Hale navy

This is getting silly. No paint is going to make the mismatched rails right.

Not from our computers. These are solid ideas for the op to check out.

blah. too light. I liked the gray you did w/the gray stained wood. That would look nice. Maybe have FIL stain the cabinets w/an ebony stain to darken them up. would he go for that?

smm5525,,,,its the OP's choice not to paint the cabinet doors. If her FIL and husband are against her painting them, then what is she supposed to do? So we are trying to find a color that works the best w/the doors as they are.

Maybe a grey stain wash and find a paint that would look good with the doors. Doubt that's going to happen though.

I think the best case scenario here, since everyone is afraid of hurting each other by making their space there own, is to find a good wall paint that will freshen up the space. You own the home? Omg, I would cry if I had to live with this in a home I paid mortgage on, because it has so much potential!

OP, ask if you are allowed to stain the door frame the same color as the door panel. Then you only have to deal with two tone vs three tone cabinets.

The op is taking the long view. Live with it for a bit, look at wall colors, consider the idea of blending the outer trim with paint on the boxes. I bet it works out fine in the end.

So strange! I have never heard of anyone making wood tone, let alone two wood tone, doors for painted boxes! Has anyone here? I think we have learned--cabinet doors: NOT a good gift idea!

Actually what about painting the walls and boxes white, and letting the wood do its thing...that Instagram look...just white and wood?

lol, the instagram look? I don't have that app. Do you have an example?

Pool Habit, you never heard of it because it's ridiculous and even more ridiculous to solve it by painting the cab boxes a color to match the blonde wood.

Curious about this instagram look. Never heard of it and I have the app

Obviously everyone has different stuff on their Instagram...I should have said the Kinfolk magazine look...basically your white kitchen with plenty of unpainted wood mixed in.

op I still think your kitchen is better than this!

My daughter was struggling with what to do with unwanted gifts. Here is my rule for her: keep the gift for one year (use it, enjoy it, store it...whatever). Then feel free to donate it, give it away, re-gift. I think the idea of living with the cabinets a bit (no more than a year) is best. Then you and hubby can compliment FIL on how sturdy and well made they are, but that you have decided you prefer all one color. Then paint the cabinets. Anything else is "lipstick on a pig" as I believe Sophie Wheeler says in other posts.

When I first read this - I thought gift was the doors and it had to stIll be finished? But sounds like you have to live with the two tone wood combination? I am so sorry.

Personally I don't like the two tone wood and exposed hinges. What is it that *you* don't like? And what is it about them that Hubby likes about it? Is it just that his Dad made it and he doesn't want him to do extra work to "fix" whats not broken or does he actually prefer this look?

If you have to live with it, treat it like a rental where you can't make extensive/expensive change - perhaps you can put chalkboard decals on there or use it as an art gallery and hang up art on the panel and have ut framed by the lighter wood.

my fil insisted on 'gifting' us a spare bed for the basement. I said no thanks, but that was ignored and hubby said sure!. Fil hauled parts of an old 80s waterbed frame 5 hours in his pick up and topped it with a huge plywood slab (about 10 inches wider than the base) and then NAILED it all together (OCD fil and a big box of nails) in the tiny basement room. looked a fright and won no prizes on function either. fast forward to 6 mo later when we move house and the moving guys wouldn't touch it. took my husband and a friend an afternoon to dismantle the ##$! thing. all those nails...

This is a marriage counseling issue more than a décor issue. It is about establishing boundaries, and spouses supporting one another first. Please take this opportunity for both of you to get that counseling.

Having met these battles time and again, I stand by what I said regarding gifts and I stand by what I said regarding the perception, fair or unfair, as to who is "in charge" of the feel of a home.

Often , when that perception is calmly pointed out to a man and they are given a moment or two to think about it? They realize they are being unreasonable and they ( ahem!) adjust. Sometimes, a suggestion that maybe the woman in the relationship might like to add some " feminine fluff" to their man cave garage or basement does the trick.

Once in a while, it simply takes a woman saying calmly: "I don't think you mean to hurt me, but I'm a bit hurt. This room and our home, is so important to me, as I know it is to you. But this truly upsets me, isn't anything as I wanted or expected, and while I do so appreciate your dads effort, I would be far happier if you and I could agree on a paint color for ALL!! of the cabinetry." ..............insert kiss and longing stare : )

I'm no house wrecker, but this kitchen is indeed, very unfair. When you marry, you "forsake all others"......and I would certainly hope you forsake parental control issues.. Signed.....the "shrink" lol.

I'm a "pick your battles" type of person, and this is definitely a battle I'd pick. Yes he made the doors, which was very thoughtful, but they're not attractive. Being able to paint them would be a great compromise to you since you didn't have input on the building materials.

Ben Moore Barren Plain. I just did my bathroom in their Regal Eggshell and it has a nice, silvery look. I love the quality and the thickness, it's a great brand!

This is a long conversation among us "kids" and the poster has left the building. She has a lot of good, mostly constructive information, and it is her kitchen and her situation, so we probably should leave it at that.

Lets face it, there's one word for the kitchen: KLUDGIE!! IT Sorry, it just is. To all the brave souls posting colors to surround those doors? Yup.......Kludgie. Hurts my eyes. And Flo above is correct, op has had plenty of moral support and advice. We need emojis on here!!

Just trying to help with a bad situation. Young love?

@suzyq53 Our first house together and yes, young love. We have been married 5 years. He has been doing all the renovations himself with the help of his Dad. (We have a small budget, so them doing most of the work has been very helpful) I hate to be mean, and paint over them. (I am a gentle soul who is not very good with confrontation). The cabinets are beautifully made. And I know my husband and I can sit down with the help of all the great input and colors given and make the kitchen look like a great collaboration between both our styles. He has a great artistic eye and is normally so great with colors and design. We rushed to get the kitchen done, so we can move in the house before Christmas (So our 3 year old son can be in his "new house" for Christmas eve and morning). So things were not carefully planned like we should have.

We have a deep blue (city rain by behr) shiplap in our bathroom and it looks great with a stained quarter round. We will more than likley use that as our kitchen "re-re-model" inspiration in the next few months!


I really appreciate all the input! Once we have a complete kitchen, I will post a photo!


Thanks so much!!

Bless your entire family, and Merry Christmas! This will be a good story to tell your kids later!

Thanks for chiming in. I like how you're thinking about this project. :-)

Remember, the very people you're trying so hard not to upset sure don't mind upsetting you.

From now on when you start any new project get pictures from magazines and make a binder showing of rooms, cabinets, etc. that you like. Then discuss it with hubby and dad. Make sure you are heard. Monitor each step. Don't take their word when they say "Don't worry, you're gonna love it". Make sure you see where they're heading.

I noticed that you said "I bought a house" ...Did you actually buy the home?

leelee - That's what most of us do on Houzz. We don't need no magazines or binders. But every time I ask hubby to look at an ideabook his eyes glaze over. He's just not that into it. Thank goodness he doesn't ask me to look at pictures of golf courses.

My husband and I own the house. Should have put "we" sorry.

I do get the large sized den to turn into a play room. So thats a room victory!

Good for you. Is gramppa making the toy box? Maybe you could draw out what you'd like or give him a picture?

Angelica, the floor is actually a nice floor. I'd keep it.

I understand confrontation is tough for you, but I bet your hubby doesn't even have a clue how much this bothering. You got let him know in your own way, or he will never in a million yrs figure it out. Men aren't mind readers, in fact, they are usually oblivious to hints. I suggest going down to Home Depot & buying some 2x4 for situations like this.

As in, don't think of it as confrontation, but building healthy communication.

@suzyq53.. most of our furniture is made by my father in law. Its all beautifully made. And yes, toy box is made by him and the cutest little table and chairs for him. I truly am blessed to have him as my father in law.

I think having to think outside the box with the kitchen will end up surprising us with results we would have never thought of.

You are a lovely person! Can we see pictures of the playroom, toy box and table and chairs?

Play room wont be done for a while. But when its done, yes!! Furniture will finally be out of storage on Sunday, when we move! I will post some of my favorite furniture pieces next week. :)

Thank you. I love one of a kind. Your name suits you.

suzyq,,,your husband and mine are prob related. I talk about design and doing this to the house and he says,'whatever. it's fine". hand him a golf club and some balls and he's a kid in candy shop. I'm just fortunate that's he's handy enough to do anything I ask, even if he hates it.

Angelica, give it time. I'm sure in a year or so the newness will be gone and you can paint them. They aren't horrible! Congrats on the new house.

A long thread . . . A dilemma for sure . . . . To make these cabinets doors and drawers work, I would paint the boxes the same color as the light wood on the doors. I think this has been suggested and it is really the only way to ensure you have a kitchen that the cabinets look unified and not a "hodge podge" of design or elements. Live with them a bit and then decide on your wall color keeping in mind your overall house colors.

Well. We've beaten the horse to death, the poster is a very dear soul who dislikes confrontation with a loving hubby and her kindness know no bounds as it pertains to him, and to her FIL.. Her husband is very artistic, so maybe he will also know at some point, that even the best and most talented artists, occasionally scrap a "work" when they rip it off the easel, and put a knee through it? : ) Maybe the artist simply adds some paint over the entire thing....... and begins anew.

Read up a bit. She graciously explained their plans and is happy with their decision. :(

Well I will say this as someone who has been with my husband over a decade, what you are calling confrontation, I would call communication. I think it's very healthy for a marriage and you will be much happier in the long run if you practice communicating now. For me, it is frustrating when my spouse won't communicate what he likes, wants, or needs from me. You may also end up in a home that doesn't have much of you in it otherwise.

I know how it is. The first 10 years we were married I would have reacted the same way. I actually bargained taking a chance with my health issues and having another child with my husband for a kitchen renovation!:(.
Be considerate, but don't be miserable. You have to look at it every day of the world.

If your FIL has shown good taste with the rest of the furniture and renovations, ask his advice. He may have assumed they were to be painted since the boxes already were, hence the two-tone wood. Or he may at least give you another livable solution. Good luck!

I am having to laugh. Everyone is frustrated that Angelica just can't bring herself to paint the cabinets, because everyone knows nothing really works if she doesn't paint them. Me, myself, they would have been painted in a New York minute. But, some people can live with them - I couldn't.

Time to turn off notifications.

No way! I want to see the playroom furniture pictures.

Oh dear....may I hijack this post? Earlier, posters said the light blue paint on the soffit looked 'cheap.' That's the color we (my husband, ahem) chose for our brand new kitchen! Do you hate it? When we repaint, eventually, what are your suggestions? (again, excuse me for hijacking...I couldn't resist).

Marie - You have an aqua dot in your roman shade = your paint is more straight blue. If you are attached to blue consider a paler tone that straddles the line between blue and blue green if you repaint - also look for something very muted. Muting with color helps make it not look cheap - a clear tone feels a bit more juvenile than a muted one. You sometimes need to go to the Sherwin Williams or Ben Moore color galleries to find the more sophisticated shades since they put a lot more effort into having 1000s of options.

HD will make any color you select for you and tho it might vary a tad, it will be closer than going for a non-muted behr shade. For instance, in your kitchen BM Winter Ice is the right tone for the dot. . bm Annapolis green is the shade of that about as deep as your wall is now that would work beautifully here . . https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/color-overview/find-your-color/color/687/annapolis-green?color=687&source=%2Fen-us%2Fcolor-overview%2Ffind-your-color%2Fcolor%2F688%2Fseacliff-heights

I don't think yours looks cheap - remember that in her kitchen we are trying to work around several wood tones where you have the simple blond maple . .

Marie You would get quite a few suggestions if you post your photo on Design Dilemma.