Laurie-

I think once you take down the wallpaper you'll be able to get a better feel for what else needs to be changed. Personally, I wouldn't paint the cabinets black. The table and chairs are lovely and just a few changes (new cabinet knobs as a starter) should get the ball rolling.

I would do black for the cabinets. Doing any other color would limit decorating down the road if her tastes change. If you feel black paint is too harsh try a black stain. I think the paint would be OK since the other furniture is in other rooms. Black cabinets would go well with the white floor. Look how nice the new table looks on it.

The dishwasher probably has a panel on it that can be changed to black. Colored appliances are the rage these days but I think that down the road people will get tired of looking at them. Me being the frugal type, I can't see tossing perfectly good appliances out to change the color.

kkkkkkkkkkkkk

kkkkkkkkkkkkk

kkkkkkkkkkkkk

kkkkkkkkkkkkk

kkkkkkkkkkkkk

If the ceiling fan over the dining table is not used I would go for a chandy there.

It looks like there is a green tone to the granite so keep that in mind when choosing wall color. Consider adding color to the vaulted ceiling when you paint.

Love the new granite, it's really pretty. I wouldn't paint the cabinets black, I think with the furniture you have it would be too much of a good thing :c) Removing the wall paper is going to make a BIG difference in the room and you may decide the cabinets are fine the way they are. If not, I'd stop and find a picture of a kitchen you both love (or at the very least has the basic elements you love) so you can use that as your inspiration. Redoing a kitchen is a huge undertaking and it helps to have a visual that closely resembles the way you want your finished room to look. Have you seen the kitchen blog yet? Thousands of photos and descriptions by posters of the products they used. It may help you find a little direction or that inspiration photo I mentioned. Here's the link, enjoy!

Here is a link that might be useful: kitchen blog

So, do y'all like the pickled cabinets? I thought that would be the next think you would tell me should go?

Laurie

Laurie, It's still early and you'll probably get those posts eventually, especially now that you've asked for them! LOL However I look at it from the perspective that it's your kitchen, your budget and a space you will need to feel comfortable in which is another reason I suggest you find a picture to use for inspiration. Right now with the setting they are in, of course they look dated, but once you get that wall paper out of there and a new color on the walls, you might find, they're not so bad after all.

I wouldn't do anything to the cabinets until the wallpaper is gone. I wouldn't paint them black, though. I think with new knobs and no wallpaper they will probably look just fine.

If you give a mouse a cookie...

Posted by msrose: "So, do y'all like the pickled cabinets? I thought that would be the next think you would tell me should go? "

I gathered from what you wrote in your initial post that you had already decided to paint them.

"What color would you paint the cabinets if she keeps the white floors and what color would you paint them if she goes with a dark wood floor? Would it be too much to paint the cabinets black too?"

From the photos is does look like there is some wear and staining on the doors and cabinets that get the most use. A light sanding and freshening with stain might be in order if you are making other big changes in the room.

You could definitely keep the natural wood look and go with a slightly darker, warmer stain. Then add black hardware that is bigger and bolder.

Even consider doing the lower cabinets in black to ground the granite, and then do the uppers in a natural stain.

Having the lowers in black would make choosing a wood floor easier in the future since it would be more of a headache to get a floor wood color to work if the cabinet wood and the floor wood is right next to each other.

Even if you have the lowers in black and the uppers natural having a 'great divide' between the wood floor and the uppers would ensure that they are less likely to clash even if you are forced to go with two different woods.

I agree that no other decisions should be made until the wallpaper is removed. After that, I do not think the cabinets will look bad at all, just possibly changing knobs and any pulls to brushed nickel. The white appliances are just fine, IMHO.

Thanks, everyone! As soon as we get the walls done I'll post again :) She bought a new satin nickle faucet, so we'll be looking for some new knobs to match which I know will make a big difference.

Laurie

My first thought was "finally, some wallpaper" and then you say you're taking it out! Not that most kitchens shown here aren't attractive, but without a pattern in the room, things veer much too quickly toward the clinical for my taste (obviously, a rare one around here :-)).

Having said that, the wallpaper here is a bit flawed for two reasons: first, it's got a very busy border and there's too much of the border in use, and second, there's ALSO a lot of bric-a-brac around, which exacerbates the over-busyness of the border. This border should have been used in minimal quantities where it is seen only at close range. But it does make the space happy and lively.

What you're describing instead - the tan wall with that counter and backsplash and floor - strikes me as a swooningly boring alternative, and would be rendered downright cave-like if cabinets were made maximally dark. THAT, in my opinion, is a trend many people will regret, especially someone like your mom who is used to a kitchen environment that is, even if cluttered, always warm and friendly. The wall beneath the wallpaper shows, if your photo is representative, how darkness plays out in that space: dismally. With the wallpaper, that's bearable now, but with black cabinets (and maybe dark floor) and beige wall... get the Prozac!

I would remove that wallpaper, and I might leave it off for a while just to see how your mom likes living with a plain wall (if that's what's underneath). She might prefer to consider replacing it with a simpler paper rather than paint, but if paint, then something with some colour. If you do use paint, you could still consider using a border, one with a more open design.

Given that the new backsplash is already tan, there is to me a real danger than in pursuit of a calmer look, you could suck the life out of this space altogether.

KarinL

Once the wallpaper and fake greenery is gone, the kitchen will look a lot nicer. The granite is getting lost in the bold patterns.
Post photos after the wallpaper is gone and the walls are painted.

yes agree with many that the no wallpaper will make a difference and new knobs on cabinets in a antique pewter or even ORB. I would be careful though with tan paint against the tan cabinets. You may have to go much darker than the cabinets. Take the darkest color from the counters and try that. I have also seen some really pretty wallpaper that is black with creme designs...nah! Plus a chandelier will make a difference too. Also think about a painted black hutch that is distressed and play up the white and creme theme in how you decorate the shelves.

With the wallpaper gone and the walls painted in a color that makes your Mom's heart soar, it will go so easy after that. New knobs etc. I think the cabinets work just fine with the dining room nearby and you'll work it out just fine. Try and keep the accents to one or two punches of color and vary the textures.

I think I'd wait to decide on the cabs until after the wallpaper is down also.

your cab pulls/knobs don't have to match the faucet. you might get them in ORB to tie in with the black of the table.

If your mom likes a fan over the table there are great new ones at HD for 100.00 or less. The wiring is already there so it shouldn't be hard or expensive to change it. they come with remotes too.

If you/she changes the cooktop to a black one that would tie in the black also. I'm frugal also and wouldn't change other appliances if they are still working.

If you paint the cabs black with a black table, bench etc and wood floors it will be too much dark unless you go with a light wood floor. that would still be too dark for me.

There are cabs painted white, cream, green, blue, yellow, grey, etc on this forum. They look great. you all might decide on a color rather than black or a wood stain. I'd try to figure that out before painting the walls. If you keep them as they are (look nice to me) or a light wood tone then tan walls might be too much in the 'beigey - boring' category.

Think about the cabs being a cream color with dark wood floor, black appliances and that granite.

The cabinets look fine and the new granite is very pretty! I would go with the ORB hardware and NOT paint the cabinets. She already has alot of dark furniture - the table and that black bench/settee. I suspect once the wallpaper is gone, the new paint is up, and new hardware it will look like a brand new kitchen! :)

karinl - I actually think wallpaper can sometimes limit how you decorate. The solid wall color will allow you to use bold fabrics if that's what you like. For example, in mldao's picture, the 1st thing I notice is the beautiful fabric on her chairs. I wouldn't want to see wallpaper in there competing with that unless maybe it was a subtle tone on tone type.

pharaoh - My mother is wanting to get rid of the greenery on top of the cabinets, but we're not sure what to put up there. The ceiling angles there so it can't be anything too tall and it seems like it would look so empty without anything. Any suggestions?

oopsie - I used Woodstock Tan in my house, which is further down on the sample that has Yorkshire Tan. During the daytime, it looks brown and at night it looks green. Is this more of what you had in mind?

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

I love chandeliers in the kitchen, but we live in Texas, so I don't know if I can convince her to get rid of the fan :)

Laurie

Once the wallpaper is gone and the walls are painted (I might choose a color darker than the cabinets so that they stand out from the wall - make sure the wall color is in the same pink/yellow tones as the cabinets only darker), I would change the cooktop to a simple stainless, the knobs to a brushed nickel. I do not think a stainless cooktop demands that every appliance change color. The stainless cooktop will blend in better with the granite countertop thus making it almost disappear. I might go with a simple bamboo look rug (something that is not affected by water). Get rid of all flowers. The look I would go for is transitional. Updated, but classic. If you need the ceiling fan to keep the room cool you might get one like I used to have in my kitchen in the 80 year old bungalow in Wisconsin. Casablanca makes it. It was all white with a simple sleek single center light and a remote control.

Excellent thoughts above!

Yes -- removing the wallpaper will completely change the look of the kitchen SO I agree that you might want to paint the walls FIRST, then change the hardware on the kitchen cabinets to rubbed silver or oil rubbed bronze (FIRST decide on a new ceiling fan and its metal finish to match)

THEN -- step back and take more photos. Please re-post so we can all see the changes at that point! :)

Look again and THEN decide on cabinet color (I do love the idea of the black cabinets) and the appliance color (whether black or stainless/black)

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

Please don't paint the cabinets black. Paint them cream and add new hardware and wood floors. Yes, the finish on them is dated and it looks more obvious next to the new granite. They need paint - cream paint. Check the link below. The 9th pic down in the article is an example of what your kitchen could look like.

Here is a link that might be useful: White Kitchen Cabinets

Msrose, the new granite looks great!!

Since I just had my new kitchen cabs painted ~ Im not scared to paint cabinets!! I think it would look nice to have the Yorkshire tan on the bottom cabs & creamy whites on the top. Maybe knock out some panels and add some glass to the uppers. Add a rug under the great new table ~ reupholster the seat cushions and add pillows on the bench.

I have painted cabs before & it's not difficult but alot of work. This time I found a guy that comes in and professionally sprays them for a very reasonable price. Painters are hungry now since the building has slacked off.

And I love the "Dogs are Welcome" sign over the window:)

Smiles:)

francine - Thanks for the link. I love white kitchens! I plan on having a white kitchen one day even if my mother doesn't.

scooby - My mother babysits dogs for extra money, so the sign has a special meaning in this house :)

Laurie