Help pick wall color for kitchen with oak cabinets and oak trim

6 years ago

Moved in 4 months ago, trying to update our home working with the oak trim not painting it. This house isnt't modern, so trying to update without a complete overhaul.

Here is the plan so far to get the full picture:

1- remove fluorescent lighting, changing out for drop pendents

2- using a gel stain to darken cabinets to match

trim color around window or just slightly darker

3- adding hardware after staining

4-leaving counters and back-splash as is for now (budget)

So the paint colors I have been looking at are greige: Edgecomb gray, Pale Oak, Balboa mist, Abalone. The previous owners had valances over each kitchen window. The kitchen gets tons of natural light with 3 windows and 2 skylights.

Ok so to the questions:

A- what paint color to work with the cabinets, trim and backsplash

B- curtains yes or no

Featured Answer

jhmarie

6 years ago

The new lighting could effect the wall color and the color of the wood - so definitely do that first. Do some research into the lasting effects of gel stain - I've heard both good things and bad things.

Here are just some unasked for thoughts- if I was working with this kitchen on a budget, I would possibly remove the upper trim piece and the small wood piece over the windows. I might remove the entire cabinet to the left of the farthest left window and replace with some shelves. I would remove the over the range microwave, which being short I could not even use, and replace with a stand alone vent. You could do a stainless vent for a more modern look. It is more expensive, but you could stain an unfinished wood hood with insert for a more farmhouse look. You have so much lower storage I actually would be tempted to remove all of the upper cabinetry - especially if there is a pantry cabinet - I was wondering where the fridge is - is there a pantry cabinet next to it?

As far a curtains - I do like the softness and color window treatments add, though tis is a person style choice.

This vent is a little larger than you would want:

Less uppers - pretty window treatment:

Rustic shelves:

If you like a bit of country / farmhouse, beadboard makes an inexpensive backsplash and works well with shelves - rather than tiling, which might possibly need to be redone if you got new counters down the road.

This is my basement kitchenette - done very economically with some of my original cabinets (refinished), shelving and beadboard - though in this case I used the beadboard wallpaper to save money - might replace with the real thing in time:

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~65270573

My main kitchen is also oak and in my "my pics" idea book - if you want some possible ideas for counters/ backsplash / farm sink - but it is done in a vintage style.

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