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Kitchens DIY Design Dilemma

Galley Kitchen Colors

5 years ago

We’re looking to give our small kitchen a facelift. The granite is in good shape and we don’t want to get rid of it so we’re trying to make everything work around it. The wall the oven sits on houses our main air return so before anyone says knock it out, we’re not doing all of that.

Posting a few pictures of what it looks like now and with new drawer hardware on it. We’re trying to pull the black out of it and not the brown/gold.

How do you think black lower cabs and cream upper would look with actual gold handles and not the 1990 bronze ones currently in place?

Looking at any combination of these:

Painting cabinets
Painting wall/soffit
Backsplash
New hardware

We have gray walls throughout the house and a fairly open floor plan on main level. Can’t find anyway to get gray to work with countertops right now. Thanks for any help!

Featured Answer

Irene Morresey

5 years ago

Some inspiration

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Comments (10)

Irene Morresey
5 years ago
What is the name of your countertop, looks quite yellow on my monitor
Patrick
Original Author
5 years ago
Santa Cecelia to the best of my knowledge.
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One pretty much holds as much as the other but the configuration may be better with the pullouts. Depending on what you want to store. The difference, usually, is that the pullouts have shorter sides. Basically, it's a shorter drawer box possibly set at a different height. I usually recommend pullouts over drawers when my client has over sized items such as extra deep pots, etc. Drawers have more of a height restraint than pullout shelves since the drawers usually have a standard height they are set at.. However, some companies have certain heights they install pullouts at. It would be advisable to consult your cabinet supplier about what heights they install the pullouts at as well. Also, measure the usable heights of the drawers just to double check. You can also ask if the installer can "field install" the pullouts. Meaning, they can install it at your place instead of at the factory. This way you can have the pullouts installed to your specified heights (if not an option for factory install). If you're considering pullouts, I'd recommend installing them in a "full height" cabinet. Not in a cabinet that has a top drawer. This will maximize the usable height for each.
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felizlady
5 years ago
Yes to black or charcoal lower cabinets. The uppers should be a cream which matches the creamy color in the granite.
felizlady
5 years ago
The walls should match one of the lighter colors in the granite. If you change the backsplash, the new backsplash should match a color in the granite. With black or charcoal cabinets, I would not put any bright white in the room.
Patrick thanked felizlady
felizlady
5 years ago
I am guessing you will keep the gray wall color because it goes with the fridge.
MizLizzie
5 years ago
I love your kitchen cabinets. If getting rid of the gold granite in lieu of something gray and white without the 4” stone splash is not an option, I would just replace the pulls with something satin bronze, and lay a mini-brick backsplash in a shade of white to match the cabs, grouting with a light but warm color from the granite. The granite is going to be hard to blend with the rest of your house, IMHO, no matter what. The pros here will know better than I, but I think painting cabinets should ideally be done professionally in order for the finish to last, and it can get expensive. Lovely home. Good luck with your project.
Patrick thanked MizLizzie
gracie01 zone5 SW of Chicago
5 years ago
You don't have much in the way of countertops; replacing them would be the easiest solution.
Patrick thanked gracie01 zone5 SW of Chicago
PRO
Sina Sadeddin Architectural Design
5 years ago
Designing around a problem element (aka the yellow granite) will likely end up costing more than just replacing it. Also, professionally painted cabinets are about the same as new ones. If you really don't want to replace the granite it's time to give up on the grey. The wall color is clashing, and anything other than a dark charcoal won't work. A creamy white probably won't work well with grey either.

If you're keeping the granite you need to stick to warm tones. Otherwise save up to replace it and go for the cooler tones you're clearly wanting.
Patrick thanked Sina Sadeddin Architectural Design
Patrick
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks for the advice.

@mizlizzie Thanks. I'm going to look at backsplashes now.

@Gracie01 You're right, I probably need to price it out again. We've toyed with adding a peninsula to the end of the refrigerator side of cabinets anyway.

@Sina Since I have gray going throughout the house, would a tan or some other wall color in the kitchen be a no no or would that be ok? Curious on how everything would flow together.

I'm going to put painting the cabs on the back burner for now, they were going to be painted by myself anyway and wasn't really looking forward to the maintenance of it all.

We're only looking to be in this house another year or two, I guess was one of the main reasons I wasn't sure I wanted to sink much money into new countertops when these are currently fine, just not of our taste.

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