Wall of dark cabinets with white kitchen?

last year

What do you think of dark stained cabinets on left, dark island and white cabinets straight back and on right? there is a walkway to mudroom in front and to left of fridge. i would like to move fridge to left bank of cabinets which would be stained to match darker island. remaining ”L” to be white.

great design, or hodgepodge?

Featured Answer

Jennifer Hogan

last year

My sister has a Tudor style home and wanted lighter cabinets, but all the other rooms have wood built ins and furnishings so she incorporated a piece of wood cabinetry that matched the stain in the other rooms and used a dark island with the same look keeping the rest of the cabinets white.

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Comments (30)

jck910
last year
Top/bottom 2 different colors but I don't think I would like a side-to-side look
chispa
last year
Are you just painting some or are you replacing all the cabinets?

The kitchen seems very dark? Lots more recessed lights and a light counter (and backsplash) would make a huge difference.
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Prize for most interesting backsplash of the day. A pro painter may charge a few thousand dollars to do an excellent job on the cabinets. If it's the mosaic backsplash (complete with broken Heineken beer bottle?!, etc.) that really is the number one thing not to your taste, then replace it for the same amount of money instead of painting the cabinets. Don't spend money to decorate around things you don't like. The cabinets look like the "designer English cottage" style popularized by the Smallbone cabinet company in the late 1980's and early 1990s. Several US companies followed suit with similar fish and diamond fretwork and wooden dish racks. They were often shown with colorful handmade square tiles, not this style of mosaic. There's a Smallbone kitchen image (very much like yours) on this page: http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/1980s-decor.html
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dpepsi
Original Author
last year
Chispa - basically a gut job. 36 inch range, 42” hood more cans. white quartz
PRO
RL Relocation LLC
last year
gut job means add more light. since this isnt a historic feel i would only do the island dark
dpepsi
Original Author
last year
Kay P
last year
I would do all white cabinets. With wood stained floors.
decorpatti
last year
While it is a very nice kitchen, the inspiration picture seems unbalanced to me.
Sammie J
last year
While a nice size, you kitchen isn't large, so consistency will be helpful. If you do dark/light on different walls, the two sides of the kitchen will appear unbalanced. Either all dark on bottom with white uppers, or all white, or maybe a different island.

Your cabinets seem to coordinate well with your furniture. Maybe a "new" look can be achieved with updating the backsplash, and taking out the micro and cabinets above it and adding a nice hood....
dpepsi thanked Sammie J
elcieg
last year
last modified: last year
Cabinets and the floors are very nice, but everything you have in the space is so dark and dated...the rug, table and chairs and light fixture would be my choice to replace and repaint walls and ceiling a bright white.
Timi M
last year
I would update the appliances with stainless. Otherwise, it’s fine as is.
barncatz
last year
I think it could work. Notice the glass in your inspo photo's dark cabinets and this one (here, blue standing in for the white, with island matching the painted cabinets, obv. I think the back wall upper cabinets might also need glass. I dislike how many uppers there are in your inspo. You especially wouldn't want any on your sink wall, I would think.)

(This photo just to show different wall cabinets than L shaped lowers. Both photos are from UK House and Garden - American kitchens are much more cookie-cutter, in my opinion.)
btydrvn
last year
In looking at some of your other posts it seems you would benefit from a search of Houzz photos to get a clearer idea of what you like….use key words like “eat- in kitchens” or “ two tone kitchens”… or “open airy kitchens”… using words to describe the feeling you want….this will give you a head start on features you love or want to include in your new design
btydrvn
last year
Using a designer is a good idea …but that adds to the expense and does not always insure the best results ,either…work on informing yourself a little more first…
dpepsi thanked btydrvn
dpepsi
Original Author
last year
Thank you all! your comments have been very helpful!
cubby14
last year
Do you have room for an island? Have you made sure of your aisle clearances?
dpepsi
Original Author
last year
@cubby14 yes, there is an island hidden in the pic, i will be including one, as wide as possible while keeping clearance! thanks!
Carol jean Mudgett
last year
If you like your cabinets you could do only white on top and dark on bottoms your kitchen is to dark
jackowskib
last year
I can imagine white cabinets like you describe, but consider changing the backsplash to better coordinate with white cabinets and compliment the same with the wood ones. If budget allows, perhaps add 4 more can lights to get both sides of the room.
dpepsi thanked jackowskib
cubby14
last year
Ah I see it now apologies.
PRO
RL Relocation LLC
last year
Get some renderings done of you space
dpepsi
Original Author
last year
dpepsi
Original Author
last year
dpepsi
Original Author
last year
PRO
RL Relocation LLC
last year
these kitchens are much bigger than yours. your kd needs to show you in your space
PRO
RL Relocation LLC
last year
dpepsi thanked RL Relocation LLC
Kim H
last year
I did that in my small kitchen and I love it.
dpepsi
Original Author
last year
@RL Relocation LLC wow! thank you for that! very helpful indeed!
dpepsi
Original Author
last year
@Kim H thank youfor the pics! its beautiful!
PRO
RL Relocation LLC
last year
i think maybe you bring in an old pie cabinet or something more like its own piece, the last photo you posted.
dpepsi thanked RL Relocation LLC