Adding more dark saturated colors will absorb more light...with the gorgeous wood uppers and the nice wood floor, stainless appliances and a very dark accent wall in other room... I would do the same white as the backsplash for the lowers.

What are your plans in two years when this half finished look is O.U.T. out? Do that NOW and save yourself a lot of work and $$$$

I would paint the lower cabinets the same dark grey/black that the fireplace is. It would look very bold with gold handles

Bottoms a different color os a bad trend that I think is dying. But since it looks like you’ve already begun and need to finish the job, go with a darker color on bottom. It will look strangely top heavy if you go light on bottom. I would do black, same as the fireplace. It will loook purposeful rather than just a random trend and you already know the color looks good in your space.

Sorry, multi tone kitchens are not dying.  Do what makes you happy.

I would do repose gray, mindful gray or a "putty" color

Think im leaning between black and a brown that is matched as close to the upper cabinets as possible. i know everyone is recommending just getting bottoms that matched but we are first time homebuyers on an older home- so we have a lot other projects going on. for us, it was more resonable to get doors and paint them. so please just help pick a color haha.

Same as fireplace.

https://evolutionofstyleblog.com/how-to-paint-your-kitchen-cabinets-like/

Beth H (pro on Houzz) mentions this blog as a good how-to resource guide and step-by-step if you're DIYing the lower cabinets yourself. I concur with Rawketgrl and think keeping to the current tones is the right direction so I'd color match to the counter/backsplash white instead of adding a third color to the mix in a small space. I definitely wouldn't do a brown paint-that will look very off with the stained wood uppers.

I'm so confused. Why are you redoing the bottom cabinets a different tone from the top ones if you want them to match as closely as possible to the uppers? Were they damaged or are you going for an aesthetic of two toned? If they match as close as possible it might just look like a mistake that they are off and not an actual match. Yes, go for dark, but make sure they have a slight difference to them.

I think the charcoal-ish one looks pretty good.

I disagree about the 2 color kitchen. 8 out of every 10 kitchens we do is 2 colors. It has been around for a very long time - it is just that the position of the 2nd color has changed. Sometimes it is the island or just a wall of tall pieces or the bases different from the uppers.

For your kitchen I would do a color like the fireplace wall - what a great mix with the wood cabinets! Make sure to add some extra lighting for some more drama.

Good luck!

I would paint the lowers in the same color family as the fireplace but 1-2 shades lighter. Stick with chrome/polished nickel pulls. Bringing in another metal in a small space wouldn’t work IMO.

I agree with a charcoal color that compliments the fireplace.  You definitely want to go darker on the bottom. 

On a side note, I love the color of the upper cabinets.  Do you know what color stain that is?

Charcoal looks great! I would not paint them brown to match the uppers. If you want to match, get the same doors up and down. Best of luck!

You need to go darker in bottom. Navy would look sharp.

Thank you for your comment!! and its 'Spring Hill Hickory' from Cabinets to Go!!! @Sheila Kelly

Most people enter a kitchen renovation once in their ownership of said kitchen. Because a SMALL set of people with more discretionary money have veered into two tone kitchens doesn't mean it's a good choice for most. Deb how much does the average kitchen you do cost and how old is the kitchen? It's a risky choice that will not hold it's value for the average homeowner.

The most important person to please is yourself

There are thousands of ideas on houzz. What are YOU drawn to?

Ohhh just looked at Folkstone. A very pretty color.

@arcy_gw

Typical kitchen - all in ( except appliances ) is usually 45-65 K in my area. A lot of the homes are raised ranches or capes. Most people are opening walls up.

Not everyone likes 2 color, but we put in a display about 7 years ago ( small vignette ) that's u shaped with the top painted and the lower in qtr sawn oak. Been popular ever since.

Just like everything else - the pendulum will swing and it might not be as popular but folks will still buy it.

It's just like a white kitchen. I haven't sold one of them in a really long time unless it's mixed with something else.

I leave it up to the client to decide what they really like the best.

Debbi W. Thank you.  It depends on what appeals to you. BTW  I did my 3 tone kitchen  without "discretionary spending" but a lot of research to get an affordable kitchen on MY dreams. Not what others think I should do based on trends

Rach i would love to hear what you are leaning towards

It is so hard to get a sense of how a colour will work as a block, so suggest getting so large - like full height of cabinet and wide as you can and paint with your tester pots. Then put in place against the stove so it gives a better sense of how a block of colour in a cabinet door will look. Small paint dabbles her and there sometimes don’t convey what a large block of colour does in a room.

If that doesn’t make sense…. Suggesting large size card or paper!

Your 2 tone cabinets will be great, agree with darker on the bottom to anchor the cabs & coordinate with FP.

More comments on 2 tone: they are "mostly" discouraged on houzz now, but will share my experience recently helping a friend refresh a condo they inherited & wanted to sell. I researched similar properties for sale in the area - townhomes/condos built late 70's early 80's. Nearly all had original oak builder grade cabinets with laminate counters, no tile backsplashes, in a few cabinets had been painted white. I toured one in the same development that removed a wall, upgraded to an all white shaker open concept kitchen, SS appliances, quartz counters, beautiful tile backsplashes (including bathrooms)...magazine worthy...asking $599K, months later price has dropped twice...still later it's unsold.

We opted to remove kitchen wallpaper, painted the worn finish of the cabs that were still perfectly functional (white uppers, mediterranean blue lowers), added quartz remnant countertop, tiled the backsplash with 15 cent white subway, new single bowl SS sink and faucet, new track lighting, kept existing white appliances & saltilo tile floor (spent $2.5K). Listed for $419K (100 sq ft less than updated condo). 2 days after the first couple toured, they offered over asking and it's now sold. Another friend who was overseeing the property happened to meet the parents of the couple who purchased it...they admitted they all loved the 2 tone kitchen...it was fresh and modern compared to anything else they'd looked at, a space they could use and enjoy for years before considering replacement.

My point: a refreshed 2 tone kitchen sold the condo, when there were plenty of options with one color kitchens...either stained or white.

Definitely agree with having a darker color on the bottom! So leaning towards black/charcoal on the bottom to carry the color from the fireplace!! The fireplace is tricorn black from SW so just in trying to figure out which color from that family. Probably a shade or two lighter so either caviar, black magic, or iron ore. Going to get samples to see how they react in the space! I'll post images once we finish the project. @Stef

Rachel look up Samplize great sized stick on sample colors

How goes it Rachel?

I liked the brown @rachel. I thought the black was too stark compared to the uppers. The brown is in same family as the top so it goes better. Let us know what you end up choosing!

Sorry for the late update- so many projects going on around the house! went with black but a shade lighter than the firepace we have in the living room. It is more of a moody kitchen and I love it!! thank you for all the help :) adding in antique brass handles that match the uppers knobs. *ignore the two drawer fronts- havent changed them yet* @stef @oliveandwell

Thank you so much for updating. I always like seeing the final conclusion to the design dilemma and I especially like seeing real people normal homes instead of filtered professional photos!

I so agree @champcamp -- always appreciate it when people post the final decision.

Thanks so much for updating - this will certainly help alot of other folks.

It looks fantastic! Enjoy your new kitchen!!