help menot have nervous breakdown over cab colors!

9 years ago

Hello All,

I have been working on a stressful and exciting rehab for many months.

My brother is a architect and has been the overall design person and I have worked, on and off, with 2 different designers to help with colors and pulling things together.

Unfortunatley, the new/old house is 4hours away and I am also very busy getting my old old house cleared out and ready to sell!

The bottom line is I have always loved white painted cabinets and have been leaning that way since the start. I also love soapstone. And wood.

My current kitchen was dark maple, and 8 years ago I painted it white and put in soapstone. love it.

Ok, so I feel like I am totally whimping out by going with the same thing in the old new house! My brother/architect wants me to dark dark painted cabs, like deep olive,with the dark tops. he says it will look rich and inviting? Ugh. It sounds depressing.

But then again, every single kitchen I have see lately is white shaker cabs with dark tops! I do NOT want to look like e every other kitchen in the world so I keep trying to want a color. I run to the paint store and pick up all kinds of greenish, blue, even yellow samples. Love the idea, but seriously, won't I get sick of it?

The shaker style, paint grade cabs are currently being made and I am supposed to pick now!

BTW, the kitchen has a large north facing bay window and a north oriented sky window. Also has a small window but that one is shaded by evergreens.

It is a 1948 cape cod. the kitchen is about 12 by 12 ... Floors are oak which will be stained a medium brown and appliances will be stainless.

help, why can't I make up my mind? I think it's because I am afraid that the white cabs will look too cookie cutter and 2014 --- will they? Can I do the white and add interest with a backsplash?

Paralyzed by indecision,
Shadey

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Comments (10)

LeeMiller
9 years ago
We are closing on a house on Monday and have to do a full kitchen remodel. In over 2 years of looking in a pricey metro area I rarely saw a white kitchen and don't think I ever saw one with a soapstone top. Most were some mix of brown wood with brown or black granite counters.

Personally, I love white kitchens with white marble, but I am scared about stains, so I'm thinking dark cabs with a bright white quartz top. I like the high contrast look. The only dark green I've ever seen which looked good were some actresses' NYC kitchen redone by Kelly Wearstler - maybe that blonde one with short hair in Charlie's Angels?

Go with what you love. If it ends up out of date at least you love it!
Kathy Harrington
9 years ago
Well I can't comment on whether white cabinets are too "cookie cutter" but I can tell I suffered from wanting to do something different in my new build just because I could. In the end, I'm sticking to what I love even if it's already similar to what I have now. So follow your heart. Choose something that will make your heart sing whenever you walk into the kitchen and no apologies necessary:). Good luck
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User
9 years ago
For a color, maybe a classic light yellow instead of a white. Or that 30's minty green. Heck, even the palest pink if that doesn't make you nauseous. And that olive suggested by your brother would be great as an island or hutch cabinet. Just not the whole kitchen in a north facing room!

SW Venus Pink

SW Dill
christina222_gw
9 years ago
If you love it, go for it! All white is wonderful, bright, clean and you can accessorize however you like. That said, if you do want color how about painting the lowers a darker color and the uppers white?
shadey
Original Author
9 years ago
yes, I think my heart says white! But a creamy white. I can use the olive as a accent color or even toned down, OMThe backsplash. if the kitchenware bigger I might consider painting the island in olive, but an island barely fits and I think I should stick w one color.

Thanks for the pointers!
romy718
9 years ago
Nothing cookie cutter about soapstone & wood. Get what you love.
greenhaven
9 years ago
Absolutely get what you love and "dated" be darned! White is classic, counters can be changed....I will repeat what others have said: go with your heart.

Do what your budget dictates and what will make your heart happy every morning when you stumble in for your morning cuppa.
fouramblues
9 years ago
How about a mix? I fell in love with this BHG kitchen (the green, BM Dark celery, isn't properly represented in this pic) when I was planning my remodel several years ago. I'll happily live vicariously through you if you use a bold green!
desertsteph
9 years ago
" My brother/architect wants me to dark dark painted cabs, like deep olive,with the dark tops. he says it will look rich and inviting"

but it isn't HIS kitchen! do what YOU want!
Kippy
9 years ago
Personally I like white cabinets and have for decades so I don't think they are too 2014.

Google 1948 kitchens and see what period colors would have been. Maybe matching the style to the home will make it raised to decide.

I like deep olive too. But not sure I would want that in a dark kitchen. Does your brother cook a lot? Maybe there is a reason he likes that color?