Natural maple kitchen and den built-ins ... to paint or not to paint?
Buying a home with A LOT of wood in the open concept kitchen/den. Any suggestions for painting to add some contrast or lighten things up? It feels dated to me, although I know warm colors are trending back. Between the oak floors, maple cabinets and built-in bookcases, I feel like it's drowning in brown.
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Do I paint island/built-in china cabinet/desk same as cabinets?
Comments (9)I love frenchkitty's kitchen. I used her kitchen as one of my inspiration photos for my new kitchen, last year. I did not know what colors she used. (Thanks). First, I totally agree that you should paint the desk the same as the cabinets. Second, any reason you are not going to paint the bricks on the island??? Do they match some other bricks in your home? You could paint them the same as the cabinets if you wanted to downplay them or leave them if you like them. Third, I used SW antique white as our trim color thoughout our home, plus all the kitchen cabinets. The painter did glaze the kitchen cabinets with a brown glaze mix and I just love them. They are a soft cream with the brown antiqued look. We used SW Ivoire for all the walls and now I want to repaint the kitchen walls a deeper tone of gold or caramel. I am little confused. What color are you leaning toward for the china cabinet? I liked Patty Cakes idea of using a color and then perhaps glazing over it. I am not crzay about the idea of brown. Too safe and boring. I do love the French blues or perhaps a soft bluish green. If depends on what other colors you use in your kitchen and home. You actually could also do a bright shade of color with no glaze. It all depends on your taste. But not brown. Sorry....See MoreHelp! Should I paint my built-ins and mantle or keep the stain?
Comments (34)I just realized I did not come back and update what I decided to do. I so appreciate everyone's commnets and suggestions. I did have them painted white and love the result! it feels like such a tranquil room now. I don't know if it is just an itch to have something different, but now I am trying to decide if I want to have the kitchen cabinets painted white since to rooms are open to each other. I am not concerned about following trends. The cabinets are either maple or birch. As I have polled my friends and family I get differing answers. I am not good at visualizing and have tried the paint visualizers from SW and BJ but it looked like a kindergartener scribbled on the picture with a crayon! I did try homedesign.ai and no matter how many times I ask for white cabinets, it always produced this picture: I actually really like this look, but it also has new countertops and backsplash. I just wasn't ready to do a whole kitchen remodel....See MoreShould I paint the wood trim,built-ins? Paint and design advice please
Comments (55)Do you know a fantastically skilled finish carpenter? Or someone who can recommend one? If so, have him/her come in and take a look at your room and see what is involved in removing the scalloped edging from the book case and crown molding and if it can be done without damaging the bookcases and crown molding and what the cost would be, etc, and then you can decide about that. You can have a wood refinisher restore the wood back to its natural beauty if it has dried out and or alligatored, etc. Or you can have it painted. The sage green color Flo Mangan suggested is lovely. Just think about if you want to be married to that green color, because although you love the fabric on the little sofa now, you grow tired of it, or it will wear out and when you replace it, you may want to go for a totally different look, but you will be stuck with green woodwork. If you want to introduce a piece of furniture, say an armoire that is very functional for you but the quality of the wood is not that great, you can paint or stain that one. If the rest of your home is in greens, and if you have been a green gal your whole life, why then go for the green con gusto. If not, please think carefully about doing all the woodwork green. I like a wood floor with a beautiful handmade rug. I am partial to Orientals, and the prices on Persians are very good right now. You could get the paler colored Nain or Isfahan, but a brighter colored rug would look well too as it would stand up to the deep green and the deep coral in the sofa. An allover pattern is a good idea as a central medallion might get lost depending on the positioning of your furniture. An Aubusson (yes, they are still being made) or Aubusson look-alike would look great as well, but this hand-made authentic Aubusson requires a serious $ committment to green. Curtains to the floor would be a good idea. If you are willing to make a long-term commitment to green, then you can pick 1. Medium sized print with a botanical print such as a green leaf such as a fern on ivory, or 2. Green and ivory vertical stripe 3. All ivory with a wonderful embroidered ribbon trim along the inner edge, and the trim should incorporate the colors of green and ivory and one other color from your sofa, you decide. I like something that looks and feels and drapes like silk. I know you thought about about an upholstered desk chair, but you need to really think about the ergonomic aspects of a desk chair. It doesn't matter how beautiful the desk chair is if your back or hips hurt after sitting in it after a while. I strongly suggest going to every office supply place in town, and buy the most comfortable chair you can find, but sit in it at a desk in the store for a while. Even if you despise the fabric. You can always get it recovered in whatever fabric you like, or a supple leather. I suggest having a throw pillow made for your sofa is you think you would use one, and if you like to put your feet up, I would have an ottoman made, with the cushion in a floral print in the colors of the corals and green of your sofa, and a ruffle skirt in a medium green stripe to match the stripe of the curtain, or if you don't do a stripe in the curtain, pick one of the greens of the sofa. (I say sage, you say olive, but you know which shade I'm talking about.) And on the throw pillow and the ottoman you will use contrast pattern welting. And you can think about really going for broke with lavish fringe or tassels, etc. Take a look at the Scalamandre web site under trims. There are no prices listed on the Scalamandre website because if you have to ask their prices, you don't need to shop with them. Seriously though, their products are only available through a designer but you can see what you like there and get the best facsimile that you can afford elsewhere. Pink and green go very well together but a bit Palm Beach Lily Pulitzer. Coral pink and sage green go very well together and are tres chic. So if you really want the room to read feminine, you can paint the walls the coral pink that is in the sofa. But choose the pink carefully, because you don't want the room to look like a nursery. And the choose the green carefully too, because, well, split pea soup. A side table to hold a drink, a book, and a small plate would be useful. If you can corral a somewhat larger table from somewhere else in the house, or buy one from a garage sale that would be useful. You might want to bring up a tray from the kitchen and eat lunch in there or someday have someone in there for tea and to discuss a project and you can keep a tea set if you like on top of the table. So think about a small dresser for storage, or a small table, or a set of TV tables (is that what they are called?) This will be a really fun project, and keep us posted!...See MorePaint colors for built-ins, making the space cohesive
Comments (9)Ok, well I asked about the built-ins and got much more! ;) JudyG - I can see why it looks that way in the photo, but it doesn't so much in person. I zoomed out so I could get as much as the room as possible, so though it is tall, it's not as out of proportion as it looks in person. The current color of the built-ins is a creamier color than the concrete fireplace surround and it doesn't look good together. Beth H - The install above the fireplace is made of steel sheet metal. As far as the fan, I did want something minimal so as not to add more to the space in addition to that major metal instal;, though I did question the size and length of the fan with company and the guy, who claimed to work in the industry for 20 years, said he'd never sold a download longer than 48 in and that this size was good for a 16x17 space. Ceilings are 19 ft. I wish we could've done stone; we committed to the metal and when removing the previous surround, found beautiful stone underneath that would've been lovely to put up, but it would've thrown us way off budget at that point - metal was made and ready to be installed. The the brick is still underneath the concrete surround/metal so that'll be taken into the next iteration of this home - which is WAY down the road. Our budget now includes paint and accessories. I love the ideas you've shared and wished I would've seen them sooner! So maybe paint the built-ins the same as the walls and then the cabinets a darker color to stand out? Like the 2nd or 3rd photo. Also adding windows to integration 2. The stair used to be white spindles and copper spirals, it was terrible and we wanted something cleaner, so no, the bars have to stay. Here's a pic of that part of the room: Also - nothing has been 'styled', just livable. I haven't done the bookcases, the sofa table behind the couch is the wrong size and color, also hate the light in the kitchen, but I didn't want to overwhelm this question with all of the issues in the room. Thank you, I appreciate all the suggestions!...See More
GR2323
2 years agoGR2323
2 years agoGR2323
2 years agoGR2323
2 years ago
PROBeth H. :
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoGR2323,
Here is that blue for the island that I thought would break up all the wood tones.
a soft blue gray shown here w/oak. nice pendants, white quartzHere's two of them photoshopped w/your cabs.
Here's a charcoal gray (BM Kendall Charcoal is nice, or Wrought Iron)
Ligher gray.
I also photoshopped a slew of options so you can see what would look good.I kind of like the island painted black with a white top, or even a butcher block. you HAVE to do pendants though and remove the spaceship light fixtures.
I like what they did to this island. and the lighting.
medium navy blue
medium green/teal color
dark charcoal (BM Wrought Iron would be close to this)
and your basic white island w/butcher block in the same wood tone. also gave you gold pendants, over the sink too
basic white island w/a darker walnut butcher block (shown here w/similar oak floors like yours) try to imagine this w/your wood cabinets and the black accents like hardware and pendants lights.
determine the island color you want.then pick a countertop that matches the wood/and the other.
then your wall color and pendants.
GR2323
2 years ago
littlebug zone 5 Missouri
2 years agoGR2323
2 years ago
Connie Stackhouse
2 years ago- PRO
Beth H. :
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agowhat colors do you like? I love blues and greens. I hate reds/browns.
blue/gray could be a cooler hue of blue, but not actually gray. you have to pick the right one that works w/your wood tones.
do the oak floors need to be refinished? Is the top coat scratched/worn? are there bare spots ? does it look tired and little worse for wear? If so, call out a wood flooring specialist (or two) and have them give you some estimates on refinishing. That should be done before picking a color for paint. (or countertops)
From what I can see in the photos the floors look very yellow. that top coat may have ambered over time, making the wood appear more yellow. And I can see some scratches and beat up portions. I'd get them redone if I lived there.
You could opt for a slight darker tone
Or, a more natural finish. Bona Nordic seal
But, I kind of like this one. Rustic Beige by Duraseal
I photoshopped it here, showing you painted white bookcases (gave you two)
I replaced that current mantle with a better looking reclaimed oak beam,and that red furniture just has to go! you want something a bit more neutral,,,
you like any of this furniture?
Natural oak floor^natural and textured items.
Here's your blue grays, with natural woven items, lighter wood, white walls
This is a ton of maple !
after you decide on your floors, and get some furniture, decide on your colors in here. What if you painted the inside of the display cabinet a dark wrought Iron (this color is Iron Ore, SW) and brought in some soft gold handles (not knobs. you have tall cabinets so do some 6-7" pulls) and pendants? All of that would look amazing w/the above lighter furniture.you see how it's done here? the daker book cases? In your room, you could do the rest of the walls, around the fireplace even, with this softer white (I believe this is BM Swiss Coffee at 75%)
I love the look of this room w/the natural red floors. (and yes, yours oculd look this shade)
the other direction. see the matching dark island? (this is Studio McGee. look at her photos if you like this style. Emily Henderson is another one to view)
If you opt for a lighter floor and the wrought iron island color, this color sofa w/the textured elements would look nice
Here's your blue/gray soft white wall color and sofa, natural texture elements.
Bluegray rug, soft whites, light camel sofa, lighter floors.
You could paint over the brick to a white, wood beam mantle, and I gave you blueish gray cabinet color w/white upper shelving.
looks like this
Up to you what you want to do!
Gerry