Francoise47 - I know what you mean about the white but at this point I feel like I'm going to leave it be and then when/if I paint again, it'll probably be gray just to keep it all consistent. I just can't find the right place to add white anywhere else - no matter how hard I try to imagine a good place. I think it would look even stranger. I might eventually add something lighter to the ceiling, we'll see. I do love the speakers, thanks! Mitchdesj - thanks - that's probably what I'll do (eventually paint the ceiling white or something lighter). Or, because the upper cabs are near the window, their being gray isn't as dark as that wall of gray is so it'll probably be fine if I go back to gray there eventually - fresh and happy as the white looks. I just keep adding white where I can and that helps (white bowl on island for example). Thanks! Bmorepanic - you nailed it, I think. I'll leave 'em white for a while just cause I'm taking that badly-needed break now that the guys are finally gone, and if I do any more painting in the future it'll most likely be to make the uppers the gray again. It just looks more balanced and consistent and period-appropriate, yada yada. But it doesn't look *bad* for now at all - especially to those who aren't looking at it the way we all do here! ;) Thanks! Liriodendron - wow - thanks for that uplifting, positive juju feedback! :) I'm keeping them white for now and I see what you mean. That's such a nice way of looking at it! I had a huge Easter brunch that we do with our neighbors every year and the little changes resulted in some big compliments that day. Everyone seemed to notice the changes and loved them (not sure if it was adding more white or adding polished nickel hardware or giving our kitchen island a makeover or what but people were so great about the kitchen that day. Loved having the in-ceiling speakers in there too, for the party. SO glad I did that! Thanks again. Athomeinva - thanks for your honest opinion! I had it all white for soooo long (and then had just those lowers gray as you said, for what felt like so long) that I really felt i needed something new. I agree that nothing cheers up that kitchen better than some white but I just can't go back to all that white after how long it took to get where I finally am. I also agree that it would balance things out better that way than this way, hence my original post. There's happy snappy white then there's sultry sophisticated gray and the gray's working fine...but if anything the white that is there is a bit odd now so might go back to gray eventually. When it's all gray, it's interesting how much the white marble, the white sink, the white hood/stove and the white light shades POP though - so that'll be something anyway. I"ve always been a white kitchen girl - I'm right there with you in spirit - but it's just been too many years of having a white kichen, you know? As for the 80's colonial look, I know what you mean sort of but not really...I remember in the 80's a bunch of ridiculous ducks and lots of blue in kitchens but I don't remember this so much. I remember people painted the insides of their cab door panels different colors from the frames. That I remember! What I have going on (and what admittedly is the current trend which I'll probably tire of pretty quickly) is the imitation of woodwork being unpainted, with lighter walls, only it's painted darker, with lighter walls. That's very craftsman (and possibly also victorian, I'm not sure). There was a resurgence I think during the 40's or 50's too, wasn't there? Anyway, blah blah, sorry. I like to hear myself talk. Blech! ;) Thanks! hlove - have always considered a light blue ceiling. Not sure if adding a third color might not be a bit too much for this kitchen though, but I've thought a lot about doing just that and i'll still keep it in mind, thanks! Thanks for understanding the narcissism comment, too! ;) Linelle - thank you! Duly noted! I hear you - it's been a tough transition, having all that darkness. But I'm just too tired by it all to redo that much. Maybe later! That kitchen's pretty dark no matter what. But yeah there's no denying it's a lot darker looking that when it was all white! Jessicaml - thanks - I totally agree about your contrast-throws-us-off comment re. the white cabs being the only white. I think both your thoughts make a lot of sense. Either all gray, or all white except for the lowers which could stay the gray (as I had it)! So for now, I just wait and see how I feel and then at some point in the future I can re-paint either a little, or a lot! Re. the comment about renovation addiction, I agree with you that I don't think I have it like some people have it. I deal with the kitchen for a while, then let it go cause I don't have the time or money to deal with it, then I pick it up again every so often...never doing so because I'm fussing over something that can never be right but rather cause it never got done in the first place! E.g. the window was painted with just white primer for the longest time and it's only after I finally painted it that things became clearer re. the whole picture. I just couldn't tell till I got that far. Truth be told, I really like to get things done and then be done with it. This kitchen's been going on forever and a day - it's been pretty ridiculous! But I do like updating in little ways every so often e.g. with new kitchen towels or art or what have you! Anyway, thanks for the reassuring comment (that I'm not losing my marbles - haha)!

My first thought was to go with a darker color -- black, chocolate brown or maybe green since the OP says some greens. I'm not a huge fan of oak, but these have more character and the only thing I really don't like about them is the hardware. Unfortunately, changing that and placing it properly will probably require painting. Going with white or a lighter color is more of a challenge because of the grain in the oak. Paint and grain seem to look better in deeper colors. I don't see the glazed look you are talking about looking good with your white. I also think it would replace one dated look with another and you might tire of it quickly. You probably want a brighter feel and thing dark cabinets will be darker. There have been a number of kitchens done with black or cocoa cabinets -- some in combination with white or cream uppers, that looks so bright and fresh. The contrast is so crisp and fresh that it creates a different look. Accent it with brushed stainless or something similar in your hardware, appliances if or when you replace them (or look into painting or getting panels for them if you prefer that over white), and possibly even in your small backsplash (it can be an inexpensive, designer look). I think it would feel a lot crisper and brighter, even though the cabinets might actually be the same or darker. When you do paint, I would think about taking down the valances over the sink and fridge. Take the shutters off and put a fabric or woven shade at the top of the opening. paint the area above the vent to match your cabinet or create a chalkboard there and put a fun saying on it -- but carry that color all the way to the ceiling. If you want the area above the fridge lower (a new fridge some day might be taller, but for now....) use a simpler piece of trim, no scallops. Consider a hanging rod for utensils in that little niche you have behind your cooktop. Update the accessories a bit and add a splash of function and/or color.

My favorite white by Sherwin Williams is "Pure White". It has a little bit of warmth but not yellow or creamy. I feel that the "High Reflective White' is too stark and has an edge or blue cast to it. The "Pure White" will look good with your gray walls and your flooring. I advise you to go with "flat" on your ceilings. It doesn't need the sheen or the washable factor that other surfaces need. It will brighten up your space.

White is only white when light is reflected off the surface. The ceiling has less light being reflected off the white than the walls and the angle of the light is hitting your retna at a different angle. Many people will try to cut white or light paint colors and have the color shift and they do not get the color they expected. I have a can of paint handy that is a BM Satin Advance Base 1 custom color. Bright warm white that was a color match to Devine Icing - one of my favorite whites for trim, cabinets, ceilings. The formula is simple: Y3 (Oxide Yellow) 0x0.75 and W1 (White) 0x31.25 So they added a pinch of Yellow Oxide - a slightly orange yellow and they added a good dose of Titanium White No sense adding a picture of white - the description of the color from an artist pigment manufacturer explains it better than a picture will. Titanium White is known for being bright white, almost bluish, and has excellent opacity and high tinting strength. When mixed with another color, it rapidly lightens the color. The drawback of Titanium White is it can be over-bearing at times, especially when you are just looking to lighten the value a bit and not greatly change the color it"s mixed with. If I cut the pigment by 25% I am going to end up with a color that is darker and grayer than the original color because the main additive is Titanium White which is whiter than the Satin Advance Base 1. To make it lighter / Whiter I actually would need to increase the W1 pigment. and may need to increase the Y3 to combat the blue of the W1. Honestly, I don't know that lightening the white will do anything in your circumstance. No matter how light you make simply white you still will not have light reflecting off the ceiling and will end up with something that appears darker than the walls. This is not always bad - it is expected and appears normal when we walk into a room with all white walls. Our brains compensate for difference in colors based on light and shadows. Personally, If I loved Simply White on the walls I would paint the ceiling in the color, same brand and line of paint and just use flat on the ceiling, eggshell on the walls and satin on the trim.