Mark Sikes blue kitchen vs OP's

This one was done by mmi design posted on here.

(one day i’ll figure out how to link things)

someone had mentioned just doing an island in blue and i thought this was done so well

These are all very helpful answers, thank you. We have already committed to this kitchen place by putting down a large deposit, when I thought I was going with a more neutral color scheme.

They don't have door-sized samples to bring home, but we managed to at least bring the small square samples home for a quick borrow today. The good news is, I actually love both of them. The bad news is, I love both of them! :-)

The counters will be Cambria's Berkshire Brass Satin Ridge, it's really quite stunning in person!

I really appreciate everyone's input. MOST of you were really helpful, minus the few occasional condescending comments. Look, I'm not expecting to be in designer magazines. I just want a fun, happy, unique kitchen, that makes my heart sing and my kids excited to be in.

With that said, here are a few more pictures. This is the show room lighting, which is very similar to the lighting we will have in our house. When the lights are out, both colors seem much more muted. For a backsplash, I was thinking of doing a pearl/glazed white/off-white textured subway tile, but then today found this one. My first thought was that it was a mermaid or fish tail, and I loved that because we live on the coast. When I read the label, it said it was actually "leaf shape." Oops, to me, it's mermaid when you place it sideways, though I do see now how it is leaves if you install it vertically.

Thank you to those of you who took the time out to show me ideas of what this could look like, along with all of your other suggestions. I really appreciate the positive support and knowledge:-) Okay, here are a bunch of pics! more to come in another post if they don't let me post all. Also, upper cabinets will be white.

last pic, so you can better see the gold in the veins.

Hope Stewart - the lighter blue/aqua is called "Aqua Shade," and the deeper blue is called "deep sky," both by Wood Mode Cabinets I believe.

Beth H. - I love the wallpaper you suggested, where did you find that? And the basket lights?

I love the wallpaper too.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RoomMates-Blue-and-Yellow-Funky-Jungle-Blue-Yellow-Vinyl-Peel-and-Stick-Wallpaper-Covers-28-29-sq-ft-RMK11577RL/312972380

When I searched for the lights I didn't have as much luck. However, I found that there are many similar lights out there. I googled basket weave pendant lights and suggest you do the same.

Regarding color, you said one makes you feel serene and the other makes you feel fun. What do you want to feel in your kitchen? Go with that one. Since both are in the wallpaper, and it is readily available, get that. I think you are leaning towards whichever the fun one is, because of your notice of the basket lights. Those are fun.

I like your project. I like the tile with the leaves pattern. I hope you show your progress.

I vote for the fun one too!! I love projects like this. Thank you for sharing your beautiful ideas and design journey.

Great choices! It’s going to be lovely!

I love both.

Of course I myself have a light blue and white kitchen so you are speaking to me on a personal level

. I don't think you can go wrong with either.

In your original photos I prefered the aqua color but in your second round of photos I prefer the "deep Sky" color.

Which photos are actually in the space (not showroom)?

I would recommend not selecting the color in the show room under show room lighting etc. Take whatever samples you can and live with them in your space and look at them first thing in the morning, mid morning, noon , after noon, late afternoon , evening and at night. Do this for a couple days.

What color are the white cabinets? I may have missed that?

The white cabinet color will matter as well. Its undertone, cool or warm etc. is going to affect how the blue looks.

Also you mention a textured subway but are showing a different backsplash tile (glass pattern), Which is your backsplash?

p.s. the cabinet showroom you are using can order doors in each color for you from the cabinet manufacturer.

Design Interior South , thank you! Do you have any pics of your kitchen you'd share? And you didn't miss it, I don't have a picture of the white cabinets yet, I'm sorry. Does warm white make the blue in the cabinets look more blue, or grey?

And in these next pictures I'm about to post, you can see a few choices for subway tile. I love the mermaid tail/leaf shape, but worry it might get too busy because it will be 3 rows stacked on top of each other? Here are some collages I put together (thank you to the person for finding the wallpaper, I also added a wallpaper I found and like). Our appliances will be the white Cafe line, but GE. Bronze or gold hardware.

My collage with lighting idea (thank you to the person who found that), white upper cabinets, mother of pearl type subway tile, wall paper accent, counter, floor idea (bottom left), and the Aqua Shade sample in my actual kitchen (my lighting stinks!) Sorry they aren't in any organized order.

This is the Deep Sky sample in my actual kitchen

Aqua Shade in my actual kitchen.

Aqua Shade in my actual kitchen (I was trying to prop up the sample in the orientation it would be standing in real life, please excuse that it's sitting on a garbage pale).

idea board using Deep Sky and the "Mermaid Tail/sideways leaf" backsplash

Idea board for Aqua Shade with same backsplash, different floor color

Deep Sky

Aqua Shade with the below suggested wallpaper

Deep Sky in my actual kitchen

Thank you to everyone for coming along for this journey!

The deep sky color is gorgeous in your setting! I love it. Personally, the mermaid tail is too much for me -

I love love both colors. I like the mermaid tail backsplash idea. Both are so fun. Subway tile is okay, too.
But I can’t get behind the countertop choice to go with the other two. Have you seen a full slab of this? I think it is going to be too busy and dramatic . You notice the natural and serene look in your inspiration pics? I think a more subletly veined quartz would be your friend here if you are set on quartz.

I had to look this new product up, it does seem stunning. Make sure if you go with it to go over the template with the fabricator so you can see how the veins will line up at the seams. I noticed Cambria says the veins will patina. I would want to have a better understanding of how what that will look like

Also, I forgot to mention, I think in my heart I want the Aqua Shade (the lighter color), however, I can objectively say I think the Deep Sky (darker) compliments our counter choice better. The counter is a non-negotiable for me. I'm not sure if I should pick the cabinet shade that feels calmer to me, or the one I feel actually looks better with the counter. I think both work, just maybe one better than the other? Thoughts on subway tile versus the pattern?

If the counter is nonnegotiable, I would pick the color that goes better with your total vision for the room. If you pick a color that is calmer on its own, but looks disjointed with your other finishes, then it’s calming effect will be negated, if that makes sense.

I like your vision board that shows Deep sky with the coordinating wallpaper, subway tile, but I think a wood floor would ground the space nicely

If you think both will work, go with your heart! Kitchen remodels are so expensive and you need to be excited about it! I think subway tile is the way to go.

I snapped this yesterday and the color may not be showing true because it was cloudy and overcast.

I have more feedback for you but I am heading into an appt. now so cant give my reply the time it requires.

Short version there are some no's in your choices IMO.

Glass whale tale tile

flooring

Does the floor tile in your mock ups exist or its also new?

Where is the wallpaper "accent" going?

Where is the lighting going? I notice its a semi flush/flush mount. Do you have low ceilings?

I know, I know, lots of questions. Here is one more....

if you answer these you may get more direction with a quick floorplan showing where each of these selections are being considered for.

I love the aqua shade and countertop combination. I like the idea of the "mermaid tail" but I think the material as-is competes with the countertop. Perhaps if you used a similar shape in a more basic white ceramic tile with a matching grout, it would compete less but still accomplish the "feel" that you're going for? I also really like the sample board with the white-oak wood floor, but the flooring question has a lot of dependencies (i.e. what other flooring exists in surrounding spaces? - Wood-look tile next to real wood rarely works IMO).

I also really love that you're doing this for YOU - I'm in a similar spot with my project, and it's sometimes tempting to fall back on safer/mass appeal choices, but you really should spend your money on what is going to make you happy every time you use the space.

BM Solitude may work for you.

JP L Thanks for saying that! You are so right how it is tempting to go the safe route- I'm even about to write about that in this post!

Design Interior South Your kitchen is beautiful! And you bring up a lot of good questions. That flooring is not the existing, it was just something to fill in, I honestly don't know what flooring to use. The rest of the downstairs level has grey wood looking tile, but I don't want to continue that into the kitchen. I'm also not married to any light fixture yet, open to suggestions! And I'm not sure where I'd put wallpaper yet, I might not even have room for it.

I think I am leaning towards the aqua shade if I do the blues, mainly because I feel like if I do the darker just because I think that's what everyone else likes better, I'll regret it. BUT, I am also scared it might not look good when in as full lower cabinets. My kitchen is not big, faces north, and does not get a lot of natural light. I'm attaching a picture of the layout design. Where you see the peninsula will be actually booth seating for 2, because there is a wall right behind it. I also don't know where to put lighting yet, definitely two pendants over the peninsula with some high hats and/or mount light somewhere.

The other pictures I am attaching are what my original idea for colors was before the blue. I actually love this color combo, but we currently have white cabinets so it felt safe and maybe not as exciting. However with a new vibrant backsplash, new hardware, and new white appliances, I'm sure it will feel different. Here is the tile backsplash sample I ordered, inspired by this kitchen I saw online. Love Mercury Mosaics but they are just crazy expensive, so I found this online at Tilebar.

I'm also awaiting these samples to arrive. I know I threw a curveball adding these, but this was what I thought I'd do if I couldn't pick blue cabinets. Would do this backsplash with the Cambria Berkshire Brass Satin Ridge quartz countertop, and all white cabinets, brass or bronze hardware.

Decorpad:

I think my fave is the green backsplash with all white cabinets. I am not a fan of two tone except for a different color island personally. You said a pale blue kitchen has always been your dream. What is your dream kitchen?? Does the pale blue make sense with the rest of your home?? These are two very different looks. Which one makes your heart sing?

I love the aqua blue! Do it! I love my Wood Mode Brookhaven cabinets. Please post pix of finished kitchen

I love the deeper blue! Looks fab with gold and black accents!

I have had this kitchen saved for such a long time..thought I would share…so full of life..saved it for a vacation home.

Okay, I'm really starting to get confused- my husband keeps joking that he's prepared to find me hiding in a corner shaking chanting names of colors lol.

rtpaige03 you asked what makes my heart sing? Having pale blue. I just can't tell if the aqua shade goes well with the Cambria Berkshire Brass I selected? I love the gold accents in it. But that is what is giving me pause about the blue cabinets. Another picture I have had saved for a long time is this one with wood lower cabinets, white uppers, and a pale grey/blue backsplash, which I will attach here. I could try and duplicate this, which would give me more flexibility with finding my dream blue as back splash. If I did this, I'm not sure what would be better- all white cabinets, or wood lower with white upper. When you do wood lower, how do you know what color floor to pick? The rest of my downstairs floors are a grey wood tile, but we don't want that in the kitchen.

First pics was my inspiration pic, the rest are my collages with ideas, I found a tile that looks nice called Lake Moon by Tile Club, yet as you'll see in these pics, it's hard to know if it will look more blue or grey in real life, but it is beautiful either way.

inspiration pic- anyone happen to know what tiles the backsplash are here? and the lights?

If this is the shade of blue you really like, then forget the green. I also really don’t think that aqua shade is going to make you happy. It looks green in your showroom pic, but in your home it is a gray-green color. Either look for a cabinet maker who will let you pick the exact blue or do the backsplash in your favorite blue.

I really think when using wood, it is important to keep the cabinets and floors similarly toned. Not the exact same, but not a grayish wood floor with an orangey wood cabinet. Ithink if the backsplash is to be a color, and you have such a dramatic counter, the eyes need a place to rest. Not sure wood lowers and white uppers, dramatic counter, and blue backsplash would do that for you in the layout you posted above.

Also, with the floors, they really should coordinate with any adjacent flooring.

Reese Witherspoon's pale blue kitchen:

https://www.homesandgardens.com/news/reese-witherspoons-pale-blue-cabinets

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CeuI601DfVF/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=cd14ed3f-1090-4fab-84aa-780ccd8a110d

I think white cabinets with a blue backsplash would be stunning…its also a lot less commitment than a blue cabinet. In a few years if it doesn’t make your heart sing, then your only changing tile.

they do a sampling of beautiful blue tiles

https://www.tilebar.com/top-selling-blue-subway-sample-pack-5.html

You all are amazing. I'm sure it's clear I'm having a bit of an identity crisis here with my style lol. I thought I wanted coastal, and I do love it, but I love the berkshire brass quartz counter more, so I need to work with that. In some collages I make, the light Aqua Shade cabinets work with it, but a little voice in my head say that stylistically, they don't match. I know all white cabinets are a great, safe, probably dare I say better option, because then I can accesorize with accent colors and backsplash, and I will NEVER have to get new cabinets. (But, they ARE wood, so if I did get blue, they could be painted years later).

Project Mode I love tile bar and i already have some sample bundles coming, it's pretty addicting! Great choices, thank you.

anna_682 thank you for showing me Reese Witherspoon's kitchen, I love it! I googled it and her blue definitely looks a different shade in every picture I find, but it does help me see that I don't mind light blue with white upper cabinets!

rtpaige03 you make a lot of sense when you say the eye needs a place to rest. I know my problem is that everything I love, will be competing for attention. I need a star of the show.

The real pickle is, does my counter go with this shade of light blue/aqua shade.

Tomorrow the kitchen person will be showing a rendering of both shades of blue for our kitchen design. I am hoping by seeing that I will instantly know whether to go with that, or all white. I know I can still add fun accents with lighting, backsplash, and the cushion for the seating bench, and wallpaper if there is any room for it.

Here is the big slab of the Berkshire Brass we saw this morning at the showroom, we don't have an island, just counter and two person peninsula with booth seating.

yes, the blue shades match the quartz.

The natural wood cabinets would be gorgeous with white uppers…I would do a wallpaper in the blue you love so any amazing oversized print wallpapers to choose from, add a white and metal gold brass backsplash..it would be timeless.

How big is your kitchen and how much light will affect the color. Previous owners had blue laminate it was in doors of cabinet and they glued countertop to under the cabinets. When we took it out my small kitchen looked way brighter. I suggest if your kitchen is small or has little outside light from standard kitchen window to go with the lighter blue. If its large and plenty of light you could go for the darker color.

I hope you will post pics when it is all finished. I think it is going to be a fun kitchen whichever way you go

I am not sure I am up to speed but it sounded like you were leaning aqua partly because it was paler. The other blue is both darker and cooler/ less green. Would you not be looking at samples of blues that are paler but in the same tones as the other blue?

I am so excited for you! I absolutely love blue kitchens, so am thrilled to get to see one (possibly) come together. This is darker than what you’re after, but is an inspo photo that I’ve had saved since we did our kitchen in 2019.

I agree with the suggestion to ask the cabinet company to order you a full size door in each color. I think that will help give more clarity. And honestly, I think that I wouldn’t worry about backsplash just yet. Let the cabinets and counters be installed and then you’ll have a better way of judging a backsplash.

Good luck with your project!

your 'star' is going to be your counter top. work around that. everything should be 'second fiddle' to it.

witht that being said, i would not do the 'whale tale' B/S. as far as the color blue, i think it really depends on the overall look you are going for. the lighter blue will give u a softer/serene look, while the darker not as much. i think either would work but i feel the lighter leans 'coastal'.

i would do wood tone bottoms, white uppers, and blue B/S, then accent the kitchen in blues.

HU-457756048 that's okay, I've written a lot of long, confused posts on this thread lol. Originally I was looking for an EXTREMELY pale, powder blue. We kind of jumped the gone committing to this cabinet place financially, due to timing of when construction is starting. I am happy with the company, it's just that they don't have the blue I had in mind, though I do like their options. The lighter choice I have is more of a light aqua blue, slightly more green undertones than a powder blue, but that might work, because when in my own kitchen, it looks blue-er, due to the natural light that comes in (which isn't much). When my lights are off, even my current white cabinets seem to take on a blueish hue.

jemimabean thank you! We have our appointment to see the renderings today in both blues, and then will decide. I hope I don't disappoint you and go with all white with a blueish backsplash, but I'm on the fence as of now:-)

And I have the same picture saved that you posted! I do like it.

Katherine Canon I'm not sure of the exact size of my kitchen at the top of my head, but it's not huge. I'd classify it as a wide galley kitchen. Wide enought to have a two seater L shaped peninsula with booth seating at the end. I posted the future layout in one of these posts, if you can go back and check it out.

Good luck! Choose what YOU like, not what you think could be a good choice. if you don’t get blue cabinets will you always regret it? if you do, would you always regret it if its not the blue you wanted…you have to think about what makes your heart happy.

I think the lighter aqua shade would look beautiful with your wow factor quartz countertop. Both are pretty but the lighter one is my favorite and fits the coastal vibe a littler more to me.

I saw this blue kitchen which reminded me of your aqua shade and then with the gold fixtures.

Just for fun I tried adding a feather leaf backsplash to give you an idea of how that might look. I used this one from Encore Ceramics as an example, but they have other colors too. Maybe one that is all one color verses a combination might be the safer choice if you think it looks too busy with the countertop.

Both are very nice. If it was for me, my vote would be for the darker blue...

I didn't read all the comments so I might be repeating something. When considering colors etc. you need to look at the layout of your kitchen. Just looking at other kitchens doesn't help with visualizing yours as a whole. Most kitchens with cabinets other than white or a light wood have a good amount of contiguous cabinets. You have two areas that will break up the color in a small space, the range and the dishwasher. If both were stainless that would be less of an issue. But then you have the refrigerator area. It looks like they are ceiling height, or is one an oven stack?

Two issues I see are:

1. If you go with all white cabinets, will they be matched to the appliances? If not, make sure the whites blend well, not look like they are trying to match but don't.

2. If choosing blue lowers make sure they look cohesive to the eye, not a blue cabinet here, a white dishwasher, more blue cabinets, a white range, a small blue cabinet. Since the range is on a different wall it's less of an issue as far as what your eye sees. I'm not saying it won't work, you just need to SEE IT on your own kitchen.

If you go with blue lowers, then would you go with a white backsplash? If so, then you will have three whites that need to blend.

I think photo shopping the colors on your layout will help with the color issue, especially on the refrigerator side. But also see if the breakup of color by the appliances would bother you.

Unless the dishwasher is already ordered, you could panel it.

I have some opinions on the material choices if you are interested.

Thank you!

rebunky thanks for putting that in for me visually, I love the feather backsplash will be too busy with everything going on.

We decided on the Aqua Shade as lower cabinets (the lighter color), and white others. Searching for the right matching white-ish subway tile. Have a few good samples to work with. We saw the rendering, and I'm really happy and excited. It's by no means a big kitchen, but it will be quality materials, a smarter layout, and little more storage, and a lot more counter space. Plus we get to keep a big window I thought we'd have to lose. We made a few last minute changes today, so once she sends me the updated rendering, I'll share it.

Thank you to everyone who weighed in, gave suggestions, helped me visualize, raised great questions, I never would have thought of all of these things without you, as I am a newbie to all of this! We don't start demo until 3 or 4 more weeks, and who knows how long it will take, but I'll be sure to post pictures of my happy kitchen when it's all done!

I found these pics of Naomi Watts' kitchen and her cabinets reminded me of the shade I chose. If she can do this, I don't think my counters will be too busy:-)

very pretty. hate those floors though.

If they wanted the checkerboard, they should have done this

Now have to pick out backsplash and flooring. As much as I loved the sideways leaf style because it reminded me of a mermaid, it's too busy with blue cabinets and my counters. So I'm going for a white/cream tile. I used to hate square, but I'm seeing it a lot now and it's growing on me, maybe I'm getting sick of standard subway? What do you think? I have these two samples at home, and both go gorgeous with the rest of my choices. The Montauk Gin is more of a pearl, and really gives off the coastal vibes that goes with where we live. But the La Riviera Blanc is such the perfect shade of white with the best gloss sheen I've seen, feels more timeless, I love that too. First, thoughts on subway vs square? Next, which do you like better? Sorry, the pics uploaded out of order and I cant move them Also, the seating for the peninsula will be booth seating like a diner, with storage in it. The door you see will be a pocket door to the laundry room, which is also the only exit to the back of the house. Pocket door will be glass french door.

@HU-860381722 isn't it great to make an important choice? Feel free to share progress photos; it's fun and a learning experience for some of us facing future kitchen renos. I like choosing floors similar in tone to adjoining floors. What colors are the floors next to your kitchen? I decided not to use zelige tile or anything square because it's so popular that it will give a "dated" appearance in future. That's one of many reasons I run away from subway tile too. I was wondering how you felt about mosaic tile for a backsplash. I googled "mosaic tile backsplash beach" and saw amazingly beautiful tiles. It might be challenging to find a white backsplash that "matches" your marble unless you get the same marble for both. I've read lots of posts where people are pulling out their hair. Try to be calm and open to ideas.  :-)

Love square! Particularly on a 50/50 offset install. Looks fresh and brand new. Again : )