I like the grey better because I prefer a contrast between the backsplash and the cabinets. I would also paint the soffit grey. The white cabinets will stand out more and be a more prominent feature against a contrasting color.

I prefer the "white" for the beadboard. It looks so fresh.

I can't decide on the soffit without seeing the island & other components in a whole room view.

Just remarkable what you've done!

This post was edited by amck on Fri, Aug 8, 14 at 13:47

If you have time to post a couple shots from further off, I can photoshop the two backslashes in for you. I think it is easier to make these choices when you can see the entire area.

I love beadboard, by the way, even though my browser keeps autocorrecting it to breadboard! Nice choice. Hope DH resigns himself to it.

From what you post, I really cannot decide. There are advantages to both. I guess white is safer. It will look gray in the shadows beneath the cabinets anyway, and it will be partly obscured by utilitarian and decorative objects and their shadows. The gray just looks "pre shadowed" to me. Different if it were tile with light grout lines, in which case the gray would stand out.

This is a tough one. Either way works. I'm not a all white kitchen person, but it looks pretty good white.
I also like the bit of difference the owl provides.
Hmmmm....on the soffit too.
Oh that means I haven't helped at all! Lol

I think in this case neither is right or wrong, Any of it will work.

I like the gray, but since your island is white beadboard, I think they should match. But I might paint the island gray too.

I prefer the gray in the pic, but I just about almost said it's a coin flip.

I prefer the contrast. A vote for Gray Owl here.

Although I like the subtle contrast of the gray, as someone else said, it already looks like a shadow. My backsplash is close to the same color as my cabs (unintentional) but looks darker even during the day due to cab shadows.

I think I would go with the white anyway. I don't really know about the soffit. I think I would do whatever makes the soffit less noticeable.

When comparing the two finalist colors, which I've done myself, I discovered that side-by-side comparisons, as you have, tend to make it a competition between two colors. You see them next to one another and that's really what's influencing you. They will not be side by side permanently.

What I prefer to do is separate them. Put one in the space for a day or two and see how you like it, how it makes you feel. Judge each one on its own merits (or lack thereof). Don't make them go head to head.

I like the white - a cleaner look. What color are you painting the kitchen walls? Gray owl? Then I might like the gray for the beadboard.
I really like the beadboard. It's going to look great.

You all are bringing up an important factor in this equation, and that is the shadows. I did, as a matter of fact, first paint my island grey with a sample color and decided against it because the kitchen was so shadowy anyway that it sort of "disappeared." Even now, painted the same color as the cabs, it tends to have a grey cast most of the day. Which does make sense, since it is a lightened grey color, lol!

And when that Gray Owl is not adjacent to the counter it reads the more neutral grey it is supposed to be, but that counter bounces blue off of everything, lol! I am okay with that!

So far we have a lot of toss-up, so I guess I will take linelle's suggestion of one color at a time. It won't take but a couple minutes to finish off that piece of beadboard in one color or the other.

As I am sitting here looking at the photos I love that even the most utilitarian things I own stand in front of it I am loving the soft contrast between the lighter things and the grey.

But now I am going to go down and fix my lunch, glance surreptitiously at my colors some more, then paint it all gray and see how I feel about that. Hubs can just pout and I will be gracious enough not to mention the thousands he spent on a water filtration system that is not doing the job it should. ;o)

Well, could you paint it a bluer gray? And the island too? If it works with the counter, I don't see why you can't have some fun with a little more color. You did love the denim look of your accent tile.

One of my favorite pics of beadboard. A little more contrast could be interesting. Having you paint multiple samples would be fun for us.
Edit: I love your blue tea kettle. Something to play nice with that?

This post was edited by romy718 on Fri, Aug 8, 14 at 15:19

Or the color of the milk glass salt shaker. My sister painted her beadboard that color. She has an antique green milk glass lemon juicer that she based the color on. She has beadboard in the back of her bar hutch too--looks almost identical to romy's pic.

I think a color can give you the stamp of your own personality that white or gray won't. We KNOW you have personality!

I have Gray Owl in a bedroom and like it a lot, but I probably would have a slighter preference for the white because in my opinion, the gray is not enough of a contrast and looks more like it's white in the shade--- and then I'd go all out with turquoise accessories.
However, either pick will be nice. Not much help, I know.

I prefer the white. The gray makes it look like you don't get enough lighting beneath the cabinets, not like it's actually gray.

Gray to add interest, but don't paint the soffit. Keep soffit same as cabinets

I do also like the idea of a mint color or heavy cream in the yellow family for warmth. Google mint and black kitchens. Ice see. Some great ones in magazines.

Yer killin' me, people! lol! I am not considering another color at this time because I am color-ed allll out. I absolutely love that mint but it will not go in the kitchen. The grey on the cabs is very warm (no, really!) and the counter is very blue.

romy, I did not see your question frst time around, I am painting the kitchen walls Gray Owl, for what that is worth. There is hardly any wall to show once the beadboard is up. A little on the right end of the stove run and a little around the window.

The Gray Owl was supposed to go in my dining room, too, but it is reading way too blue in there. I think. I hate picking paint!

I am pretty sure I am going to do the gray, but will ask on more IRL opinion when my DIL comes to the house tomorrow.

You should have never gotten that marble. It made you go all Christopher Peacocky.

Have you googled painted beadboard back splashes? There's a pretty blue gray one with matching island....

Since these are (supposedly) your last two choices, I vote for the white.

Gray. I think it stands out and looks very nice.

Who on earth is Christopher peacock? lol?

And "supposedly?" Really? *indignant tone* Welllll....
. .
.....actually....I have these AWEsome dishtowels I picked up on clearance at Tractor Supply, woven cotton ones from Dunroven House that look like tiny little blankets. I LOVE them! One of them is the softest mint....soft enough to not clash....so now that I have seen that beadboard Romy posted I am thinking again.

The fact is I am not in love with either of those other colors.

And I cannot find those dish towels anywhere. I had to grab the last two 2-packs for my DIL, but they are boring cream, lol.

Oh my...that looks great. Mint, aqua, light blue, the choices are endless. What would Linelle think? Poor DH.
Edit:typo

This post was edited by romy718 on Sat, Aug 9, 14 at 9:19

Okay. FINE. I will go in for more paint chips this morning. Minty green ones. Maybe pepto pink. Ooh! Ooh! ORANGE!

Okay, maybe just the green.

But ya'll are killin' me.

Since we now have more choices I rescind my vote for the grey and throw my vote to the minty green. That soft green of your salt/pepper shaker would be absolutely divine!!

LOL! Okay, okay! That shaker is much darker than it appears in those photos, though. Too green! But a good inspiration tone.

First of all, I love the beadboard - you made a great decision. Second, you said the granite casts blue onto everything? Just wondering if that might taint a green color. If I'm remembering correctly, you've referenced the color of denim before as something you like (me, too). Is that something you could bring in?

Oops, just saw the post from may_flowers after I submitted mine. What she said!

Susan, I thought about the blue cast, will have to choose a variety of chips to experiment with.

While you're at it, also grab some chips of a lighter greenish blue or aquae, like the other shaker container but lighter.

Ooooh, those are pretty! You always post such great pics, nosoccermom!

nosoccermom, that is exactly the set of images I was just looking at, lol, after (mayflowers?) suggested the Google search. I do like that a lot!!! I wonder about the quartz on my counters, but I will do that. Just straight-up head more blue.

WISH I had stood my ground against that quartz, love the BB. But as I have told TWO people this week , no use crying over spilt milk.

This post was edited by greenhaven on Sat, Aug 9, 14 at 8:41

I think the pic of May_flower's sister's beadboard & dark counter looks great.
I like how the dark grayed down the mint. It looks almost sagey green, which would also be pretty.

romy it was YOU who brought up the mint green! I had to edit my post and couldn't read back up the thread.

Okay, I am off for samples!

Her beadboard is more aqua in person, good for Cape Cod, but the more grayed/subdued green that it photographed is better than mint for a farmhouse vibe imo. The internet examples here are a little too pastel.

I think the Gray Owl is very pretty. I wouldn't use a different color for the backsplash unless you're going to change the wall color also. Here's a kitchen with Gray Owl. The backsplash really blends nice with the wall color, so I think if gives you an idea what Gray Owl would look like on the walls and as a backsplash.

Here's Gray Owl on the wall with a white backsplash.

This post was edited by msrose on Sat, Aug 9, 14 at 11:44

I think the white or grey would be fine; nice and neutral, and very "safe." You could add color with accessories.

But, as you're doing, I would definitely consider additional color options for the beadboard. Love all the inspiration photos. It's a chance to add a little "kick" to your kitchen, and not much risk (especially vs. tile)...easy to repaint if you ever tire of the color. Looking forward to seeing your new color chips!

Marose, that is my all-time favorite inspiration kitchen! I actually chose Gray Owl because of that kitchen! And it is the main reason why I wanted the beadboard to match the cabs. But she has other things going on in her kitchen that make that choice to be a good one. I am still drawing significant inspiration from her room to finish off my dining room.

I have narrowed TEN good color choices down to two, in addition to the option of Gray Owl. I am taking the "white" off the table. I am not sure the new ones will photograph well, but I will give it a try! Tomorrow!

I LOVE the mint and aqua. How about Silver Sage? I think it might be Sherwin Williams. I veto pepto pink. And peach.

Looking forward to tomorrow!

I like the darker gray, I like the contrast. I wouldn't paint the soffits again. If you're not sure about shadows with the darker color, didn't you mention you might do LED lighting under cab? Maybe another thing to think about, sorry. I wish you the best on your choice. I had DH chose paint color for living room. After I painted the entire room myself, he asked if it was too dark. Now we love it. Funny how that works out. Yours will too, I'm sure. Wow, so many responses!

Greenhaven - a recent post wondering how you are doing. We'd love to hear from you.

Can anyone tell me about Greenhaven's finished kitchen?