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colour scheme idea for farmhouse kitchen with terracotta quarry tiles

6 years ago

We are moving into a Victorian stone farmhouse in Wales, and are hoping to do it up a bit. I am a bit stuck with the kitchen and am hoping for some ideas for colour scheme. The floor is terracotta quarry tile, and there are wooden cabinets with a granite worktop. I want to keep the terracotta tiles and the granite worktop, but paint the cabinets to freshen it up a bit. But what colour would go with terracotta (dark orange and brown) and granite (dark charcoal colour)? There is currently a black Rayburn there too but we want to replace that with an Aga one day, probably cream-coloured. Our kettle, toaster etc. are cream. Any ideas would be great!

Here is the floor:

and here is another pic where you can see the granite worktop in the corner (the blue tiles we will definitely replace, probably with cream-coloured ones...)

Featured Answer

Holly Stockley

6 years ago

I think sage green cabinets would just be lovely with what you have going on:

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Comments (28)

PRO
RL Relocation LLC
6 years ago
question, why do you have two stoves? wouldn't that space be much better for storage. just a thought. I think the cabinet are well off the way they are. Perhaps you add a cream coloured island or kitchen table?
HU-267787538 thanked RL Relocation LLC
User
6 years ago
Oh, what a wonderful place you have! Would love to see more photos, if you have any you'd like to share. The old cottages and farmhouses in England and Wales make my heart go pitter-patter. (My ancestors hailed from Wales. It's in my blood.)

I actually like the wood tone of the cabinets, and might think of replacing the tile backsplash instead. Can only see a small portion of it, but it appears to be randomly-placed blue and white tiles. (Then again, perhaps that's traditional?) I'd stick with neutral colors and natural elements. The tile floor is wonderful. We stayed in a Victorian cottage in Wiltshire last year with an identical-looking kitchen floor
HU-267787538 thanked User
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HU-267787538
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks for your reply! Well, the Rayburn is solid fuel and so a bit impractical for everyday cooking unless you are really dedicated. But its a pretty traditional part of the farmhouse kitchen and the warmth from it will probably be much needed. Yes, we will put a kitchen table in the middle of the room, in cream maybe. You think the colour of the cabinets are good the way they are? I thought their colour was too close to the floor, and it just looks like a sea of browny murky orange to me...
HU-267787538
Original Author
6 years ago
yes IdaClaire they are randomly placed blue and white tiles - I dont think they are traditional, and I definitely want to replace them...interesting that you like the wood colour of the cabinets too. Perhaps I am wrong about them!
HU-267787538
Original Author
6 years ago
ooh like that idea of the sage green!
PRO
Beth H. :
6 years ago
tiles look to be in great shape. Did you know they'd look brand new if you had them professionally cleaned and restored?

looks like you have this type.

http://quarry.tilecleaning.co.uk/tag/quarry-tile-cleaning-2/

I love this look, below, w/your tiles (after they're cleaned!) the lighter wood cabs, quartz countertop (or something like soapstone) and these glazed bricks. gorge!

soft gray, white, black, medium or light natural wood, light sage green, would all look great.
HU-267787538 thanked Beth H. :
PRO
Anglophilia
6 years ago
I love the idea of green for your cabinets, but if you can, I'd ditch the dark countertop and either use butcher block or white Corian or white quartz. It's just too dark with the floor (which I LOVE!). What a dream of a kitchen! I can just feel the warmth of that Aga...
raphaellathespanishwaterdog
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Waves from Wales to HU-267787538!!!

Nothing useful to add really, but love some of the ideas posted above! Cream or sage green would be lovely imho.

That said, in our 400 year old Welsh stone cottage to which we moved a year ago, we also have quarry tiles on the floor in part of our kitchen (it was formerly the living room and very small dining which we've opened up), but ours are terracotta and black. We're part way through fitting new cabinets and these will be a dark taupe/greige (Farrow & Ball London Clay) including the island - I'm painting them myself ;)

Our style is a little on the quirky side so we've also got a bright red Bertazzoni pro series range to brighten things up!

We are using butcher block (iroko) counters.

Our fridge freezer, toaster and kettle etc are cream like yours, btw.

Imho, your quarries are fairly 'neutral' so I think you can get away with painting the cabinets an interesting colour, such as the sage. In a previous kitchen with a similar colour floor we had soft greeny blue (was called Celadon, but can't recall the make) cabinets....

Look forward to your updates!
Holly Stockley
6 years ago
I'm sitting over here telling myself that the hen and chicks backsplash in the photo Beth posted is probably a bit too twee to actually use. But it's super cute. :-)
raphaellathespanishwaterdog
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Just been trawling my photos for one of our floor but haven't got a good one right now. Here's one of our snug (the former kitchen!) floor which is exactly the same....excuse the unfinished room, lol! Walls are F&B Olive.

Will try to take some of the kitchen showing our cabs etc tomorrow and post here!
HU-267787538 thanked raphaellathespanishwaterdog
Anne
6 years ago
following
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rantontoo
6 years ago
Sitting in -31 degree WIsconsin weather lusting over your cozy-looking Wales farmhouse with old world charm....please keep us updated on your progress!
1929Spanish-GW
6 years ago
Love the floor. Here's ours...
HU-267787538 thanked 1929Spanish-GW
decoenthusiaste
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I've got my eye on this Boru Ellis from Ireland. Have you heard of them?
Wood Burning Cooking Stove by La Nordica, Wood Fired Cooking & Baking · More Info
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wmsimons85
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I think Holly’s idea of sage is great. If you have ever heard of Neptune Kitchens they have a beautiful color you can choose which is called Limestone. I love it. I think it would look so pretty in your kitchen. It does have a slight creamy green tint maybe a bit softer than sage. You can purchase just the paint. I found that it is so dense and a super high quality. By the way, Neptune kitchens are made in Wales. Look forward to see what you do.
HU-267787538 thanked wmsimons85
User
6 years ago
Sage for sure! Your kitchen reminds me of home. Ireland. Enjoy!
lovemrmewey
6 years ago
Live with the cabinets a while, replace backsplash and other things you planned to do and then decide about cabinets!
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raphaellathespanishwaterdog
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Okay, OP, so we've currently only got one cabinet (the sink) at the end where our quarry tile floor is. There's a pull-out bin and integrated dishwasher door to go there too but these are not made yet - long story, these cabs were actually designed for our last house but not used so we're getting more made to match ;)

Anyway, from these couple of pics you can see the taupe colour of our cabinets and the cream fridge freezer in relation to our floor.....excuse the mess, it's very much a(nother) work in progress (no work surface yet - it was just necessary to fit a tap after ten months without running water on the ground floor!)
I definitely think a cream or sage/olive green would look fabulous in your space!
HU-267787538
Original Author
6 years ago
@ decoenthusiaste that looks a lovely stove - I am just too busy (/lazy) to cope with a solid-fuel stove in the kitchen, I don't fancy traipsing to the log shed/coal bunker in the rain first thing in the morning, especially as we have a young baby right now. We have lovely woodburners in the rest of the house, which we will light on cold nights though :)
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HU-267787538
Original Author
6 years ago
@Anglophilia I agree, the granite worktop is too dark. Before we knew it was real granite, we were planning just to replace it with a light oak-coloured fake wood top (can't face the stainability of real wood as my husband is the messiest cook known to man and would never remember to wipe up spills etc.). But now I feel like it is sacrilege to get rid of it as it must have been quite expensive...
HU-267787538
Original Author
6 years ago
Ok so the consensus is sagey/dusky green! Love Farrow & Ball Mizzle, Vert de Terre or French Gray (probably can't afford that paint but will find closest colours to that from another brand). And then cream tiles instead of the horrid blue ones, and one day save up for a cream Aga :) I guess just off-white walls? Thank you for your ideas.
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ShadyWillowFarm
6 years ago
Wow I’m joining the fan club! What a great space and I love the old stove. Cleaning and resealing the floor is probably a good idea. Then I’d go to the paint store and get a couple dozen color chips and lay them on the floor to see if any of them really stand out. I usually get several in each color so I can place them in different areas - near the window, over in a darker corner, next to the cabinets, etc. That helps me eliminate some colors that won’t work with the floors, light, etc. Good luck!!
HU-267787538 thanked ShadyWillowFarm
sunfeather
6 years ago
Just - Wow! I can't wait to follow your remodel.
tuckerdc
6 years ago
Seems like i only saw a glimpse of upper wood cabinets....what about painting those a creamy pale and either the wood or sage-y below?

Loving my little mind-trip to Wales. More photos, please!
NewEnglandgal
6 years ago
Hi HU! My first though when seeing your kitchen was also sage . I think it would be beautiful with that floor and counter and it different from everyon else's white, cream or gray! Am curious to see what you choose.
HU-267787538
Original Author
6 years ago
ooh tuckerdc I didn't think about painting the above cabinets a different colour from the ones below...that might be nice!
Nikki Crocker
2 months ago
How did you make out with your kitchen? We have a house with the extact same tile in our kitchen.
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