Help me choose paints colors for my kitchen
October 21, 2010 11:35 AM Subscribe
If you had to paint this room, both the top and bottom parts of each wall and the cabinents, what colors would you choose?
There would be red involved. Either for the bottom half of the wall or in under the cabinets or the cabinets themselves or some combination thereof, but there would definitely be red involved.
posted by brainmouse at 11:38 AM on October 21, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by brainmouse at 11:38 AM on October 21, 2010 [5 favorites]
I have a checkerboard floor in my kitchen and I've settled on an aqua blue/green color. Red would look good, too. I'd be more interested in painting those cabinet doors first, though.
posted by MegoSteve at 11:41 AM on October 21, 2010
posted by MegoSteve at 11:41 AM on October 21, 2010
Something between periwinkle and pale violet, maybe? Or a warm gray...I have a kitchen just like that, but it's an apartment so we can't paint! Envy you :)
posted by frosty_hut at 11:42 AM on October 21, 2010
posted by frosty_hut at 11:42 AM on October 21, 2010
thekitchn.com has a lot (weekly, I think?) of posts about kitchen makeovers, usually featuring clever/cool color schemes. Here's a list if you want some ideas. The most striking ones (to me) usually incorporate a nice bright, deep blue.
posted by phunniemee at 11:43 AM on October 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 11:43 AM on October 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
I would leave the cabinets white, and paint the walls a soft light blue, including the patch of wall under the top cabinets.
You do know that there are endless possibilities, right? Maybe you could elaborate on your ideas. Are you looking for something soft? Neutral? Loud? Vibrant? What do you think of the room as-is? Do you love or loathe that flooring? Give us some guidelines and maybe we can help you narrow it down.
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:43 AM on October 21, 2010
You do know that there are endless possibilities, right? Maybe you could elaborate on your ideas. Are you looking for something soft? Neutral? Loud? Vibrant? What do you think of the room as-is? Do you love or loathe that flooring? Give us some guidelines and maybe we can help you narrow it down.
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:43 AM on October 21, 2010
I'd choose a muted medium teal for the walls and a lighter shade of the same color for the cabinets. Before it went under, Blueprint magazine had a spread on a kitchen they redid that way, and it was beautiful. I'll see if I can find an image to illustrate.
posted by Captain Cardanthian! at 11:43 AM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Captain Cardanthian! at 11:43 AM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Am I crazy for liking it all white?
I'd paint the walls sky blue and leave the cabinets white. If you're looking for something brighter or darker, I like red for the walls.
posted by Metroid Baby at 11:48 AM on October 21, 2010
I'd paint the walls sky blue and leave the cabinets white. If you're looking for something brighter or darker, I like red for the walls.
posted by Metroid Baby at 11:48 AM on October 21, 2010
You know what? I agreed with Metroid Baby. Definitely keep them white. I couldn't think of a great color palette I'd match with those floors, so I did a quick search for black and white checkered kitchen floor. Almost all of them were all-white! So, that's what I'd do. Throw some colorful accent pieces in there like flowers and a big painting and colorful magnets, though. Very classy and refined, yet still a little funky and retro.
posted by two lights above the sea at 12:05 PM on October 21, 2010
posted by two lights above the sea at 12:05 PM on October 21, 2010
However, if you definitely want to go with a warm atmosphere, I'd paint the walls chocolate brown, and leave everything else as-is.
posted by two lights above the sea at 12:07 PM on October 21, 2010
posted by two lights above the sea at 12:07 PM on October 21, 2010
Emerald green and red.
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 12:09 PM on October 21, 2010
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 12:09 PM on October 21, 2010
I'd either leave it all white or go for a 50s retro vibe with a very, very pale, milky jade green. Save the saturated colors for a couple of bright accents, like a teapot or a fruit bowl.
And please, for the love of taste, not red.
posted by the_blizz at 12:14 PM on October 21, 2010
And please, for the love of taste, not red.
posted by the_blizz at 12:14 PM on October 21, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions so far everybody. I should have provided more information and background. The all-white picture is not the current state of the kitchen but rather what it looked like when I first moved in to my house.
Right now, the walls above the chair rail are a greenish-blue color called "Garden Pot." Here's a photo. I originally included the all white photo instead because that's what I'm using to help me be imaginative. Easier for me with a blank slate.
I love the color it is now but it needs to be repainted. I thought it would be fun to try something completely new instead of just repainting the old. I've no immediate plans to replace the checkered floor. If I do, it will be with new black & white tiles or a laminate.
I love the ideas re: the space between the counter and the cabinets.
posted by particular at 12:17 PM on October 21, 2010
Right now, the walls above the chair rail are a greenish-blue color called "Garden Pot." Here's a photo. I originally included the all white photo instead because that's what I'm using to help me be imaginative. Easier for me with a blank slate.
I love the color it is now but it needs to be repainted. I thought it would be fun to try something completely new instead of just repainting the old. I've no immediate plans to replace the checkered floor. If I do, it will be with new black & white tiles or a laminate.
I love the ideas re: the space between the counter and the cabinets.
posted by particular at 12:17 PM on October 21, 2010
I love that garden pot green! Would repeat it (or add another color) over the counter, and maybe add some creative cabinet pulls.
posted by cyndigo at 12:33 PM on October 21, 2010
posted by cyndigo at 12:33 PM on October 21, 2010
I had a bathroom with a black and white checkered floor and painted the walls Robin's Egg blue. It looked really good. I had a lime green shower curtain and towels and white cabinets.
posted by artychoke at 12:37 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by artychoke at 12:37 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Here's a quick mockup I did in Photoshop.
Here's a zip file of the Photoshop file, with layers, so you or anyone else can experiment with colors.
posted by nomadicink at 12:40 PM on October 21, 2010 [5 favorites]
Here's a zip file of the Photoshop file, with layers, so you or anyone else can experiment with colors.
posted by nomadicink at 12:40 PM on October 21, 2010 [5 favorites]
I think any pops of color are going to make it look more cut-up than it already is. I like it all white. You could, if you absolutely had to, paint the upper part of the window wall with chalkboard paint, and swap out the cabinet knobs and pulls.
posted by Ideefixe at 12:57 PM on October 21, 2010
posted by Ideefixe at 12:57 PM on October 21, 2010
Well...if it were me, I would go back to all white, paint the table and chairs white, and replace the tablecloth with jewel-tone place mats and napkins (deep purple or sapphire maybe), and get kitchen towels to match (if I could find any).
posted by frobozz at 12:59 PM on October 21, 2010
posted by frobozz at 12:59 PM on October 21, 2010
I'd do cream white. Like, a tad yellow-ish and an even lesser tad peach in it. Very difficult to get it right, you don't want lemon (I guess). If you prefer two shades, I'd definitely vote for the darker one below. Makes the space look larger.
The garden pot is too dark in any case, imo.
(That said, It all depends a little on what light normally filters in. I might be influenced by having lived in Sweden for a long while, where it's either dark [and cold], or the light is quite blue most of the time.)
posted by Namlit at 1:00 PM on October 21, 2010
The garden pot is too dark in any case, imo.
(That said, It all depends a little on what light normally filters in. I might be influenced by having lived in Sweden for a long while, where it's either dark [and cold], or the light is quite blue most of the time.)
posted by Namlit at 1:00 PM on October 21, 2010
lovely kitchen - I agree with the blue/teal suggestions. My kitchen is painted somewhere between sky and cobalt blue, with white cabinets, and it's a very fresh clean look. I accented it with a lot of blue glass, so that's another idea, if you paint it blue.
lots of design ideas here
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:01 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
lots of design ideas here
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:01 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Here's another mockup, with just a yellow wall, which is all I think it needs. I think you're doing good with putting most of the color in the accents, but doing the wall in a color would add to that with out overpowering or conflicting with the checkerboards.
Here's the Photoshop file if someone else wants to experiment.
posted by nomadicink at 1:01 PM on October 21, 2010
Here's the Photoshop file if someone else wants to experiment.
posted by nomadicink at 1:01 PM on October 21, 2010
Response by poster: Wow, I'm so overwhelmed with the ideas (in a great way). Thanks again everyone.
Right now I'm playing around with a cool turquoise on the walls and a gold/yellow painted behind the cabinets, visible through the doors. But that's just an idea. I am intrigued by going back to all white.
@nomadicink - dude(tte), you rock! I love seeing the colors in the room, awesome.
posted by particular at 1:11 PM on October 21, 2010
Right now I'm playing around with a cool turquoise on the walls and a gold/yellow painted behind the cabinets, visible through the doors. But that's just an idea. I am intrigued by going back to all white.
@nomadicink - dude(tte), you rock! I love seeing the colors in the room, awesome.
posted by particular at 1:11 PM on October 21, 2010
I love that kitchen. LOVE. I wish I had it. If I had it, I'd leave the cabinets white both above and below, and paint the wall a sassy, punchy apple green... probably only the part of the wall above the chair rail.
I'd probably also paint or paper the backs of the cabinet walls - leave the fronts and doors and shelves white. I'd pick something that had the wall color in it, something busy like a bright multicolor stripe. It wouldn't be overwhelming because the dishes and glass doors would be in front of it, but it'd be a little bit of fun!
posted by flex at 1:14 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'd probably also paint or paper the backs of the cabinet walls - leave the fronts and doors and shelves white. I'd pick something that had the wall color in it, something busy like a bright multicolor stripe. It wouldn't be overwhelming because the dishes and glass doors would be in front of it, but it'd be a little bit of fun!
posted by flex at 1:14 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'd pick my favorite color and just paint the big wall and the backsplash, leaving the cabinets white.
Green apple, mustard yellow.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 1:24 PM on October 21, 2010
Green apple, mustard yellow.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 1:24 PM on October 21, 2010
I'd leave the upper cabinets white, and the bottom ones a really deep gray.
Then the whole wall a sort of blood red.
posted by CrazyLemonade at 1:32 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Then the whole wall a sort of blood red.
posted by CrazyLemonade at 1:32 PM on October 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'm about the red!
But I would also do the cabinet doors (not the frames, just the doors) and the drawer faces (not the frames, just the faces) a soft color, like a beige, soft green, or off-white/white. And the framing red! Or appley green, as suggested above. And definitely the two-color wall. It's a shame to have a chair rail and not use it as an opportunity to break up colors and divide the visual space with interestingness.
And, if you're extra special weird like me, you *might* just do all the cabinets white (frames and drawers and doors) EXCEPT the bottom left trapdoor-looking panel, which would be deep red. And maybe the upper right corner drawer face too.
posted by iamkimiam at 2:47 PM on October 21, 2010
But I would also do the cabinet doors (not the frames, just the doors) and the drawer faces (not the frames, just the faces) a soft color, like a beige, soft green, or off-white/white. And the framing red! Or appley green, as suggested above. And definitely the two-color wall. It's a shame to have a chair rail and not use it as an opportunity to break up colors and divide the visual space with interestingness.
And, if you're extra special weird like me, you *might* just do all the cabinets white (frames and drawers and doors) EXCEPT the bottom left trapdoor-looking panel, which would be deep red. And maybe the upper right corner drawer face too.
posted by iamkimiam at 2:47 PM on October 21, 2010
Note that my suggestions necessarily entail going for broke with busyness. But I rather like that in kitchens. YKMV.
posted by iamkimiam at 2:48 PM on October 21, 2010
posted by iamkimiam at 2:48 PM on October 21, 2010
I' do white again, and put lots of extra colorful things in the glass front cabinets. I might do a peachy-cream on the upper wall.
posted by oneirodynia at 2:59 PM on October 21, 2010
posted by oneirodynia at 2:59 PM on October 21, 2010
Before I saw your last comment my first thought on seeing the 'white' photo was a deep turquoise-cum-sky blue above the line and a vibrant lemon yellow below. I hadn't got as far as the cabinets though I do like the idea of painting behind them.
posted by Chairboy at 3:08 PM on October 21, 2010
posted by Chairboy at 3:08 PM on October 21, 2010
I'd do red on the walls and leave the cabinets.
The floor is AWESOME.
posted by mittenbex at 3:35 PM on October 21, 2010
The floor is AWESOME.
posted by mittenbex at 3:35 PM on October 21, 2010
I'd leave the cabinets white, and then paint the walls and the inside of the cabinets yellow like nomadicink's pic color, because I just feel like kitchens should be sunny and warm! : )
posted by misha at 5:06 PM on October 21, 2010
posted by misha at 5:06 PM on October 21, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks again for this newest round of suggestions, I'll keep y'all posted when I make progress.
posted by particular at 11:34 AM on October 22, 2010
posted by particular at 11:34 AM on October 22, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
I love this kitchen!
posted by peachfuzz at 11:38 AM on October 21, 2010