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deever

Painting kitchen island; need help with colors

deever
15 years ago

Hi! I'm newly registered here, but I've been lurking for some time, and picking up some great ideas. I was hoping someone would have some ideas about an island we plan to paint.

We're currently doing a bit of an update to our kitchen. So far, we've put in wood floors, replaced some of the white appliances, (though the white refrigerator will likely remain for awhile) and we're about to order granite countertops. The paint color on the walls is currently a burgundy color, but we plan to change that to perhaps a sage or a light wheat color, though we really haven't decided yet. And we haven't even gotten close to deciding on a backsplash, but again, probably something light.

The cabinets around the perimeter of the kitchen are a light-stained maple, and they'll remain the same, except perhaps for a few trim details. The large center island will be "gussied-up" with some beadboard panels and legs on the corners, and that will all be painted. But we're having trouble selecting a paint color for the island.

My husband would like a distressed black, but I want to use a waterborne like BM Impervo, which doesn't come in dark colors. Are there any waterbornes that do? We're not opposed to another color, like a burgundy or a green, but we're nervous about choosing something that will turn out awful. (I just can't visualize colors that well.) The other option is an off-white, but I'm freaking out at all the different whites. I don't want anything that will look "dirty" or out of place with our white trim, but I don't what a white-white island either. Should I even worry about a white island clashing with white trim?

I've attached a photo of our kitchen as it is now, and also a photo of the granite we're getting, with one of our maple doors in front of it, and an off-white door that the granite store had lying around, which looks good with the granite, I think, but on its own seemed too yellow for our trim.

If anyone has any suggestions for the color of the island, I'd love to hear them ... or even wall color suggestions. I'm really bad when it comes to this stuff.

Thanks so much!

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Comments (11)

  • PRO
    Window Accents by Vanessa Downs
    15 years ago

    I'm glad that Athomewith3 posted her photo because I was going to suggest looking for it!!!

    I love your granite - it looks like mine! Is it baltic brown? It will go nicely with your cabs and with a painted island.

    Your island is large - I think it would look lovely in the off white with a bit of glaze and it would look good in a distressed black. You can dress up the outsides of it with molding to give it a paneled look, or with the beadboard as in the above photo. There was another photo not long ago where someone dramatically changed their island with molding.

    I'm attaching a photo of our black painted island with the same granite as yours. It'll give you an idea of the look.

    There's a shot from the back and from the front.


  • marybeth1
    15 years ago

    If you are interested in a color I think green would look nice also. I got this off the Shiloh cabinet website. Check out their gallery of painted finishes for more ideas.
    {{!gwi}}
    heres a link that might be useful.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Shiloh Cabinets

  • deever
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks for the quick responses.

    The granite isn't Baltic Brown, but it's very similar.

    If we go with an off-white, do I need to worry about it clashing with the super white trim we have? You can't see it, but there's a white pantry door just to the right of the island, and I'm nervous about it making the island cabinets look dirty or yellowed.

    Athomewith3, your island is very similar to what we're having constructed for ours, except that we'll have 3 panels on the long side of the island, and some legs on the outside corners. Do you know which paint was used on yours?

    Thanks!

  • athomewith3
    15 years ago

    deevly, our paint is a Benjamin Moore (Pottery Barn Color). I will have to check the can tomorrow to see the exact color. I will let you know!!

    Happy remodeling!!

  • mamadadapaige
    15 years ago

    I think you should pick your new wall color first and then decide on the island. It will, imo, be a more far reaching and thus difficult decision to choose the wall color - once that is decided (and ideally up on the walls) your island color choice will be much easier. Could you at least put some sample up of the wheat and sage (in a few different spots for the light variations) and post back?

    I personally wouldn't go with off white. I think your white trim is great and the off white will look dingy as you mentioned.

  • live_wire_oak
    15 years ago

    I think I'd pull the warm darker brown color out of the granite and use a black glaze to highlight the grooves in the beadboard. I'd also trim out all of the exposed cabinet ends with either beadboard or order extra doors from the cabinet company.

  • sewwhatsnew
    15 years ago

    I like that granite better than my sample of tan brown, do you have a name?? Is there a creamy white in it?? Thanks

  • marybeth1
    15 years ago

    I will have light cherry cabinets and a small off-white island. They were finished by a local cabinet maker he used SW Creamy. I am planning on white trim BM Atrium White it is a soft white but definitely white. I have a brown glaze on my cabinets but I thought it might help. Please excuse mess cabinets are in but my poor island is just waiting to be installed.... Heavy Sigh.


  • robin32
    15 years ago

    I agree with live wire oak that a dark brown with black highlight is the way to go. I love your granite and your cabinet color very much!

    I refinished a credenza and table years ago to match some new chairs with a good surface prep, latex paint base coat, highlight accent paint, and several coats of polyurethane clear (steel wool rubbed).
    It has held up very well, and I can't see why that type of paint process, available in any dark base, wouldn't work out.(?)

  • suzie48_bellsouth_net
    13 years ago

    We have a new log home. the kitchen island is a soft green and the countertops are granite with browns, greys and cream. Applicances are black and stainless steel. The green died and doesn't show the double bead of the island very well. We are going with a slight southwestern style, pulling out turquoise, rusty reds and yellows. The cabinets are oak and the woods is light. I wanted to paint the double bead turquoise, then cover it in black and distress it. This is really outside my comfort zone but would like someone's opinion.