I just have to say that is one fantastic kitchen. Is it the original cabinets painted or brand new cabinets? I'd also love to know what your granite it? Oh yeah, we supposed to be looking at you're family room aren't we :)

I would paint the bottom paneling the same color you painted the trim in the rest of the house, which it looks like I see a little piece of white trim in the kitchen and I would paint the mantle the same color. If you can afford to reface the fireplace, I think stacked stone would be gorgeous. Someone on here did a mockup of a stacked stone fireplace and it was so pretty. I'll have to see if I can find it.

Laurie

I found the fireplace mockup I was thinking about. It's the 2nd stone one in this post minus the woodwork.

Here is a link that might be useful: Jey's fireplace mockups

Hi Laurie - The kitchen turned out a lot better than we thought. It's the original cabinets that we refinished using General Finishes Java gel stain. There were a few cabinet modifications (above cooktop and around fridge) and we're very happy. The granite is white delicatus and we LOVE it!

I never thought about painting the bottom half all white..hmmmm, something to think about! We have two black dogs and kids will be here soon so I'm not sure. I think it will look okay and we'll be using SW Duration so it should be okay.

Here is a pic of our kitchen while we were reworking everything:

Our formal living off the main entrance..it was flowery wallpaper like the formal dining..both rooms are this color now and we may use it in the den..can't remember the name right now...

I would paint all the wood white and the walls a color that flows with the other colors of your house. I agree-stacked stone overlay on the fireplace would be gorgeous.

Awesome kitchen reno BTW!

That's a gorgeous blue. Can you check the color when you get a chance?

Hey Laurie - The color is SW Uncertain Gray.

We just painted our "paneling" to look like white wains coating. You have a chair rail, add a base board, paint it all white. You are already going with white wood trim in other areas. I would continue. A color that coordinates with the rest of the house, possibly a color pulled out of the fireplace either the one you now have or what ever you change it to, would go on the walls. I wouldn't mess with the brick myself, but I believe yours is classic so always in style.

Arcy - Did you paint your paneling the same sheen as the trim? We were originally going to paint it the wall color but are seriously thinking of going white after reading the responses...just not sure if it should be semi-gloss like the trim or a matte finish like the walls.

Paint it all. Including the brick on the fireplace (a different finish of course) -- until you can switch to stacked stone.

We painted all of the woodwork here (living room panelling, moldings, all cabinets) in high gloss white. Worked out great!

We used semi gloss for it all. We do still have the original '70's dark wood work around the windows and door frames. We are due for new windows so are waiting that one out. Good question in the sheen, right now I would say they appear to be the same, so the window trim must have a semi glass poly on it? Our room in is a walk out basement. We really love the effect, TOTALLY opposite of what we had.