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White cabinets and grey counters - how to warm up kitchen?

15 years ago

We are having our cabinets done in a white/off white color. We are leaning towards Eco-Cem counters in Windsor Grey, which look like a poured cement. I like these, but am concerned about the kitchen looking cold. The floors are hardwood, but we have made no decision about wall paint or backsplash. I could use some design ideas (or pictures) to help me get up the nerve to go with the dark grey countertops that I love!

Thanks.

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Comments (6)

lagrant
15 years ago
what about slate - there are many variations in color from black to multi to brown and greys mixed. I think it would marry your wood floor with the grey counters nicely!
rhome410
15 years ago
I love 'concrete gray'. The floors will warm things up a lot and I don't think you'll have to worry about the room looking cold. Is your white creamy and warm at all? I think you have some classic material colors planned and can go many ways with backsplash. What is the overall style you're going for? Classic? Contemporary? Whimsical? Organic? What is the style of your cabinets?

If you're using a cabinet style that is somewhat classic, I could see adding some color like burgundy subways. You could even do something wilder like painted Mexican tiles....Something modern like glass...or older like brick. Sticking with something the color of your cabinets with a little pizazz added in accents or a liner would be elegant.
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I've been working on just the right white for months, and have many, many painted samples! What I have found is that the color looks different in EVERY room, so what works for some here, may not work for you! My kitchen is really sunny and bright, I found BM Simply white stark. I really like BM white dove & SW Alabaster, and find them very close to the same color, with a same hint of a gray undertone. I am afraid though... that it may still read stark white in my kitchen. I have SW Pearly white on my walls now... from the chip, it is much darker than I would have picked, but I picked this because SW color matched it from a cabinet sample I liked. I have a whole wall painted, and sometimes it looks perfect, just a soft off white, other times it looks a bit dingy. I'm leaning a bit more to SW Creamy (it matched another cabinet). White and yellow.. two very hard colors to chose, but I think you need to get samples and see large size samples in your space. The colors change dramatically from one room to another!
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One way of being warm is by using warm colors. Sounds obvious, but the difference can be really striking. You didn't say what color the glass tile backsplash will be. Or what color you were thinking of for the range. Bluestar number 8023 and 8004 are very warm without being primary, and most of the colors under 5000 are also warm. If you coordinate your backsplash tiles with one of them, the kitchen can't help but have a warm feeling, even if you painted the cabinets ice blue :) On the other hand, icy, wintry colors are going to give you that cold look that you don't want, so stay away from pale blues and purples, greys, browns and blacks. You can also warm up the room with bright, cozy accents, in warm colors, like a cookie jar, fun clock, or bright colored small appliances. The trick to making it not look industrial is first to have a few things out, rather than all put away like you would in a sterile environment, and then to be sure the things you do display are broken up in color, rather than monotone. I chose to post the items below because they show the principle of broken up color. Whatever your taste is you can do this, except if it's "clean, industrial", since that's what you're trying to get away from. Basically a "warm" look is opposite to a "clean" look.
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thank you everyone! and Leslie I'll do a tester with the lights and see if a taller person doesn't get bothered by them before I decide what to do
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Your kitchen is lovely! We have a similar kitchen; white shaker cabinets with pale backsplash and warm red oak floors. I'd suggest a warm toned rug and colorful kitchen towels. This way it's easy to change out as the mood strikes you or trends change. These are the rug and towel I currently have brightening up the space. We also use a frosted glass pendant light above the sink with a warm toned bulb to cast a diffuse and cozy glow. This works especially well in the evening.
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remodelfla
15 years ago
Do you prefer a more monochromatic look or "pops" of color?
deegw
15 years ago
I turned my white cabinets, hardwood floors and charcoal counters into a french country look. I think the combination is a great neutral base that can go in many different directions. I used a neutral backsplash and warmed things up with wall color, rugs and window treatments. If you scroll down the link, you can see a picture of my kitchen.

Here is a link that might be useful: kitchen with charcoal counters and white cabs
halbert
15 years ago
Deee, your kitchen is marvelous! Would you please give details on your backsplash?
deegw
15 years ago
Hi halbert - The tile is honed statuary marble. The tile board said the distributor was The Georgia Marble Company but the box said it was from Alabama. It was super cheap, especially compared to Walker Zanger. I think it was about $9 per sq/ft.

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