Wow. Thank you for the nice words.

We painted the cabinets ourselves. They were stained a dark oak color. After thoroughly washing the cabinets with TSP, I filled the grain with pore-o-pac (a brushable wood grain filler), it took several coats, sanding in between each one. I figured that this step was very important, so if I could feel any grain, it meant another round for that door. A couple were processed 3 times. (We used oil based filler because our paint was going to be oil based. Needless to say--I killed a few million brain cells).

We started out by spraying the doors. I wasn't particulary happy with the way they were looking--kind of orange peel texture. All those doors were hanging from hangers in my garage, keeping little flying bugs out while they dried was near impossible. I did eventually move on to a mohair roller. I brushed the paint on with a china brush (designed especially for oil based paints) and then rolled it. You can't mess with the paint too much or it won't level out. Go over it 3 times and leave it alone.

They have a coat of primer, and 2 coats of paint on them. I allowed at least 48 hours between each coat. And remember, once I abandoned the spraying, it meant each side was done separately.

We used Benjamin Moore's Impervo Enamel--(A red labeled can). The color is Cloud White. Now, I'm sure you have heard from me as well as others, oil based whites will yellow. I didn't mind--I planned for it. If you go with oil, make sure you get everything painted at once. We added the crown moulding a few months afterwards. When I went to paint it, it didn't match, so I had to get the store to mix something up to make it work. We also made a light rail, so luckily I've got the paint to make that work too.

It was a labor of love, I'm sure a professional would have done a better job, but I just took my time. The finish is fantastic on these, things just wash right off.

I found a color at Lowe's (Valspar)and had BM make it up in the Aura paint. The color is called "Coastal Villa". 6005-2A. I also have a far wall in what is now my kitchen/family room, painted "Italian Leather" 6005-2C which is 2 chips away, very dark taupe, almost dark chocolate. I am now getting ready to change the color of the wall where the vent hood is because Coastal Villa is too close to the color of the stainless hood and I feel that the hood just disappears. I am going to paint it the Italian Leather. If you find that paint chip at Lowe's, the color that is in the middle of these two, Seine, seems a little more rich to me. I have my clock wall painted this color. I am the only one who can tell. The odd thing about these 2 colors, is that they look kind of like a tan/taupe on the computer and even on the chip. But it is a soft gray when on the wall. I got a sample can of it first.

If you google "Valspar Coastal Villa", there are a few hits that include pictures of rooms painted this color.

Good luck, we absolutely love love love our Bianco Antico. Everyday there is something new that I find. I'm sorry that this reply is so long, but I wanted to give you a thorough answer. Good luck with your project. Keep your eye out, hopefully I will have a backsplash soon!

Wow! Thanks for such a thorough and quick reply. You really worked hard on those cabinets and they are beautiful. I doubt that a professional could do a better job. If you don't mind I think we might copy many of your ideas.

Best of luck with your backsplash adventure. Based on everything else, it too will be beautiful.

JB1176

Finally I checked out the colors you mentioned from Valspar. However, when I look at the photos from another post - before you used the English Leather, what was the color on the walls? It looks like a very pale gray.

Hey jb,

The color on the walls is Coastal Villa (but mixed by BM, as I said). I know if you look at the paint chip it really looks like a taupe, but on the wall it is really a gray. Very odd. And yet, when you hold up the paint chip to it, they do match, so it's not a mixup in the formula. The only wall I painted Italian Leather is the one behind the hood, and a wall way across the room that isn't pictured.

The rest of the walls are still the Coastal Villa.

Thanks beekeeperswife. I apologize for the confusion. I guess I thought there was a color before you used Coastal Villa. However, I'm mistaken. Thanks for the clarification. I went to Lowes and got samples of the strip. You are right that the colors look way different on the monitor.