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How white are your white cabinets?

Mom23Es
11 years ago

I keep being advised against bright white cabinets. People say it's cold looking, shows too much dirt, or too much contrast. I really don't want cream. I've seen bunches of pictures with antiqued cream cabinets. I definitely do not want that creamy yellowish color in my kitchen. (fine for others but it's not what I'm trying to accomplish.). I want white. I want to see my cabinets and think "white". There are a bazillion shades of white and it's overwhelming to figure out what people are using on their cabinets. Our cabinets will be medallion brand so we're choosing between white icing and divinity. On their own, they both look white to me. Side by side, the divinity is definitely a warmer shade of white.

Anyway , just trying to ask if most people actually use a pure bright white in their white kitchens or if people tend to use a softer warmer white? (and I'm wondering if my often overly "helpful" family is right. Lol!!!)

Comments (62)

  • sarapamela
    11 years ago

    We went with BM's White Dove.... We wanted a white that wasn't stark white, because the bright white didn't look that good with the Kashmir White granite we are getting. The White Dove still "reads" white, but is just a touch softer. We get the granite next week, and we are keeping our fingers crossed that we made the right choice! Good luck with your decison-making!

  • mjtx2
    11 years ago

    I'm headed towards BM China White. In our first two houses I used it exclusively for all trim, and loved it.

    If you like crisp white, then you should get it. If you just want a "white kitchen" the options are endless. I think it's important to remember that a creamy or beige white is gonna look white, period, when it's on a wall and surrounded by other cabinets. One cabinet shop pointed this out to me, and they couldn't be more right.

  • Rudebekia
    11 years ago

    Mine are a lovely ivory color--easy on the eyes, beautiful with the soapstone countertops, and just perfect for a semi-vintage looking kitchen in a 100 year old house. "White" white would have been far too glaring for me.

  • ellendi
    11 years ago

    I have White Dove and in my kitchen with lots of natural light, it does ready very white. So I think what breezy and lac both said about the direction you are going in is spot on.
    White Dove is not creamy and has grey as the under tone. So, if you want a very brown counter, you might not want this white.

  • carybk
    11 years ago

    Ours are SW Dover White-- probably much creamer than you were looking for-- I was worried it would be too creamy but we love it and even something that dark reads white in the room.

    Suggest you paint large pieces of posterboard and mock it up for a bit so you can get a feel for glare vs. other factors.

  • nanjeanne
    11 years ago

    Ours are on order - we haven't started demo yet. But I also wanted white - not blinding white - but not cream or grayish white. We are doing Anastacia soapstone - and Brookhaven cabinets so we went with Nordic White. We have a sample door and have looked at it in all kinds of light and we still love the color of it. Of course our kitchen isn't huge and we have some glass doors on some cabinets - but still . . . If you want white - go for white!

  • SparklingWater
    11 years ago

    This is a very helpful topic Mom23.

    My current cabinets painted BM White Dove have not yellowed after ten plus years.I believe they were oil based primed (pre-Satin Impervo days).

    Below is a designer discussing selection of whites which I bookmarked. Perhaps it may help in some manner.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Article: Choosing the Right White

  • holden.sk
    11 years ago

    Ours are pure white - BM Decorators White CC-20 - with the barest hint of grey. The island is BM Stone. Cool, crisp and hopefully beautiful if the kitchen and butler's pantry ever get finished.

  • Debbi Branka
    11 years ago

    My original response was on my phone - sorry for the typos! Mom23, what color will your walls be? I'm sharing some pix with you. My cabinets are Aristokraft thermofoil. I'm not so thrilled with the brand, but the thermofoil is perfectly smooth (no little dimples) and so nice to clean. And they are very stark white. My backsplash is shiny white, but we added diamonds of our blue pearl granite to it to tie it all together and give it some character. My island was just installed (navy blue painted wood cabs) and will have white marble top (not here until May 14). Our floor is oak, unstained with a matte finish. Maybe this will help with your decision.

    Island:

  • AboutToGetDusty
    11 years ago

    White thermofoil always look more bright white than wood. I would recommend bringing samples to your house to see how it changes inside your home. My white icing cabs just arrived this morning, but they're still in the boxes. If I need to warm it up, I'll do it with lighting. But the sample looked great in the adjacent dining room, so that's what I went with (we're knocking down the wall between the dining room and kitchen and using the d/r paint color). Good luck!

  • Bunny
    11 years ago

    "I hate white cabinets!" in 3...2...1... :p

  • Mom23Es
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for all the discussion. I will definitely take all these pointers to heart. I'm delaying making a final decision as long as possible. Framing starts on Tuesday (hopefully) so I have no idea if I can delay long enough to get in the house. Our builder has the divinity color on his cabinets and his house is just a few houses up from ours- same south sun kitchen windows. He keeps offering to show us his cabinets; we just need to coordinate a time to meet up. We're planning on tan wall paint. I still have dreams of painting beadboard and putting in the back of my glass door cabinets, but DH and I are conflicted if we want a pale green or pale blue color. The kitchen will have lots of natural light.

    Ahhh!!! This white is so hard to coordinate, especially when we don't have all the pieces of the puzzle in front of us at once. White tile, white cabinets, white granite (vermont white/super white), and white trim.... not to mention the white farmhouse sink. Will the white farmhouse sink contrast the cabinets too much? I also want polished chrome faucets and hardware, so I guess I should find a sample of that too.

    Nanjeanne - You said it perfectly. We are also hoping for "white - not blinding white - but not cream or grayish white".

    deb- Your kitchen looks fantastic! Thank you for sharing your pics! :)

    linelle- You sound like my mother in your last post!! The woman who has her original dark walnut plasticky cabinets from the early 70s in her kitchen and loves them. LOL.

    Thank you all so much for responding and dealing with my craziness. DH is so done with discussing cabinetry. At least all of you understand my slightly obsessive attention to detail. We're putting so.much.money into this kitchen, and I want it to be perfect.

    Almost forgot- Abouttogetdusty and nanjeanne- I would LOVE to see pics of your cabinets as you get them installed. PLEASE?!?!? :)

  • AboutToGetDusty
    11 years ago

    Yup, I too wanted "white - not blinding white - but not cream or grayish white". The creamy whites in the store looked yellow in my house, so that's why I went with the white icing. I'll post pictures - in about a month when they're in ;-) Crossing fingers I'm happy with the result. White is tricky indeed!

  • nanjeanne
    11 years ago

    Our cabinets won't be installed until end of May or so but will post pictures when that happens!

    Now our next white dilemma will be the little bit of molding. Our floor is going to be a mid-shade of walnut and the Anastacia soapstone has a green undertone in the gray/black when oiled. I think it looks like a stormy sea. Cabs go to the ceiling and one wall is almost all pantry so we don't have a ton of open wall space (we're doing subway tile white . . . another white to figure out) and we're thinking of a grayish/green for the walls. So only a bit of floor molding and some around the windows will show. We haven't even begun thinking about that yet!

  • ratrem
    11 years ago

    i ordered shiloh polar white and I am hoping they are very white as our kitchen is not getting as much natural light as I hoped. Kind of thinking we should have done arctic which is white/white. We will see soon enough.

  • Bunny
    11 years ago

    Mom23Es, I hear ya. If one is happy with what one has, hating is unnecessary.

  • katie003
    11 years ago

    ratrem - how did you end up liking your polar white cabinets? i am trying to decide between polar and arctic white right now! would love to get your feedback and pictures! thanks!

  • islanddevil
    11 years ago

    Nanjeanne did you post your final reveal? Can you please share the link?

    Can more people please post what white they used. Especially those who chose a white-ish gounter top

    I want white cabs and didn't think I wanted bright white because the door samples look so glaring alone. However when I took a toned down white cab with me to the slab yard all the white granites quartzites and marbles were much whiter than the cabinet! Now I know I'll need to choose my countertop before my cabinet color.

  • SparklingWater
    11 years ago

    ^Island, have you seen White Gioia marble (Italy). I recall it as having more cream undertones, quiet, easy on the eyes.

    Here is a link that might be useful: White Gioia, at Avanti Marble and Granite, MD:

  • Mom23Es
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    We are not done yet (as in we have to move out for two weeks so they can completely refinish all of our HW floors- long frustrating story), so I'm definitely not ready to do a finished kitchen post. Here is how it is right now, mostly finished. I LOVE the white white color of our white icing cabinets. I'm so glad we opted for the brighter white.

    I took these pics with my iPhone and with only natural light.


  • susiemw
    11 years ago

    Mom23e,
    Beautiful job! That kitchen is wonderful and I love your white cabinets.

    susan

  • sanjuangirl
    11 years ago

    Gorgeous! Perfect color with your other choices.

  • lynnefree
    11 years ago

    Mom23e,

    Beautiful kitchen. What is your counter? It's gorgeous!

  • Mom23Es
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Lynnefree- thanks! My countertops are princess white granite aka super white. They were sold as granite, but they wear more like heavy duty marble. It etches a lot, but it doesn't etch as easily as my neighbors marble. It doesn't have scratches like my neighbor's marble either. I do love it and think it's beautiful. :-)

  • AboutToGetDusty
    11 years ago

    Stunning, Mom23Es! The white icing cabinets look divine, and I love how the kitchen is all pulled together. The icing is the lighting - works really well with all of your finishes. Enjoy (as soon as you can move back in!)

  • Rybren2
    11 years ago

    We used BM White Dove (OC17). Not too stark. Warm but not creamy. Not quite done...still need some trim on the range hood. But so close...

  • islanddevil
    11 years ago

    Thanks Sparkling Water. I haven't seen White Gioia, but I'll check it out. However marble is out of the question because the etching and staining would drive me mad!! I love the whiter stones, just need to take a few white cab samples with me when I hit the slab yards again.

  • firstmmo
    11 years ago

    BM Simply White. Reads very white but is actually a bit creamy. Loved them!

  • Laura517
    11 years ago

    Mom23: Love your kitchen! I read through the whole thread because I can understand the weight of this decision. I just ordered Divinity Medallion cabinets. Hoping mine are ok because I love your White Icing cabs!!!!
    Will you please share where you purchased your light fixtures above your island? I am trying to find something similar.

  • Mom23Es
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks Laura517! The lights above the island are the Gentry Lantern by Quoizel. Nini also has them in her kitchen- i got a lot of inspiration from her kitchen/house. The lights are quite large. I was a bit shocked the first time I saw them hanging, but once we moved them up a bit closer to the ceiling they looked right. I was sooo close to returning them. The light over the table is from Pottery Barn. I love the sparkles!

  • 2LittleFishies
    11 years ago

    Mom23Es- Your kitchen looks beautiful!!! I'm sure you are thrilled : )

  • newskilz
    11 years ago

    We have white icing cabinets, although they are all still sitting in the living room and haven't budged for months! BIG long story for another time. I am so happy to see that they look great in pictures.

    I think the white chocolate is too brown but the divinity has more of a creamy feeling to it. Still has a cast of yellow for the under tones. The white icing IMO has cleanest look to it. Don't forget accessories warm up a kitchen too. Good luck.

  • Laura517
    11 years ago

    Mom23Es- Thank you! I will check them out. I too loved Nini's kitchen and found inspiration from her kitchen and house :)

  • islanddevil
    11 years ago

    First House beautiful kitchen. What is your countertop and backsplash?

  • firstmmo
    11 years ago

    Island: The counter and backsplash are white princess quartzite.

  • islanddevil
    11 years ago

    Thanks firsthouse. It's beautiful. Is that the same as Super White? Did you do a final reveal and if so an you include the link so I can see more pictures of your kitchen? Thanks

  • Lightlover108
    11 years ago

    We have shiny white cabinets and blue pearl. We love the combination.

  • cjsud
    11 years ago

    firsthouse, what is your floor? I love the color.

  • firstmmo
    10 years ago

    This was my reveal of my old (sniff sniff) kitchen.
    http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0614293210436.html

    I am two weeks away from demo on my new kitchen...and a year away from a wonderful new place :)

  • Etera
    10 years ago

    Our cabinets are SW Alabaster.

  • EvergreenAve
    10 years ago

    Everyone here is talking about nini804's kitchen and the beautiful pics, but where are they posted? I am new to Gardenweb... I feel like I'm missing something?

  • aries61
    10 years ago

    Here's the link to nini804 kitchen

    Here is a link that might be useful: nini804 kitchen

  • boododgers
    10 years ago

    Firsthouse, I know you used precision cabinets. We are about to use them as well. You said you used one of their stock colors? I know they change the names, but the whites they have now are Swiss Coffee and Super White. The Swiss coffee looks similar to the BM super white. Do you think that's what you used?

  • raenjapan
    10 years ago

    This is Ikea's adel off-white. It reads white, but it's just a tiny bit creamy. Matches Valspar's "Betsy's Linen."

    From House on Chick Road

    This post was edited by raenjapan on Fri, May 24, 13 at 13:31

  • firstmmo
    10 years ago

    It was definitely Swiss Coffee. Good luck boododgers!

  • ninabarrowdesigns
    10 years ago

    Mom23Es- Love your kitchen! We are going for the same look as yours and nini804. How tall are your ceilings? We have 10' and I am struggling on what to do with the cabinets. We don't want to spend the extra money to stack and I hate soffits.

  • Mom23Es
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Ninabarrowdesigns- We have 10' ceilings. We've been in our house for about 7 months, and I still can't believe how high up those top shelves in the upper cabinets are! Just a single not-stacked 42" cabinet works out just fine for us. We have a wetbar around the corner from our kitchen, and it has a soffit over the 42" cabinets. I like how it looks for the small area, but I'm very glad we didn't do any soffits in the kitchen. Good luck!

  • susanlynn2012
    10 years ago

    I love all the white kitchen pictures. I thought all the white shades looked great with the choices you chose in the rest of the kitchen. This is helping me make my decision. Thank you!

  • CDB421
    10 years ago

    I am trying to pick between Shiloh's arctic white and the polar white for our galley kitchen (early 1940s home). I'd love to hear anyone's input! Especially if you have chosen one of these colors yourself.