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Design Dilemma Home Decorating

White on white?!

Elizabeth Rasmussen

5 years ago

Buying a house! Wanting to paint chestnut stained kitchen cabinets white...but also thinking about painting the entire house interior white before moving in. Too much white? I feel under pressure to get the house painted before moving in, and yet it feels overwhelming to decide on color before I know what to do with the rooms. White seems fresh/safe, and I know I want the white kitchen. The kitchen is open layout overlooking breakfast nook and living room. Will the “all white kitchen” lose its appeal if the other walls are also white? Help! Ha :)

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BeverlyFLADeziner

5 years ago

I would live then a bit before I made any color decisions, but white seems safe. Maybe wait on painting the cabinets. Chestnut sounds like a good finish.

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Comments (10)

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Vanessa Empire Interiors, LLC
5 years ago
Hi Elizabeth! White is the new grey and the trend is starting to take hold on the coastal cities of the US right now.... so depending on where you are this space would be ahead of its time for a renovation.

I recently did a house design, and we ended up using Swiss Coffee from Benjamin Moore, and in the swatch it looks off white, but in the space it reads warm white. I love that it makes my molding pop as a brighter white, and it doesnt read Hospital Stark white. When doing so make sure it will match your cabinets. I ended up doing wood uppers and black lowers in the space I am doing, but white on white on white can never go wrong, and will always feel large and clean! Good luck to you!
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lovemrmewey
5 years ago
Yes, wait a bit before you paint the cabinets!
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
5 years ago
I love white kitchens and IMO all white walls is safe anf if you want to add color to a space later it is doable for sure.
Cheryl Hannebauer
5 years ago
move in live with it for awhile & then decide, white on white is safe & pops of color can easily be added in other ways.
RaiKai
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Of course it is fine. You just need to choose whites that compliment each other. I have always preferred white kitchens and white walls, and have white cabinets, white walls, and white trim in my open concept home and am very pleased with it. The whites are all different enough from each other to add interest and not come across as cold (our walls are also a warmer pinky white) yet provide a great background to art and other colours.
PRO
Lindsey Beck / Kitchen and Bath Designer
5 years ago
I would paint the walls white before you move in but wait on painting the cabinets. I would live in the space for awhile and see what you think after that!
Elizabeth Rasmussen
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you all so much! If I do take the plunge and do the cabinets and walls do I match the cabinets to the molding white? Or use three different whites for: 1)walls 2) cabinets and 3)molding? I’ve seen a lot of discussions that pair two whites but what about 3?
Elizabeth Rasmussen
Original Author
5 years ago
Or would anyone dare just doing one white for everything? Way too?
jennybog
5 years ago
I have used Simply White by BM in my whole house with pops of color here or there.Very relaxing white.

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