IMO- While I agree with 82mainstreet about painting cabinets white and not expresso, I also believe you won't be happy unless the color combo pleases you. - First, what do you want to accomplish? Are you intending to live in the home for a long time? Or are you painting for resale? - If you are painting for resale, then classic white for your cabinets is your best choice. It has wider appeal. A future owner will find it easier to change the wall color than the cabinets. - If you are planning to stay in the house, you can be more personal in your color choices. - But be wary of fads, especially when painting cabinets. It is much easier to paint walls. From your photo, it looks like your cabinets are nicely finished wood. Personally, I wouldn't change that unless they are damaged. I would just update the wall color, but that is just my opinion. If you do paint the cabinets, don't be swayed by fad colors. I would still recommend white or maybe a pale cream. That way, if you get tired of your color combo in the future, you only have to change the walls to update the room. - Unless you are changing your appliances and flooring, very dark cabinets will probably make your kitchen feel overwhelmingly dark and warm. - Consider your lighting and how you want your kitchen to feel. Does your kitchen feel too warm or too cool when your work in it? - White will give your room a light and airy feel especially if paired with cool blues and greens. If that seems to make the room feel too cold, white or cream can be warmed up with a bright wall color like apricot, lime green or turquoise. Try looking through magazines for color combos you like...or look inside your own closet for colors that make you feel good.

lukkiirish -- funny, the winds breath IS one of my fave colors. (and to anyone who is looking for a magic white/grey paint, I swear, it really is just the most wondrous color!). I also have it on my bedroom ceiling with camouflage on the walls and a white crown molding. I did look at it as a potential color for the cabinets but decided against it when DD and DH said they think white/off white/cream cabinets are "boring" and "trendy". Winds Breath did seem too look good with my counters....i just asked dh to go paint a board and i am gonna check it out. the raffia cream i really like. i think i like it on the wall better than the cabinets, i don't think i like it next to stainless as much as maybe something else. eandhl2 i have considered some pale yellows. One color I looked at was sugar cookie (benjamin moore) but i never did pursue it. When i abandoned the white/cream idea, i abandoned pale yellow. i am not sure what my reasoning was. tinam61 i have talked to some people about the cabinets. They were painters first and designers second (or maybe third or fourth). They really didn't care if i painted them purple or ochre or white. They were interested in the painting, not in the aesthetic. Not sure I would have trusted their aesthetic anyway...even if they were so inclined to discuss it. My3dogs (Maine zone 5A) i do like the pic you posted. I think the grey in the pic is cooler than i want, but i would like to see berkshire beige on the cabinets. i am going to look and see if i can find a picture.

Even though you already have a design for your kitchen (or at least concept), I have been playing with the layout. Trying to open up the walkway from sunroom to front door, so you wouldn't have to go through the kitchen (as in: inbetween countertops). I know dutch kitchen designs are quite different (is often see "european layout"; tall units with appliances and an island with sink and cooktop), but other views might just give you creative ideas. Here's some stuff I came up with: 1. Closing off family room doorway (moved it to the sunroom), new basement door, new pantry, fridge where old pantry was, free walkway from sunroom to front door. 2. "European layout" with fridge and oven(s) in tall units, row of shallow units along the garage wall. Added a bit of garage to the kitchen (top right) to create better flow. 3. L-shape and tall units with fridge, oven, plus a bit of countertop to make some coffee/drinks. 4. A more US looking kitchen, I guess? A closed kitchen means less cooking fumes in the rest of the house. I do like the windows between kitchen and sunroom you already have. Also added a bit of garage to the kitchen (top right) to create better flow. 5. Island layout. No enlarged pantry, but an extra larder unit next to oven and fridge.

I would consider the decor color of the adjoining room for a nice flow. Can you post a wider photo? If it’s a small space, wallpaper could give it some personality.