When we first moved in I had the ceiling beams whitewashed and the little bit of wall area painted yellow. That gave us a little more light.......just not enough. Now I am just tired of so much pine everywhere I look. I collect images of kitchens I love and long for a crisp, white kitchen or a kitchen of beautiful colors like the one I posted about here.
What do you think of our idea? I am open to opinions and suggestions!
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Posts
Go for it! We have built a house in the Hill Country with a "coconut creme" color for the cabinets, and it looks great with wood floors. If the "longleaf pine" police come calling, ask them to buy the house! Jan
ReplyDeletewhat color?
ReplyDeletepaint paint paint, yes!!! for sure!!!
I would paint it the ivory color in your backsplash- but I know you - SO WELL!! you are going to paint it a color! what color??? so exciting!!!
i don't think my comment went through?
ReplyDeleteok paint! yes!!! I would paint it the color of the ivory in the backsplash. But I know YOU and you are going to paint it a color?
what color though? so curious!!! paint, yes!!!
I lurk by your blog daily, and enjoy it so much, and I think you should trust your design instinct. I always felt it was wrong somehow to cover the natural finish with wood, but when our house flooded and only the painted items survived, we grabbed the excuse to go with painted cabinets, something we had been longing to do. Your beautiful floors will be enhanced by the contrast and I encourage you to go for it!
ReplyDeleteHmmm. I'm going to disagree. The natural wood is quite beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI'm no designer, so take my comments with that in mind. When I look at the photos, I see a lot of warm colors. Perhaps you might change the yellow on the walls to a cooler color. Again, I'm no designer!
Paint them!!! Maybe washed color first, with the wood grain still showing through.
ReplyDeleteRemember decorating is fun!!!
xo xo
It's YOUR house! Do what you want. And when someone else buys it, they can do what THEY want. That way everyone's happy....
ReplyDeleteThe tough part is just figuring out what YOU want; but you're so good at design that it's just another great project/exercise for you.
I know it will look fantastic!
paint
ReplyDeleteI love getting different perspectives. Thank you all! I was thinking along the lines of a creamy white to go with the black and cream tile back splash. Then it occurred to me - McKenzie Childs! They mix a lot of color with black and white checks! Hmmmmm........could be fun!
ReplyDeleteAnn-
ReplyDeleteI just realized this was your blog after I saw your photo! How are you?
I was going to respond before I discovered who it was - anyway. Paint those cabinets! I have always had painted kitchen cabinets and wouldn't consider doing it any other way.
My husband and I have moved to Austin - do you go to Dallas often?
Mary Cone
Hi Mary! thanks for letting me know it is you! No, we hardly ever get to Dallas! I stayed with Lois and Marliss and Barbara at Round Top and asked about you. Were you there this fall? Send me your email address at annw1953@gmail.com and we can catch up.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the input on the paint - you wouldn't believe all the long leaf pine in this house - beautiful but not exactly my thing!
Hi, I am sure it is a hard decision, but one that is yours to make. Painting cabinets is a great idea, and guess what? If you don't like it you can re do. Yes, a lot of work..... I love the color Palm Leaf by Ralph Lauren, would look wonderful on the cabinets, it is a rich, wonderful color. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI would definitely paint! Have you heard of the line of paint called Caromal Colors? check out the website- http://fabulousfinishes.wordpress.com/caromal-colours
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your decision!
:-) Sue
Paint, paint, and don't look back! My parents' kitchen is very similar to yours in that there's not a ton of natural light - she has oak cabinets that I've been begging her to paint, I think it would make a world of difference in lightening up the space.
ReplyDeleteIn your case, I think editing the woodgrain look by way of painting might even highlight the beauty of your floors.
Paint them! You'll never regret it once it's done.
ReplyDeleteI just got this! DO NOT TELL ME YOU ARE ON THE COMPUTER after today.
ReplyDeleteI told you to not get out of bed!
I say paint those cabinets--------
kds
Paint away! The creamy white color you described will look great with the wood floors and granite counter tops. You kitchen is beautiful--I love all that stone work and the beams. Thanks for your nice comment today too!
ReplyDeleteDeborah
GO for it. It will transform the space entirely.
ReplyDeleteI want to see a picture of your vintage teal sofa. Sounds dreamy.
I've had cobalt blue cabinets, black/white commercial vinyl tiles and the palest butter-colored walls in a bungalow--so you should have an inkling of my advice...BUT...(1) why not try a bold color on just the island or maybe only the lowers. (2) Maybe mix it up with several shades of one color close in hue but different cool/warm reds OR (3) Compliments: aubergine island + ochre lowers + pine uppers. It gives the impression things were changed over time, not all at once and you still have a bit of pine to carry through with the rest of the house. I would do lots and lots of preliminary color boards for a multi-color solution.
ReplyDeleteAnn, I've never seen anything you've done that hasn't looked amazing! With all of your incredible finds and pieces, I can absolutely understand wanting a little smoother palette even though the wood is so rich and beautiful. I think the solution is to get a little log cabin somewhere (even if it's in your mind!) that will have all the wood you need for decades. Once that imagination is firmly 'lodged' - paint!
ReplyDeleteI have unstained oak floors and birch cabinets. One of them needs to be darker but I don't want dark floors (won't hide the dirt and dog hair) so what I need to do is paint the cabinets. But I won't because I'm too chicken and/or too lazy. I imagine coming back to this house after selling it and seeing that the new owners have painted the cabinets! So I say, "Go for it!"
ReplyDeleteAnn
I'm a fan of using several different layers of white together. It gives nice depth without making everything look too much the same. You might also consider lining your upper cabinet walls with fabric (It's super easy to do with liquid starch). I've done it in book caeses to give them some extra texture, while still keeping them white. Can't wait to see what you decide -- I know it will be lovely!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI just found your site through your visit to my site. I love it. I'm agreeing with the consensus to paint. Have you listened to Joni's round table with Suzanne Kasler yet? Kasler talks about the white wall paints she likes. Not sure how they'd translate on wood but it's a great interview and possible jumping off point? Thanks for stopping by. Your blog rocks. :)
My goodness, you have a stunning home. But I think I may have mentioned that oh, about a million times! The booth space is going great! I hope you get a chance to drop by and let me know what you think.
ReplyDeleteAs to what I think, I vote for painting the cabinets. It might be a controversial statement to make, but no wood is sacred (not even oak).
Have a great Thursday!
Anne
Oh, I know how you feel! I covet every whited painted cabinet kitchen I see. Can't wait to see if you take the plunge!
ReplyDeleteOh, I know how you feel! I covet every white painted cabinet kitchen I see. Can't wait to see if you take the plunge!
ReplyDeleteI thought I commmented the other day, maybe it got lost... Ann, it probably is more expensive and you like the look of the wood anyway. Could you have someone come in and bleach the wood???
ReplyDeleteThen it would be lighter and retain it's depth...but probably much pricier. Look at all the Belgian light pine and oak. It is beautiful, but if this isn't an option, by all means paint.....:)
I am a Texan also. Did you know that Longleaf pine is no longer available? Personally, I don't see your kitchen as dark at all---and I think it would be a shame to paint those cabinets. Please look for other ways to lighten up the room.
ReplyDeleteIt would make me truly sad to know that you had painted the cabinets. I wish you had not painted the beams!
Hey, your secret is safe with me....PAINT!
ReplyDeleteThink about painting your base cabinets three of four shades darker than the door/ drawer faces. This will add depth to the cabinets and help relate to the darker countertop. YFA
ReplyDeleteI say go for it! You have so much in your house that you are not losing it all over. I think it will look great!
ReplyDeleteI had my kitchen cabinets painted earlier this year - they were a pickled, bleached oak color (it was very 80s, very tired). My painter took off all of the fronts, cleaned them, and painted them in his garage, and his crew painted the bases at my house. Oil paint, because it dries very hard and does not peel off like latex. Oh, the stink! I thought I was going to die. I had every window in the house open, every fan. We went out of town for a week, and it was better when we returned.
ReplyDeleteWe used Benjamin Moore 'white dove', which is the color I use for all of the trim in my house. It turned out so beautiful - a bit of a shock to the eye at first, but I love it. I put some cookbooks on the counter, along the wall, for a but of color. Once I painted the cabinets, my tired old black appliances looked awful. In a strange and happy coincidence, my 21 year old subzero died, and the oven (also 21 years old) was retired too, and I got stainless. So, I feel like I have a new kitchen!
You should email this post to Maria at Colour Me Happy. She will have a definite opinion. She often thinks that painting something light is not the best solution for a darker space, but I get the impression that this space is not on the darker side because of the light, but because of all of the wood tones. Maria also has a great post on white kitchens that you will enjoy. I love the look of a white kitchen with a black countertop.
Paint, Paint, Paint....I am from Louisiana where painting cypress is a BIG NO NO here and I had a kitchen full of it...I painted the cypress cabinets in my old house and I painted them in my new house and both kitchens were transformed!!!!!!!!!! GO FOR IT!!!!
ReplyDeleteI say paint them!!! If you are not happy with them now...then paint away...it will make you love the room!!! My cabinets are a creamy white and I love them! Hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Linda
yes, yes, yes!!!! paint them.
ReplyDeleteand plz don't go white, which doesn't seem to suit this kitchen/house. Love the green idea that you shared. maybe a wash so the grain shows? I painted our cabinets here in Colorado in BM's Enchanged Forest. Like your place, we have lots of wood -- aspen and pine. It was suffocating. Anyway . . . first, I painted an old pine door and set up and looked at it for a while. Can't wait to see and hear what you decide to do. have fun, -susan
I would paint them!
ReplyDeleteEvery time I bring up the idea of painting over wood people (including my husband!) are horrified. However, I have never once regretted doing it!
Definitely paint them!!!
Can't wait to see what you do!
Let me start by saying...I LOVE your kitchen. WOW!!! Now, if it were me...I would definitely paint the cabinets White....Of course, I love white everything. Good luck, and I look forward to seeing what you decide!
ReplyDeleteSusie
Love, love your beautiful kitchen! I vote for painting! Either the soft white or antiqued white. All of my favorite kitchens are always white!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely paint them, and you can do it yourself. Check out the Country Living Artisans Collection by Caromal Colours. You can see some transformations on my website www.3OaksStudio.com and then email or call me if you have any questions. You can do it! You will love how easy this stuff works and you will love the final result!!
ReplyDeleteWhat colour? You have tremendous space and surface: ideal. I have painted my pine furniture into a very deep aubergine; that means when the sun shones on it you can see the deep exciting aubergine teint, but when it is natural daylight it looks like a Grandmothers black. Don't take the glossy shiny paint though; it will not be good.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be really renewed.
Good luck
Gf, I would paint those cabinets so fast I would get whip lash from running... Go for it! It's your house!
ReplyDeleteI love the inspiration kitchen photo you shared with the green cabinetry...I personally think that the green OR a white/creamy paint would be great....I work with two different VERY talented faux finishers that have done loads of work in Austin & are fantastic....email me if you need their name/numbers!
ReplyDeleteLove your kitchen and it would be beautiful lightened with a different color...I think a contrast would be great...what about the cabinets in the creamy/white, then the island in the green (the color of the inspiration photo you had)??
Have a great day!
Jeanette from Austin
www.jvwhome.com
http://jvwhome.blogspot.com
One more thing I'd recommend......(just my opinion!!):
ReplyDeleteIF you went with the white/creme cabs and the distressed, rubbed green island, then here's what I see: Your pantry doors (the doors between the blk/wht photos) would be GREAT painted a distressed black with layers of green/creme paint showing through underneath the black....so, they're predominantly black, but you have these great undertones of the other parts of the kitchen...I can send you a photo of this example if you need it!
Have a blessed day,
Jeanette
www.jvwhome.com
http://jvwhome.blogspot.com
Oh... Please,do NOT paint it!! It is absolutely GORGEOUS as it is!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good looking wood does NOT deserve a coat of paint, think about it.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful kitchen!!
MKL
(I do no have a blog.)
I'd paint your cabinets. However, you may find it too stark. I redid my cabinets and found just that, thinking I wanted the dove white cabinets, or a soft white. Then I decided to to a glaze over them. I had paid two painters to do my cabinets and the paint had failed, turning green, so the doors had to be stripped. I decided to do them myself the third time and did a superior job to anyone else. I love what I did. I learned a lot about paint and techniques on Garden Web. I stripped my doors, filled, primed, painted, wet sanded, stained any exposed wood briefly, and then glazed the wood. I posted online some of my kitchen awhile back so you can see what I think would look good in your kitchen, too. I know it would look good.... I would also change your wall color. It would look much better toned down. http://www.sherichase.com/progress/July2008Update.htm
ReplyDeleteI went berserk and painted my cabinets turquoise once and LOVE it! There are photos of it somewhere on my blog or fan page. www.facebook.com/thepovertydiet.
ReplyDeleteOK, enough comments for today. I think I'm up to 3. I can't tell you how much I love your style. It's exactly what I'm going for in my house. You should have a design magazine or something. :-)
Paint the cabinets, it will simplify and brighten the space and you will enjoy every minute in the room, (as will the next owner). A neutral color to consider that has some character and would relate well to your limestone walls would be Edgecomb Grey by Benjamin Moore. A painted floor in diagonal boxes might be nice as well. It would look great to have limestone counters and the backsplash behind the stove. Then you could leave the island in natural wood to add warmth and keep the ties to the rest of the house, which is beautiful. Just some thoughts.
ReplyDeleteWhat did you end up doing? Your kitchen design is to die for! I like Jeanete's (JVW Home) creativity - something really fun on the island - layer up and distress like a Habersham finish - Sue's link (way back near the top) was to my website - the CC paints really are that easy to use, no priming or prep but its not just that, they offer a final finish unlike regular painted cabs - there is body and character to them... if you check out my site (http://fabulousfinishes.wordpress.com/caromal-colours/) look for the layered color finishes - http://fabulousfinishes.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/sampling-the-samplings-of-caromal-colours/
ReplyDelete