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ephillips5

Help me pick a kitchen paint color: Want color and warmth!

5 years ago

My eat-in kitchen is the heart of my home! Built in 2004, the kitchen seemed awesome then - maple cabinets with a cherry stain, stainless steel appliances, black granite countertops, light maple floors. And a deep, colorful "Tuscan" yellow (BM Honey Wheat though I think they've changed the name). I've loved my golden yellow kitchen for 16 years but we had water damage and it needs to be repainted.

My husband wants to move in a completely different direction - white. We're looking at off-whites for this NORTH FACING ROOM. I've got the following samples on my wall: SW Creamy, BM Timid White, SW Alabaster, BM Alabaster, BM Simply White.

But in the low, northern light, they are all so light and I miss the warm color that I'm used to. I love color, want contrast and "body." Is Tan the answer? Lighter golden? I tried a sage green and didn't like it bc it contrasted too much with the cabinets and the art.

I'm losing my mind and the painter is coming in a few days. HELP!

(pics below, please forgive the clutter!)




Comments (26)

  • 5 years ago

    I used this in my last home with a similar color to your cabs. It appears white with a warm glow. I notice how nice it would go with your flooring too. https://shop.samplize.com/products/mayonnaise-2152-70-12x12?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzv-AhMvG7gIVUuWGCh3FbQm4EAQYAyABEgIfPPD_BwE

  • ephillips5 thanked Yayagal
  • 5 years ago

    On my monitor, your "yellow" wall colour looks fantastic. It has brightness and chroma. I wouldn't change it. If considering a green, the "sagey" one (is it even a green?) on the right in your first pic looks too pastel-ly on my monitor and I'd look at a muted green like BM Nature Lover. The drawback is your gorgeous artwork will blend in too much.


    But first, to better understand, what are you changing in your kitchen because of water damage? Just the wall colour?


    Also, don't test new colours directly on the wall. The current yellow won't give the new colour a true rendering. Sample on art canvases or use Samplize you can move around the room.

    ephillips5 thanked tartanmeup
  • 5 years ago








    ephillips5 thanked Marylee H
  • 5 years ago

    You have a beautiful room.I happen to love yellow:)

    Look for whites that are warm since this is a North facing room. Look at White Dove, Ivory White 925, Lilly of the Valley 905, Secluded Beach 899

  • 5 years ago

    The Creamy from Marylee looks nice.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    How about Navajo White ? Behr's version is still a soft muted yellow, but will look more tan in certain exposures. I have it in my upper hall, stairwell, LR, DR and one bedroom. It has made a great background for all of the various colors that I have in art, rugs and furnishings. If it is still too yellow you could ask them to mix it half strength. I think their Cottage White is paler, more white, but with the same tone.

    PS I had the Behr color mixed in another brand, if that is a consideration.

    Every paint company has a version of Navajo White, and each is different in terms of undertone - but all seem to have in common being a somewhat rich, complex shade which is what I like.

  • 5 years ago

    Yayagal's second link shows BM White Sand which looks lovely on my monitor. Was not familiar with that BM colour.


    There are a lot of lovely warm whites out there but my vote goes to your yellow or a similar one. (A forum member, SueB, just painted her dining room BM Mustard Seed, IIRC. It had similar "heft" as your current one but wasn't as dark (?) as your yellow. Hard to compare colours when looking at monitor renderings.)


    You have to trust your eye and choose what sings in your space for you and yours. Good luck with your decision and hope you keep us posted.


  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Since its your kitchen, and you love what you already have, I would just repaint it the same color. It goes well in your room. If you cant get the exact same color, you could take a chip of it and have it color matched.

  • 5 years ago

    You are all so helpful! I love this community! I'm still all over the place! My husband is insisting that we lighten up the room. I get the feeling he's never liked the honeywheat. I have so many samples from samplize. If we are moving away from yellow, I still want something that reads as a color and not just an off-white. Based on this coversation, I pulled out BM Navajo White again. I initially rejected it because I was worried it was too "tan." But maybe it is the neutral with body that I've been looking for. I looked it up and it has an LRV of 79.88 so I think it will feel much lighter than what we have. MIght be the compromise I need!

  • 5 years ago

    How about BM Manchester Tan? We have used it in multiple places and it never disappoints.

    It is a fact that lighting is everything and some colors can change drastically. But, not Manchester.

  • 5 years ago

    I have the BM Navajo White in the basement bathroom where there are no windows. It is on the tan/cream side, but it's beautiful.

  • PRO
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Grecian Ivory SW works good for North faced rooms.


  • 5 years ago

    A warm white on the walls will really freshen the space, and imo look so much better with your floors and cabinets than the current gold color. I like your green sample though- it wouldn't appear so green once your gold walls were gone and would look like a fresh neutral. But BM Navajo White or Elmira White could also work.

  • 5 years ago

    SW Creamy would get my vote- and then I looked at BM Navajo White and they are so so so similar.

  • 5 years ago




    ephillips5 thanked Marylee H
  • 5 years ago

    That is exactly what I'm choosing between SW Creamy and BM Navajo white. Luckily, I have samples of both. Navajo is reading quite a bit darker than Creamy, much more tan. Creamy looks like an off-white and has a higher LRV. I'd probably choose Navajo but husband really wants to make sure it is light so he votes for Creamy. I think I can't go wrong with either but will compromise on Creamy! Thanks guys!

  • 5 years ago

    I'll post a pic at the end of the week when the painting is done!


  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I think going more towards the BM Navajo White will be the change you want. White can do so much to a room, by making your art, the fireplace and furnishings shine. Not the wall colour taking over the room.

  • 5 years ago

    Just thought that I would mention that I used Glidden Navajo White in another room and it is of a sage green undertone. A few houses ago I use another brand of Navajo White (can't remember the brand now) in a bath, and it had a rosy undertone. Illustrates how "Navajo White" will be different across brands. But, I liked each version very well when I wanted a soft but not dominant color on the wall.

  • 4 years ago

    Hi Everyone! Well my kitchen is done! And we went with BM White Dove! I love it!
    I pulled away from the darker creams and I’m glad I did. White Dove is still warm but I think it has a fresh, modern feel. In certain northern light it can read blue-gray but I actually love that - even though that’s what I feared. My art pops on it and everything feels more crisp. Surprisingly, I don’t miss the yellow-gold at all.
    I do have to tell you about a crazy moment: I first chose SW Creamy. The painter put one coat on and I freaked out. It read light country yellow! I HATED it! Luckily, my painter was very gracious about running to the store and buying new paint. He had recommended White Dove all along and he was right.
    Now I’m working on swapping out the lights for something more contemporary. Amazing how a coat of paint can change the whole feel! Thanks for all your advice!

  • 4 years ago

    So happy for you! On my screen, it looks fantastic. Sophisticated. Doesn't have the energy of the yellow but that's my perception/opinion. As someone pointed out, the yellow overpowered the cabinets and flooring to an extent. This white plays nicely with both woods.

  • 4 years ago

    It looks very nice. Hopefully, you will add some colorful accessories too. I have to agree with tartanmeup, it doesnt have the energy of the yellow you had. It does however, look fresh and modern.

  • 4 years ago

    The new color really compliments your artwork, also.

  • 4 years ago

    I think covid and our staying at home and looking at the same thing over and over, is responsible for a lot of the changes we are all making. I am working on changing things in a perfectly good bathroom, off my laundry room, that actually needed nothing done, but................ Once everything I ordered gets here, it will have a brand new look. LOL