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edmond_monty

Need help with kitchen

5 months ago

Hi. We recently purchased a house and I'm not crazy about the kitchen. I think it's too white and lacks character. The 2 "bare" walls bother me as well.
The one with the wine fridge and empty wall next to it. I'm wondering if I should make those walls statement walls? Meaning maybe a bold color paint or dark earth tone. Maybe wallpaper or...tile?? I'm lost. Unfortunately my husband is currently against replacing counters and backsplash but open to other decorative changes. Maybe a colorful island, different fixtures and drawer pulls would help? I'm truly not good at coming up with ideas for decorating and can really use any input. Thank you

Comments (16)

  • 5 months ago

    I feel id leave the fridge wall and sink/ stove wall alone. the area w the wine fridge could potentially give you a lot of options. its a little plain vanilla in that corner / and because it is offset from the other walls you can go w contrasting finishes. discuss budget and what youd be willing to take apart/ redo. you can always get a couple mats or a runner and a unique window treatment and call it a day.

  • PRO
    5 months ago

    You have a nice blank slate to work with. So many things you can do without spending a lot of money.

    Here are some purely decorative ideas:

    1. paint all walls a darker or brighter color

    2. wallpaper

    3. a patterned, colorful window treatment

    4. counter top accessories--bowls, plates, plants, flowers, utensil crock--in bright colors

    5. colorful counter top appliances-toaster, stand mixer

    6. colorful/patterned dishtowels/oven mitts

    7. framed prints

    8. bowl of fruit

    9. colorful cabinet hardware (crystal/porcelain)

    10. replace a couple upper doors with glass fronts, place colorful dishes inside











  • 5 months ago

    Thank you so much Diane !! Your ideas, detailed explanation and pictures are a huge help and absolutely brilliant. I'm so thrilled to have gotten such wonderful and helpful suggestions. I'm going to decide which idea and style appeal to me most ASAP and will post before and after pictures over the next month or so !!

  • 5 months ago

    Wow. Thank you so much for all the ideas and options Beth. I think I found the style I'm going to move forward with among your lovely suggestions. You're truly talented and I'm grateful for all the time and effort you put onto ideas for my kitchen.

    This is so encouraging. My sincere appreciation.

    Lanna

  • 5 months ago

    Thank you so much for your input. I got a lot of helpful ideas here and feel very optimistic about having some lovely options for warming up my white kitchen.

  • 5 months ago

    No to an island of any sort. You don' t have the footage. The sink you show looks more like a prep sink size, hopefully it's just the camera angles. The small gap at the top of your cabinetry would really bug me. It's screaming for crown molding to hide it but your door design won't work with crown.... Color is so easy to add--and expensive to subtract so be glad you have this issue. Colorful small appliances that you need and would use anyway a huge YES. How fun could that be. This kitchen looks ready for sale, not lived in. Accessorize away!! As far as the coffee bar area. I might remove it all and shop for a large old china cabinet/antique server stand alone cabinet type piece, painted. But if that's too much demo for hubby yes to longer shelves over the coffee bar. One will work but it has to be as long as the cabinetry, I don't think the sconces helped. You could paint the wall but I would instead paint the cabinetry--like you wanted in an island. It already has a different counter top, that's a plus! Hardware is an easy swap, bling it up. What is your back splash? I can't tell if it's tile or wall paper? If tiled I wouldn't compete with it by adding another, paint will be sufficient.

  • PRO
    5 months ago

    You're welcome, @Lanna Blue, and thank you for your gracious responses.

    Looking forward to seeing what you do!

  • 5 months ago

    Do you live as minimalist and uncluttered as the listing photos? Probably not. Get your stuff in there and start using the kitchen ... I bet it won't feel bare after that.

  • 5 months ago

    Just keep in mind you have cherry floors throughout your space. This will complicate color choices a bit. You see your space as white. It is red and white.

  • 5 months ago

    The corner to the right of the wine bar is perfect for cat food and water bowls. Get a cat?

  • PRO
    5 months ago

    Guessing from your post that changing from knobs to pulls or from pulls to larger pulls is not in the budget(sorry Beth). I wouldnt reccomend it, you'll be paying to patch holes with that approach. There is no way to add crown to your cabinets and those cabinets are not an easy DIY swap to glass but you could custom order some glass doors.

    Sounds more like a decorators approach?

    • Plants
    • Beautiful chopping blocks
    • Colorful dish clothes
    • Pretty salt and pepper shakers (norman coppenhagen)
    • Nice oil containers
    • Cookbook display
    • A rug
    • Pretty soap dispenser
    • Paint the walls
    • decorate the adjacent rooms in a way that feels inviting
  • 5 months ago
    last modified: 5 months ago

    pulls not in the budget? a pack of 10 is less than 50 bucks on amazon. larger packs have a bigger discount.

    Ravinte 30 Pack 5 Inch Kitchen Square Cabinet Handles Brushed

    Nickel Drawer Pulls for Cupboard Hardware

    30 pack for $53


    Overall Length: 5-1/2 inch;

    as for patching holes, no. she would get the same spacing as what she has on the drawer pulls. for the doors, one hole is already made. all she has to do is drill the new hole above it.

    It's really not a big deal or a big cost.

    amazon has these on sale for a dollar each!


    $18 for 10,



    $20 for 10


    even these arent bad for $38


    10 for $35



    another option is AliExpress.

    Super cheap hardware on that site (comes straight from China so you can cut out the middleman)

    Lanna, make sure to measure the current spacing on the holes (not the length of the handles) currently on your drawers. looks to be larger at about 4" or so? hard to see.

    When buying new hardware you want those to fit those holes in your drawers. so read the hole spacing on any new hardware that you're looking at. NOT overall length. overall length could be 6", but the hole spacing could be 3.5". They're all diff.

  • 5 months ago

    Art galleries have white walls for a reason, they really bring your focus to the impact of the art. I'd find a large piece you truly love and make it the focal point of your kitchen.


    A large well framed piece of art work above the wine fridge counter will really elevate the look of your entire kitchen. Make it at least 2/3rd the length of that cabinet run.


    After you pic one nice and large piece, and get it framed, find a runner rug that compliments the artwork. Then find nice hardware that compliments the frame. Your kitchen will look unlike any other because you are basing it around a piece of art you love and letting the look grow from there.


    Little shelves of doo-dads are just that. They collect dust and grime in a kitchen and just don't add a lot of character. And I wouldn't paint or wall paper those two walls because the soffits will just call attention to those two walls feeling more dwarfed. They look good now with the walls, soffit, and ceiling the same color.


    I'm not suggesting this art, but note how it changes the entire look of these kitchens.






  • PRO
    5 months ago

    Wood is a neutral, even though it may have red/yellow/green/orange tones in it. Having cherry floors doesn't preclude you from using any specific color in your decor.

  • PRO
    5 months ago

    @Beth H. : my mistake, I thought you were advising on changing sizes and/or leaving behind holes etc.