The ceiling has just been plastered (Ode To Joy playing in the background here) and the walls have been given a fresh coat of creamy white. The louvered doors, that conceal the washer and dryer and the boiler respectively, along with the trim, are a glossy white.
As of 5:00pm today everything except the cabinets looks shiny and happy. This includes me. The low grade depression that comes from living and cooking under a ruined ceiling has lifted.
The cabinets have always been a semi gloss white. Should we change it up? Dare we paint the cabinets black? The kitchen is on the west side of the house. It has 2 windows, a limestone back splash and a creamy tile floor, the back splash and the floors create a yellow glow, hence the creamy white paint.
It's a cottage style kitchen. Until the great ceiling collapse of 2011 black and white box pleated valances hung trimly over the windows. They might again if I can bring myself to drag out the dreaded iron.
Only we would have a mini construction
project going on a few days before vacation.
Actually that's not true, anyone of you would do it too:)
So tell me true. What dare we do?
Black, white or blue?
well since you threw in a little French... :0 I would paint them black. That's hard for me to say because I wouldn't do it in my own home but I do love the look of black cabinets. Get out the iron and put the curtains back up, throw in some black accessories and you'll have a (more) charming kitchen. Can you get it done before vacation so we can all see it? :) Merci beaucoup!
ReplyDeleteWell I'm going to have to say no to black but then I live in a small place with not a great deal of light and black does tend to close an area, what about black kettle, storage jars etc, black and white tiles? I do like it as it is though.. so i'm not much help :) x
ReplyDeleteI thought you'd learned from my mistakes. You should never ask for an opinion. You're going to get 10 different answers. That being said, I would not paint the cabinets black because your appliances are white. It's going to break the kitchen up into even smaller bits. I think it just needs some good accessorizing. Where's the rest of it?
ReplyDeleteI love the thought of a matte black for the cabinets. My concern is the butcher block counter tops and the white appliances; may be too much going on. So I am going to say white. Hang the black and white curtain and use black accessories. My two cents worth.
ReplyDeleteLove the thought of black but I'm with Urban C. in thinking it would not flow with the white stove and dishwasher. How dark of a blue were you thinking? I think I would stick with white and have some real shocking fun with accent colors, maybe a wild new rug?
ReplyDeleteI would replace the overhead cabinet doors with glass doors and eventually replace the stove to stainless steel/black to match the microwave. I would also get some hardware (drawer pulls/handles) for all the cabinets - silver.
ReplyDeleteMy cabinets are actually painted blue jay blue:
http://ccyyo.blogspot.com/search?q=kitchen+cabinets
I don't have a big or well light kitchen, but I love them.
Claud
I'm with Steve. Just some cozy accessories (your favourite colour?) and that's that.
ReplyDeleteSue
xo
I too would leave them white. Use black and/or blue for accessories. I'm not fond of the word accessories.
ReplyDeletewhite.
ReplyDeleteOh, have a great vacation!
ReplyDeleteI say white cabinets. No blue! It will create the same problem that Steve mentioned. I like a bright rug. damn, your kitchen is clean. My ceiling is being repaired too. The kitchen looks like Huck's Boneyard.
ReplyDeleteSarah, I can't get it done because we're both working up until the last possible moment before we leave. Well, maybe I can....
ReplyDeletedeb, I like it too...and I do have black covered stools at the high top table and some of the artwork have splashes of black, and the chandelier is glass and iron so maybe i'm good here.
Steve, the rest is right there:) I'll try and get more pics up. you're right, I know. i was just trying to jaxx it up a little.
Bonnie, You're two cents worth were needed. Thank you.
Sherri B., I know, darn it you're all right:)
Claud, Wow , that's ambitious, but knobs sound good. And your cabinets sound lovely:)
Sue, another opinion I value.
Jen, Me either. But I am v. fond of Steve:)
Janet, Okay.
Steve, Thank you!
Shelley, White it is! Sure it's clean, it just got painted and none of the junk is in it. You should see it now!
now i know what goes on when I'm gone...
ReplyDeleteI'm siding with Steve... pleadingly.
GG, No need to plead, you're the painter, you have the last word:)
ReplyDeletei'm with the white contingent. Have the same cabinets and drawers, with black counter and floor the same color. We used the pewter tone drawer and cabinet pulls and it looks good. Overall, I think it's really sophisticated and a few bright spots of color is all you need.
ReplyDeleteGive GG the rest of the week off!
You're gonna kill me - I'm thinking 'plum' or 'rust' or something earthy and natural like that. Natural linen for the window, some pottery on the counter (this local potter would be happy to meet you in Old Town to demonstrate - kidding, it's just a hobby) and maybe a jute rug on the floor. Herbs in terra cotta; your amazing flowers in glass.
ReplyDelete(Have you girls been to "The Local Market" that just opened in Falls Church, on Broad St.?" I'm thinking I can do alright with my various Farmers Market trips, but I like this idea so we are gonna check it out this weekend...)
I would go and buy a roll of cheap wallpaper - cut it to pieces to match the doors, paint the paper and stick in on with temporary sticky stuff (whatever it's called where you are!). That way you will get the full visual effect without potentially spoiling the doors.
ReplyDeleteI say accents of black. I just think of how hard it is to go into a dark kitchen and cook/bake.
ReplyDeleteUnless your kitchen is incredibly light filled, i would stick with white/cream. If money was no object, or over time, if you wanted contrast, black granite tops (after all it is not a huge area), and a black stove with black kettle etc. I love your beautiful painted windows just as they are and am not so fond of textiles in the kitchen, they seem to get all grimy with the cooking going on? x
ReplyDeleteWhite! White! White! Makes the room look brighter and feel bigger. Add a woven basket of fruit and a nice plant/fern. And get those valances up again.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see the kitchen with all the "junk" in it - there's soul in junk.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely holiday.
S
xo
ok, I just came back to see what other advice you got...looks like I'm sorely outnumbered! I was just thinking dramatic and classic but what do I know. :)
ReplyDeleteHave fun at the beach!
Jane..step away from the paint!! It is fab just the way it is. Sinead x
ReplyDeleteI would love to see a really muted shade of green or blue, which would really complement the tile. I would add some hardware with a little sparkle.
ReplyDeleteI understand what people are saying about the white blending in the with appliances, but I think a punch of muted colour wouldn't accentuate them too too much.
For inspiration, check out the Plain English
http://www.plainenglishdesign.co.uk/
and this one: http://seenandsaid.blogspot.com/2009/08/lovely-kitchen.html
I love the colour Cooking Apple Green from Farrow & Ball.
My own kitchen faces north and seems very dark sometimes. I've used a cream paint to lighten it up. I have lots of colour with towels curtains and other stuff.
ReplyDeleteWhite.
ReplyDeleteBlimey, you like to live dangerously, asking us opinionated lot for advice! Instead of throwing in my two-penn'orth, I'm going to send you a photo of what I think is lovely about my new kitchen - black frames, lintels, architrave, and white window frames and doors! Black windowsills too (all matt - blackboard paint, I'd guess) and it looks absolutely cottagey-right.
ReplyDeleteI love the look of Ten June's recently revealed "Cement Gray" vanity which might look great. http://www.tenjuneblog.com/2011/08/big-reveal-our-bathroom-renovation-is.html Myself however, I'm all about French blue, my lower cabinets are blue and my upper are limed. Here's a Pinterest link that's inspiring me now. http://pinterest.com/pin/14961507/ My real advice is to go with what you love, if it doesn't work you can always change it again later. Jo @ Let's Face the Music
ReplyDeleteI would keep the units white too. I might paint the walls a duckegg blue or a warm grey, just to ring the changes. I think I would probably have roman blinds at the windows for a more pared down finish. Anyway, whatever you do I am sure it will be lovely! Have a great weekend, love Linda x
ReplyDeleteYou have a cute kitchen. I'm horrible at decor so you probably don't want to take my advice but I'd leave the cabinets white to keep it bright. And after that, I'm pretty clueless. I'm sure whatever you do will look lovely xo
ReplyDeleteI's say no to black, as it's too bachelor pad for a kitchen, but I'd be enthusiastic about a deep milky grey, that would look chic and grown-up without taking away from the freshness.
ReplyDeleteThe kitchen needs some color. Best combo with what you have, white and tan, is some shade of blue, aqua, or green...but I would put it on the wall above backsplash. Your black/white curtain would look great with that.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteKidding, I'm picturing this: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/good-questions/good-questions-thoughts-on-black-kitchen-cabinets-030198
ReplyDeletelove a kitchen rehab. but I say stay with white!
ReplyDeleteJane~ Wow- there are so many comments that i'm sure someone else has suggested the same thing that i will.. so here goes- leave your cabinets white and paint out the window frame completely in black or blue (deep blue) it will pop it out and you won't need to add window treatments e.v.e.r.
ReplyDeletei'm sure what ever you decide will be adorable !
~ Robyn Xo
Who cares about thecolour of the kitchen? Is it still standing after the earthquake?
ReplyDeletexxx