Trust the decorator?

12 years ago

I am new to the forums, but am desperate for advice. I have maple kitchen cabinets in a wide open living area. The only color that seems to work on the walls is white as my cabinets have so much yellow in the wood. I love color so having Navajo white is really not sitting well with me. I'm not a big fan of green, but I can live with some shades of green if it works. I paid a color consultant (after two years of trying different color samples on my own) and she recommended bm castleton mist. This color seems so limey to me, but she insists that I need to trust her...that it'll look beautiful when finished. I took a picture. I'd welcome advice.

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Comments (9)

cossyg
Original Author
12 years ago
Not sure how to post a picture of my kitchen....so if anyone
can share with me how to post a picture, I can show you the castleton mist.
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teacats
12 years ago
Although I am VERY non-techie -- here's how to post to photo:

a)Open a free account at Photobucket

b)Upload your photos (try to post as many photos of the room as you can take -- VERY helpful for us to see as many angles and views of the room/space as possible -- and add photos if there are adjoining rooms/spaces!)

c)after you have uploaded the photos -- place your cursor over the photo and a small box of codes will appear -- click on and copy the HTML one
d)open a message here at GWHD forum -- and paste your photo into the body of the message -- and you can add more photos below in the same message .....

Hope this helps -- I know it is very basic info -- but other folks here know how to re-size photos etc.
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I love the Fred Miller kitchen with several colors (Ithink I counted 4 wood finishes plus a contrasting color range in that one photo just above the gallery sign). Notice how they use different counter heights and cabinet depths to give an unfitted feeling. Notice htat all the yellow pieces have wood trim elements and each color has different molding details, yet they all work together. And the ailses are wide enough to accomodate the changing depths without feeling cramped. Details like that ad the crown changes are what can make the difference betnween pulled together and interesting or just chopped up. You don't have to do all those different things, but you have to consider how the details fit together. My crown is white, but the only section of cabinets with it that isn't white is my blue wall, and I like the way it looks there. The same crown continues around the adjoing rooms as well, so it all flows. I don't think I'd like it if one were painted and the other was stained wood. You may be able to deal with that with the different cabinet heights. I think dark bases and lighter uppers is done more often, but I think I have seen it reversed. I can't think of any to search for to show you though. I like a contrasting island, but as some have pointed out, it has become a big trend lately and may look dated in years to come. If you do the island in a different color, change some of the details -- furniture end panels, feet, open shelves, door details, even your hardware. Mine has raised door panels while my cabinets are all recessed, and the molding has a little more detail. The wood is knotty and glazed while the cabinets are smooth paint with no glaze. The hardware is an old black finish, simple style that a balcksmith could have made while the cabinets have s brushed silver (not sure what it's supposed to be, but it looks softly weathered) in another style with some flourishing details. If your KD is good, they should be able to help you pull these details together. Have you seen photos of mixed finish kithens he has done? That might help you see how he puts things together and whether you like that. If not, search for more photos here and figure out what makes the differences you like. It's YOUR kitchen. Take the time to make it what you love. There is no one size fits all.
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Let's start by realizing that there is no wrong color choice! Start by thinking about what colors you like! Are there 2 or 3 in your daughter's art that particularly appeal to you? I see that she uses red, which is a great accent color with gray, beige, brown & black. Red accents can also go will with several greens, blues, even pale yellows. Do you see that in her art? How about if you look through a magazine like Better Homes and Gardens - or online (here at Houzz is a good place) at photos of rooms - do you ever see one that really appeals to you? And I don't mean one that you tell yourself that you like because it is "safe" gray, brown, beige. What are the colors in that room? Do you have colors in clothing that you are drawn to? Do you have a favorite colored top or dress? It looks like your stools are a pale green on the seats - that would be a perfect place to start. You don't have to spend a lot of money to bring in colors. Pillows for the sofa, a colored lamp base, a piece of art, curtains, and (maybe if budget allows) a different rug can be had for not much $, especially if you have good thrift or resale shops around. Start looking online at the stores I mentioned above.
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teacats
12 years ago
I checked out Castleton Mist but the shade did not appear to be "limey" to me .....

Here is a link that might be useful: BM color -- castleton mist
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Sueb20
12 years ago
Tea cats, I think that pic on the web site is deceiving. We used to have this color in my sons' room and it was a pale cool green. To be honest, I never liked it.

Cossyg, how about a grayish blue-green? Of course I have no idea what's going on in the surrounding spaces but my DS has maple furniture and his room is painted BM Quiet Moments and I like the combination. Or maybe Healing Aloe, which is lighter.
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graywings123
12 years ago
It is described on this blog as:

a soft, not-quite-chartreuse-kind-of-a-bright-pistachio-with-yellow-undertone that apparently does not photograph well, no matter what camera or time of day you attempt.

I would try it, based solely on the color consultant's advice. What's the point of hiring someone and then not trying their ideas? It is one of the BM historic colors so it has passed the test of time.

Here is a link that might be useful: Blog
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My3dogs ME zone 5A
12 years ago
I have it in my bedroom. This is the most accurate pic I have. The chip looks very beige, but it isn't. I love the color. I don't know if that bit of the closet door is similar to your maple cabinets, but I'd pay a few dollars for a sample jar and see how you like it before committing to a gallon.
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suero
12 years ago
The colors on MyPerfectColor site are off. Look at the BM site. It looks much more like my3dogs photo.

Here is a link that might be useful: Castleton Mist
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gmp3
12 years ago
My3dogs that is lovely. I have a print with similar colors I want to use in my masterbath. I think I just found a wall color!

That would be pretty with maple cossyg, but agree you should get a sample and paint a swatch.
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amysrq
12 years ago
Castleton Mist is a lovely color and I think if you posted a photo of your kitchen painted with it, you'd get many ooohs and aaahs and votes of approval here on the board. But, that doesn't mean the color will be pleasing to you. You have hired a color consultant not just to suggest a color that works and would look good to a majority of homeowners, but to help you find a color that works for you.

If she is well trained and has spent a certain amount of time getting to know and understand your relationship to color, then yes, you should trust her. But, trust and verify. I send out large color sheets of each color I suggest to my clients and usually send a couple variations on the theme for them to consider. She should be doing the same for you, IMO.
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Trust the decorator?

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cossyg
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teacats

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cossygOriginal Author

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cossyg
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