Help pick wall color for kitchen with oak cabinets and oak trim

8 years ago

Moved in 4 months ago, trying to update our home working with the oak trim not painting it. This house isnt't modern, so trying to update without a complete overhaul.

Here is the plan so far to get the full picture:

1- remove fluorescent lighting, changing out for drop pendents

2- using a gel stain to darken cabinets to match

trim color around window or just slightly darker

3- adding hardware after staining

4-leaving counters and back-splash as is for now (budget)

So the paint colors I have been looking at are greige: Edgecomb gray, Pale Oak, Balboa mist, Abalone. The previous owners had valances over each kitchen window. The kitchen gets tons of natural light with 3 windows and 2 skylights.

Ok so to the questions:

A- what paint color to work with the cabinets, trim and backsplash

B- curtains yes or no

Featured Answer

jhmarie

8 years ago

The new lighting could effect the wall color and the color of the wood - so definitely do that first. Do some research into the lasting effects of gel stain - I've heard both good things and bad things.

Here are just some unasked for thoughts- if I was working with this kitchen on a budget, I would possibly remove the upper trim piece and the small wood piece over the windows. I might remove the entire cabinet to the left of the farthest left window and replace with some shelves. I would remove the over the range microwave, which being short I could not even use, and replace with a stand alone vent. You could do a stainless vent for a more modern look. It is more expensive, but you could stain an unfinished wood hood with insert for a more farmhouse look. You have so much lower storage I actually would be tempted to remove all of the upper cabinetry - especially if there is a pantry cabinet - I was wondering where the fridge is - is there a pantry cabinet next to it?

As far a curtains - I do like the softness and color window treatments add, though tis is a person style choice.

This vent is a little larger than you would want:

Less uppers - pretty window treatment:

Rustic shelves:

If you like a bit of country / farmhouse, beadboard makes an inexpensive backsplash and works well with shelves - rather than tiling, which might possibly need to be redone if you got new counters down the road.

This is my basement kitchenette - done very economically with some of my original cabinets (refinished), shelving and beadboard - though in this case I used the beadboard wallpaper to save money - might replace with the real thing in time:

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~65270573

My main kitchen is also oak and in my "my pics" idea book - if you want some possible ideas for counters/ backsplash / farm sink - but it is done in a vintage style.

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Comments (6)

PRO
Sina Sadeddin Architectural Design
8 years ago
My advice would be do all the other changes first, and THEN think about paint color. You may feel completely differently once the cabinets are darker.
K Laurence
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Paint last. Might want to consider pulling a color from the backsplash assuming that is staying. I’d do Roman shades, pick them out after also, I’m not a fan of curtains in kitchens ( or really anywhere else for that matter...). Is that decorative railing remaining above the cabinets? I’d think about removing it, a cleaner look.
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Original Author
8 years ago
full kitchen photo, fridge and more cabinets to the right of original photo. This photo is 2-3 owners ago
jhmarie
8 years ago
What a nice large area! Take the colors you are considering and get some sample jars. Paint large pieces of foam board and place them at different areas at different times of the day to get a feel for the color and how it changes with the light. I would not do this till after the lighting has been changed because it really can affect the color of the paint.

If the lower cabinets don't have roll out drawers in them, consider adding that to make them more useful. You have been there 4 months. Take your time and consider how much storage you need and you might be able to do without some of those upper cabinets if you like that open look. As you think about any possible changes in the future - consider moving the fridge closer to the work triangle, getting a stand alone range vent and perhaps changing out the peninsula to an island - for the convenience of getting to the sink without the long walk around the peninsula. Keep in mind I am not standing in the kitchen, but going by pictures which can distort the true size and scope.
PRO
Lori A. Sawaya
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Agree with Farmhouse look (ish).

Colors of brown are still relevant in today's color palettes. Edit out some of the country elements like the spindle trim on the cabinets and add a few updates and I think you could totally pull off a typical Farmhouse palette which is basically wood tones of all different colors of oak-y browns, white, black and near neutrals some people like to call "greige".

And definitely get your lighting situated before looking at paint. Change the light and you change how the colors looks so you'd just be wasting your time/money.