Making a bit of progress!

10 years ago

Painters were here today to paint all the woodwork and window prior to cabinet installation in 3 weeks or so. My painter and his helper are older now and not painting the way they once did and I fear them getting paint on the new cabinets. If there are nicks during installation, I can always touch up the woodwork.

I also wanted to get the muntins painted black now to see how I like them. I had originally wanted a steel or bronze window, but my money tree appears to be dead (would have been $20,000 installed). Then I was going to get a new bay - I wanted a more shallow box bay with a larger middle window and none opening - this one is WAY too deep - impossible to clean without sitting on the cabinet. At my age, not a great idea. Well, the new wood window would have been between $5000-10000 depending on who did it. Not happening.

So I decided to get the look I wanted by simply painting each individual window in the bay black. I'm pretty sure I like it after the first coat. One sees the vegetation more clearly - brings it into the room.

I chose a VERY bright white paint for the woodwork in hopes of the contrast making the Repose Gray cabinets and 1/2 strength wall, to look "grayer". It's not the "perfect gray" I had in my mind, but it's the best of the Shiloh grays and I wanted Shiloh cabinets for innumerable reasons. Repose will go "greige" if next to anything with yellow in it, thus the brilliant white.

I think the wall paint needs to have 1 part magenta removed from the formula as it can go "pinkish" in certain lights. Thank goodness for test cans!

New cabinets will be similar color to the upper cabinet with the copper on top. In fact, that IS Repose Gray in oil base semi gloss but it is grayer and lighter than the cabinets will be.

What do people do for wall outlet covers when using tile or marble for the backsplash? I have always had wallpaper and then I covered the outlet plates with the paper. What now?

Featured Answer

happy2b…gw

10 years ago

Spectacular job on the window.

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Comments (12)

gigi4321
10 years ago
The window looks great! I did the same thing, wanted steel, ended up with painted wood. The greenery is beautiful and lush.
amyfgib
10 years ago
The windows look fantastic!

You can have the switchplate covers faux finished to blend into the backsplash. I just noticed a friend's the other day -- I've been in her house a million times but they're so well done, I didn't notice them at all until I was looking closely at her backsplash for TKO purposes.
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ILoveRed
10 years ago
Love the black window.
kelleg69
10 years ago
I posted a thread about my navy blue island and putting a white outlet on it. I am going to try to put a dark blue one on there. I think if you have a light marble backsplash, a white outlet will be fine.
PRO
Anglophilia
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks, everyone! I'd have loved to have had that steel window, but I think this is turning out to be a very viable Plan B!
jellytoast
10 years ago
I had planned to get outlets and covers in a color to match my backsplash, but by the time I got to that point I was completely exhausted and didn't care anymore. I have creme colored tile and white outlets and covers. It looks fine and I'm fine with it.
romy718
10 years ago
Love the black mullions - what a striking change. Maybe you don't even need those new cabinets. Kidding, it is going to be beautiful. Wall outlets in your backsplash? Low & horizontal. Decora or Lutron have a great selection of outlet & plate colors. There are many additional colors that are not displayed at retail stores,
eam44
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Wonderful! It makes you feel you can reach out into your garden.

i should mention that you don't actually need to have a cover plate. Bocci sells outlets and switches designed to be flush with your tile. I've seen this in a marble backsplash somewhere - can't find the image just now, but the one below will give you an idea. These are pricey, but may be worth it to you.

My favorite DIY/budget outlet cover solution is ob2b's. It will work with any tile. I believe she made color photocopies of her tile and decoupaged the outlet cover with them. Here's how it came out with her stunning tile, and you can check out the details here.
writersblock (9b/10a)
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I believe she make color photocopies of her tile and decoupaged the outlet cover with them.

You can also buy clear outlet covers that you just paste the photocopy into.
PRO
Anglophilia
Original Author
10 years ago
LOVE those Bocci outlets, but I think they're a bit rich for my blood. Like the photocopy/decoupage idea - that I could do myself!
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
10 years ago
I love the black on the window too -- have seen it in a few reveals and always think it looks smashing.

Depends on your overall style, but I love the old fashioned porcelain covers. They come in white, bisque and ivory, plus some colors. You might find one of those (on-line, and on-line are also very many colors in plastic and metal covers) that works with your backsplash.