The idea of picking any major finish without having samples of all the other finishes right next to it... just hurts my head. I think you should have been concerned, but for sure your designer should have known better. See whether s/he has any suggestions for pulling things together with a gray backsplash, or whether she can work with you on some other solution. Paint may be your best fall-back.

You have an amazing kitchen. It is simply beautiful. I dont think this can be blamed on either of your designers. There are many, many shades of white. Telling them you want white is very broad. You assumed that you were picking Simply White but did not ask for verification and you saw it in the showroom and agreed to it (no different than buying a diamond ring that sparkles under store lighting but not once you have purchased it and walked in to sun light). I think the easiest solution would be to color match some paint to the cabinets and repaint the crown moulding. That seems like a lot of effort thought because it wont make much impact in a kitchen that already looks perfect. I hope your final result is something that you love. Good luck!

"I am devastated. No one wants to take responsibility"

The responsibility is yours. You choose the materials and colors, and failed to verify they all worked together.

A bit too much assuming.

If you have a designer I can't see how this isn't their fault? Isn't that what you are paying them for?

In any event white is a very difficult color to choose. Take a bright colored sheet and hold it up near you cabinets they will now have that color to them. White reflects and mirrors the surrounding colors.

If you feel the white is not white enough I would paint and use a backsplash that is more off white as that will make your cabinets look more pure white. You have a beautiful kitchen. Have them fix the crown which is obviously wrong.

Pick a backsplash and move on. Whites will change throughout the day and depending on the light. Look at it through a fresh look and pick a complimentary backsplash.

You have learned a valuable lesson don't pick a color from a name and don't pick colors from pictures.

devastated?

Have the crown molding repainted.

Was she/he a interior designer or interior decorator? There is a difference.

IT IS BEAUTIFUL, I really like it. I think is too late to do something without incurring major expenses, I think what should have been done is when cabinets arrives, if you didn't love them or was what you didn't expect, o not proceed with countertops until fully ready. You could have exchange them or clearly have at least the resposible part since the main thing is you not liking the "white" cabinets.

I think it look gorgeous!

C'mon folks- Blame the rookie when the "pro" is the one who made a rookie mistake?. What kind of a designer- ever- advises a client during material/color selection without samples, all the while making assumptions that no pro should ever make?

Now Heather is faced with the decision of either living with something that is unacceptable to her OR getting "fixes" done in a kitchen where all material- expensive, beautiful- is in place. That can be messy, invasive and has the potential for a "whoops" during painting.

I don't envy your decision, Heather, but do think very carefully before embarking on any major re-do at this stage. Good advice here for some simple remedies.

BTW: Did you and the designer execute a contract? If so, is there anything in it re: issue resolution/remedies? If not, I bet you won't make that mistake again, either!

In time this will fade for you as you enjoy this gorgeous kitchen. But I understand how you must feel right now.

EDIT: Even a decorator should know better.

Heather, your kitchen is gorgeous! I completely understand your problem with the whites. When we were forced to re-do our kitchen because of water damage, I chose white cabinets. Because of our budget, we didn't buy a new microwave or oven. They are a different white than the cabinets. At first, I was appalled and hated the difference in whites. Now, it doesnt matter as much. I know I can buy new appliances at some point in the future. It's hard to match every thing up colorwise. I agree with some here that your best bet is to have the crown repainted. I know you're mad as a hornet now, but in a year, you may feel different.

Someone mentioned different lumens in the lighting. That's something you need to carefully look at before you start to re-do paint, etc. Lighting makes a big difference in whites.

Kitchen · More Info

Heather, A professional interior designers had to attend a accredited design school and be certified. A professional (and I use that lightly) interior decorator has no training or education. All any one needs to do to become a professional interior decorator is to print up business cards. He/she could be the color blind slob down the street who has the pink, orange and purple house. I wish on this site when someone claims they are a "pro" it specifies which one they are.

You hired a pro and their job is to coordinate and verify colors, ensure the proper samples are used for decision making, and to verify information with the trades. Your pro made a very obvious and easily avoided mistake - not verifying that the cabinet Simply White was BM. A client is relying on the pro for these activities, that is why we hire a pro. If I hire a tax accountant and they use the incorrect tax rate, I expect them to correct my tax return without additional charge! The designer is responsible for repainting the upper cabinet doors.

To me, the crown is fine, but I'd paint the walls a colour similar to the cabinets.

If you hire someone to do a specific job, they should perform that job. It is not the homeowners fault when she clearly took the steps she thought necessary to get the look she desired. The intricacies are up to the professional crew to sort.

The countertop and cabinets look nice together. Select the right paint color for your walls and tile for your backsplash and pull all the elements together. Adjust the lighting. Repaint the backsplash. It's a really beautiful kitchen so there is no reason to feel devastated.

I am with jerzeegirl....paint your walls a color...not white and paint your backsplash the same color or find a tile that goes with both wall color and countertop...just not white. I think you are seeing too many shades of white and it is overwhelming to you.....get some color on the walls and backsplash....put some throw rugs on the floor and some colorul stuff on the counters....it will be beautiful.

"Cabinet maker argues painter needed to match cabinet sample, not just paint based upon color of cabinets we provided."

Cabinet maker is correct.

Figuring out who to blame is a waste of time and energy. If you got the materials you ordered, you don't really have any recourse. That said, from the pics you sent, the kitchen is beautiful. I don't think it matters that the white counter isn't an exact match to the white cabinets. The molding color should easily be fixed. Live with it for a week before trying to do anything else. And then just try and find a solution. Move forward.

I would match the crown to the cabinets and then work on a backsplash that blends everything together. Once the crown is matched your eye will not stop there so it will not be obvious to you. The kitchen is beautiful get it finished and enjoy it !!!

Heather -- Why not start a new thread requesting help on making the best of this situation.

You can edit your last post to say you are doing so.

You should get more responses.

Whites can vary from one manufacturer to another. Unless you pay for a strike off an exact match is difficult even with samples. A blend of whites is usually best. Even the slightest change in the sheen of finishes can throw color off. They can be old. The finish can change. I agree about the cabinet sample, As a professional Interior Designer I take all the cabinet samples with me until all the selections are made.

Re paint the crown add color to the walls, ,add a back splash. Change the lighting, all great suggestions and some drapes on the window to give yourself something else to focus on. It is a beautiful kitchen. Needs finishing. Ask the designer if she will help you with the rest of the finishes, if not hire another designer that specializes in color. As far as the long wall goes. You can stop the paint before it goes into the hallway. It just needs a clean crisp line.

Hey, Heather- one more fairly simple solution might be to change out the chairs, or paint them if that's an option. It's yet another shade of white that may be competing with the others. If you are seriously considering painting your walls, then perhaps it won't matter as much, though.

Oh Heather, I am so sorry you feel devastated. There is so much valuable advice on your post already. When this is all settled and you have the white look the way you want it, I am sure you will be able to truly enjoy your glorious space. Your island is amazing, the stone counter with its subtle veining is gorgeous, the custom hood and the details on your cabinets are all so pretty. Hoping this gets resolved and you enjoy your space.

Hiring some one not qualified to do the project and expecting great results. See it all time unrealistic expectations.

Wow. Clearly the op spent a packetful of money to get her dream kitchen and you all are acting like she did something wrong. She trusted the professionals she hired, period.

Heather, your kitchen is gorgeous! And it is obviously high quality!

I would take a cabinet door and a primed scrap of your crown moulding to a Benjamin Moore dealer. They will work with your color and test it on the crown until it is perfect.

I would also "insist" that the painter, mask and plastic off everything, and spray the crown in place. (Provided he is skilled with a sprayer, that is!)

Or the best thing would be if your cabinet company would give you matching paint. There could be a problem, however, if it is a solvent type finish that cannot be replicated on the job site.

The least amount of different whites in the room, the better. Agree about the crown. no big deal. match it to the cabinets. bring in a door to the paint room if you have to.

brighter daylight bulbs to bring in more blue/white.

no white backsplash unless it's a perfect match w/the cabinet shade.

paint the walls an actual color. that will make your cabinets appear white, like you hoped.

Collingwood?

Any of these blue/gray tones?

this rain color is one of my faves and it goes w/the oak color in the other room

I skimmed, so forgive me. If the "designer" referred to is a cabinet salesperson, enough said.

The worst word ever is "assume" , it is asking for trouble no matter design, your car's blinking warning light, or that your teen will always do the right thing.

Fault is shared by all due to lack of questions asked, the most important of which is at every turn in selection process and in relativity to the expense and permanence of any selection within, exactly one:

What. Could. Go. Wrong. Here. ?

You sign off on design and layout, on cabinetry style/stain/color. You sign off on counter selection......on a flooring order. Your signature quite literally implies acceptance- no tile sales person will ask "are you sure this works with your existing flooring"? No cabinet mfg will ask "Hey, have you checked this white with your counter selection"?

There's no great advice to be had I fear. If the tone of white is so disturbing? Cabinetry can be painted professionally at some expense..........

The flooring, to me , is just as disturbing and I can't fathom the selection. .... I can assume you said you wanted tile, and I must assume a "designer" did not argue , or I can assume she did not care. I wish I had answers that would not cost a chunk of change. What Could Go Wrong, Did. So very sorry.

FWIW, Heather, I think this is one of the prettiest, most timeless kitchens I've seen here (or anywhere else, for that matter!) In fact, one of the things I like most is the cool, crisp white of the countertops set against the creamier white of the cabinets. To me, that is most elegant looking, and actually gives the same kind of "feel" as if you'd chosen Carrara marble countertops. :)

"The fact here is that finding blame will not change anything."

I promise when that painter has to come back and repaint for free with the matching color that he should have had the first time, he will never again spray a drop without a signed approved sample. So this kitchen will change with blame assignment as will every one he ever paints from now on.

This painter has made more than one mistake. He failed to gauge the sophistication level of his customer. I know with whom I'm dealing when I look at the home's landscaping as I pull in the driveway. If I pass through the garage and it's cleaner than my kitchen, that's going to be reflected in the price. You want fussy? I got plenty of fussy. It's on the top shelf. Let me get some for you, please.

Your base cabinets seem more white on my computer. I would try the whiter light like someone above recommended it may help. Have you compared the sample of the cabinets to make sure the cabinets were not painted the wrong color?