Yes...it is too subtle.

Reno, I have always loved your kitchen. I think it's one of the first pics I saw on this site when I first joined that made me excited, I loved it sooo much. I think the little chandy's are my favorite!

That said, you do such beautiful work, I'm certain whatever you end up with will be smashing!!

The blue you have right now, at least in pics, almost just looks like the island isn't done. I'd go a shade or two darker I think.

Can't wait for the finished project!! (Are you for hire, by any chance?) ;-)

Yes, go bluer - It will be beautiful - Gosh, reno, I just love what you always come up with!

I think a medium toned blue-grey such as Providence Blue by Benjamin Moore would work well in your kitchen. I can picture the finished product with all the color and think it's going to be spectacular. But your current look is great as well.

Type in the paint color name and it will come up.

Here is a link that might be useful: Providence Blue

Whoo hoo! I love it when I get confirmation to go ahead with something. DH got home and saw the look on my face when I stood back from the island and I think he pretty much knew I was going to re-do it.

Mona, I love Providence Blue, but it's pretty dark. Since I want to glaze both the island and cabinets, I have to go just a bit lighter, as the glaze brings the color down a lot.

The color I had in mind for the base coat is a few cards up from Providence Blue. It's Gibraltar Cliffs:

Nice. I also think it will appear just a bit less muted once you do your cabs in the contrasting yellow.

I love your kitchen and I say go with the color you want! I redid my kitchen (had stained honey oak and painted them cream and did a heavy choc. glaze on them) and knew I'd never be happy with white cabinets. That would be too stark for me. So I glazed several test doors trying to come up with enough color so it would have character.

It sounds like you will know when you've got the right look you're trying to achieve.

I love your inspiration photos too. I like the blue or the green. They are both different.

I can't wait to see your finished photos!

Reno, the insp. pic with bluer tone reminds me of one I posted in your bathroom thread from House Beautiful. That one was BM November Rain and then glazed. Maybe that will work for you or are you wanting to go bluer? I'm totally on board with you wanting to inject YOUR personality into your kitchen! No matter what you do, I know it will be gorgeous!

Here is a link that might be useful: your bathroom thread with HB kitchen pic.

I think the blue is a better choice with the yellow. I also think that once you do the perimeter in yellow, the blue (whatever blue) will be bluer.

That said, I would go stronger. But like you, I am not afraid of color.

Reno, I think that the blue will be a nice choice (and I love your disclaimers! :). Maybe Allison will chime in here...she has a gorgeous kitchen and I think also has some touches of a pretty French blue.

Yes! Allison! Surely you've seen her kitchen? Love her cabs! I think she used F&B?

Yesssssss .... deep grayish green would be my vote! That is a gorgeous color!

Go to donna214 thread. She is using BM James River Blue on her mudroom cubbies. Add glaze over that and ????

Here is a link that might be useful: donna's thread

Blue (the poster) always votes for more blue, because Blue (the color) is better than Not-Blue :)
Blue also agrees with other posters that you need more of a contrast. However, Blue does not know specific colors BM or SW colors to suggest, because Blue gets her paints from DE.
Blue also really likes your kitchen!

Actually, I think Allison's French Grey island (F&B) is really close to what you have on there now, Reno. But I think that deeper is going to give you more the look you want. Whether you go the greyed blue or a greyed green is of no moment to me. I think you've got the look down and it's going to be great. Here's a link to A's kitchen.

Red

Here is a link that might be useful: Allison's Kitchen

Yes, I've long been a fan of Allison's kitchen!

I really wanted more blue this time, though. I think I've found the winner. The Gibraltar Cliffs is coming out AWESOME, and really gives my kitchen that whole French vibe I was after. I actually LOVE the saltillo floors against the island now, where before I'd wince when I'd look at them because they were *so* rustic next to that stark white paint. It just never went together. This, however, I'm LOVING:

That is looking pretty Reno! Are you glazing on top of that and your cabs (once painted) with the same color?

I love it! You know, I always look forward to seeing what you're going to do next...I just wish I had some of your energy! :)

Dixie, I'll do one coat of glaze over the island. I love the color, but I want to tone it just a bit, and give a rustic look.

The rest of the cabs will be yellow with a soft glaze as well. I'm tired of trying to keep the stupid things looking pristine. If they get scratched or banged up, I want it to look like it just blends in!

Reno fan
That looks like the perfect blue, although I think it will look amazing with a glaze on top. What are you using for the glaze?

I like it. You like it. Others seem to like it. I think the blue you chose looks fabulous against the flooring.

I use Minwax Wood Sheen gel-stain in Plantation Walnut. It's the perfect consistency for glazing, and has always given me an impervious finish.

Here's the end of the island with one light coat of glaze; it's just enough to dull the brightness of the blue down a bit, and also make the detail of the beadboard show up:

Before and after glaze:

Nice choice. It's amazing how all the details comeout when glaze is applied =)

Love the glazed blue! Of course, I'm a glazing nut myself, so I'm always delighted to see it done well :)

You surely picked the right color!!! The island looks amazing!!!!

Wow - love it!!!

It's going to look gorgeous, especially with the glaze.

I'm glad you went darker as the contrast with your new island top will be great.

Only thing that has me a bit worried is the paint from your tray getting on your rug, lol.

I'm not gonna say a word about the rugs in the kitchen. Nosiree, not a word....

;-D

I really love how well this kitchen has come together. The island looks great!

Lookin' REAL good!

Perfect blue. I love how you just get going on a project and do it. I tend to mull over color selections too long!

Please start the yellow cabinets tonight. I can't wait to see them all together.

And of course, they'll have to be some discussion on new rugs, the current ones just won't do!! I also have to say I love how you just go at it with everything still in place - ie rugs! You must be very neat.

You guys are cracking me up about the rugs! I honestly never even thought about moving them. When painting by hand, I'm super-meticulous, plus I had to be on my knees to those large expanses on the sides, so the extra cushioning was more for comfort. (That, and I'm waaaaaay too excitable to actually think about *moving* something when I'm in project mode....)

The biggest beast about this project was the sanding and prep work. I probably sanded too much with the coarse grit, and not enough with the finish grit. The cabinets aren't as smooth as I'd like. I'll wait a week or so for the gel stain to cure rock hard, then I'll go over it again with a finish sanding to try to smooth it out a bit more.

How I WISH I could start on the yellow. I told DH I'd wait until after Christmas. (However, I'm not sure if I actually can wait that long!) We're going out of town for the holidays. It sure would be nice to have the cabinets all painted before we left, and then we could come home to a "new" kitchen.........

Picking the right cream/yellow has been HARD. I still haven't picked one. I need it to be a stark enough contrast with my off-white backsplash so that they both look "on purpose", rather than "Oh, she tried to match the colors but failed."

It also needs to be a very muted, muddy yellow so it doesn't go lemon or scream at you.

Yellows and creams are hard for me. I think I'm color blind to lighter colors, and that's why I do better with dark colors. With light colors, you *really* have to pay attention to the undertones, and I'm not so good with that.

That's really the sole reason I've not started yet. Once I finally get the right yellow/cream, I'm sure I won't be able to wait!

My goodness - you are fast!!! THe blue looks great and the glaze on it makes a nice finish. After you paint the perimeter cabinets cream or yellow are you glazing them too?

I'm curious - I'm fairly new to the forum and I looked up your kitchen in the blog section and it looks totally different. Is that a kitchen in an old home? Or did you totally redo that into what you have now?

I'm loving it so far, RF, and know you'll do a bang-up job. The blue island changes the whole feeling of the room, and brings in so much warmth. I have trouble with light color, too, especially creams and yellows, and can never "see" the undertone until it's too late, so I wish you luck with that selection. I'm sure you'll find the perfect choice, though, and can't wait to see the finished kitchen. I hope you do it before the holiday, though, because I think it would be such a treat to come home to a whole "new" kitchen!!

It looks great ! Just flip the rugs upside down and paint away, that way they are still a cushion for you but if you drip no one will see it. I cann,t wait to see the finished project. You have great taste and energy. I think I need a little of both.

Looks great! In our first/last house we painted the cabinet a similar blue. My parents thought I was nuts. lol But I loved it for 8 years.

Thank you all for the compliments. My island is F&B French Gray. It is more green than blue but can photograph really blue. It has a black based oil glaze.

What yellow/butter cream are you thinking about using? I scanned the thread, but don't see name.

Wow, I love the blue you chose...with your flooring, your yellow cabinets will look so great. Have you seen SW Jersey Cream? We used it on our exterior this summer & it's a really nice subdued yellow. Just a thought.

Yes! It looks wonderful, the glaze really sets it off.
The color is perfect and not overpowering, it blends well and that's what I think you wanted. If it were darker, that's all you would see.
This warm blue color -- allows your eye to room all over the room and drink it in!
Good job.
Joann

Reno... looking great! So glad you shared that you use woodsheen for your glaze! I've been wondering about your technique and if I could possibly copy it, but have never glazed anything. However, I HAVE used woodsheen plantation walnut a few times to both stain and darken/touch up old stain. I'm very comfortable with that! (Stinks, though, doesn't it?)

Can't wait for the whole final pic!

Now I see why 'bestyears' said that you and I together in a house would bring a lot of energy! You are JUST like me in that I can't wait either. I have to see it NOW.

This change is amazing, and the blue with the orangey tiles is the perfect color compliment. I can't wait to see the creamy yellow, too.

Glazing adds incredible detail, as does the dark BriWax I used on my CL mirror in my winter mantle post. Instant age and patina adds such richness and depth to wooden pieces.
Congrats on a beautiful piece of work!

I saw that paint tray on the rug, too! Heart failure.

Love the new blue. Especially toned down. I am also curious as to the finalists in the yellow contest.

Thanks for the votes of confidence. I really thought I'd be starting a riot. So many people have told me just to leave it alone, it's fine, classic white kitchen, etc. But it's just never felt right. Now I'm excited about it!

The rugs were just cheapies from Kirklands. So not worth heart failure, Amy! Believe me, paint would be the most mild thing that has ever been on them. Dog slobber, muddy paws, hair, pancake batter drips, grease splatters, various sundry spilled drinks, etc. all adorn those rugs. The beauty of the pattern is that they show nothing, and they're wool, so they've so far been indestructable.

Just to set everyone's mind at ease, the pic of the paint tray was at the very, very end of the project, and there was only a few drops left in the deepest part of the paint well. No rug was harmed in the filming of this project. :)

Oh yes, here are some of the colors I'm considering for the cabinets:

SW Humble Gold
SW Compatible Cream

BM Vellum
BM Barley

My3Dogs, can you tell me more about the BriWax? Is that something I could use on the cabinets? I love how the island turned out, but I'd like to add just a bit more warmth. I don't want to glaze it again, however, as that'll bring the color down too much. Is BriWax something I could use on top of a painted/glazed finish and then later clean if necessary?

Here are some of the yellow kitchens I'm using for inspiration:

Have you seen bayareafrancy's kitchen? She painted it the prettiest yellow (after seeing her kitchen it gave me second thoughts about my own pure white kitchen, and I think my kitchen is pretty fantastic! [considering our kitchen was just completed in May, my husband has put the big kibosh on changing it (and he's right, of course)]), and I am nearly positive it was BM Barley. Of course, color looks different in different spaces ... but it's worth a look. Your third and fifth photos make me think of Francy's color. The fourth photo reminds me of BM Calming Cream.

Happy painting!

oh my goodness, the island is GORGEOUS. Can't wait to see what yellow you come up with. I am loving the 2nd to last photo. It's not very yellow, but just a lovely cream color. It's gorgeous, and I think it would be PERFECT with your island color. ;o)

Great job. I always love your rooms. :o)

aooooooh! Love the island Reno! I can hardly wait to see the yellow cabinets. Everything you do is such a kick for me to watch, and I always love everything you do!

The island is looking really pretty. Already the feel of the kitchen is changing. It's going to look great. It's amazing how you can transform a room with a little paint and a lot of vision.

I only looked at this thread now, it really came out well, you had a vision and you were right !!!!!!!

Your island looks fantastic, I love, love the blue you chose! Great eye for color Reno. I can't wait to see how the yellow looks on your cabinets.