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Kitchens Paint Design Dilemma

Two-tone kitchen dilemma

last year

We would like to do dark lower cabinets and white uppers, but we have a corner with an awkward transition that we’re not sure how to avoid. Ideas? Or should we just do one cabinet color?

Featured Answer

PRO

CDR Design, LLC

last year

All one cabinet color. There has been a trend to install different colored cabinets in a kitchen (last few years). In a few years, these are all going to look like (early 2020's).

Don't date the kitchen. All one color.

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Comments (12)

acm
last year
I'm having a little difficulty parsing your drawings. Is that a lower and deep upper on the range wall, or full height? or is it a normal wall cabinet? and then... pantry cabinets on the next wall?

I think you can do it. People usually run into a similar issue with pantry cabinets around a fridge and just pick one of the two colors for the tall cabinets. It looks fine.

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KT Brown
Original Author
last year
Lower and upper on the range wall, then transitioning to pantry on the other wall. Uppers and pantry are white. It would be just the side of the lower showing next to the pantry.
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it's a good open kitchen which will stand the test of time with island and your ss appliances. Personally, I would do almost anything but thermofoil. In looking at the Thomasville Nouveau choices I would pick the bamboo wafer or something similar...skip the two-tone struggle....and get a more quality material than white thermofoil. It's an open kitchen ...edges and texture , sheen, grain--- everything shows....... don't do thermofoil.
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White cabinets do not get dirtier than dark. What do you mean by wood look ? I happen to love real walnut and high gloss white kitchens but they need to be planned well. This is one way to handle the 2 tones it might work for your space .Notice around the fridge. BTW your KD should be coming up with ideas for this and I see no purpose in the 2 sinks with some proper design the fridge could be where the right hand cabinets are and that would eliminate the need for the sink by the cooktop and also avoid having to work around the island. Is this plan all done or could you post a floor plan for some more ideas.
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@lwfromny thanks for your input! yes, I can decipher it all, no worries. Trust me when I say I have done all my research on vent hood inserts and the importance of having one atleast the same size as your range, preferably one size bigger. The research recommends it being atlest the same size. Im ok with it being at 52 with a CFM of 1200. That was my thoughts exactly, keep all countertops the same to have the cohesiveness; great!
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The light trim all over on the doors etc, doesnt bother me at all. However, that light piece on top of the cabinets, would drive me nuts. I would replace that with cherry. Leave the rest until you have lived in the house for a while. Once you paint it, it will be paint and touch ups forever, so best to make darn sure, thats exactly what you want.
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PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
I need pictures of your space and I agree this whole 2 toned kitchen look is going to be one of those things that says dated just like quartz the looks like marble. But I need to see your kitchen
theotherjaye
last year
I wouldn’t say a two-toned kitchen ”screams early 2020’s.” I did a two toned kitchen in our last house. In 2015.
PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
last year
Generally, I tend to spec one color for base and tall cabinets and one color for the wall cabinets. That's what we did for a couple of kitchens for our clients. See these:

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KT Brown
Original Author
last year
Thank you! We’re going with one color to avoid the awkward spot and to try to stay away from a trendier look. Really sorry the feedback!
cupofkindnessgw
last year
@Sabrina Alfin Interiors The tile floor in the Bernal Heights Sustainable Kitchen is beautiful! Do you remember the name of the tile, what is it made of, grout color and also size? Such a charming kitchen... Thank you!
PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
last year
The tile is a porcelain 12 x 24 made to look like slate. The project has been archived so I no longer have the spec. Several tile manufacturers make similar tile.
cupofkindnessgw
last year
@Sabrina Alfin Interiors Love it, thanks!
PRO
Debbi Washburn
last year
I would have done all the tall pieces dark.

2 color kitchens have been around forever. It is the placement of the colors that is changing. If you design and finishes suit the house, then it shouldn't look trendy or necessarily fall out of favor.

If you love it, do it - no one can predict what the future design styles are going to be!

Good luck
WestCoast Hopeful
last year
We have a two tone kitchen. Our island, base cabinets and pantry wall are dark iron mountain and our uppers are white.

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