When you look through the pics in the linked ideabook, you'll figure out quickly that my rec is to go very dark w/the cabinets. My new bath will be primarily light counters, light shower tiles w/some kind of accent (probably sticking w/a greyish), and my cabinetry will be deep brown/espresso, like my kitchen cabs. All the woodwork in the bath will be dark (baseboards, door and window trim, panelled soffits), and I think it will be great w/marble counters, maybe a light grey glass tile in shower w/pieces of marble for accent. I do want to bring in a color in the backsplash and use it in shower - maybe a light blue? HOWEVER, the minute I read your post, all I could see was the dove grey cabinetry I've been seeing and have fallen in love with! I'm going to do all grey painted built-in shelving in my library (which is a big step for me, my last house had no painted woodwork, not even any stain - just the natural colors of the mixed varieties of wood I used.) I totally get what you're picturing about a beachy feel, coming in from your bedroom. My only concern is I've seen several baths lately that mixed taupe/sandcolored tiles on floor and in shower then used blue glass tiles for accents, and they just looked kind of "off" together. It didn't feel like the styles were headed the same way. That's what I'm afraid would happen w/taupe cabinets. Of course, some of that would depend on the style of the cabinets themselves. I hope the pics I found on houzz.com will help - I've added comments to a couple of them to explain why I thought they might be inspirational. Good luck! Here is a link that might be useful: houzz.com ideabook w/possible cabinet colors

Hi there, Here's your post with pictures: Because of water damage to our kitchen floor our kitchen/dinning room/living room floor is getting replaced. Right now everything in our house is the same wood tone.. the kitchen cabinets, the doors, the trim, the table and the floors. It's time for a change. We also plan to replace the counter tops, skin, faucet, range hood, and put in a back splash. We are most like also going to replace the white range, dishwasher and fridge with a stainless set. This is our kitchen/dinning room now. We plan to replace the light colored laminate floor with Engineered Hardwood Maple in a darker shade.... Flooring link But that would look awful with our oak trim. So I have started with painting all our trim white. I'm still not sure if I should paint all our bedroom doors white too (they are a solid oak, as is our trim.. I would like your thoughts on that. I like what these folks did.. white trim and closet doors but dark doors. Posts like these make me want to paint my kitchen cabinets white because they are so beautiful. Or should we stain them dark, like these? Or should we keep the cabinets as they are and just change the trim and floors like this? If we go white cabinets this is what I�m thinking of doing: off white cabinets, dark brown counter top, and dark brown subway tile back splash. I would love the idea of having a butcher block counter on the island though. I would also love your thoughts on the floor in the kitchen/dinning area. Right now the laminate floor is in the kitchen, dinning room and living room (since we have a very open floor plan). The dilemma is what to do in the kitchen. Should we continue the hardwood into the kitchen up to the cabinets or should we put tile there? If we paint the cabinets white I was thinking we would go with the hardwood. But if we stained dark it would get too dark. Right? And please tell me: Paint? Stain? Or keep the cabinets as they are? Thanks.

I wouldn’t paint the cabinets. First, unless you are an outstanding painter, the cabinets should be finished by a professional. That’s expensive. Second, when you do change the floor, you will be influenced by the cabinet color. I would change the hardware (brushed brass); I would replace the ceiling fixture; and with all the white trim, I would be tempted to paint all the walls on the first floor the same: B.M. Camouflage. Gorgeous with white trim, works with the kitchen floor and the abutting hardwood.

Please take a very close-up photo of the floors with lights on, off (in daylight), at night. On my monitor, I see some slight gold tones, not just gray, which is why I suggested taupe. Please also show us adjoining wall paint color. Since you said you're a design newbie, here's a tip when you either move to a place or redo a space you're living in and want to repaint: --Try out the color on a piece of white posterboard or order paint sample sheets. One company offers sheets for many paint companies. Here's the link for their Benjamin Moore sample paint sheets: https://samplize.com/collections/benjamin-moore?utm_source=google&utm_campaign=nb-catch-all-roas&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=&utm_term=benjamin%20moore%20trending%20colors&gclid=Cj0KCQjwk5ibBhDqARIsACzmgLRKjmE4MZ9ZHrBvUte_nsHzDq98M-xavUUEKfQ-cYhF2N8lzxgbzRUaAmmmEALw_wcB Put the sample sheets on the wall to see how they look against your "givens," flooring and adjoining rooms that are open to the space. How does the paint look during daylight? At night with lights on? Again, choose paints that echo floor color, which can be a lighter or darker shade of the flooring, or in another color that harmonizes with floor color (or countertops, or cabinets depending on the color of the finishes that are staying. Exterior house colors should harmonize with roof color, walkways, stone fronts, etc.) When posting on Houzz, always show all four sides of a room, preferably in daylight with shades up so everyone can take in the entire view of the space. Good luck!