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Design Dilemma Kitchens Home Decorating

updating kitchen - help with colors!

last year

Just moved into a house and looking to update the current color scheme. The kitchen appears to have a granite counter top similar to Venetian Gold. The house also has very yellow-y/cream trim. Everything is much too beige for my taste as is. Looking to lighten everything up. Most of the window exposure in the main space is SW.

Thinking about - duck white SW for the cabinets. Pure white for the trim. What color would be recommended for the walls?? Or if there’s a better white for the cabinets, I’m all ears. I feel limited with the gold based counter tops. Backsplash suggestions too would be appreciated!

Featured Answer

jck910

last year

last modified: last year

Before spending any money, I would live in the house at least 6 months to make sure the layout works for how you cook.

I would remove or paint that backsplash. Leave the 4" granite one

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Comments (10)

Elaine Doremus Resumes Written
last year
There is way too much going on. Determine a budget. I prefer either all cool colors or warm colors in a room. Just to give you a general idea, here are cool and warm colors: Cool colors: bright white, taupe, ice pastels, lemon yellow, blue red, magenta, black, gray, royal blue, pine green, forest green, chinese blue, navy, emerald green, purple, silver. Warm colors: off white, cream, beige, tan, brown, rust, golden yellow, gold, olive green, orange, orange-red, salmon, peach.
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I have an oak kitchen and found that cream subway tile looked best with my particular wood tone. I color matched the cream tile to a small sample jar of paint and painted part of the backsplash cream and part white. I liked the cream better - but that will depend on your own stain color. If you go with gray, go very light. In all honesty, warm wood tones and cool grays really don't look that great together. Neither does anything for the other. The grays were formulated to work with the white or very dark stained cabinets. Warm wood tones look best with cream, creamy beige, blues and greens. The blues and greens can have a gray undertone, so if you don't like the thought of a cream or beige, look at a green/gray. I do have white trim and I like it a lot, but it was never oak - it was dark stained pine. The decision to paint was easy. Do not paint interior doors if they are nice oak paneled doors. The white trim with oak paneled doors looks fine. Here is my kitchen. It is done in a vintage style - perhaps not your style but has the cream backsplash and white trim: https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~93784356 https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~93784291 https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~57088087 White trim: https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~93784236 https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-kitchen-in-progress-phvw-vp~45783770
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I would not spend that kind of money on old cabinets with worn spots. Start from the beginning and get a KD in there. You may have to save and wait to do what you want, but what you're suggesting is "lipstick on a pig". Sorry to be so brutal but we've seen this happen SO many times on GW, and 2 years later, owner is wondering if she can reuse her very expensive countertops. The answer is usually "probably not".
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Thanks so much for the responses!! I am not sure how to reply individually under a given reply. A lot of votes for a form of white in that space, and I assume that means it wouldn't be too much white. Follow ups for anyone who would like to comment: Would anyone do darker bottoms and white on top? That has been a trend but may be dated. I like the revere pewter thought @mojavemaria, and am brainstorming. We are concerned not to let the kitchen go too dark as there's not a lot of natural light there. I do like the idea of softer white, like @N Johnson is suggesting, and also we want to keep the kitchen fresh looking. Changing the whites seems like we would have to paint all the trim that shade of white, not just in kitchen but into hallway, including three doors (small bathroom, side entry interior, and closet door), baseboards and crown molding, all these in the hallway/entry area. Would you change all of that trim out? And we would still have the white appliances, we are not changing, We were thinking of Greek Villa, but that may veer a bit too warm/would look off vs. appliances. We are looking at Sagey for walls, @cat_ky, it is quite light, 'a wisp of a color' as someone said to me, and counters are relatively light too. We liked Greek Villa with Sagey, it is slightly softer than the trim, a few drops of gold they say. But then you make a good point about the appliances.
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kandrewspa
last year
The door fronts on your cabinets are very detailed and that will make them difficult (more time consuming than a simpler style) to paint. If the boxes are in good shape and the layout is good, I suggest you look into refacing. That would allow you to change the style and color of the cabinets without full replacement. Refacing is more expensive than painting but unless you like the door style might be the way to go for you. If you're keeping the countertop you're working with warm colors, so look at warm whites. Make sure it also looks good with the floor. Of course you need to remove the backsplash. As for wall color, once you decide on the cabinets and get them in place you can think about the wall color. If this room is open to another room the colors used there may help lead you to a wall color.
Heather
Original Author
last year
Thank you! The style of cabinets isn’t necessarily my preference but we’re going to keep them and have them professionally painted. The back splash will definitely be going - they’re wood boards that peel right off. As much as I would love to change the granite, it’s in good shape so we plan to keep it. Trying to find paint colors for the cabinets/trim/walls that brighten the space without looking as yellow as the current set up. It opens to the main living space so the colors will be carried throughout.
la_la Girl
last year
last modified: last year
^ agree, I don't think those cabs will paint well - new doors/refacing would be the way to go
PRO
Debbi Washburn
last year
I wouldn't do white with those counters. Look for a slightly off white that goes with the lightest tone in that stone. Then assess the lighting in the space. That would make it feel much lighter and less beige.

Good luck!
amateurdeziner
last year
I think SW Alabaster would be a good color for your cabinets. It’s a warm white without yellow undertones.
Angel 18432
last year
If you remove the backsplash and 4" piece, you will have a new look to start with. Perhaps paint it til you decide what to do.
PRO
Chanticleer Cottage
last year
I'd do SW Creamy on the cabinets and have them professionally sprayed, as you plan. I'd look at Arctic White backsplash from Tile Shop. Change the hardware to a pretty gold or rose gold. I'm not sure what the wall color is but a neutral would look great. I think you will love it once it's done. Stone is a natural resource and I think it's great to keep it.
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Pamela Harvey Interiors
last year
Perhaps look into updating lighting to LEDs and removing the backsplash that is on top of the 4" backsplash. Please see these kitchen designs of ours for more ideas.
Homey + Open Design · More Info

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