This forum scared me out of doing colored tile in my bathroom. I'm annoyed with myself and am going to have to buy a lot of colorful art to make up for it. My kitchen will be colorful. That blue is fun.

For those afraid of what happens if you do not like the color in a few years, what happens if you get tired of white, like I have, in a few years? White is a color that wanes and ebbs in and out of trend just like all colors do.

What if the color you love today isn't the color you love tomorrow?

In my first house I had an ashes of rose living room, tan kitchen walls and accents of green.

In my next house, I had green walls in some rooms, (kitchen, sunroom, family room) and tan in the other rooms with red accents.

When I moved into my condo in FL, I had tan walls with accents of green and red.

Now in my new build I have walls that are either tan with green ceilings or green with tan ceilings except for the powder room and guest bedroom and all with red accents. Those two rooms have either the ceiling or the walls in a pink color similar to ashes of rose with the green ceiling or in the powder room the colors are reversed.

Yes some people have no clue what they love because they're swayed by whatever is the current trend, but for those who know themselves, they should do what they love and in this case I say go for the color you love.

Color, color, color... but not sure that should be the one. Would it hold up to the rest of your home?

If you have a few hours, check out this thread.

If you live in a beach town in a cottage you absolutely can do colorful.

Look up Alison Kandler. She's a favorite of mine.

You're welcome. I posted these photo earlier on another coastal kitchen thread.

This is my favorite. Beautiful blue.

Grey with a touch of blue.

Not my cup of tea, but the green island with neutral perimeter would be nice.

Neutral cabinets with a wonderful floor.

I say white not because I’m afraid of colour or am worried about resale. I just know that that fabulous colour I love today will be something I’m sick to death of in 5 years.
That blue is bold and interesting, but I wouldn’t want to live with it for the next 25 years. Paint your walls that colour! That’s a whole lot more than just a sprinkle of colour, but easy enough to change if/when you get tired of it.
Cabinets are expensive. Painting (repainting) a few walls isn’t.

I voted white, but I don’t care for the photo of the white kitchen you posted. It’s very bland and sterile to me. About the only thing that has any interest is the rug :)

I actually love the blue/green kitchen. But I may like it because there are other elements in it that really appeal....the range hood, the faucet, the sink, the plants on the window sill...the cow, the pitcher, and the pot on the stove make it look homey and comfortable and pretty and relaxed. It’s the entire scene that appeals. I know though that I would definitely get sick of that color after a while (or any other bold color), so it wouldn’t be a wise choice for me. I do love it though.

Maybe I should hang some toasters on my kitchen walls :)

i say color, but that one is too much for me unless its a coastal home, then i say 'go for it'... just be sure its a color you always loved.

i would go for a more muted tone or wood. i am an 'earth-tone girl'., i know it and stick to it with every re-do we do.

i am not a 'white kitchen person'.

The first redoing of my kitchen involved colorful cabinets - painted the ugly wood ones a mid-tone green - not emerald, not forest - somewhere in between. I loved it for 19 years and then it look dated to me and I went with a neutral taupe for the painted cabinets on that 2nd go-round.

When I finally got new cabinets, I again went neutral - a light gray SW Repose Gray. It works well with my back hall and when the door is open into the DR. It's a small kitchen - 11x15 and keeping it neutral and all the same color makes it appear larger and less choppy. The walls (of which there are very few and then only small ones) is 1/2 strength Repose Gray. All woodwork is bright white in order to keep that gray from going "taupe" or "greige".

If the kitchen hadn't faced due west and had such a large window on the back wall, I might well have gone with a white kitchen as I like them. But frankly, a white kitchen does not work in my house. If I hadn't already had a green kitchen, I might have gone with this color:

I love that kitchen and how copper looks with it!

I have no regrets about my gray kitchen, whether it is already "dated" or not. It works with my house and I like it. In my neighborhood, everyone rips out even a new kitchen and re-does it when it is sold, so the next owners can do as they like.

I do think one thinks differently if it's a builder/tract house and the plan is to only live in it for 5-7 years. Then, one cannot go wrong with a white kitchen and it will most likely be more desirable to the kind of buyer attracted to such a house.

For me, color. I'd probably not choose that color, but if my options were all white or the color in the second photo... second photo would win hands down here.

I do think one thinks differently if it's a builder/tract house and the plan is to only live in it for 5-7 years. Then, one cannot go wrong with a white kitchen and it will most likely be more desirable to the kind of buyer attracted to such a house.

Of course, living in a white kitchen may drive someone either 1) OUT sooner than planned, or 2) to redo it immediately. Well, those would be my two personal choices.

I have lived in my home for 13 years, when I bought it, it had white beadboard cabinets and a black granite countertop. I hated that kitchen. It felt so cottage, so country. And this house is neither.

I was so glad when my husband realized the layout was dysfunctional and joined the redo the kitchen bandwagon. The kitchen now has medium stained walnut cabinets, zero uppers, a new layout, madre pearla quartzite countertops, a soft green island, and a green crackle tile backsplash. No one enters my house without saying, I love your kitchen, because it so very well fits the house.

Like CPartist, I do know what colors I like, I love green. I love nature. I love orange. I dont love blue. I dont like gray.

Local eater, sounds amazing! Can you post a photo??

Off-white for me. Changing wall paint is a piece of cake compared to changing fixed elements like cabinets, counters or a backsplash. I have a red stove and I didn't want anything to compete with it. The island top is Brazilian cherry, so even though I have a lot of windows and live in a cold climate, the room doesn't feel cold the way some white kitchens do.

Melinda, here is an Old thread with my kitchen

We are moving and the new house kitchen will also have color.

My turquoise backsplash and floor make me smile. Of course, it's only been about 8 months. Check in with me in 8 years!

Can you post a pic??

Color (but not that one). Or stain. Or a mix of the two. Love the color in the photo Anglo posted above.

I have a red stove and I didn't want anything to compete with it. The island top is Brazilian cherry, so even though I have a lot of windows and live in a cold climate, the room doesn't feel cold the way some white kitchens do.

Because you have the red stove!

Localeater, your kitchen is awesome!

I currently have a white kitchen (reclaimed wood island). My next build will still be a stained wood island but the rest will NOT be white. I think a white kitchen is beautiful, & I've loved mine. But, I plan to go with a whiter countertop this time and put a bit of color on the cabinets. It may just be a light gray but I know it won't be white. My sister-in-law has a beautiful teal/turquoise island with white cabinets and that pop of color looks great as well! In my office & laundry space, neither of those will be white either. I am leaning towards blue in the office, maybe in the laundry as well since the space is somewhat nearby, and then doing a butcher block wood stained countertop in both of those spaces. Don't be afraid of color! White is classic but it can feel boring after awhile. I've had a white kitchen for 4-5 years now and enjoy it since I accent with color, but I'm also looking forward to getting away from the daily cleaning of my white cabinets (did I mention I have kids & inside dogs?! lol).

I'm not sure how it looks on other monitors, but it's a very warm blue. On my chromebook it looks a little cool.

Stillpitpat I like the color combo. What material is your flooring made of?

Thanks! It's Marmoleum, suggested here at Houzz.

Gorgeous! Love how you added the color. The floor and backsplash are so unique.

Thank you! It was tricky b/c I like modern kitchens but my house is 100 years old, so we had to try to marry the two. The cabs are almost a perfect match to the original wood in the house, which I think gives a nice nod to the past (plus linoleum) while going more modern on other elements.

My green and beige kitchen. When I need to repaint, I will repaint in the same colors. It's been this color since 2005. Still love it. Originally it was 80s oak and doors were solid -- we took out the centers and put in glass and painted it white -- then in 2005 we painted it in this scheme.

I just don't understand the color OR white debate. You know, "color" doesn't always have to mean bright and vivid. There is also subtlety, without needing to be white : -)

I dont' think it's a debate, 2Many. I think the op just wants a push in the right (color) direction :) Some people need opinions before moving forward.

Threads like these can get debatey, but I don't feel as if this one has. It's rather nice...

pennydesign, (and anyone else) Oh, no, I didn't mean it like that (debate as in argumentative), nor was I referring to the OP specifically.... I guess I meant it seems when people in general think "white or... " it seems there is then a discussion on vivid colors (which, by the way, I love) vs. white. Just wanted to point out that there are other shades : )

You are correct, this has been a nice discussion.

Totally agree that there can be different shades other than pure white. When I said color, it’s because I’m deciding if i should go bold with a bright mermaid color above or a pure white. We have an off-white now and I’m looking for a change :)

I'm in favor of the mermaid color, but I'm biased!

I voted for white, not only because I have a white kitchen, but I can't help but pull for the underdog. The white kitchen in the poll is somewhat ridiculously white and isn't the best representation of what I like about white kitchens. I feel the second one has way more than a pop of color. I could get behind a kitchen painted something other than white, but it would not be that color.

I do take issue with the comment that if my kitchen is white (or wood), 99% of my neighbors have the same as me. 99% of my neighbors have the same golden oak cabinets the contractor installed in 1991. Most don't watch HGTV or Houzz or even care.

Bunny that proves my point. Golden oak is wood. Most people have wood or white cabinets. It has nothing to do with HGTV. It is safe.

I haven't watched HGTV in years.

My house was built in 1994 and we have golden oak. I care. I like them.

Melinda, you have to like yours, too. Not us...

I love color and it makes me happy but that is me. Some love white and feel it is bright and clean. I love the green kitchens I have seen as well as stilpitpat's kitchen. I like seeing people who go for the colors they like and see something really different. No thought process is wrong, everyone has different tastes. What makes your heart swoon?

I am enjoying this thread.

I didn't realize that the choice was literally between the color shown and pure white. In either case, it would depend on the rest of the house. Otherwise, the kitchen could feel like it doesn't belong to the same house.

Certainly, it doesn't have to be vibrant color to be very definitely color:

It should be noted that these are usually done in soft blues or greens. Colors which can often function as a sort of "neutral" in their own right. Certainly, the Swedes use them that way.

Yellow is also not uncommon. Some yellows tread the line into being more "cream" than yellow, but definitely not "white" for all that.

It does, however, it seems, take a soul made of sterner stuff to go all in and do pink cabinets:

I do rather like it with the black French range, though:

You do have to know yourself to do color as a commitment. Myself, I know that I'm always drawn to soft chalky blue-greens when I'm shopping for yarn, fabric, etc. Which is why both my fabric and yarn stashes run heavily to that color. Even bits and pieces that I may have had for 20 years. That's a pretty good bet for my not getting tired of that color.

Holly, those are gorgeous!! I was thinking of a mermaid color but I’m really loving the blue and greens kitchens you posted!! Where did you find those??

I have a file of pictures of colored kitchens, since I'm planning my own. Probably Pinterest? Though I also recognize a number of them as having originally come from Country Living or BH&G. In fact, I remember seeing a few of these on a book I had from Country Living on Kitchens. Unfortunately, I lent it to a co-worker and never got it back.

Let's see - Sources for the pics above:

#1 - BH&G

https://www.bhg.com/kitchen/cabinets/styles/kitchen-cabinet-color-choices/?sssdmh=dm17.722708&esrc=nwhi021314c&slide=slide_13f015f3-cd57-4459-9145-204ccb1c2d11#slide_13f015f3-cd57-4459-9145-204ccb1c2d11

#2 - BH&G

https://www.bhg.com/kitchen/remodeling/makeover/cottage-kitchen-makeover/?slide=slide_20bce89e-7363-4de7-8f2c-e3c345c90323#slide_20bce89e-7363-4de7-8f2c-e3c345c90323

#3 - BH&G, though I don't have a direct link for that one. Meredith publications reuses photos over and over and over.

#4 - Pretty sure this one is a De Vol kitchen

#5 - The photo here is from Hudson Valley Lighting, on the page selling the pendant:

https://hudsonvalleylighting.hvlgroup.com/Product/4620-WPN

#6 - This is from one of Gil Schaefer's houses. There is a nice blog post on it here:

http://www.cafedesign.us/a-charming-connecticut-farmhouse-by-gil-schafer/

#7 - Pretty sure this was another BH&G

Not sure you're that interested in the pinks. Though I'm thinking about pink cabs in my laundry...

This is a slide show from Country Living on colorful kitchens. I don't love everything here, but some of them are nice:

https://www.countryliving.com/home-design/decorating-ideas/advice/g1704/kitchen-paint-color-ideas/

Another collection from BH&G

https://www.bhg.com/kitchen/cabinets/styles/colorful-kitchen-cabinetry/#page=15

Holly, That’s so funny about your yarn stash. I was cleaning out my fabric stash the other day and it’s so heavily biased to greens and orange-coppery shades.

Holly, that blue kitchen with the marble backsplash and mosaic floor makes my heart go pitter patter. I don’t think I would ever be brave enough to do something like that, but it’s really pretty!

Would you consider a darker "mermaid" color?

More from source, click here.

Another kitchen example, here.

After reading all these comments, I’m leaning toward a more muted green/blue with white uppers.

We are doing our kitchen in September, and I have chosen SW Filmy Green for the cabinets. I was choosing between white and either Filmy Green or Sea Salt. I’m so excited for my not-white cabinets!

Melindapardes, that is the exact color combo I would do if I ever did color...stunning!