I'd use a more interesting neutral for the walls, such as a taupe or caramel color. Or even a beautiful pale, pale sea green, depending upon the counter and floor colors.

Well, I'll tell you: I decided I wanted a different kind of cream on the walls with our cream cabinets. I had used an FPE cream on the cabinets and went with F&B's "White Tie" for the walls.. Everyone thinks they're exactly the same color, but I notice a slight difference. I absolutely love the ever so slightly there difference, and I also love it when it looks exactly the same at certain times of day. It makes the space look absolutely huge.

However, I have a strong contrast to all the cream in cherry counters. I don't think it would work otherwise. Do you have something to contrast all that white?

hi pirula, sorry but what is FPE, or FB?

So is your wall lighter cream than the cabinets, or a darker cream? thats where is my real confusion, whether i should go whiter white on the wall, or whiter white on the cabinets.

we have our countertop which is white base but lots and lots of brown/black/gray patterns so i think that should give pretty good contrast.

If you want to keep them very similar, just pick a color on the color chart that's one or two shades above your cabinet color. That way you'd have a tiny bit of difference, but you'd be in the same color family.

Look at the pics that "boxerpups" posted on a thread about bead board backsplashes. Lots of white cabs with white walls if I remember. As soon as boxerpups sees this thread, she'll come up with all kinds of pics for ya! she's awesome

prill: the white i have in mind is at the top of the strip, so theres nothing lighter... Anyways, so are you suggesting the cabinets should be darker than the wall?

muntaineergirl, yeah agree, shes such a sweetie!!

No, my two creams aren't lighter or darker than each other. It's more a matter of one going slightly cooler in some lights, and the other not. so help me, I'm the ONLY one who sees it.

FPE is Fine Paints of Europe. F&B is Farrow & Ball.

i think i know what you are saying, i basically have decided that the surface, whether it is the cabinet or the wall, that gets the more light will look lighter, one that doesnt will look darker..... so i am thinking, since in my case the wall gets more lights, that i might want to go with a creamier white, and the cabinets that doesnt get that much light, will be a whiter white...

i am just thinking out loud hehehe, thanks for listening...

We used the same white. It will still look different b/c of the diff finish.

An old-fashioned look is to treat the cabinets visually as built-ins and let them settle into the background, rather than showcasing cabinets as handsome units bolted to the wall, and people often purchased one paint and used it for everything but the floor--a very traditional look. Everything the same white can also be very modern, of course. One thing about using different colors is that it highlights the scraps of wall between cabinets. The more finely designed these wall areas are, the more the kitchen may benefit by highlighting them with a different color. The more irregular, unbalanced, and "leftover" they look, and the cabinets look on them, the stronger the argument for disuising this. Staying with whites will do that, of course, so if I were going to use different whites, I think I'd go very slightly darker with the cabinet white for the background with the idea of increasing a feeling of depth and adding the slightest hint of variation. That's actually pretty much what I have in my kitchen.

I forgot to mention a very important reason to use different whites. To help integrate two different whites being use, such as appliances and cabinets, by adding a third. And fourth and fifth if necessary until harmony is achieved.

so i experienced with one of the white paints leftover from our last painting spree...

we ended up having a darker white on the wall, and a ligher white on the cabinets. our cabinets are floor cabinets and only wall above....yeah i know rosie i am doing the opposite of what you suggested, painted before seeing your message =(

well so far seems to look okay, will find out after putting back all the cabinet doors/drawers, and taking off all the blue tapes.

Thanks all for the suggestions!!

This is interesting as I painted our previously-painted paneled kitchen walls in BM White Heron--which is a wonderful color with a tiny tough of grey, and now I'm looking to paint the cabinets, but I am not sure what shade of white and what manufacturer--BM, SW, Cabinet Coat. We have blue tile floor and will have blue pearl granite and blue mosiac glass backsplash.

I bet it looks good. I confusedly expressed thoughts from myself. You are doing what I did in my own kitchen. What color did you tint your white with?

gsciencechick... check out BM Chantilly Lace. Ever so slightly "whiter" but still a cool white.

To me, I'd do like many suggested and choose something, if not on the same strip (lighter/darker) then a strip above or below. I could be wrong, but; the walls and cabs are different materials and projections. Light will hit them differently and they'll absorb/reflect differently. If painted the same exact color, it may just look a little off. So, I'd make the difference subtle but intentional. Just a slight variation that I controlled purpose. Does that make me a control freak??

i have cloud white on the cabinets and old praire on the walls. cloud white has a little cream to it and old praire has a little gray to it. BTW, we tried this color scheme in our bathroom, just to see if we want to change how the kitchen is painted.

All of these paints are BM, we are so addicted to aura, cant use anything else.

Thanks, remodelfla, I do have a chip of Chantilly Lace on the cabinet. That might just work well! I also had thought of White Diamond or White Ice, or just White.

Here is a pic of the walls with White Heron. It is Regal in pearl finish.

What type of BM paint is best for cabinets?

Here is a link that might be useful: BM White Heron on painted paneling

I'm looking now at the fan deck at our other house... the one we're remodeling. It's funny... the lighting is different here then at home and the colors look so different. I kinda like the Pure White on the strip after the White Heron. It's definitely a cool white... I like it alot!

Another white that's a bit warmer is Simply White....

Bump, bump. I'm in the same situation as the OP, so I'm reviving an old post.

We just put up the drywall and have a blank slate. We're going with Starmark White cabinets (which is a varnish that looks like paint). We'll be using BM paint on the walls and window trim. Going for a real classic white kitchen look (oak floors, white cabinets, dark countertops, butcher block island). White 1950's stove, white dishwasher, and imitation stainless fridge (can't help that they're different).

Any fresh insight here to add to the conversation? If there are any old standbys please shout them out. (From what I can tell White Dove and Linen White seem to be popular). I know paint is so situation-specific, but if there's a certain combination that seems to do well time after time, I'm all ears. Thanks!

Your kitchen is similar to mine. I decorate many white kitchens and have found the most stunning color for the walls to be Roxbury Caramel by Benjamin Moore (HC-42) If you have a dining area in the kitchen a white chair rail would really make a statenment. I went with a country rooster theme for my accessories. The reds, greens, yellows and splashes of black in the fabrics really make the kitchen dazzle.

Traditionally, you would use a variation in your whites.

ie: Bright White Cabinetry & Warmer White Walls.

However, using the same colour white for your walls & cabinetry will give your room a very modern, sleek look.

Either way is fine, so do what you want.