First House! Paint color for kitchen?

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

Hello all,

This is my first post on Houzz, and my first week as a homeowner. I've just bought a two-story "folk Victorian" in a small Minnesota town. It was built c. 1898 and is in remarkably good shape.

I'm not planning to make many changes right away, with the exception of the kitchen walls. The wallpaper is currently coming down, and I need to choose paint. I'm hoping to get advice on a warm, happy color that will coordinate well with the existing cabinets and counters, as well as the view through an open doorway into the rest of the first floor.

The attached photos show the kitchen as well as a shot from the dining room into the kitchen and the current chaos of steaming & scraping wallpaper. The counters are a dark (forest? hunter?) green with subtle black flecks. The cabinets are between a light and medium tone wood, with black textured pulls that I like. The appliances are white, and the floor tiles are a slightly pinkish off-white. (I'd also like to put a rug in here, once I pick a wall color.)

The next two rooms have black painted beadboard wainscoting with a slightly blue-ish very dark green above that almost reads as black. It's perhaps more dramatic than I would have chosen, but looks very sophisticated and friends seem to like it, so I'm leaving it alone. The woodwork is on the blonder side.

What color would you choose? Thanks in advance!

ETA: The window over the sink and another opposite the coat closet/pantry (marked by the previous owners' large star in the photo below) face south, but there's a garage blocking much of that light.

Featured Answer

lucidos

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

Congratulations on the new old home. I, myself, live in one that was built in 1905. There is a whole world of things that can be done to keep that period feel but safe to say someone went off the chart in 1980/1990 in this kitchen. It's ok.

I would basically not touch what is still good - the cabinets, appliances, and floor look fine. Give it and yourself time to get to know each other. Dream, plot, and scheme what you want it to be. In the meantime paint it your choice of a pale food color like butter or a latte or celery or nuts or honey. Find some kitchen accessories that will marry the color you choose with a nod to the slight pinkish tone in the floor. Be whimsical. Amuse yourself. Keep it light. You will be spending a lot of time in there.

The only thing that really bothers me about your kitchen is the faucet. It just takes the white over the top for me. I would switch it to a chrome as funds permit.

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Comments (14)

er612
8 years ago
Only critique would be raise the curtains above the window trim.
Emily B thanked er612
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jhmarie
8 years ago
Your cabinets look to be maple because I don't see the amount of grain I would see with oak - but that also could be the photograph. A pretty sage green often works very well with wood cabinets.

In my wood (oak) kitchen I have a cream with a touch of beige - just enough color to set off my trim.

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~110720042

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~109854052

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~109854029

Good luck with that wallpaper - brings back memories of my first few weeks in my home:)

I vacation in Minnesota (Park Rapids) - love it!
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everdebz
8 years ago
Loving lucidos' words of advice. Food is a natural label for kitchen paint, yes? :)

But similar possibly is this color from C2 called "Parchment".
West Seattle Dining Room · More Info

C376 Parchment by C2 Paint · More Info

[https://www.houzz.com/products/c376-parchment-by-c2-paint-prvw-vr~374216[(https://www.houzz.com/products/c376-parchment-by-c2-paint-prvw-vr~374216)
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Aqua Kitchen & Stone Gallery
8 years ago
You should definitely go with a warm, light beige shade and make it flow throughout both rooms.
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Irene Morresey
8 years ago
Perhaps a deeper beige like Kilim beige or Normadic dessert, more earthy tones
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lucidos
8 years ago
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izeve
8 years ago
Sage green works well with wood cabinets like yours. It sounds like it would also play nicely with your countertops.
Emily B thanked izeve
er612
8 years ago
Of the colors lucidos posted, I like Celery Salt best with your cabinets.
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Emily B
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you so very, very much to everyone for these comments! I'll respond more fully later, but the clock is ticking on my paint job and I need help once again making a choice. I'm not very good at taking these kinds of photos, but I hope it gives you a sense?
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
8 years ago
I much prefer the greens, although I don't think I would go that dark. The yellows in the first pic are not right to my eye. The yellow in the second pic works with the wood -- how does it look with the floor?

I think a warm blue (something with some green to it) would also work.
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MotherOfGiants
8 years ago
Try lighter shades of the colors you've posted -- they'll be easier to live with and decorate around.
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chiflipper
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Remove the short backsplash. Find a plasterer and get the walls "skim coated", it will be well worth the money. (Congrats on the thankless job of wallpaper removal.) I think a pale shade of green would help counteract the tendency of maple to "read" orange.
slourdes
8 years ago
A yellow shade that I love that looks great with wood cabinets, as well as white and other neutrals, is Devine paint's Butter. It's yellow without being too in your face.