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kateamato

Help! Selling our house and I desperately need help with the kitchen.

kateamato
7 years ago

We are putting our house on the market and I need giving it a "tiny" makeover. We want to keep the granite countertops and the tile floor we have, but I need help with choosing what color to paint the cabinets and kitchen walls ( the grey we have now is way too blue in my opinion) as well as a backsplash that will look good. I just don't have a vision and can't seem to bring it all together to look appealing! Also, we will be removing that spill splash and as well as replacing the caninet knobs and hinges that the previous owners obviously just spray painted! ANY suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!


Comments (17)

  • rnonwheels
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I like the color trio on the left. The darkest color for bottom cabinets the lightest on the upper cabs and the middle on the walls. I wouldn't take the backsplash off. I would get black pulls/hardware.

  • apple_pie_order
    7 years ago

    Paint the backsplash area the same off white as the cabinets. The granite is only granite tiles. I would not bother with pulling off the 4" granite tile backsplash, nor would I install a tile backsplash to go with granite tiles, just paint off white where it's already painted.

    New knobs and hinges can be brushed nickel or chrome. Black knobs and white hinges would be fine, too, if you miraculously find white hinges that have the right screw spacing and size as the current spray painted hinges. They look pretty standard.

  • tallgrassdesign
    7 years ago
    What is the housing market like in your area? If inventory is in short supply and there are a lot of buyers who are already looking for homes like yours (price, overall style, and location), don't bother with a lot of changes, especially subjective, costly ones. Talk to real estate professionals who specialize in your area.
  • PRO
    Color Zen
    7 years ago

    Take a look at SW accessible beige... And any basic silver knobs will be fine. I would probably skip the backsplash or if you must, go with very simple subway that any buyer can live with. Subway in a white that flows with your cabinets and maybe a brown grout (very fine grout lines). Good luck! :)

  • Anonymous Homeowner
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Paint the walls Manchester tan or sailcloth (both benjamin moore). The gray isn't working because there is so much brown and beige in the space. The manchester tan or sailcloth colors will be a nice neutral that won't overpower or compete. Add a pop of color in the space in accessories. Blue is a great color that works with beige. Get some hand towels that have a shade of blue in a chevron pattern, get a blue vase, throw some white flowers in it, maybe have a large blue fruit bowl that you could leave on the countertop as well for showings. The Blue accent could be navy, teal, turquoise, etc.. go to Home Goods or Target or Hobby Lobby, find some clearance accessories and run with it.

    I truly would not waste any money in taking down the blackspash or adding a tile backsplash. The counters are granite tile, which (no offense) most people dislike. Tile countertops are worse than laminate IMHO. Taking away the backsplash and then adding new hardware is kind of like putting lipstick on a pig. Just keep the hardware as is- it works fine for the space.

    If you're going to invest in anything I'd get new stainless steel appliances. A buyer will appreciate that more than a tile backsplash. Unless you plan on ripping up the countertop and replacing the tile, I'd stick with painting the gray a more neutral color, and adding a pop of color in accessories.

  • Anonymous Homeowner
    7 years ago

    See this house howSail Cloth is a nice neutral backdrop and lets the white cabinets shine? There is lots of beige in this kitchen too, and the wall color doesn't compete.


    Here is an example of Manchester Tan on the walls in a room that has white (which your kitchen has) and the blue adds a nice pop of color! It really complements the beige in the space, and the wall color is elegant without being TOO beige.

  • Anonymous Homeowner
    7 years ago

    Another example of Manchester tan in white kitchen that has lots of beige/brown tones. The accent color here is green (in the topiaries and curtains) and it pairs nicely with the white and brown/beige tones. Manchester tan is a great neutral.

  • PRO
    Beth H. :
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I would not bother w/a backsplash. chances are the new buyers will remove the countertop and get one solid piece. leave the current 4" splash that's in place.

    As for the knobs, they are already too low and in the wrong place. don't bother w/new ones because the new owners will probably get their own, along w/new cabinets.

    ditto w/the cabinets. why paint? they already look clean w/the white. not everyone wants gray cabinets. And what if they just decide to get new cabs along w/the countertop? Doing a top notch paint job takes weeks if it's a DIY. If you are paying someone, a top job will run into the thousands. why spend that money on these cabinets????

    Do not invest any money in this kitchen w/the projects you want to do. You will be throwing away the money. If you want to give the buyers an incentive, sweeten the deal with a 'kitchen credit', or what you would have spent on the redo. Buyers want to pick their own materials. Paint the wall one of those tan colors that goes w/the granite top and that's it.


    You are trying to put lipstick on a pig. just leave it. It's fine.

  • Denita
    7 years ago

    Agree 100% with Anonymous Homeowner. Don't throw your money away on changes that won't get you extra $$ or move your home more quickly. When you freshen up the kitchen with the paint color(s) suggested and a few accessories - you would be very surprised at how far those few changes go. If you really want impact, go for the SS appliance package.

  • jhmarie
    7 years ago

    I agree to stick with warmer colors / beiges for wall color. I would just touch up the cabinets - I see areas of wear, and yes that shows poorly. Do not bother with a backsplash. It will be ruined when the countertops are eventually changed causing a waste of money and resources. It will also cause the new owner to spend more on changes because no matter how nice the backsplash is, it will likely be damaged in a change of countertops down the road, and now there will be the cost of ripping out the one newly put in.

  • PRO
    Cancork Floor Inc.
    7 years ago

    Crisp, clean and uncluttered. That's what you are after. Paint the walls, leave the everything else (I would get down and dirty with the grout to get it as clean as possible and then seal it - if it needs it) and then walk away.

    The counters are too dated for anyone to leave them as-is. The 4" splash belongs to the counters = leave them because they belong. The white cabinets are already trendy = leave them. Paint the walls to get a nicer tone match. Touch up the cabs with paint. Done.

  • 902 Juanita
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Designing only for a sale is very tricky, since you can only guess at who the eventual buyer will be, what they'll want, what their tastes are. One more way to look at it- it's a bit like buying an expensive wardrobe for a boyfriend you know you're moving on from :)

    Sure- do some wall paint on a neutral color. Spiff up, clean and shine. Show a house that has pride of ownership and is obviously livable, in a buyer's eyes. That gets rewarded, often with quick sales, because not all who buy a house are ready to remodel the day they close.

  • chiflipper
    7 years ago

    There are MANY post here on what to do before listing...read them. Don't spend any money on anything other than paint.

  • cpaul1
    7 years ago

    I would only redo a kitchen to sell it if the kitchen were so bad that you had to do it. Your kitchen isn't that bad. I would leave it and let the new buyers do what they want to do to it. They would probably just redo whatever you did anyway. I would decorate around what you have, decorate the counter tops and island, etc. If I did anything I would upgrade the appliances to stainless assuming those would be staying with the house. Buyers would appreciate that much more than a back splash that is your taste, not theirs.

  • PRO
    Linda
    7 years ago

    Estimate the cost of the work you are considering and calculate the true cost. You need to figure not just the materials but also the value of your labor and the opportunity cost of keeping the house off the market while you are doing the work. Then take that amount and subtract it from your potential listing price.

    Clean like crazy and touch up worn spots on the cabinets then paint the walls. That's it!

  • kateamato
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Thank you so much everyone for all the comments and suggestions. This was extremely helpful!