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mlouis

"Modern" wall color choice w/ cherry cabinets - pics?

mlouis
10 years ago

We will soon install drywall and want to paint the open-floor plan kitchen and dining room before the cabinets and floors are installed. Makes sense from a practicality standpoint but choosing the wall color without hanging paint chips everywhere in the finished kitchen is making me panic. : )

Cabinets: shaker-style cherry with a medium brown stain (see pic)
Countertops: Caesarstone Organic White
Floor: natural white oak
Paint-only backsplash (plan to use semi-gloss paint)

I think I would prefer a muted wall color look to let the cabinets and countertop shine. And I know for sure that I would like to avoid the yellow-beige color pallet because there is already so many brown-tones going on - unfortunately, that appears to be the top choice based on what I've found online.

Please, please, please share your kitchen pics if you found a solution for this "dilemma".

THANK YOU!

Comments (16)

  • ginny20
    10 years ago

    My pic won't help, because it doesn't look like it does IRL. I have green granite, and I chose a grayish green (like a sage) paint color, Dillard from Bruning paints. Many shades of green, blue or gray could work with your cabs and counter.

    Like you, I chose the paint with just the samples of the doors and granite, but I bought a few paint samples and painted poster board. I taped it to different walls, not only with the samples near but also to see how they looked in different light and how they worked with other rooms in view. Maybe that will work for you.

    Paint stores and even big box stores often have color consultants on hand to help. You don't have to do it alone!

  • leela4
    10 years ago

    I can't find a good pic that shows the color well, but we went with a really light blue/turquoise-SW icicle. We have natural cherry cabs, and soapstone counters. This area is right next to the kitchen-same colors on all the walls:

    As an aside, here is a photo of the walnut china cabinet that was built into our dining room that we took out when we remodeled. It is in our finished basement and the color is a lot bolder. The color is SW slick blue:

  • deedles
    10 years ago

    Woo! Great color, Bee. Here is a pic of it with white trim and dark wood. Looks fabulous.

    Couldn't find a shot with cherry cabs and a white counter but you can imagine...

  • cawaps
    10 years ago

    I think white paint pairs well with cherry in a modern setting. But I also like the idea of Wasabi.

  • DCkitchen13
    10 years ago

    That Wasabi is beautiful. I also think white or a true gray would make those cabinets look modern. We used Mythic Paint's Strictly Silver in our modern-with-Shaker kitchen and I think it looks pretty cool. We do have oak floors but we went with white cabinets.

  • momand3boys
    10 years ago

    I'm leaning toward a blue-gray color with my med cherry cabs, black appliances and V4 tile floor. The tile colors are killing me with trying to pick a wall color. I will be posting my pics this weekend to ask for help also. I'm curious to see what others are suggesting.

  • prospect711
    10 years ago

    We used Sherwin Williams Unusual Gray with our cherry cabinets and soapstone counters. It's gray, but it looks blue or green depending on the light.

  • kaysd
    10 years ago

    I love the soft greyish blue color Momqs used with her cherry cabinets and white counters.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Momqs

  • kellienoelle
    10 years ago

    I love that Wasabi, I am having a what to paint dilemma in my new kitchen which overlooks a family room and don't know if I dare with that. I picked up a paint chip (and the Anjou Pear) but they were scary to me! But enough about my painting quandry, back to the OP.....

    I had a very similar color combination in my last kitchen (stained cherry cabinets, Delicatus granite which is white with blacks, grays, and browns, and an oak floor) and we used a true gray which I liked. This pic is a pretty true representation of it.

  • suzanne_sl
    10 years ago

    There really is no substitute for seeing the potential choices in the actual space because the way the light plays in your kitchen won't be just the same as someone else's. Ex: we thought the blue-gray we used in our north facing LR would also be good in our north facing MBR. Nope, it was terrible even though the LR is our favorite color choice in the house.

    You don't have to stick paint chips on your new walls, though. Our local BM paint store carries "paint chip" boards that are meant to be painted with your test colors and leaned up against the wall. I think you could do the same thing by going to Michael's and buying a sheet of foamboard and cutting it up. Bound to be a lot less expensive. A bonus is that you could prepare these boards now using a variety of colors. They can be placed in the kitchen with samples of your floor, cabs, and counter for decision making. In the end, money spent on paint samples is well worth the cost.

  • cathy725
    10 years ago

    I'm doing cherry cabinets and I've chosen a gray for the walls. I have black appliances and volga blue granite (maybe installing today she said with crossed fingers). The color I chose was BM Sweet Innocence. It reads somewhat blue but I like the color on the walls and I'm hoping it's just right with the granite!!! I was originally looking for a truer gray, and thought this was it but I like it! If I can get the pictures off my phone I'll post them!

  • momand3boys
    10 years ago

    I normally have been purchasing my BM paint at the Ace hardware store down the street from me, but there is also a BM store a bit further away that has 5x7 (I think they are larger than that) chips that you can borrow for free which is nice, because I already had spent $50 on samples when I found that out.

  • sochi
    10 years ago

    Wasabi!

  • Holly- Kay
    10 years ago

    I think BM Casa Bella or Terra Bella would look lovely. I am considering both for my kitchen but it will be hard to decide until I see everything together.

    I wish we could paint now but I think everything will look a bit different when it is all installed. Colors also look very different depending on surrounding colors. If you weren't adverse to the yellow, beige spectrums Philadephia Cream, Golden Straw, or Barley would be lovely as well.

  • mlouis
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    THANK YOU for taking the time to respond. Wasabi sure seems to be a group favorite. : )

    Keep the suggestions coming!

    I am writing down the colors as you post them including notes about cheap ways to test them in the space. That might be my weekend project.