Awhile back, I asked you all to weigh in on my red…very red kitchen . I cannot handle the intensity of the red any longer, and I crave, desire, NEED a lighter, airier change. Seventy comments later, I finally decided on a color! I think. I haven’t actually purchased a sample yet to make 100% sure.
Right now, I plan to go with Sherwin Williams Ivoire on the walls. It’s a few shades lighter than the Restrained Gold that I originally was planning on going with. I will probably end up recovering the roman blinds with a different fabric, but I will wait and see.
Many of you suggested I paint my cabinets white. And as much as I adore the look of this…
And yes, some of this…
So no, as much as I adore tone on tone, I will not be painting my gorgeous, dark-maple cabinets white anytime soon. I am still a stone, dark wood, deep earth tone kinda girl. There’s no changing it.
How about you? Are you sold out on the trendy tone on tone, or does color still have a place in your heart?
(All images from Country Living .)
I am like you. I like the fresh look of white cabinets but I think I would tire of them quickly. My father worked with wood for years and I taught myself to craft using wood. But, I just cannot talk myself into painting my wood cabinets or trim in my house. I guess because stripping to go back to the wood is so time consuming.
I think for me it depends on the whole setup (backsplash, paint, countertops, etc), but I'm open. I love mosaic tile, so if I went with a colorful mosiac, I would prefer darker cabinets. I also love, love white cabinets with black granite (or carerra marble) and white subway tile. I love your cabinets though–they're beautiful with great doors, and if/when you ever need a change, they'll be beautiful white as well.
I recently painted my bedroom and used Behr Premium Plus Ultra (it has the primer built in). I chose a really dark color and put it over white walls and it went on amazingly well! My second coat was really just a light coat to cover up a few light spots. You might want to check out their color selection too! 🙂
i LOVE white. if given a choice i would choose white. HOWEVER, when you first did this post – i admired your gorgeous cabinets. they have the perfect stain color on them. and i think your choice in a lighter paint color is going to do the trick for you & your quest for light & breezy.
hey, have you seen little green notebook blog? she did a post a while ago on how to convert regular (as in big lots) blinds & transform them into roman shades? it is brillant. check it out IF you can't re-fabric your's. i only say this, because the transformation she did will forever be in my mind.
happy paint fume smells to you. 🙂
I am with you! I love the look of white cabinets but my heart is with the dark brown wood! I can't wait to see how it turns out.
Your kitchen is beautiful! I love the dark wood cabinets and your counter tops! I love the red but understand your need to lighten it up. I am so ready to repaint our home interior. A couple of years ago I chose a cappuccino color for most of our home. My husband had already painted most of the walls when I came to check on the painting. I hated to tell him I didn't like the color. It looks so pink when the sun hits the walls. I wanted a soft, creamy coffee color. I will always test my paint first now! Good luck on your color change!
beth that is so funny my living room is painted Ivoire. I am sitting in it right now. I love it. it is very serene and is pretty neutral so it coordinates with other colors nicely. I have cranberry curtains and a moss green couch and a chair with all three colors in it. I will post some photos on my blog so you can see it this week. I am sure you will be happy with it!
beth – painted mine last month, went on the recommendations from the comments here.
did restrained gold in dining room. did blonde, restrained gold & ivoire in great room & did ivoire in kitchen. i love it. i love the flow from room to room except for the wheatgrass i did in the powder room. big mistake. too bright for my house. oh well.
I grew up in a house that had brown carpet, brown trim and doors and brown formica cabinets. So I'm totally against all wood and brown tones now! LOL!
I love white cabinets and had ours painted when we moved in.
However, I can admire browns in other people's house and I think your choices will look great!
You know I love that color. Since it's the color in my kitchen.. 🙂
You can see from my blog that I am all about color. Ivoire is vvvvvery light. Are you sure you don't want to bump it up to the next shade…. "Blonde"?????? I maybe should mind my own business, but if you like color, I'm afraid Ivoire is gonna feel like white.
All of those kitchens are gorgeous. I know yours will be too.
Beth, if you are interested, I am hosting a pay it forward give away over at my blog. Take a look.
Have a great rest of your day.
I am most definitely both! I love mixing them. And the first thing I thought when looking at this post was that you have beautiful cabinets and countertops. Thank goodness you aren't changing them!
I just painted my bedroom SW's Ivoire and LOVE it. Wait until you paint before you change the blinds. I think the colors may work well with the Ivoire.
Your kitchen will be gorgeous painted that lighter color. I like the red but I can see where you'd be tired of it. And I definitely am with you. Don't paint the cabinets! I do however, LOVE white kitchens but I like the darker wood designs you posted too. I like both ways I guess. 🙂 Can't wait to see the AFTER photos.
I agree with Trixie. The time to paint is when they are ugly and outdated. Yours are not. 🙂
Yes, I love white, or even antique white, but a year ago when I outfitted my kitchen with new cabs, I couldn't do it.
I'm fussy about tones and I lost confidence in the samples the kitchen place gave me. I was worried they wouldn't match my walls. I'm fussy! I can see what others can't and I drive me crazy.
I went with wood so I wouldn't have to deal. Do I wish I had the antique white? Sometimes. But I honestly think my alder shaker will stand the test of time. I compensate by adding whites elsewhere.
Here they are:
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/2009/09/home-tour-kitchen.html
Happy kitchen painting! You will love your kitchen so much more with more contrast between the walls and cabs. The 'cave feeling' two darks together cause is about to disappear. 🙂
Donna
I LOVE earthy tones, too. Although, I've consider different trends a million times over, I always come back to the classic warm tones. It appears you and I share similar styles. How fun to have a kitchen makeover!!
I like your cabinets and I'm a color girl too !
I think it will look fantastic, Beth. You can get that color-matched at Home Depot, too. Just don't forget to do a sample ~ just to be sure!
My cabinets ARE an Ivory white with a woodgrain finish (came with the rental I am happy to say ♥)
My walls are Egg Shell blue (for now). Decorations mostly ivory and pink. Not in fashion, but WHO cares about fashion lol. I LOVE pink and Ivory.
I would not paint your cabinets (I think)
I love color. But I also would LOVE white cabinets!! Maybe someday… Good luck with your painting! I am sure it will look gorgeous!!
XOXO
Jen
I'm so excited to see it. I don't think I ever was a deep color girl so I'm happy for the trendiness of light colors with splashes of bright to help feed what's more natural to me (at least for now)
I think the paint will look really great. My cabinets are actually a beautiful olive green with brown washing. They are absolutely gorgeous, but everyone thought I was CRAZY for ordering them!
I'd love to have white cabinets – but i think your cabinets and the paint you chose are going to look fabulous!!
I think we're going to go with light green cabinets and even lighter green walls… I think. I just don't think I can do white on white. Mom's love of color is just too deeply ingrained in us!
I have lovely natural cherry cabinets and Sherwin Williams Anjou Pear on the walls and it gives me the warm homey look I like. I would never paint your beautiful cabinets!
I personally like both looks, dark cabinets and white cabinets are great. I think most people paint their cabinets when the wood is ugly, your isn't so keep them.
Oh my! Your stained cabinets are beautiful! Don't ever paint them white! I'm sure changing the paint color will give you a whole new look. And yes, start looking for new fabric for your blinds to match. Can't wait to see it all done!
The tone on tone is stunning, but if everybody did their kitchen using it…well then it would be sooooo boring…be yourself! I think the ivoire shade and your dark cabinets will look outstanding…go for it!
Blessings,
Linda
I'm soooo glad you aren't painting your beautiful cabinets! I painted mine but that was a necessity as they aren't "great" cabinets and they were nasty not a natural tone and at the time was the only option for me:) Hopefully this year we'll get a new kitchen…we'll see:) Since my sweetie is a cabinet maker I won't have to pay for Labor, but we will have to pay someone to come in on their off time and do the stain and finishing (he's not allowed via dr orders)and then when all the cabinets are down we're going to rip out everything and paint and put in new flooring:) YAY Praying that this will be a spring project but we'll have to see…we're not rich by any means, financially but we are rich in love!
Just redid my kitchen too…and i love the white cabinets!!
I love earthy tones, wood, granite, etc. That's not what I have…but maybe down the road. Since I'm Dutch, I love the delfts blue, etc…but part of me would love to have a splash of red here and there using accessories.
Pheeew!! So glad you're not painting the cabinets white. Their beautiful just the way they are! : ) As for me, give me color baby!! No tone on tone for this chickie! : )
https://www.davidtsmith.com/newsite/custom_kit.asp
Love to look at this site
I'm giving you two thumbs up for sticking with what YOU like and not changing just b/c of the trends. 🙂 I think the new color will be great, and I can't wait to see.
I've been toying with a new color for my kitchen too. I have white cabinets, light yellow walls, and the chair rail and everything below is white. I am tired of the yellow…I think I want another neutral….
Hi Beth.
I too adore white cabinetry, but deep down I know that it would not work for us. I will stick with my wood tones, and simply drool over the white cabinetry that I do not have to clean. 😉
I'm excited to see the changes. Your cabinetry is beautiful! The light color on the walls will make it even nicer.
I've been waiting to see what color you decided to paint your kitchen. I think the color will look great with your warm cabinets and granite. Can't wait to see the finished project.
Beth the paint color is gorgeous! It will lighten up your kitchen nicely.
I really love your rich cabinets and granite as is. It's all very warm and pretty!
Have a wonderful week. ~Melissa 🙂