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Paint Remodeling Kitchens

HELP! white dove cabinets and white subway tile clash

last month

We are in the process of updating our kitchen. Walls and cabinets are now painted white dove (different sheens) and we put in a meringue white 3x12 subway tile. I love the updates on their own but they are not working together. I still don’t have hardware or the last light pendant installed but I’m not sure that will be the thing that pulls it together.

Thoughts on how to tie it altogether without having to redo the backsplash?

Featured Answer

Verbo

last month

last modified: last month

You need to repaint the walls and trim different whites and light natural tans than the cabinets. Using multiple white choices looks deliberate. Having just 1 be a different tone looks like a mistake.

Also add natural wood and wicker, and bamboo, etc. That’s the bridge to pulling it all together. Like a butcher block top for the island, and a matching wood accent strip on the cold metal hood, and a wicker pendant light, instead of the cold glass one.

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Comments (11)

kculbers
last month
Whites in a kitchen dont have to match. Different whites in a kitchen are fine! Dont overthink it. Look at Houzz pictures of “white kitchens”, and you will see all different shades of white materials in the kitchems.
dan1888
last month
- You can impact the tones with one of the different 'temperature' led bulbs. .""Lower temperature bulbs produce warm-whites, similar to a fire, while medium temperature bulbs produce neutral-whites, and higher temperature bulbs produce cool-whites or mimic daylight." Link. If that doesn't do it you can change the tile. I'd choose a matte finished tile in a complimentary tone. Do samples. of course.
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nik, Welcome! A couple of thoughts: if you love absolute black but are worried about maintenance, look at a leathered finish. It is much more forgiving than the polished finish to smudges, etc. There might be a reason you aren't seeing a lot of pictures with your color cabs and white tile - you might be right and it might be too bright. Try to get some sample tiles and bring them home and tape them to the wall to get an idea. You might find the answer really fast! Check the Finished Kitchen blog and Backsplash slideshow (link to FKB below, backsplash slideshow at FKB) for more pics to see if anyone else has done it - there are lots of successful rule breakers here! Maybe consider an off-white subway. Again checking a sample in your kitchen with your cabs and counter will help. If you both love the glass mosaic you might be able to incorporate it in a small area - like behind the backsplash or as an accent with 2 or 3 rows of mosaic between rows of subway - there are some examples in the finished backsplashes. Finally, congrats on making it this far! Here is a link that might be useful: Finished Kitchens
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White can be very tricky. Do you have a sample piece that you can bring around with you? Also when you zero in on a white, try to get a sample board or order as many samples as you can so you can line them up. I installed a white crackle that showed a greyish cast. We tore it out and replaced it with another tile. I have Dove White cabinets but my granite is giallo ornamental(long story) not the best choice with the Dove White. Your soapstone will blend in with whatever white you choose. But you need to look at it at various times of the day and with your lighting. I got advise from various tile stores. Some are better than others but they will help steer you. Also, have you check the Finished Kitchen Blog? Good luck!
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theresa21
last month
I think your kitchen is stunning! And I don't think the tile clashes with your cabinets at all.
Rachel Lee
last month
I think it’s going to be fine when you get everything done and accessorized.
cat_ky
last month
On the one picture, it all looks good together. On another, the cabinets look more yellow. Please change out your light bulbs to a cooler white (daylight type bulbs, please in 3500 to 4000k led).
Mellisa Allen
Original Author
last month
Thank you all for the feedback. We will try adjusting the lights but fir me it’s really important that it looks great in natural light.
Here is a zoomed out pic from this morning.
cpartist
last month
It's fine as is. Whites will never match 100% even if you used the exact same white because you're on different materials and different surfaces.

I purposely chose a different white than my trim for my cabinets.
herbflavor
last month
the cabinets are warmer on the walls than below the counter....but then back in the corner it looks shadowy.... the natural uv comes in at various angles different times of day and different times of year. what you have is fine dont keep going in circles...match here and then something else there is off......the only thing would be a color to the tile to make the "white " story be laid to rest.
ILoveRed
last month
Get your hardware on and reassess. i think it will not only be fine but will look good.
Mellisa Allen
Original Author
29 days ago
Thank you for all the great feedback and input. We are going to get the hardware on and our decor back in to see how it looks.

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