I want, but the cutting will be an expense.

On another note, I may have a lead on doing hardwood plank flooring. It'd be wide plank and I could either stain it or paint/distress it. The rest of the floors are proper antique hardwood, this would be a more casual wide 8" plank floor. they butt up in one doorway (kitchen to dining room) so that's why I was thinking distressed paint (like paint it and then sand 1/3 of it off and glaze then varnish. I'm afraid if I just stain it'll be too close, but not close enough, to the formal hardwood.

Again, it's not a for sure thing, I'm still getting final pricing.

I'm also hoping that 12" of snow that's forecasted for tonight doesn't happen because I'd really like to close on the house!!

I think you can really transform this kitchen - the tile is nice and clean looking and neutral, and the cabinets appear well made only the finish you don't like.

I have cultured marble countertops in 3 bathrooms and here's what I plan to do rather than use a "kit". Lightly scuff with sandpaper, prime and then paint them (haven't decided what yet, but whatever I choose). Then use a 2-part epoxy over the top. Epoxy is super tough and will protect the paint for years.

You can even get colored epoxy, meant for garage floors - if you want to go with a single color you could get black for example.

So what I'd consider is:

Scenario 1:
remove the scallop edging over sink
gel stain the cabinets dark like expresso
paint the countertop to look like dark green soapstone color or perhaps black, use epoxy to cover
use black appliances
change the outlet coves to white to blend with the tile

Scenario 2:
paint the cabinets olive green
remove scallop
change the outlet coves to white to blend with the tile
paint the countertop black and cover with epoxy, or leave as is for now

New subfloor is going to cost a lot more than say a replacement laminate countertop, I'm afraid to say. Are you certain it needs new subfloor?

tinan, I would be wary painting countertops. You might first try fine sanding the cultured marble tops to a soft honed finish. Depending on the color you have, it's not a bad look! You can see honed finish samples at the Home Depot or Lowes if you haven't already come across it.

Great kitchen to start with, Beth! I like My3dogs suggestion.

I would be totally fine with a solid black counter, IF I could find a solution that would actually look good and last for a few years.

I have a lead on flooring rather than just new painted subfloor ... waiting to see if it pans out.

It would be a distressed whitewash wide plank wood. I think that would look very nice in there, especially since I can glaze over it and warm it up a bit with a antique glaze (or thinned down stain). It would be a "cream washed" distressed look.

Thanks for all of your input. As usual, I love almost all of the ideas shared here and they've helped me make up my mind.

Unfortunately everything is now on hold. It's way OT so I'm not going to bore you with details here but if anyone is interested in today's developements, below is my blog link. I started it because I thought it would be fun to journal the changes from the very start.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Blog

I feel so bad for you. There is nothing worse than a thief. I am glad the locksmith showed up when he did. Otherwise he would have gotten by with it. That cellphone has sealed his fate, I assume.

Hang in there. I am sure the sellers had insurance and will fix it. Also, remember construction always comes in over budget. I have a hunch that it will cost more than 4K. Maybe let the sellers fix it and give them a bid contingent on the repairs being properly done. That way you can have it inspected before you bite the bullet. If you aren't satisfied, no deal.

You must be so emotional. You will be ok. This just gives you more time to plan, pack, and save some money. (:

Unfortunately it's a Fannie Mae foreclosure and is sold as is, they won't make any repairs and won't file any insurance. It is what it is.

My only hope is they'll accept a lower offer in because of the vandalism.

Oh, Beth, I am sorry to hear about this turn of events. I am sure they are as eager to sell as you are to buy and get going so hopefully it will all work out!

Sending good vibes!

That's horrible! But, if it can be worked out, you would have nice new plumbing :)

Any update on the stolen copper situation, did they accept a lower offer?

No, I still haven't heard anything definitive ... everything seems to be a hurry up and wait game. They insisted I get my bids immediately, like before close of business that day, but now several days have passed and I'm still waiting to hear.

We bid on some REO homes too and experiences the same thing - hurry up and wait! The banks will take their time but won't give you any.

I found this pic for you, I think this is just what you had in mind?

Oh that IS lovely. That's going in my inspiration folder for sure. Thank you!!