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connie_jurczyk

Can I really commit to green kitchen cabinets??

I'm having "analysis paralysis" about pulling the trigger on green cabinets. I never do semi-permanent colors, I think I'm afraid I'll grow to hate them!


-House is open, with LR, Dining Area and kitchen all in close proximity, The kitchen itself is compact, so I feel like all one cabinet color is best, but would consider different island.

-Hubby is building cabinets, and is using wood species that has to be painted, can't go natural

-Flooring is a taupe-y color with both grays and browns

-ALL of my other furnishings are warm earth tones, browns, tans, greens, golds

-House has white woodwork/mouldings, which I don't like but may be stuck with for the near term

-Favorite color is blue and yet I never use it, because for home furnishings, I can't stand cool colors.


These first 2 pics show as a little dark, tried to take them with lights off to not add the artificial yellow from the light. 3rd pic is with overhead lighting. Please ignore the white tiles, they are going away, and wall color is not set either.


Three paint colors are, from left, Silver Sage, Weekend Getaway, and Saybrook Sage, all from BM. Must use BM because of a catalyst process they offer that my husband prefers for painting. Of the 3 colors, on a website that analyzes colors, only Weekend Getaway is considered "warm" but it also the only one that has a base of "yellow". I've always hated yellow, but it seems all the tones I like have yellow bases. Go figure.


Any suggestions on how I can make a decision? I simply change my mind every day. I will say that all of these colors have made finding a light quartzite or granite countertop difficult. It makes me want to give up and go with a nice safe "cream" AHHHHH.







Comments (59)

  • last year

    Note Beverly’s comment. Everything around the green cabinets will matter.

    As a lover of green, I say go for it. Several greens border on “neutral” - others are “playful”. Some are “bold” and those I would avoid.

    Can your husband paint some pieces of wood in two contenders? Then you can try to find photos with those colors in a whole kitchen. And you can see if you love them. Houzz had an article not that long ago with a lot of green kitchens. Worth looking at.

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    Green is one of my favorite colors (blue is the other). However, I'm not sure I would want green kitchen cabinets, even though I love the look in most cases. But that's me. If you're having doubts about it, think about what other options you have (there are many). And think about why you're having trouble pulling the trigger on green. Understanding what you're thinking may help you pin down a color. Put together some idea books using Houzz. I don't see any kitchens in your idea books. Or maybe you're using another platform.

    The kitchen Beverly showed is really beautiful, but I think the mix with natural wood is the reason I like it so much. If your cabinets are not stain grade, maybe you could add a walnut island. ETA: Walnut countertop on the island.

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  • last year
    last modified: last year

    My preference for warm colors is like yours, and I’d never get tired of green … but that’s me. None of us can say if you would, especially as we can’t see your house, style of decor, other finishes, how the kitchen is laid out, etc.

    I hope you don’t mind me posting a bunch of examples. Maybe one will inspire.




























    If you’re on Instagram, check out the deVOL Kitchens — lots of green examples. They do amazing designs.

    You say you love blue, have you looked at earthy blues?

    Hope you keep us updated, I’d like to see what you decide. Good luck. :)

  • PRO
    last year

    If hubby has not aterted yet MDF is a better material for paint I think a very neutral non yellow green will last longer for other decor. Use proper cabinet paint they should all be sprayed in a spray booth and left to cure before install.

  • last year

    Ohhh go for the green - agree that it’s a neutral, and i feel like it’s one of those colors we never get tired of ❤️


    (FWIW I ordered a custom green velvet sofa last year and I love it even more now)

  • last year

    I love green too, but I think I’d feel apprehensive too about going for it. I still love green kitchen cabinets, but probably not as much as when they first started appearing in design shows and magazines a few years ago.
    I have always loved this kitchen from Houzz. The light taupe/greige cabinets are understated which makes the green island and pendant lighting the star.

  • last year

    la la girl, I have two olive green velvet sofas. :) They look great with anything, and I love blues and greens together (some pillows are blue on it).

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    My partner really wanted green and I got cold feet so we compromised on gray-green (BM Sea Haze), back when people thought gray cabinets were quirky...fast forward a few years and they were ubiquitous. I wish I had been brave enough to just go for the green! (We painted the walls green instead.)

    I will say that we tested all three of these for exterior house colors, and Weekend Getaway was much darker than we'd anticipated when it was painted in a large swath--I'd try that on a cabinet-sized piece of poster board if you are still considering that one to make sure you like it at scale. The other two are more neutral.

    Connie Jurczyk thanked artemis78
  • last year

    @jilly - 🤩 there is just something special about green velvet!

  • last year

    I love mine! Farrow & Ball Blue Gray.

    Connie Jurczyk thanked chinacatpeekin
  • last year

    You say you don't care for cool colors in home furnishings. I would say whites will always give off cool over warm. I think color on all cabinetry is a brave and bold move so it's normal its frightening for you. The green on the far right is very pretty. I think the middle would be too dark and the left would have people wondering what color it is. I do think if you chose a soft blue as the green is, it would read warm over cool.

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    Spanish, your kitchen is so beautiful and charming!

    And Chinacat, it’s always a treat to see yours, too. Love!

  • PRO
    last year

    Patricia is providing good advice about using MDF for painted cabinets. We can promise you that with expansion and contraction, paint over wood stock is going to open at the seams and crack where frames meet panels. It's just the way it is.




  • last year
    last modified: last year

    Wood door frames with MDF panels have worked well for us. Our cabinets were built in 2010 and no sign of any cracks yet. However, we're also in a moderate climate (though our kitchen is also unheated/unconditioned).

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    So many gorgeous green kitchens have been posted, but I wanted to add this one to mix.





  • last year

    If you change your mind every day, you don't have the right color. I picked out a bright green tile before I remodeled and didn't commit to a tile choice for years but still went back to that green.


    I don't really like your samples (but that's me!) but all the others shown here except (no offense!) the block of WWII army green cabinets are pretty nice (to me!). I am all for green cabinets. Just pick a color you don't keep changing your mind about.




  • last year

    Go for it. You already have lots of neutrals, as do I -- have had olive (microfiber) couches for 20+ years and they still fit with my style and furnishings. I love many of the green kitchens that have been attached here, and agree that light counters are the way to go.

  • last year

    We are painting our lower cabinets BM Nature Lover https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-ca/paint-colours/colour/cc-726/nature-lover and the uppers are an off white. We have a 20' wall of windows that face SE so a ton of natural light.

  • last year

    @blfenton That is a NICE color!


    So many of these greens are beautiful. You need to first decide cool or warm and that narrows it down. On my monitor, the left one is the coolest.


    Then dark or light.


    Then live with a big poster board of the one that you like the best.


    I disagree that all white kitchens are cool. Mine is definitely a warm ivory but everyone who walks in says it's "white".



  • last year

    You sound like you don’t want to commit to the green. I love green cabinets in pics and in other people’s homes - not my own. I like white. I’ll be painting the kitchen walls blue and most of my kitchen accessories will be blue with some green thrown in there. All windows have green views. The outside of the house is painted green. I love green, just don’t want to look at it all the time.

    Have you collected a lot of kitchen accessories? In what colors? That’s how I decided on my kitchen color palette. I was obsessed with a blue ombre dutch oven, then decided to paint my kitchen walls one of the shades of blue in the enamel. I keep those dutch ovens out on the kitchen table for decoration.

    Think about painting the cabinets white or neutral, then painting the walls green if you want permanent green in the kitchen.

    Lighting matters too. I have been using 4000K LED lighting throughout and in some places it reads a little green. That gets a little weird. (I miss the incandescent reveal light bulbs.) Green light in a green room - not sure how that would feel.

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    Given your color details:


    I think it’s important to consider/select a shade that is complementary to the above.


    Be sure to look into the paint color’s details/effects (paint samples are not enough for such a big commitment). If worried about living with long term, suggest a less intense/soft shade.

    https://housekeepingbay.com/sherwin-williams-oyster-bay-sw-6206

    Your other choices will have a big influence and can create very different looks. I’d be bringing home samples to test together. This article may help with creating mood boards.

    https://www.elegantstrand.com/blogs/news-1/how-to-use-mood-boards-to-help-you-design-your-room?epik=dj0yJnU9d19sWFBOYllFemNwMmVwTkd3d2ExTnA3dEpDeHRYY3EmcD0wJm49VnpYZ0dpZU1jZzRhX1RGam9JU045USZ0PUFBQUFBR1RmYnJF

    The combinations are just as important as the shade of green in the overall feel of the kitchen. I really like the combo below. Good luck.








    Connie Jurczyk thanked Maureen
  • last year

    Go for the green; it is the color of nature. When I had my 3 bathrooms renovated, I chose sage green for vanities in 2 of the bathrooms. I love green so much, we painted our new front entry door “Baby Spinach”. Best of luck on your journey!

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    First thing I did when I moved into my latest house was take out all the green except the green marble-tile bathroom (floor to ceiling, wall-to-wall!) because it was too much trouble and its kind of a hoot.

    All colors are "the color of nature" (? -- go outside beyond your lawn and look around!), although if you enjoy live house plants as much as I do, green is a difficult color to have covering most of the wall space. I do think green is almost necessary in craftsman houses and looks beautiful in them, but if you don't have a craftsman house, just one option among many.

    Most of the time I see photos of green kitchens that look sucessful they don't have things on the countertops and the cabinets are closed-door. With glass or open shelving it looks great if everything else you own is white, but more problematic if, like me, you have a lot of mismatched stuff in the kitchen because you need it.

  • last year

    kculbers, that is such a cheery door color! Love it. :)

  • last year

    Thanks Jilly!

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    I definately think green can work. Out of the three you’ve selected I prefer Saybrook Sage, but it REALLY depends on a lot of factors. What color are your walls, floors, countertops, backsplash? Here are some other greens to consider:


    Saybrook Sage:


    Connie Jurczyk thanked texmax13
  • last year

    If you love green I say go for it. I love blues and greens in general and chose my favorite shade of blue-green/ Tiffany blue for my kitchen cabinets. House is open concept as well and haven’t regretted that bold choice once. This is our forever home, so I picked what spoke to me.. no worries about resale etc. Good luck.. i’m sure it will be beautiful and make you smile every day

  • last year

    SM: Your green kitchen is lovely!! So bright and cheerful!!

  • PRO
    last year

    I love it..........

    And I'd consider UPGRADING the island cabinet finish to a wood like white oak, and use a stain : )





  • last year

    The more individual/bold the choice the faster one grows tired of it. It's fun to try something NEW but most with the kitchen's in the pics are not REAL kitchens just designer proto types or people who will change again as the fashion fades. Be more than sure of it which I think means going with your favorite color...perhaps you should explore blue more given that's your favorite.

  • last year

    thanks, kculbers!

  • last year

    I agree with arcy_gw…choosing a color simply because it’s trending probably wouldn’t make you happy long term. If it’s a color you truly love I think you likely won’t tire of it. Although white kitchens are timeless and have been popular forever, I just never liked them personally. I have never had a gray wall. I think it’s a sad color, but that’s just me, lol. If you follow a trend chances are that when the trend has fizzled you will likely be regretting the choice. Choose what you love deep down and you probably won’t tire of it.
    I chose a blue shade for my laundry room cabinets, SW Delft.. might be too cool for your taste, but here’s a pic of it.

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    So many of these pronouncements that people make about color and other people -- where do they get these silly ideas? People who love bold, deep rich or flashy color choices don't get tired of those colors. Full stop. There's nothing "timeless" about a white kitchen. I've been in many a white kitchen -- actually my own is one -- that is "outdated".

    If you want to know something about color psychology and eating, look at photos of popular restaurants. True, you won't see the kitchens, but you will see a very careful consideration of what kinds of environment people enjoy being in when they are focused on food and cooking and sharing with others.

    A kitchen should be someplace, I think, that makes you want to cook up something and share it. It's not an art gallery.

  • PRO
    last year
    last modified: last year

    The op stated

    "While I love blue......I don't love it in my decor which leans to warm

    "House is open, with LR, Dining Area and kitchen all in close proximity,

    "ALL of my other furnishings are warm earth tones, browns, tans, greens, golds"

    (I'd add some spice color to that in a heartbeat!!! )

    She doesn't even love the white trim in her home.

    I think a warm green and wood island kitchen sounds very nice for her.

    Take a fabric, something you loooooove from your living space that is green. Any Ben Moore store can match it. blend it and convert to hubby formula for spraying.

  • last year

    Cant figure out how to do replies, this is my first thread. Appreciate ALL this feedback, very helpful. Blue in my open living space just won't work, so i'm pursuing the green. May do blue in my bedroom one day though!


    Jan Moyer, I am considering your suggestion to upgrade on the island to wood i can stain or varnish. with a taupey floor that literally has streaks of grays AND browns, how do I avoid a clash?

  • PRO
    last year

    Do a nice toasty "brown" :) not dark, not too light. Maybe the deepest streak color in the flooring?

    Test a few stains first and Zar will give you the best color tones: )

  • last year

    A quick question…. What colors do you wear? Remember back in the day when people had their “colors” done? I think we are naturally drawn to colors that make us happy and actually look best on us. Do you wear green? If so, what tones? You can chase trends, ignore them, anticipate them. In the end…most things come around at least once in one’s life time! (Avocado Green and Harvest Gold, anyone???). Love that Kohler is reissuing vintage colors for a new generation to install in their bathrooms (even after most of us have torn them out!).

  • last year

    I strongly suggest that whatever paint you choose, whether it's green or something else, you paint a sample door (or two) to make *sure* you like the color in your setting before you commit to the color. Those swatches aren't large enough to make an informed decision -- they can only point you in the right direction.


    FWIW: Saybrook Sage in my house pulled a lot of blue.

    Connie Jurczyk thanked porkchop_mxk3 z5b_MI
  • last year

    If you post a photo of the floor, it will be easier to make green color suggestions. It sounds like you like warm colors and there are definitely warm greens that will work with the rest of your house.

    This is warmer than “ mint green” for example.

  • last year

    I’m doing it! Green was my “gut” choice. It is earthy and so am I.

  • PRO
    last year

    Green cabinetry is very in right now, especially in homes with warmer paint colors and decor. Green is soothing, natural, and a perfect color for a kitchen. That being said, green can go wrong fast, so choosing the color while you’re looking at tile, backsplash, flooring, etc, is the best way to make sure the color won’t come off too yellow or even brown. Some of our favorite green colors include Green Blue from Farrow and Ball and, if you want a darker, moodier option, Salamander from Farrow And Ball. We also have all of our favorites in this project. Here’s one kitchen with the lighter color:



    And then the same color in a different space (it feels a little different as it is paired with warm wood ceilings and flooring).


    Good luck, and keep us posted on your project!


  • PRO
    last year

    Or make your own mix: )

    Made me so happy after dozens and dozens of white? Echoed it in the dining area


    Wrapped views · More Info


    Wrapped views · More Info


  • 7 months ago

    UPDATE: So many times I get frustrated that we never hear the outcome of some of the design dilemnas posted here. So i wanted to let yall know that I did it! Love my Sage green kitchen. We added a natural oak island and hood for contrast and to prevent overdosing on green. Appreciate everyone's advice. Here's a pic.


  • 7 months ago

    Beautiful!!!! And, thank you for the update!

    Connie Jurczyk thanked ptreckel
  • 7 months ago

    It's beautiful! Thank you for the update. I hope you love it.

    The countertop and backsplash choices are perfect.

    Connie Jurczyk thanked RedRyder
  • 7 months ago

    Gorgeous! thank you for sharing ✨

    Connie Jurczyk thanked la_la Girl
  • 7 months ago

    LOVE it!!!! thanks for sharing and I hope it makes you smile every day!

  • PRO
    7 months ago

    Try a darker green like I have done here.

    After | Dining room/Kitchen · More Info


    Connie Jurczyk thanked Flat Pack Kitchen Design
  • 7 months ago

    Connie: your kitchen is lovely!! Enjoy!!

    Connie Jurczyk thanked kculbers