Wise words, Becky.

lol Corinne. It took some $$ and pain to gain that wisdom. I think it helps if you think of light fixtures as the jewelry of a room, that finishing element. But you have to get the "bones" right before you deal with those fun, finishing elements.

What are your plans for the kitchen itself, what's the distance between kitchen -- say, the range -- and dining area? And how long are you planning to live in this house?

Lol so I just unplugged myself from the heating pad on my couch to measure.

The kitchen is about 10 x 14 ft. The dining area is about 7 x 8 ft.

I don’t know how long we plan to live here. I love this house- I love this piece of land & this area. If you asked me right now, I’d say I want to live here forever & just keep dormering the crap out of it. But I mean I only got married in 2017 & we bought this place in July of 2018 so who knows.

I wouldn’t have built the kitchen this way (with these particular tiles/backsplash etc.) but it’s relatively new aside from the appliances so I cant justify changing it for a number of years

Oh gosh, becky, I wouldn't call chairs the "bones", LOL....the bones of a room are the more permanent features, such as your corner cabinet...

Corinne is that a ceiling fan you have now? I see a light but not sure if it's part of a fan or a standalone light.

Just get up there and measure the shade part from side to side...that will give you a frame of reference for sizing.

I absolutely adore a bookcase with gold as the background....but not here, I don't think...

If it's not necessary storage, perhaps you could be on the lookout for some black dishes/tchotchkes. Or do what I would do and scour the house for stuff you don't really want and go buy a can of spray paint. That will give you a touch of black in that corner. Not necessary, of course, but it's an idea to keep in the back of your head

Then try a dark navy or deep green. It's only paint. besides, hub just may like it.

Oh gosh, becky, I wouldn't call chairs the "bones", LOL....

I wouldn't either, and I didn't.

lol

My apologies, then...what were you referring to, becky? Perhaps you and I think differently :) Is the corner cabinet not a built in? I didn't think it was getting removed or painted as far as I read. Perhaps I misread?

it’s relatively new aside from the appliances so I cant justify changing it for a number of years

I was wondering what might be up for changing, especially flooring. I would definitely post another picture with the newly painted trim, and maybe without the chairs if you're really planning on replacing them.

what were you referring to, becky?

I was speaking generally, but in the case of Corinne's kitchen, that would probably mean flooring, paint, backsplash, etc. The look of the kitchen part of the room with so many fixed elements, for better or worse, will drive the dining part.

One can't make the dining room look similar to Beth's inspiration picture which Corinne likes so much while leaving the kitchen pretty much as is, and expect the end result to be cohesive and/or resemble the inspiration pic.

Perhaps you and I think differently :)

Quite likely ; )

Ok! It took me a bit longer than anticipated but I just reassembled everything! All in all, I’m glad I painted the trim but I was hoping for a more dramatic outcome

PS look at that handsome boy! <3 ^

Wow, Corinne, that's a very different look from the first picture of the dining area! I didn't realize there are two corner cabinets. And the trim looks great, it makes the rest of the paint look much "cleaner".

Do you need to have the shades down most of the time for privacy and/or glare? I'm not sure if any dark paint will work if the window shades are down much of the time. That inspiration picture above works in great part because of all the light (Photoshopped and otherwise) coming in through all the overly large windows in the space, and through the double-sided glass cabinets between the kitchen and dining room.

One thought I had yesterday and am reminded of again looking at the new picture is that a pendant (vs a semi-flush fixture) will make the off-center position of the table more obvious. Do you plan to center the table if you install a pendant, or swag the pendant to have it hang over the table?

Very cute kitties : ) .

Nice job, handsome boy!

I have the same sort of set up with wood trim and kitchen cabinets. But white trim in some other rooms for some reason.

I've thought about painting the wood trim because you can't successfully (enough for me, anyway) patch and restain the wood dings...but you can do that with a painted surface. I'm just not sure I can face doing it!

Didn't know you had two cabinets....I think it's a lovely feature...

Thank you!

I definitely don’t need to have the shades down. We don’t have a sidewalk and there is only water across the street from us.

I will probably have either move the table or swag the pendant, whichever works better.

It’s ok If dark paint doesn’t work, I was really kind of hoping to paint an off white anyway. I just need to find reasonable replacement chairs first. Lately I’ve been really drawn to Scandinavian style chairs and the black/wood color contrast- I’m kind of hellbent on making it all work somehow

Penny- it took me a while to bring myself to do it too, I’ve been meditating on it for a while!

Okay, wait, what did I miss? I thought the table was just moved over temporarily while you painted...Is the junction box centered in the room?

So are you painting the chairs and can you recover them? It's pretty easy to do depending on the construction (I can't really tell without a close-up.)

that trim looks so much better Corinne! nice job.

couple of ideas for you

White wainscot and this Urbane bronze above. This is a great color and would look perfect w/black/white and your wood.

For the window, switch to white shutters and do everything in white:

Do a nice roman shade or woven wood blind. I like this fixture

Wainscot in the white, color above (not this light blue) Notice the white chairs, light fixture, art and drapes

black chairs. Paint walls same as the built ins and trim work. I like the beadboard ceiling

Same,,all white, jute rug, acrylic ghost chairs, glass pendant, fiddle leaf fig tree

I like the black/walnut chairs here

Another options for chairs if you're doing all white: pick a few diff colors

I also like the T&G molding on the walls

^ this is By far my favorite. I probably won’t add any paneling to the ceiling or the wall- we just paid like 1000$ to remove it from our bedroom lol.

I love the white though - and the glass pendant with the ghost chairs!

this is By far my favorite. I probably won’t add any paneling to the ceiling or the wall- we just paid like 1000$ to remove it from our bedroom lol.

This would be far easier to achieve than some of the other looks under consideration, since it embraces all the beige/tan elements already in the room.

You mentioned "trying to go a little less country" but I think if instead you go for "rustic luxe", as in the above photo, you'll have an easier time incorporating the kitchen side which you can't change just yet.

But esp with cats and cooking, anything clear (chairs, light fixture) will need daily dusting...

Use caution with clear light fixtures...the effect is a bit like looking at the sun. It looks great in photos, but if you dim them enough to be able to look at them, then they're really not bright enough to DO anything.

Where would your stopping point be if you painted it white?

the white walls are great, but how will the cabinets and counters look... seems the kitchen right on top of the nook space I really think that needs consideration.

RL- What exactly needs consideration? Do you think the cabinets and counters will look weird with white walls? I thought it might actually kind of work well

kind of like the “rustic luxe” like Becky mentioned. I’m so bad at distinguishing & defining styles, maybe I meant to say rustix luxe all along. Who knows lol. But yes sort of like that- using the white to to contrast with the ”grain” (grains?) in the countertop & the Black Furniture to bring out the details in the wood table

Penny- I would just paint all of the walls- so like anything that is currently painted tan, I’d paint over in an off white. I’d try to leave the backsplash alone. Good point about glass shades. They probably work best on semi flush mounts or tall fixtures.

How are these? : /

Good point about glass shades. They probably work best on semi flush mounts or tall fixtures.

Not really -- same problems, just higher up : ) . Which makes it harder for the dusting!

Corinne, what color is the new trim paint? The backsplash? The flooring? The countertop? For the backsplash, floor, and countertop, could you post pics and let us know how accurate the colors are in pics?

Also, what exactly does the table look like without chairs in front of it? That will help for deciding on chair style. And do you have any place near you where you can actually sit in chairs to see how comfortable they are?

Sorry for asking for more pictures to see things clearly...

This happens so often...posters have an idea and then other opinions are given and before you know it, you have a whole lot of change going on :)

Is paint a good idea? Was it in your original plan? Is it a better idea to paint or not? Do you dislike the color and wanted to change it anyway? Does it need a refresh?

All questions to ask yourself.

If you do decide to paint, it's an easy instant-gratification project, for sure. (Except picking out the color part...that requires many Tylenol)...

I don't think you can go too much in one direction. You have warm colors in your kitchen. Try to stay with lighter but warm shades. I, personally, wouldn't do white white. But that's just me.

ETA the chairs shown, so many are rather country-ish, and you said you were wanting "less country"..?

I’m gonna post twice I’ll come back after I have photos to add, but to answer your question Penny, painting was totally my first idea. I just got caught up in all of the changes I wanted to make & have been trying to flesh out a clear end goal in my mind before I start taking expensive wrong turns (as I often do)

Also I know they are pretty country which I still don’t like. This is the phase where I go back and forth and try on different plans to figure out what I really want versus what “works” I guess lol

I do note that you wrote in your original post, "I also plan on maybe painting". That's why I asked about the color of the various things in the kitchen. I think you want white with a hint of tan, not a pure white white, something that will work with the various kitchen elements.

I do think at least painting the backsplash as in the other thread might be very helpful in moving toward a more updated look.

I also think the inspiration picture with the ghost chairs works well with the British Colonial look you have going in other rooms, esp if you can manage some plant life from another room : ) .

RE chairs, although what I am thinking of as "Scandinavian" might not be what you mean, in general it might be a bit wrong for the rest of your kitchen, especially the built in hutches which have an antique American feel. What did you like about the current chairs that inspired you to buy them? Other than the purple fabric, I totally get that LOL!

Plant life- oh Becky. Last month we spent upwards of 5k removing a wad of “plant life” from one of our cat’s intestines. Worst experience ever. He hasn’t learned his lesson either- we had to hide our PLASTIC Christmas tree from him. My plant life is now limited to maybe something very tall & impossible for my cats to reach : (

I keep changing my mind & going through phases, too. I’ve since moved from British Colonial to wanting more of a Scandinavian look. It’s exhausting, I really wish I had more consistent taste.

Here are the colors. They are pretty accurate. Trim, built ins & ceiling are cloud white by Benjamin Moore.

Sorry Rae I missed your post! It is totally true that my own amateur take on “Scandinavian” or even true Scandinavian doesn’t work with my American country kitchen.

I just sort of dislike American country decor- I associate it with the house I grew up in, which makes it annoying to me on top of not being my taste. It reminds me of the years I spent asking my mother to please stop gifting me floral capris & tee shirt sets.

I’d almost rather go down fighting the style of the home than succumb to spindles, flowers & wallpaper.

Another reasons for painting the walls white was to kind of wash out the curves and details of the built ins, thereby rendering them neutral in style.

I liked the current chairs because I saw them constantly in blogs & I couldn’t find them for a reasonable price, which instantly made them more attractive. Ultimately I found them on Facebook Market for 75$ each, which fed into my shopaholiam & gave me a sense of accomplishment.

I also [at the time] did not believe that I could successfully pair a different color or style of chair with my new kitchen table so I felt kind of stuck with stonewashed wood options.

Plant life- oh Becky. Last month we spent upwards of 5k removing a wad of “plant life” from one of our cat’s intestines. Worst experience ever. He hasn’t learned his lesson either

: ( I'm so sorry to hear that, for you and for him. Well, then I'd keep an eye open for a decorative green glass bottle or vase.

Here are the colors. They are pretty accurate. Trim, built ins & ceiling are cloud white by Benjamin Moore.

The countertop is lovely, much nicer than I was expecting. The backsplash is nice but says Tuscany to me, and I think is more tan than you need.

What paint finish did you use on the trim and ceiling?

Thanks! Yeah I like the countertop too. I’m surprised they put it with such a lame floor & backsplash. This house is full of head scratchers like that.

I used Cloud White in semi gloss. The ceiling is flat white.

They definitely attempted something Tuscan. The walls are covered in Venetian plaster, too.

In my opinion a backsplash is very bossy in a room. Yours definitely says country-ish.

Now if you changed the backsplash, I think you could take this style in more of a different direction.

I do know that when I change out a backsplash, I can make the whole room feel different.

It's not difficult to diy. Think about it.

RL- <3 yes!! Thank you- I am definitely going to paint. I think the color I was advised to use was Simply White. Nice and neutral.

Penny- REALLY? I always just assumed it was impossible. I’d love to change my backsplash- I just don’t know what to change to and also I have zero skills. I do, however, have a fair amount of time & lots of determination.

now also consider what penny said. you do have a lot of cream, even the floor is cream so it might be a bit different in real life.

Watch a couple of youtube videos to see whether it's for you. Backsplash was my first tiling project...Like anything, start right to end right and tiling is a good time to be super anal-retentive :)

This last time, we had someone in to do it (the only time, really, and just because I wasn't feeling well). The cost of the labor was double the cost of the tile, per square foot.

Also Home Depot and I think Lowes, too, have saturday workshops and one of them is tiling.

^ I will check it out! Damn my husband is away this week- it would have been a perfect opportunity for me to “surprise” him with a finished project (or a gaping hole in the wall..)

Painting the tiles is also an option, and you could use your trim paint. How to, with Before and After photos here,

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5583283/mini-refresh-of-my-kitchen-away-from-tuscany#23492643

from which:

I picked up a can of Zinsser 123 primer at Home Depot. I scrubbed the tiles well with TSP to make sure they were very clean. I taped off the cabinets. I then used a small 6 inch paint roller to apply the primer, then 2 coats of paint. I happened to use Sherwin Williams Pro Classic in Gloss, but that's because I already had that paint (it is the same color as the trim in my house). Then I removed the old caulk at the joint between the backsplash and the counter and replaced that, which had needed doing anyway.

I’m a little bit afraid to paint over tile. Something about it just seems so unusual to me. Maybe I just need to come around to the idea a little bit

If you're thinking of replacing it, at least you could paint over it first with any leftover paint. If it looks good, then postpone the re-tiling project.

Fair enough.

It would buy you some time, to save up some more and/or in case you decide on a different look down the road. And save you from having to pick out tile : ) .

Painting it won't make it look better. either leave it or change it.

painted tile seems weird to me as well. not saying it won't work just saying I think you will have that.... painted tile.

yep, I went to the link, looks like painted tile lol. Not bad but still it is what it is. I would start with the project you are currently doing then move on to a phase two.

Painting tile wouldn't be my first choice either. But if I had a limited budget, an uncertainly about commitment to my current style, and a desire to improve the kitchen quickly for now, I would certainly consider it before going to the step of removing the current tile that doesn't work and then retiling.

And Butternut's job is quite good and makes a big difference in that kitchen. You can see the rest of the work she's done on her house in the last little while here, including a terrific fireplace update that was not DIY,

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5577949/a-little-hello-and-update

Butternut used a good combination of talented professionals and a little DIY where necessary and it comes together beautifully.

But it's not like you're changing from, say, a white PLAIN tile to a blue PLAIN tile...

A white travertine tile will look just as "Tuscan" as a beige travertine tile...

It's less about the color as it is about the style.

Of course, if you're fine with the style, then I wouldn't go to the trouble of painting it...

I’ll probably start with everything else first & then circle back to the tile.

So far I’ve PURCHASED paint for the walls but I have not yet applied it lol

A white travertine tile will look just as "Tuscan" as a beige travertine tile...

It's less about the color as it is about the style.

An important element of faux Tuscan/Mediterranean style is the warm, natural color scheme with lots of beige and tan. Remove the beige and you're left with rustic white travertine, which can work if you are, at least for the moment, going for a white and wood rustic glam look with touches of brass/gold and black.

becky, you can slap a coat of white paint on the Colosseum. You will still, unmistakably, have the Colosseum.

I agree with the others. It is what it is. And that's not saying it's a bad thing, it just depends on what look you're wanting.

Corinne, clearly you have 2 separate ideas here and you must do what you CAN do at this time. I'm sure whatever it is, it will be worth what you put into it and it will work for you. I'm sure it will look just lovely. :)

Yes, penny, but it won't be beige anymore! :) I think this type of effort depends on the person. Some people are more affected by the colour of a surface than its style. I'm one of those people so I'd definitely paint the backsplash before attempting to remove it and retile. Heck, I hated a beige vinyl floor so much that I covered it with contact paper. :P

Good luck with everything, Corinne. I know it's not easy settling on a direction/style because there's just so much great looking stuff out there.

You might consider a peel and stick backsplash until you’re ready to replace it.

Thank you everybody! I really do appreciate the input my place would be a wreck without this forum.

I will post photos after phase 2 (wall paint)

: D