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joy_mccallister62

I need advice on kitchen facelift!

4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago

We've given our kitchen a facelift. New countertops, new floor & painted cabinets. I have 2 questions. Fist, should I keep island blue or paint a different color? Second, what color/style barstools should I look for? We're planning to paint/stain dinning chairs creamy white with gray seat, table legs same white with expresso wood top. My kitchen/ dinning room are open & a small space. I'll post pix. Thx for any advice!


Comments (33)

  • 4 years ago

    @Joy McCallister did you mean to post pictures?

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Yes but I'm not sure how. Tried post one in comments. I was able to post pic using desktop instead of phone.

  • 4 years ago

    The picture is there now.

  • 4 years ago

    I would paint the island white. If you dont really want it white, then paint it the color of the refrigerator, or black like your other appliances. While I like the blue, it is not right for your kitchen. Your table and chairs, look a bit off with your newly done kitchen too.

    Joy McCallister thanked cat_ky
  • PRO
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Change the bottom island molding to match whatever color the island is.

    If you do decide to paint the island, I think the light grey in your backsplash would compliment the surroundings nice. Or white.

  • 4 years ago

    @herbflavor Thank you. Your absolutely correct! I wasn't pleased with the island color but wasn't sure what to do. I didn't really want all white but some how that's what has happened. I think I would like the lighter gray. Any suggestions? This facelift is still in progress. I will be buying matching appliances. I do like the slate gray. I'm planning to replace pendant lights to glass globes. Not sure what to do with the florescent light definitely need to update would like to do recess lighting but not sure we can. I need to paint/stain my table and chairs any suggestions?

  • 4 years ago

    @cat_ky Your right the table and chairs are off. I am planning to redo them as well. Any ideas on color? Keep in mind this is a work in progress. I will be buying matching appliances and I will paint the trim same color as island when I decide which color. I'm thinking of an island facelift by adding decorative molding?

  • 4 years ago

    @Business_Name_Placeholder Your the 3rd to mention the lighter gray or white for island. Thank you for the idea of the gray in backsplash great idea. I have really struggled with all these decisions. I really wanted it to turn out well. Thank you!

  • 4 years ago

    Is there any other color in your house (besides white, black, gray)?

  • 4 years ago

    You could do the table and chairs in gray too, but, somewhere in there, you need to introduce an accent color, or its going to get a bit bland and boring.

    Joy McCallister thanked cat_ky
  • 4 years ago

    HI @emilyam819 My kitchen/dinning room are the white, gray and blue in backsplash at this time.
    I'm open to suggestions. I have not decorated walls and such. There will be no black when I'm done. This is in progress and I will buy matching appliances and update lighting. Thank you

  • 4 years ago

    I know I'm in a minority here, but I'm a fan of white appliances in a white kitchen. Black - or even stainless - appliances will draw attention to themselves. White, even if they don't match, will just become part of the white background. And given that your kitchen does not have a window, they'll help brighten things up.

    Joy McCallister thanked Carrie B
  • 4 years ago

    I like white or black appliances in a white kitchen. But most of all I like not discarding functional appliances because of color. The mismatching one is going to die in a few years anyway!

    Joy McCallister thanked emilyam819
  • 4 years ago

    why don't you leave the amber pendants. You want clear glass as opposed to that beautiful art glass? why?

  • 4 years ago

    I didn't think the dark pendant & yellow brown globes coordinated with the white & blue back splash? I definitely see the need for accent

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I agree with those who think the island should be white. I know you said you didn't want all white, and with your backsplash, you don't have it. The white island won't compete with your counters and backsplash and I think will make the space look bigger than with a color.


    Do you need stools with the table so close? If so, Maybe backless, then, with a light grey fabric and grey metal or acrylic legs. I think the current pendants might look pretty with a white island, otherwise I agree you should switch to clear.


    Maybe think about new table chairs in a light grey fabric in an updated style, maybe along the lines of the stools in the first photo or the chairs in the second. I think that would get you a lot of bang for your renovating bucks.


    Preston Hollow West · More Info




    Joy McCallister thanked barncatz
  • 4 years ago

    It is a small area. Yes great idea. I love those options. I should have never let my hubby talk me into that second hand table. I don't think I can afford to buy new chairs now but thank you for the advice. Painting them seemed a good option but finding a color is very difficult.

  • 4 years ago

    if you are defintely changing the colors on table/chairs and getting new appliances i'd do that first. Breaks between light and dark intensities and various "different" things is what makes it close in...as you said this is a small space. The chair and table painting sounds a little complex and appliances are unknown [did you know appliances are taking super long wait times}. You have a few options for island and it's not that big , but appliances are a big deal and table/chairs are pretty close by and will be work that you probably just want to do the one time. Get those things nailed down and no harm in waiting on island and stools. .

    Joy McCallister thanked herbflavor
  • 4 years ago

    That's true. Painting the island was easy. Figuring out the color is the hard part. Yeah, I'm not financially ready to purchase the appliances yet know I need too. Any thoughts on color for table & chairs?

  • 4 years ago

    If the appliances work, they can totally wait!
    What colors do you like? Do you have any art, accessories, curtains? What color sweater would you buy, if it came in all colors? It’s hard to choose an accent color for a stranger based on one gray kitchen. I’d like raspberry pink with gray. Maybe yellow. Maybe navy blue. Maybe red.

    Joy McCallister thanked emilyam819
  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    You absolutely do not need to purchase new appliances OR a new dining table and chairs. As far as finding the right paint color goes, if you paint the island white first it’ll be easier to choose the color for the table and chairs. Now, lighting: I don’t think the pendants are doing your kitchen any favors. (And, to be honest, I’m not sure pendants are the way to go in such a compact kitchen layout at all.) I do recommend undercabinet lighting and removing the fluorescent fixture. If recessed cans aren’t in the budget (they could be if you didn’t buy new appliances, though🙂), you can install flat LED lights that mimic the look of recessed.

    Btw, thank you for not responding to that rude comment. She does the same thing on every discussion — suggesting changes to the items (in this case it was your backsplash, flooring and crown) that she knows were just put in but is pretending like she doesn’t — and I’m so glad you didn’t take the bait.

    Joy McCallister thanked Sammy
  • 4 years ago

    cant see table/chairs entirely. Do you have an area rug or wall decor there. Feels like kitchen will end up whites/grays ..sigh. Maybe get a fixture over table w shades to blend w your beautiful pendant lights a least for a bit of accent. You can leave that table top and bring in runner/place mats etc. big wood bowl on table. Do you need to paint table??? Not sure about table base /entire look of chairs not seen from the shot.

    Joy McCallister thanked herbflavor
  • 4 years ago

    @Sammy thank you I was beginning to feel a bit sick. I could replace pendants with recessed easily that's what was there years ago. However, I can't put recessed where florescent light is. But definitely want to change it. I've seen more flush led type? I'll post a pic if whole table. The yellowish brown does seem to clash with the white cabinets.

  • 4 years ago

    @emilyam819 I like blues, greens, orange & brown wood tones. Not the yellow brown. Thanks!

  • 4 years ago

    @herbflavor it's a clean slate waiting to be decorated lol. I'll post a better pick of table Tmrw. Thank you for your help.

  • 4 years ago

    If you do decide to go white with the island, maybe you can use the blue thats on the island now, for your table and chairs. Since you like blue. Its far enough away from the cabinets etc, that the blue, might look great on the table and chairs.

    Joy McCallister thanked cat_ky
  • 4 years ago

    I agree with the early poster who said the blue on the island wasn't right - but, I do think a good blue would be very nice. Unless you love the look, everything either white or gray, even if different shades of gray, can be kind of drab (IMO!). Unless you have enough color in the rest of the visual space that the kitchen corner sort of makes a good background.

    How about a navy blue for the island?

    If you appliances are in good working condition, and suit your needs, they can be refinished in another color instead of replaced. My sister had this done to her harvest gold stove and dishwasher when she bought her house, and the new finish held up for many years (until she sold the house).

    Joy McCallister thanked raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago


    Second floor kitchen remodel · More Info


    Here's a kitchen that has some resemblance to yours but I didn't find it that inspirational. I'm still Team White for your island. I also think your appliances are fine!

    What about painting the chairs yellow and paint the table white, with a coordinating fabric pad on the seats, or darken the top as you were thinking? (Trying to show grey and yellow, lol.)


    Somerville Renovation · More Info




    Joy McCallister thanked barncatz
  • 4 years ago

    @raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio how did she refinish them? That would be an option.


  • 4 years ago

    Joy, she hired someone that did the work, but I am sorry that I can't advise further. This was in Toledo, OH. Perhaps try googling "appliance refinishing repainting"?

  • 4 years ago

    I might paint the island and chairs a charcoal or black.