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primdawg

Is this a trend I should avoid?

So it is time to re-paint the kitchen cabinets. Currently they are a sunny yellow with nickel hardware. We have loved the color for 18 years but it's time to change. First thing to note, we have 9 dogs that have range of the kitchen (not all at once!).
My husband and I have debated the cabinet color for at least 5 years, sigh. Finally recently we saw a kitchen show and they had done the bottom cabinets a sage/mossy green and the upper cabinets in a warm white, black hardware. I like this idea as all white would be bad with all the dogs and traffic but all green would be dark. Will I hate it in 5 years???
Here's a pic, still looks like this but now all the appliances are stainless and the sink is now black silgranit.

Comments (19)

  • Swentastic Swenson
    9 years ago

    I don't think you'd hate it at all - sounds pretty! Besides, best thing about paint is if you hate it in 5 years, you can always pick another color!

  • sas95
    9 years ago

    Our kitchen cabinets are ivory lowers and light green uppers. We like the combination very much. I agree with what Jillius said about tying the two colors together with other decor elements, though. We tied the two colors together through our backsplash.

  • blfenton
    9 years ago

    The sage green will be beautiful with the wood in your kitchen. Have you considered painting uppers and lowers the sage green?

    I don't consider sage green to be a dark colour.

  • mama goose_gw zn6OH
    9 years ago

    I love your yellow kitchen.

    I used two colors in my kitchen three years ago, and I still love it! Actually, three colors--the island is a black table base, and I used Adobe White on uppers/Dried Hydrangea on lowers. I have some lowers that are white, and some uppers that are green, as well--I like the mix, but other folks (IRL) have expressed a preference for different combinations.

    Our kitchens have very similar layouts. (And we used to keep Auracanas, lol.) I'll link a pic from my kitchen album--you can scroll for more pictures.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen pic

  • Errant_gw
    9 years ago

    It sounds very pretty to me! Can you post a current picture of your kitchen that shows the changes you've made since that last photo? One of us might be able to do a mock up to give you an idea of how it will look :)

  • desertsteph
    9 years ago

    I think the 2 colors will be great too. It's a lovely kitchen as is but we all need change sometime!

    mama g - where have you been? We miss you! Come back to SH.
    I've always loved your 'new' kitchen.

  • mgmum
    9 years ago

    My friend recently updated his kitchen with white cabinets on top, an avocado type green on the base cabinets, butcher block counters and the double farmhouse sink from Ikea. It's gorgeous! I think it works in the right kitchen. I think it would look great in yours.

  • mama goose_gw zn6OH
    9 years ago

    Thank you, steph :), I'll be there soon with an update on my guest room.

  • Annette Holbrook(z7a)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Here it is as of tonight. Excuse the mess in the middle of cooking dinner.

  • Brandywine72
    9 years ago

    I adore that you have 9 dogs and that your kitchen cabinets look so fantastic after 18 years.

    I think the two toned looks best in galley or other small kitchens where you want to open up the space with white on top, but you have a nice large kitchen that can really take the color, so I would do same color top and bottom.

    I have often wondered when looking at pictures of this recent two tone trend if it would get old fast or feel like a has-been trend in five years. I think so and would avoid it if it were my kitchen.

    Your house has a historic feel to it. I think a sage would look lovely on top and on bottom. Just don't make it too dark and it will not feel oppressive. I think the sage/moss color will look fantastic with the red tones in your ceiling beams. And, I think it will hold up as well as your yellow has with the dogs.

    Check out these examples:

    https://www.houzz.com/photos/riptide-beach-style-kitchen-boston-phvw-vp~1691199-beach-style-kitchen-boston

    https://www.houzz.com/photos/heartwood-kitchens-2-traditional-kitchen-boston-phvw-vp~10270694-Kitchens-2-traditional-kitchen-boston

    https://www.houzz.com/photos/kitchen-traditional-kitchen-austin-phvw-vp~875468-traditional-kitchen-austin

    https://www.houzz.com/photos/warmington-and-north-traditional-kitchen-seattle-phvw-vp~98831-north-traditional-kitchen-seattle

  • bossyvossy
    9 years ago

    I like the two tone trend. Let's face it, one simply CANNOT decorate and expect it to last a lifetime. That is what trends are for--to refresh a look. Even if you have the most perfect house in the history of houses, you're gonna have to get some or all items to refresh the surroundings. Otherwise, one's house will become Granny's museum house. If that is what one wants, great but most of us want to (at least) appear like we're up with the times.

    Go ahead. Do the two tone thing and we'll all meet again in 10 years to discuss the next new look, lol

  • Annette Holbrook(z7a)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Mama goose, I love your kitchen. Totally makes me want to start now. I wonder what my island would look like in black.

  • AvatarWalt
    9 years ago

    Not that I'm any authority, but I think all sage would be nice with the white tile and stainless to lighten an already not-so-dark color.

    Separately, and more importantly (to me! :) ), you've helped tip me towards a paint decision: I've been considering soft yellow cabinets but we have a very red vintage stove and I was worried that red and yellow might be a bit ... I don't know, too much? Your yellow with the red chairs, however, looks great (though I understand the desire for a change after 18 years).

  • MizLizzie
    9 years ago

    Adore the yellow. If I were switching, I'd go all sage. But we all have a different vision, and it's just paint, right? Look forward to the final pics. Love that genuine vintage look you've got going on.

  • Annette Holbrook(z7a)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Brandywine, thanks for those links. So much inspiration!

    Avatarwalt, I kind of based my kitchen on my collection of antique redware. Still love the combination but may move it to my bonus room somehow.

  • raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
    9 years ago

    Here is one of my favorite two-tone green kitchens, posted by lisa_wi a few years ago. I just love this particular shade of green although it is looking a little more grey in the picture today it is really a nice muted sage (not an endorsement of the cabinet manufacturer though):

    Here is a link that might be useful: lisa_wi's kitchen

  • Annette Holbrook(z7a)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Wow, that is stunning!
    Now after looking at the pics on Houzz that Brandywine posted I'm wondering if I should just do all cabinets in a lighter shade of the sage green and do the island the same color but 3-4 shades darker.

  • mucky
    9 years ago

    my .02 worth: paint the upper cabinets a white that matches your walls. This will show off your ceiling, open up the space visually, and help your large top heavy-looking uppers to disappear. Then you can paint the base cabinets any color you like, light or dark, and it won't make the space claustrophobic.
    There is a reason why many people are using less uppers and more open wall space and shelving; it makes for a spacious open feeling when standing at the counters. I always recommend a bright, light reflecting backsplash for that very reason.