I'd chose my perimeter cabinet color before the color of the island. They are the most prominent feature in the kitchen and would always be my first choice.

SW Livable Green or Sagey for neutral definite greens that have mutability qualities.

Thank you Holly and GreenDesigns. Anglophilia, I have been thinking about this for awhile. I really have my heart set on a plum colored island. That is the star of my kitchen.

The perimeter is the primary I agree and why I'm asking because I do care about the color. I want my kitchen to be very different from any other but homey, warm and inviting. I always value your opinion Anglophilia.

I'm blushing! Can you show us the color of "plum" you have your heart set on? Easier to pick a perimeter color. And yes, I do understand that sometimes the heart leads the way...

So this is my first choice for the island but was told it may look black because it is so dark. I think it is such a rich, beautiful color.

The question is would soapstone look too dark on such a dark color? I am wondering if at the very end when I come down to picking everything out I find I have to choose something completely different from what I want, whether it be cabinet colors or different counter tops.

2nd choice: This is plum royal Benjamin Moore

And then there is

BM Purple Lotus. I like the darker colors better but have not seen them on a cupboard front either so..... sigh.....having a tough time choosing. I do love the light green perimeter with this color but not sure how it would look all together. If not the light green what else would look good? I may have to scratch the plum island all together but hoping not.

Ask your cabinet maker for a sample door.

I plan on it!

See in this picture how this grayish green and plum look so nice together. The other issue is what color would the walls be? Maybe I need a more neutral color for the perimeter?

No soapstone with something this dark. White or a white marble or quartz. The Plum Royal is the best color, but I don’t much like it with gray.

What’s in your LR? Upholstered furniture? Curtains? Rugs. Art?

I prefer painted cabinets but I wonder if a stained wood, like a walnut or something earthy and mid-tone, might not work better with the plum.

I was thinking the same exact thing this morning......its making things actually worse for me as I cannot decide now what I really want to do because I feel like it is starting to go far from my original plan....I also considered a mushroom colored cabinet for perimeter.

NewEnglandgal- I think a plum kitchen would be lovely. I have a sister who loves plum. She has always loved it. She is not going to change her mind. I remember going with her to pick out her dishes when she was getting married, Sasaki Colorstone in Plum. She still loves them. She lives in the PNW and her craftsman home is sage and eggplant on the exterior. She tiled her master bath with 1x1 mosaic tiles in white with a greek key border in green and purple. Some may say purple is trendy but for others its here to stay.

My question to you is, are you like my sister? Is the purple who you are or who you want to be?

If you were my sister I would say do ALL the cabinets in purple with light sage walls and white countertops and black hardware. Treat the dark plum as a neutral, almost like a dark brown.

I think the plum would be too dark for the entire kitchen and why I wanted it to be the "star" and island. I was thinking a nice light green or even a blue-grey-green color would compliment the plum well but wasn't sure because if I did that with the perimeter what would I do with my walls? I feel like either I do the colored perimeter and walls a BM Balboa Mist or Revere Pewter OR vice versa, Balboa Mist perimeter and a grey- blue- green or something of the sort on the walls. I can put colors together easy enough and know what looks good but I have trouble thinking outside the box. In other words, If I did the colored perimeter of the cabs a very light grey-blue-green could I also do the walls in a color that would go well with all these colors and not have to be white, cream tan or beige?

Flo would know this!

NewEnglandgal I don't think you should give up on any of the elements you have been dreaming about - even the soapstone if it's something you've had your heart set on. There are dark and light versions, some more green, others almost black and still others a light/mid gray. Oiled and un-oiled will create different looks and some have more movement than others. Annie Deighnaugh uses a website that pulls together different colors from nature - can't remember the name of it at the moment. Perhaps do a shout out to her and ask about it. Once you see how the colors all play together, then it's determining percentages and where they are placed. It would also help us to know more about your kitchen - how much light, direction, size, how much wall space and how it relates and flows into adjoining spaces.

Kudos to you for wanting to do something different! My only thought is if you have an open floor plan, you'll probably want to carry those colors throughout or it won't look cohesive. You can do that easily with an area rug, artwork, paint, etc. The question becomes, will you love the bolder color down the road and is it easily changed out if you don't. I suppose that's why they suggest your major dollar items choose more of a 'neutral.' I like the ability to be able to give a room a 'refresh' for little money after a while. Usually I would grab some new decorative pillows, a throw, maybe some new art and paint. My husband use to say, as many times as I've painted, I've decreased our total square footage-ha!

Our first home we bought had cranberry colored carpet everywhere. It was brand new and good quality, so we couldn't justify ripping it out. But, it certainly was a challenge with decorating as the color of my floors became the bossy sister in every room!

I also agree that the soapstone with the plumb might be too dark. A lighter counter or maybe even butcher block? But, might be too much with two different color cabinets and two different counters. My preference is- if doing different perimeter and island color, I like the same countertop. If all cabinets are the same, I think different countertops are fine.

I think a gray green and a plum island will look lovely. Finding the right shade of both to work with a non-white wall will be difficult but not impossible.

The website DLM referred to is colorseeds, I think.

Here are some examples.

Like others have said, so nice to see someone doing something different! The pallette of plumb and gray/green looks gorgeous together. I think the plum island with a walnut counter top would be pretty and white quartz for the perimeter counters.

I also saw this.

The thing I worry about with wood is my sink is in the island and we will be eating at the island. Worried it will easily scratch.

I know what you mean, I would feel the same way. My neighbor has a walnut island and it is gorgeous. She applies mineral oil once a month, is careful to wipe up water quickly. She has had a couple of scratches and just lightly sands them and rubs them out with the mineral oil and it looks brand new. I guess what you would have to decide is if the look of walnut or any other wood is worth the maintenance or would the constant worry of stains or scratches drive you crazy?

Just like with soapstone...on my way to a stone yard now to have a look around. Picking out counter tops first. Then I can go from there.....hopefully...

I really like the color "Shadow" and think it would be a great choice. What I think makes it work so well, and be really pretty neutral, is that it seems (on my monitor) to have a substantial amount of gray to it.

Again, on my monitor, Stormy Monday looks greenish and I think would also work very well for the perimeter cabinets.

As for the walls... will there be a lot of wall space? I personally would look for a muted white that has some of the gray-green of Stormy Monday. That would help the space from being too dark.

When I last painted my house, in a sage-y green called 'High Tea', I really wavered between plum/eggplant and a darker red for the front door. I went with the red, but always kept the eggplant in the back of my mind for an alternative.

It isn't scratches that you have to worry about so much with wood (that's part of it's patina). It's water. Wood and water do not mix, unless you have what amounts to basically an epoxy coating applied. For the sake of longevity, it's best not to use wood countertops next to the sink.

Don't give up on that Plum Island. I remember your post from months ago when you were talking about the same color. I absolutely love the idea of having a plum Island. I hope you find your countertop today and your dream will come true.

I didnt find anything. No soapstone slabs. The search continues.

So here is what I am looking at (or close to it) for perimeter:

and island:

Notice both have what looks like a marble countertop.

I am thinking if I cannot do soapstone maybe I can look at a marble look-a-like. I am not a fan of what I have seen in the quartz line.

Can anyone suggest a countertop that looks like marble? I may also post another post asking for suggestions.

What do you guys think? I am also looking for paint suggestions for the walls. There will be barely any wall in the kitchen itself (an L shape) but because it is open concept the walls surrounding the kitchen (dining area and living room) need to match. It feels good to have a somewhat color scheme going. What do you think????

My Madre Perla quartzite actually has streaks of amethyst in it and it works with my gray-green island(BM Providence Olive). Maybe you can look at slabs of Madre Perla and see if you like it.

I want to second Cook's Kitchen's message. It takes a lot of discipline to design a cohesive home. You can't just pick things you like.

My DH and I are planning a new home now and I have to constantly tell him, it's not just picking 'things'. Each it a thread, and the threads have to woven together to make a tapestry.

Thank you for your suggestions and thoughts. I meet with the KD next Thursday. I may completely change my mind then to something different. I do realize I need to incorporate colors throught out the house that "go." I am not just looking at the kitchen, but this is what it giving me the most anxiety because I am second guessing everything. i know it will come together once I make my choices.

I was about to suggest to look into Quartzite too-out of all the stones, I love marble, limestone, soapstone and onyx and Quartzites the most-they have this warm appearance about them, very noble, at least to me. And Quartzite is the hardest of them all or so I think.

Gray green would look wonderful..frankly after my own experience with painted cabs, and if works with overall idea of the house, and there's enough light, and future flooring alows for stained, etc, etc-I'd be tempted to go with walnut cabinets on the perimeter-first, easier to maintain, second, is breathtakingly beautiful. Alone or with plum. But maybe you guys are easy on your cabinets, I have my own Terminator in the kitchen lol.

(I'm not objective of course-since I love plum and gray green and walnut and they all are used to a prominent degree in my own house)

As for the walls it's nice to see the rough plan -how the kitchen relates to the rest of the house, where the backsplash would be, etc, etc. to see the walls in question.

It's quite easy to take a color that will look like cabinets' color(if you do go wirh painted), slightly darker, lighter, a tad different but not a lot-it will look on the wall different than cabinets since walls reflect light differently than wood, even if same..but it won't be same, so one can have a very soft interplay of similar colors, without overpowering the kitchen and allowing for other elements to shine-if such is an initial intention of course.

Thank you April! I do love the look of Walnut. Do you think they will be somewhat timeless? Hoping to keep the cabinets for a long while.....I figured the Island would be easy enough to change colors down the road.

I very much like this sage green shade that someone else shared: .

It's nice and soft and looks like something of which you wouldn't tire. Definitely something light and white for your countertop. As nice as these gold/brass handles look, I'd probably play it safe and go with a more standard silver tone.

Gray-green or just green? I personally lean towards "clear, clean" colors -- sage green or candy apple green -- rather than gray undertones, but this is all personal opinion.

I can't work up any enthusiasm for a plum island. I think it's "too much". If you do it, though, you definitely must carry plum over somewhere else -- this isn't a color that can appear in only one spot.

I love these threads about paint colors. They produce paint names which are the silliest terms imaginable.

I'd excel at the job of paint-namer.

Ask your cabinet maker for a sample door.

No matter what color you choose -- yes -- do this. Color can be tricky.

Thank you Mrs. Pete! I do like all the different names for paint. You wonder how they come up with them.

I have a lot to think about and explore. Pictures galore will be looked at today and what a fine day it is to be sitting at home in my PJ's with the rain outside.

April I do love Quartzite and will be going up to look at some more tomorrow. The one place we wanted to look closed one hour after we arrived (they closed at 2 yesterday :( Trying again tomorrow as they are over an hour away.

Answering your "timeless" question-To me walnut is timeless

well the thing is I still struggle with the "timeless" concept

I can say that for me walnut is a timeless fascination.

(as are many other things, like many shades of purple-I started loving it when i was 15, some association I guess struck me-and so it stayed)

But otherwise I probably still perceive that word too literally, it not being quite my language and used in the context that's different in how it's used in mine. I think: "walnut"-"a tree"-"will be there after I die"-yes, timeless))

And in similar I way I think about colors and many other things. They transcend people? Well then timeless

It's specific combinations of elements that get on people nerves being too overused or not very great from the beginning, not one element. Or so I think

also of course there are personal preferences. I love walnut to the point when I can't stop loving it whatever happens. Some other woods I like under conditions-unstained this, quarter sawn that. Walnut, I just love unconditionally.

I actually wanted walnut floors but learned walnut is a soft wood. Thanks for all the info. It will be interesting so see what I choose at the end of all this. My favorite colors, plum, navy, green. Wondering why I cannot incorporate all those together in my home.

as somebody who has walnut floors I can attest that yes, walnut is a soft wood)) you need to really love it and be okay with dings etc.

Why can't you incorporate all your favorite colors in your home? You can of course. Matter of proportions and surfaces a color used on, and repetition..well many things to be considered, but you can

Actually my dream tile( that I couldn't afford but based my compromise tile upon it) was a pattern-a bit of dark plum (or aubergine? I need to check..I still have that tile. still obsessed)), a bit of dark navy, a bit of golden deep yellow, a lot of grayish green.

I'm sure if you look at photographs and nature and art and movie scenes and fashion and fabrics and illustrations of interiors and whatnot- you'll find something to be inspired with

Definitely get samples! I have Halcyon Green on my front door, and it looks NOTHING like the image posted above. At my house, facing north and surrounded by red brick, it looks much lighter and decidedly more blue.

But its it's really a nice color on your door with the brick! Very nice!

I didn't read the whole thread, so I am not 100 percent up to speed.

Here are my thoughts anyway ;-) You give us a color palette you like and we begin by discussing kitchen cabinets. I think this is a wrong-headed approach. First you decide on a color palette- the one you chose is gorgeous and sublime, and then you make everything fit. You exercise discipline in your choices paying attention to rhythm and repetition ensuring harmony. The color scheme of your house comes from the rugs and curtain, furniture and fabrics, the walls and trim. The kitchen cabinets should not be a driving force. You are toying with the idea of a purple/plum/aubergine island- that could be amazing and quite the star of the kitchen- but that choice alone will not get you a nicely decorated house.

Whenever someone talks about purples, I post pictures from Nicky Haslam. His houses are eclectic and grand and traditional- yours may be nothing like that- but you can see that the color scheme can work quite well.

I used SW Sensible Hue on my island cabinet. Looks more greenish gray on my cabinet than it does on the website.

A couple of interesting posts on choices ...

https://www.mariakillam.com/10-steps-for-planning-your-new-build/

https://www.mariakillam.com/contrasting-kitchen-island/

There are a lot of soft hints for wall colors to serve as the backdrop to more intense features. That isn’t an issue.

To design a whole home, you start with the items with the least choice, that will cover the most surface. Then you go down the list of items that offer more and more choice. You end with paint colors. You don’t begin there. Sure if you have a strong color in mind as a main feature, you keep it in mind for coordinating with the other choices that come first.

But there are a lot of right shades of plum that will work. But not as many that will work with walnut floors. Or as many that will work with the fireplace brick. Or the other more permanent portions of your choices that come before picking the right greens and purples.

Different palettes. But “the same” palettes. Which one gets used depends on the overall design choices, all together, as a whole. But colors are behind more permanent elements. Those must come first.

Thank you both so much. Cook's Kitchen I understand what you are saying and see where I need to look much more at the entire home. I was thinking my kitchen was such a huge purchase and big part of the home that i needed to figure that out firs and then go from there. When I renovated I chose very neutral colors and I found it very easy. I have mostly hardwoods except tile in the kitchen and bathrooms. I updated the kitchen and bathrooms completely.

So I've heard to pick out a countertop first because that seems to be what you have a harder time choosing, then the floor. You are suggesting to choose the floor first?

If I choose a neutral for the perimeter. say cream or very light tan but still want the plum island, how would I need to continue the colors in the rest of the house? Say the living room has the same floor and neutral couch(es) like tan or greige? Throw pillows? art? Knick knacks like vases? If I do that for my kitchen can I still do navy in a guest bedroom? Could I bring all those colors together somehow?

I love putting colors together but have trouble thinking outside the box. I love navy but not for my island and not really thrilled with having a blue island.

Here is a link to a home for sale that is very close to ours (will look the same pretty much on the outside although we will be using different colors). Also my kitchen arrangement will be different. They have an oven in the island (the door will just about hit the floor) and my refrigerator will be where the pantry is to the very left and my double ovens pretty much where the refrigerator is in their kitchen.

The lay out is mostly the same with a few changes. Link:

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/221-Spartina-Cove-Way_South-Kingstown_RI_02879_M31201-43629?view=qv

.

Floors are always first. They are the background for everything you pick in the home. A classic warm to neutral brown can go many ways. But cold brown or warm maple can not. They limit your directions for other choices.

Little inspiration, love this color combo:

Hi! I am sorry that this is off topic but I wanted to ask you about your daughter’s floors. I saw an old post you had posted with a picture of your daughter’s vinyl flooring. I was t sore how to send you a message. Could you tell me the brand/color by chance?

Hi Sara my daughter bought her floors from Weshipfloors.com. It is luxury vinyl plank in Fortress. I do not see it on his website anymore.

He is here on Houzz and you can message him anytime!

Love your color combinations. This is my master bedroom at our mountain cabin.

NewEnglandgal, Thanks fit the color on your daughter’s floors. I thought it might be Fortress, but I had seen a post where you said she changed from Fortress to Rustic Ash. I just wanted to make sure. Thanks!

Oh you know what, she very well may have! I asked and she cant remember. I'll have to ask her husband. Its LVP. One of those is Supercore which you can purchase from Weshipfloors.com

They were very easy to work with.