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sergeantcuff

Paint colors for kitchen - BM's blue-greens

sergeantcuff
15 years ago

Any experience with these? Benjamin Moore's Homestead Green, Kensington Green or Rhine River? I like muted colors, NOT anything pastel or bright.

My small kitchen (in 1930's center-hall colonial) will have creamy cabinets, soapstone counters and old pine floor. I won't have a backsplash, or much wall showing other than space between the counter and upper cabinets, and above the windows and doors. I may use some small flow-blue plates somewhere.

Thanks for reading!

Comments (10)

  • amysrq
    15 years ago

    Very pretty colors. You kitchen sounds like it will be wonderful.

    Have you swatched these colors yet? If you really don't like bright, I think you may be disappointed at how bright they turn out to be on the wall. Blue gets out of control in a surprising way! :-) Particularly since you'll just have small areas of wall, you don't want vivid strips of color here and there, I'm sure.

    Do you have the BM fandeck? I would steer you toward Catalina Blue 703 or Pleasant Valley 696, which lay between the last two of your colors, but are more muted. You might go paler, too. Just make sure the blue has a strong gray component to stay away from the pastel zone.

  • sergeantcuff
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    No, no vivid strips! I want some color but you really nailed what could go wrong. Perhaps with these "strips" I should choose a tan or something safer? I knew I needed help.

    No, I don't have a fandeck, nor have I bought any samples yet. I am terrible with paint choices. I have BM Buxton Blue in a bedroom and adjacent den and that turned out well. The kids picked it out, LOL.

    I'm going back to the paint store today to check out your suggestions. The online BM paint viewer is useless to me. I look at the paints I've already used in my home and they look really different. And the modern styles shown in the photos throws me off even more.

    Thank You!!

  • amysrq
    15 years ago

    Nevermind the online visualizers. They're carp, IMO.

    Buxton Blue is pretty vivid, actually. If that is working for you, you may be less bright-color-averse than you think. Of course, every room is different and you are working with cream cabinets now. You don't want too much of a contrast between the walls and the cabs, just a soft neighborly look. :-)

    Don't go tan. Unless you really want to. It may seem like an easy way out of the color problem, but actually neutrals and their inherent undertones can often be harder to work with, harder to get right.

    Here are a couple quick suggestions of sample pots to look for. There are more of course....this is just a start.

    Quiet Moments 1563
    Palladian Blue HC-144
    Vale Mist 1494 (more green)
    Quiet Moments 1563

  • Sueb20
    15 years ago

    Take a look at BM Prescott Green, too. Mostly a nice green but I think it's got some blue in it. I have it in my kitchen in our summer cottage.

  • sergeantcuff
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks again, I really appreciate the help. Choosing paint makes me crazy! The rooms with Buxton Blue are on the north-east side of the house and are rather dark. I think that makes a big difference. The kitchen is on the southeast side, with lots more natural light.

    My contractor has suggested that, since there is so little wall, to paint before the cabinets are installed. So I don't know if there is any point to getting samples because the current kitchen has green walls and yellow cabinets and any blue swatches will reflect that environment. It won't look like it will look like! Now I'm not even making sense.

  • amysrq
    15 years ago

    No, you're making sense! But, keep in mind the contractor is making this suggestion because it is easier for him to paint first. Doesn't necessarily make more sense for you WRT picking colors. Remember, you're paying him. Be nice, but insist on being able to select a color after the cabs are in and the walls are primed.

    Do you have a sample door? You could at least play with colors with the door for now.

  • mahatmacat1
    15 years ago

    We have Pleasant Valley up in both full strength and half strength and I have to say I *love* it -- I tried most of the lighter blue-greens for this area and although I had Palladian Blue in our last house and loved it too, the light here made it look really *blue*, not nearly as much green as back in North Carolina. Colder light here, I guess?

    So not only will the cabinetry affect the color, but where you are, as well. But I'd really suggest throwing Pleasant Valley into the mix. DH comments about how much he loves the color all the time, fwiw...

  • sergeantcuff
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks flyleft. Any pictures?

  • amysrq
    15 years ago

    Hmmm....Fly....got any pics?

  • buddyrose
    15 years ago

    I have Palladian Blue in my dining room. It's gets southern light and is very pretty and easy to look at. At night it's more of a neutral blue almost like grey blue but not quite grey! ;-)

    My bedrooms are Van Alen green. Again VERY soft and easy on the eyes. I don't like colors that are bright but I don't want boring beige either. For those lovers of beige, I apologize. Neither color looks terrific on the paint strip. I just decided to take a leap of faith. The worst thing would be that I didn't love them and I'd paint over. But that didn't happen. I think the online BM paint viewer STINKS. HA.