I don't have any pictures, sorry, lol, but can I vote for white for y'all???

:-D

If you must go gray, I would advise using a very light shade of it. Otherwise, I'm with One Devoted Dame and white all the way.

I think if you are one of those folks who cringe when you hear that some color or style choice is now considered "dated" (I hate that word), then you should probably carefully consider your choice of grey anything. We are already reading that the grey trend is over in mags and blogs.

If, however, you aren't sensitive to things like that and the lighting in your kitchen is right for grey and you love the look, then go for the grey.

If you do look at pictures of grey kitchens, remember that they probably are professionally lit so they will look bright and cheery. Consider the light sources in your own space, both natural and artificial, as you decide.

Very light grey paint and Grey stain combo

Do you love grey? Enough that even if it were not in style, you'd still choose grey as your first choice? If yes, then go with grey. If not, then choose white. Grey is a trend and it's a trend that is already on the way out.

BTW: If you always choose what you love and not what is trendy or in style, your house will look more timeless for a longer period.

I don't think you can wrong as long as it suits the style and tone of your house. We are living in West Texas now and even oak suits many of the homes. I do think if you are fearful that you will tire if the gray it isn't for you.

I am gutting and remodeling an entire house. I am putting in grey cabinets. I love grey cabinets … I never want a white kitchen. Ever. I don’t think grey is going anywhere. People want options.

I remember when people said quartz was a trend and never going to catch on. They were on the wrong side of history.

I don’t think grey is going anywhere. People want options.

Actually back in the late 70's gray was quite popular and people then thought gray wasn't going anywhere. It didn't until beige became the popular color and then everyone thought beige wasn't going anywhere. After that, I forgot what was the "in" color that wasn't going anywhere.

The point being, you and Anglo put grey in your kitchen's because they work in your spaces and you both like or love the color. You both like or would love the color even if the "in" color were something totally different.

My walls are tan (BM Wilmington Tan) and greens (BM Fernwood Green). I put those two colors in my condo 8 years ago when everyone was starting to paint everything gray because I love tan and green. I just did my new build house in those colors again because I really like those colors. Trends be damned.

My point being figure out what colors you love and work from there. White will always be in style. What will change is door styles. Even now I see shaker is starting to trend down, but there again, I personally don't care. I loved shaker 30+ years ago when absolutely no one was doing shaker and I still love shaker.

Well I think it's normal to be if not fearful then anxious when deciding on big long lasting surfaces.

I worried a lot

(having said that-I wasn't considering white for a moment, I didn't think it's right for my house, in terms of kitchen cabinetry. Walls, yes..cabinetry, no. First I worried to go with paint over stain. Then i chose between colors that I loved the most and suited the space too..and was the kitchen of different style/layout, maybe I'd chose my other favorite option)

I did choose very warm greige color which makes me happy and frankly always did, long before I learned it's called "greige"

I agree with everyone-take your house, light, etc into account. And know thyself:) I couldn't care less about "dated", only whether it's harmonious for the house, and if I love it.

Now, this culture does influences one in terms of worrying about resale..I know I can observe such changes in me myself)) It comes without you wanting, and even with you protesting)) What can calm one, to a degree-is the idea that as long as your choices are considerate ones and the more they suit the house the more appeal they'll have regardless of what exactly they'll be. Or people will feel the overall vibe, the love you gave your place-and they'll overlook details that are not to their liking, or simply, you know, repaint:) One color doesn't have such effect on a space as a combination of many, many things, both practical and intangible.

(sorry whatever I could fish out fast. but it's a small kitchen, u-shape)

Agreed! Put in what you love. You are the one that has to live with it. Follow your heart and gut. You aren’t living in a magazine. Trends sell products … get the things you love … to heck with the rest of it.

I did talk to a very knowledgeable realtor before I did my kitchen. The first thing she told me was that in my neighborhood, I would be doing this for myself, not for resale. My neighborhood was always an upscale one but in the past 8 years, buyers here are tearing out 3 yr old kitchens, done in excellent taste, because it's not THEIR taste. Actually, this was quite freeing - I spent under $30,000 on my remodel, and whomever buys my house is welcome to tear it out - I will have had my enjoyment out of it at a reasonable cost.

Many neighborhoods are like mine today - people no longer "make do" with a kitchen - they want what they want. So put in what YOU want and don't worry about it. You'll get no extra money for it, but it won't prevent the house from selling - the buyer is going to gut your kitchen anyway!

I am putting in stained cabinets, which is still out right now in my area of LA, but it fit best with my Spanish style house. I considered white for 5 minutes! It just didn't seem like the right fit for the house. My KD said he had not done a stained kitchen in many years, which is kind of sad to think that people are so caught up in following these trends.

And continuing on my anti-trend don’t care rant...I have loved grays/mint greens/and teals forever and they will always be the color scheme in my home no matter what trends dictate <3

I love stained, and would be my first choice if not the floors. which we had to run into the kitchen because otherwise would look too chopped, and feel like an afterthought. even though we closed the kitchen up a bit-was completely open when we bought it

(I also think they opened it for the resale. And put in a new kitchen too, for the resale. I'd rather they didn't open anything and didn't put that new kitchen because it interfered with the space and was waste of their money and energy. Whatever was there beforehand-I'm sure I'd like it more. Saw traces of their old tile when we gut remodeled-fitted that house much better)

My area does a house tour fundraiser and the last few years at the end of the day it is difficult to remember which house was which, because they all have the same white kitchens with marble counters.

I think the 70s and 80s oak cabinets really traumatized a lot of people! ;-)

..'cept me because I wasn't here in 70 s and 80 s lol

same thing going to happen with poor white kitchens that look the same, because there's oversaturation, nobody cares whether really goes with the house, they start being builders' choice, as such get associated with "dated" (wth it means) much sooner ..if folks would install less "so new, so fresh, so timeless" but would be more attuned to temselves and their houses, they'd actually get much more of "fresh" and "timeless" (wth it means too) out of it.

April, you are reading my mind. Hence why I have deemed my Kitchen the “I don’t give a damn about trends or design opinions” Kitchen. I’m putting in whatever speaks to me! Trends be damned!! People need to start doing what makes them happy, not what pleases others

Dowland's, where do you live? our cabinetmaker actually called me "a chicken" for going with gray)) Because so many of his (very important) clients were doing gray. (we were like poor relatives lol..our GC was old friends with him and that's how we were able to afford him in the first place)

It was..3 years ago?

It's true that I wanted very particular, bordering taupe, shade. Drove myself and everybody crazy when choosing. I need warmer shades of every color on bigger surfaces. Small accents can be whatever.

But he thought my other idea (which was pairing aubergine and fuschia lol) would be more fun to execute. He grew tired of gray.

I was really considering aubergine and fuschia. Too few uppers-=too chopped to do two-toned cabs. All aubergine-too dark for a small kitchen. All fuschia-no. Wouldn't make me as happy as greige. It's too vibrant by itself=less ability to balance. For me, personally. Also i have it in bougainvillea outside.

What I am sorry about-that I had no idea there's finish that exists that's called "painterly finish". I read about it here many mony months after my kitchen was installed.

I think I'd love it more.

Then I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to afford it anyway. So maybe it's better I didn't know, lol.

When I did my gray kitchen two years ago. my kitchen place had never done a gray kitchen either. Their top sellers (very high end shop) are stained Cherry and Antiqued Cream. But then my city is usually about 20 years behind the times!

yes, here everything's very fast-paced

our cabinetmaker is based in LA, but part from his odrers come from SF area so he goes there too regularly, and ships there when ordered kitchen is ready, and all.

I daresay he was the best in what he does, from all the guys we met during our remodel. Very impressive-skills, punctuality, communication, installation..top-notch everything

If our drywall guys would possess even 10% of his skill..)) I think would benefit our place greatly. Lol.

I would go with whatever you like best. I have had wood cabinets in both of my houses & I am so tired of them. We are building our forever home and decided to go with white cabinets & a grey island. Who cares if grey is on the way out? Do what makes you happy!

Consider fieldstone gray by SW. It's a really nice color for cabinets!

I do think we get traumatized by what was oversaturated when we're younger. :-) Dad has no use for MCM or the color schemes thereof. He also has a loathing for the old "blonde" wood schemes. (This, for April and the other younglings, is not just a light wood, but a specific ashy shade that was wildly popular for a while). I get twitchy about "country oak", mauve and dusty blue, and those demented geese. Also harvest gold, avocado, and rust. Therefore, I tend to go to the opposite end of the spectrum and prefer soft robin's egg, blush, butter, etc.

It is easiest to choose things that will remain pleasing if your house has a distinct style and you remain faithful to it. CPA's home is a Craftsman, and so her colors blend harmoniously with it because those are perfectly suited to the style of house. Mine is a Swedish style, and so will treat soft blues and greens almost as neutrals and run very much into the cooler spectrum. I'll have a run of white cabinets and a very soft blue island, with some natural wood elements.

I think there are two times when you really run into trouble. The first is attempting to shoehorn a style or kitchen design that does NOT suit the home style into the house. For example, tearing out a wood kitchen and cramming in a Joanna Gaines-style "modern farmhouse" white and grey one, when the home is a Spanish style ranch or something. (I know. But people do it).

The other is when the house doesn't really HAVE a specific style, and therefore it doesn't really "tell" you what would be appropriate. This can happen with a lot of development-style houses that might be an amalgam of different styles blended together. That actually makes it really hard to choose something, because you have no obvious constraints.

So - what style is the rest of the house? What is your general palette - warm or cool? What is your trim like - wood or painted? Will that grey kitchen look like it belongs with all the other things you love and are choosing for your new home? If yes, then go for it. If there are other elements of your new build that you love MORE and must have - and you think they might not work as well with that grey kitchen - go white. Even a white kitchen doesn't have to be "art museum" white - you can influence how stark it is with your flooring, counter, and backsplash choices.

I do think grey is on it's way out as a trend, and beige is probably moving back. The "trend setters" are moving from the cool side of the palette to the warm. That's OK. I'm still going with cool tones, because that's what I love and always return to.

And ANY trend seems to move down the continuum:

Fresh-->Trendy-->Tired-->Dated-->EEEeeeEE-->Nostalgic-->Time Capsule!

Before we started building our house we looked at a ranch just down the road 1/2 mile. It's bathroom fixtures were that dreaded MAUVE! Now that didn't scare me, there were too many other things wrong with the place that we could not fix, a beautiful knotty pine basement with 6.5 foot ceilings!!

But as most everyone has said. do what you really, really love (unless you plan on selling tomorrow). I've currently got hickory cabinets, came with the house, I love them. I put hickory cabinets in the last house we built. But in my market it wouldn't matter what color the cabinets were, houses just aren't selling, especially rural ones. The market in northeast Michigan just hasn't recovered from the 2000 stock market crash yet.

So in the house we're building I'm going with a beautiful moss green from Starmark. I fell in love with the photos on houzz and when I saw the color in person, it was WOW. Even DH loves it. I might even do a two toned kitchen, there is a lovely antique white that goes beautifully with it, but the green will be the star. I also love the buttercream yellow, but alas, DH does not.)

If you ask a question of taste on a forum then you admit that this is not for you but for a future buyer.

Nobody has a crystal ball but chances are that grey will be dated in a few years. However, it’s a fairly neutral (boring?) color so if you like it (or don’t mind it) it’s a low risk.

I agree wholeheartedly with Holly- as much as I can concentrate on comprehending anything after being called a youngling..:) music, music to my ears. You know how everything else fades for a moment sometimes? that's a moment lol

..'cept me because I wasn't here in 70 s and 80 s lol

If you're young enough not to have been traumatized in the 70's and 80's by what constituted "design"... imma stick with "youngling." :-D

My cabinet guy showed me pictures of a 180-year-old kitchen that had it's original, hand-painted cabinets in it. He was making new elements to make it more functional while preserving the historical aspects. He then explained that the building his little showroom occupies was the town bar, with the house next door serving as the brothel. He's an entertaining soul to work with, and more than happy to be taking on a project that's a little "different." As well as not grey. :-) There's been a lot of that locally, too. In part, because it goes well with the coastal look and this is a lakeshore town. So, again - context. Here, it will probably age well.

Please, please do!

(even thought it's mostly that I'm just not from here..we were years behind you guys. Maybe decades. We didn't have all this jazz. These cabinets, those cabinets..these color appliances, those color appliances..trends in finishes etc..most things were free standing in kitchens plus some storage..we were very fashion forward with our Formica cabs..Countertops, tiles-we didn't have these. Back then. Or nobody I knew did, let's put it this way. We didn't even come close. Except for grand things like subways, sports, ballet, missiles, and whoever first went to cosmos..))

Furniture, we were behind but at least one could see trends changing. If waiting long enough. We did have herringbone parquet:) (except for kitchens and baths). That'd be usual thing to have-old city, older neighborhoods. Straight planks=kitchens. they painted it too often there, for easiness of cleaning as I now understand. You can wash these, The rest one needed to dust and then regularly wax, polish, etc.

Ah, so "not here" geographically, rather than temporally! :-)

I'll still give you the title, regardless.

I'll gratefilly take it

I love both mauve and blush. And I love moss green. Oh I think I just love colors. (And talking about colors. lol) I have my preferences and associations for sure, but I think I'm freer in a sense..not witnessing all these trends. I either like something or not. Some things, I can grow to like more with time. It's a bit like with people..you get to know them, and you find them more beautiful.

The geese seemed demented to me though upon seeing them first, and remain so.

Which is interesting because I really love geese and ducks and when I see them in nature I still behave like I'm five or something, all overjoyed.