I replied to your post over at "Paint" and I was thinking about it. Is it possible for you to post a picture of your kitchen so folks can see the color of the floor?

BTW, I love the ProClassic Extra White. I have it on most of the doors and trim in my house. It just looks so fresh and clean and any color looks great with it.

I just read a thread where people talked about certain kinds of pastel blues looking "nursery" and suggested blues that have gray in them (more sophisticated) or blues that have some green in them.

Check out SW paint strips #32-36. There are some great blues in those strips. I have Misty in my bathroom and Krypton in my bedroom. I love them, exp. with the Extra White trim. They may be too blue gray for your kitchen, but I'll bet you'll find something in those strips that you will like (and DH will like, too.)

After installing our Pearl kitchen cabinets we realized they were "blending" into the walls color so we went with Grecian Green. Here's a photo.

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OK, put some pics on PB. Gosh, these are embarrassing. This is why we want to paint and upgrade. The tiles need to be completely regrouted, too, but they are staying.

I like the pale green, but that will not work with these blue tiles. Any green or brown looks horrible against them. We are hoping to get a blue pearl granite countertop.

Where are the blue tiles in the room? There is only a picture of white everywhere.

Oh, the blue tile is on the floor!

Are you going to be replacing the counter top right now?

I think a creamier white would look great for the cabs and trim, but a very pale gray (with the blue undertones) for the walls/paneling (or vice versa) would pick up the tile color. Then I would do oversize glass knobs in that blue, I know I've seen them somewhere. I also think it would work with two creamier whites, I just don't know any colors off-hand in SW. I personally would stay away from a superbright white because I think it might make the other elements seem dingy in comparison (plus I like the white appliances and it's nice to have varying shades of white.)

Many, many interior designers and decorators swear by "White Dove" by Benjamin Moore for both main walls and trim. ((#OC-17))

Do go to Benjamin Moore website -- and try out the Personal Color Viewer -- virtual color painter -- just choose a room and try out some colors from the Offwhite Collection (its on their pulldown menu at the top of the Viewer)

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the replies and the tip on the BM simulator. I think that might be worth the $10 to try it!

Yes, the countertop will go, just not right now when we paint. We really like the look of blue pearl granite with the blue floor tile, so that is what we are aiming for. Counter, sink, backsplash, and all that will be updated. Things have been slow for DH at work, so we are being less ambitious right now than we would like.

gsciencechick - I did a Color Viewer mock up of your cabinets and wall with BM White Heron on the cabinets (which I like very much) and BM Misty Blue on the walls. I'm not loving the blue walls. I tried to match a light blue which seemed to match the shade of your tiles, but maybe it's not the right shade.

With your floor, I just see a golden yellow in my mind as I think blue and yellow go so well together, but that might not be possible for you. I wonder about a sandy beige. When I look at your tile, which I also like, I am reminded of the ocean so I thought of sand and ocean going well together. I could try a sand color or golden yellow if you'd like to see it.

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I think that pale blue is a little too pure, it needs to be a bit grayer (more light a pale gray with the blue/violet undertones) I do think I light sand would work well too though, or bone.

soshh and gsciencechick - two more options - a more dusky blue and a sand (called Sandy Shores)

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Thanks for doing that! No, I don't really like the that light blue after all. The dusky blue is better. I'm worried that the sand color is too much like we have now, although I like the idea of sand and sea! I had already suggested a creamy yellow like on my hoosier cabinet (can see behind the light fixture) but DH doesn't like that.

What about the White Heron on the walls and something else on the cabinets? DH is asking "Why can't I just have white walls?". Poor thing. If we can find two whites that offset, I am OK to compromise. We will tile the backsplash, so it won't be all white on white other than that area above the washer.

I am by NO means a pro, nor probably shouldn't even suggest anything to you-but here's what I'd do:
I'd install white beadboard on your backsplash..(all but 4" from the countertop) & over the bottom half of the adjoining paneled wall. Check out the pretty blue glass tiles that come on a mesh square-even the seaglass colors would be pretty..making a 4" band where the counter meets the backsplash. Then, do a 'wash technique' on the cabinets in a butter yellow & white, add pretty blue glass knobs. I'd paint or paper the top half of the solid wall, in a grey/blue or blue that's in your flooring- adding a nice chair rail. A pretty red with blue tones would be a great accent in this kitchen, in your curtains, placemats, throw rug, etc. Just an idea.

Here is a link to a pretty white kitchen that uses the blue accent tile. It looks like the walls are a gray/white with bright white cabinets.

Very fresh and pretty!

Here is a link that might be useful:

BM Seaspray is a blue-toned white -- might want to try that either on the wall or the cabs?

Wow, that kitchen is gorgeous! I could definitely live with that. I like the idea of blue knobs.

I guess a trip to the BM store is in order. There is one maybe 15 min from the house.

Chiming in late, but wanted to say after reading the posts, gsciencechick, you never have to be embarrassed with us. We're are all here to help each other. Whether you have a big kitchen or small kitchen, old or new, we want to see it be the best it can be within each person's budget constraints. That said, I think your kitchen is very cute and has huge potential! alex's link to that white kitchen with the blue backsplash can give you the inspiration to take your kitchen in a direction without breaking the bank. As you search through the kitchen forum, you will see many people who have done amazing things to their kitchens all by themselves with paint and tile and light fixtures, knobs and pulls etc and are very pleased with the result. You'll get lots of good ideas here. Some you will like, others you won't. No one is offended if you don't take them and do them. Just keep posting and eventually you will have a kitchen you and DH are very proud of.

Thanks; the kitchen actually doesn't look as bad in the photos as it does in IRL!

Good news, and thanks to all your help, I think we are getting closer on the colors! I went to the BM store to get some paint chips, and I really like the White Heron for the cabinets, and right now I am comparing White Diamond, White Ice , Cotton Balls, and Decorators White for the walls. BM has a fantastic selection of whites.

I love the kitchen forum, but I'm a lurker more than a poster. I read the bath forum a lot when we were doing the baths last year. I need to post some finished pictures.

In our recently redone kitchen we have pure white cabinetry with a v. sheer blue-grey (or grey-blue, depending on your perspective!) walls. It's BM Pearl River.

And maybe you saw this thread in which there are many beautiful suggestions for wall colors to compliment white cabinets.