Thank you herbflavor! Our bar stools are gray and our kitchen chairs so I’m hesitant to add a new color. I don’t really have an inspo pic but here’s an image of black counter with white and gray. I worry white is too stark with black counter and gray is too dark?

gray is a neutral so no problem that your stools/chairs are are gray. Benjamin Moore saybrook sage is a light sage. gloucester sage is s dark sage. both lovely and will go nice in your kitchen

If you have to paint the cabinets- do a white. Unless you love green, there is no reason to do green.

Two images of your kitchen:

1. With cabinets in a slightly warm white, and new chandelier.

2. With some undercabinet lighting, and a new chandelier.

Thank you freedomplace1. It’s gray or white I’m trying to decide between, green is not an option. What warm white is that/would you suggest if we do white? I feel the current color is so dated. Thanks!

Thank you marhop. For some reason in the photo I posted, the paint does look slightly sage but it really is more grey tones. If you have any gray colors to suggest please do let me know. Thanks!

First thing I'd do, as in, immediately, is go to the store and buy new bulbs in a 4000K temperature. Those current lights giving off yellow, warm light have no business in a kitchen! sorry, they really don't.

right now you're in the ultra warm white range.

4000K led (not higher) will be perfect. Then, you can choose a color and see how it actually looks in proper lighting.

3500-4000K is what you want.

You will prob be amazed at how much nicer it is to cook and prepare in a well-lit kitchen.

As for color, If you choose white, are you open to going w/the gray island?

I had a very similar kitchen to yours and did the two-tone

I did BM Wrought Iron on the island, and a shade brighter than Simply White on the cabs. (they used a pre-cat laquer to spray, so the colors were matched)

I don't know if you have hired a painter yet, but be very careful who you choose to paint. find out exactly what their procedures are. everything should be removed and taken back to the shop to be sprayed (except the base cabs, obviously)

Everything should be sanded, primed, fine sanded again, and then sprayed w/a lacquer. If you skip any of these steps, you will have a sub-par paint job.

spraying on site for the skeleton should be done like this.

If they do not sand and just prime, you will have chipping and peeling.

If they fail to take the time to prep properly, the paint job will fail.

Mine are going on 7 yrs and I don't have any peeling or chipping.

Estimates will vary. if someone is telling you they can paint it all for 4K, it's going to be a crappy job. I paid over 12 for mine. (and spent an extra 2K to get all new doors and drawer fronts in a beveled 45 degree edge:

the bevel makes cleaning those insets so much easier.

My cabs are solid wood, including the door centers. solid wood on those will crack.

MDF centers and solid wood rails/stiles will last longer and look better. I changed because originally all of my top drawers were slab, and the rest shaker. have no idea why

(also had all of the ornate trim and columns removed)

had my micro moved, a hood vent made, and two large drawers made for the island.

Well worth the cost I paid.

Make SURE to have the painter give you painted door sample that you can look at in your kitchen before you sign off on the color choice.

First thing I'd do, as in, immediately, is go to the store and buy new bulbs in a 4000K temperature. Those current lights giving off yellow, warm light have no business in a kitchen! sorry, they really don't.

right now you're in the ultra warm white range.

4000K led (not higher) will be perfect. Then, you can choose a color and see how it actually looks in proper lighting.

3500-4000K is what you want.

You will prob be amazed at how much nicer it is to cook and prepare in a well-lit kitchen.

As for color, If you choose white, are you open to going w/the gray island?

I had a very similar kitchen to yours and did the two-tone (and before anyone says, "why would you paint the wood. it's because after 14 years all of the wood finish was worn and really didn't look that great. to have it all stripped and refinished would have cost the same as painting. besides, I was tired of having dark wood cabinets that belonged back in 2002)

I did BM Wrought Iron on the island, and a shade brighter than Simply White on the cabs. (they used a pre-cat laquer to spray, so the colors were matched)

I don't know if you have hired a painter yet, but be very careful who you choose to paint. find out exactly what their procedures are. everything should be removed and taken back to the shop to be sprayed (except the base cabs, obviously)

Everything should be sanded, primed, fine sanded again, and then sprayed w/a lacquer. If you skip any of these steps, you will have a sub-par paint job.

spraying on site for the skeleton should be done like this.

If they do not sand and just prime, you will have chipping and peeling.

If they fail to take the time to prep properly, the paint job will fail.

Mine are going on 7 yrs and I don't have any peeling or chipping.

Estimates will vary. if someone is telling you they can paint it all for 4K, it's going to be a crappy job. I paid over 12 for mine. (and spent an extra 2K to get all new doors and drawer fronts in a beveled 45 degree edge:

the bevel makes cleaning those insets so much easier.

My cabs are solid wood, including the door centers. solid wood on those will crack.

MDF centers and solid wood rails/stiles will last longer and look better. I changed because originally all of my top drawers were slab, and the rest shaker. have no idea why

(also had all of the ornate trim and columns removed)

had my micro moved, a hood vent made, and two large drawers made for the island.

Well worth the cost I paid.

Make SURE to have the painter give you painted door sample that you can look at in your kitchen before you sign off on the color choice.

Bring home some sample colors that you like and paint them on a white poster board. hold them up in diff spots in the kitchen and see if you like them. There are warm grays and cool grays. be careful which one you choose. Gray Owl leans a bit warmer, so you don't want a cool blue gray

These are the whites I would choose from. You can see how gray owl compares to these others

You could change out the countertop on the island. it's small enough that you could find a remnant piece.

any chance of changing out the backsplash?

If you opt to put some glass in 2 of the upper cabs, you can break up some of the "whiteness" overload, if you're worried about that .

along w/better lighting, the countertop decor will also break up a lot of the white. add wood accents and greenery

here are a few w/black countertops and white cabs

this one went w/the white island top and dark island color

two tone. black top/white cabs, dark charcoal island, new white stone top:

All white, including the island. notice the beautiful lighting!

all black top, all white cabs, gray walls, red oak floors.

all white with black top, gray island.

someone mentioned Green

The current wood is not dated and wood is back. All types of wood are trending. White painted cabinets are in a gazillion homes at this point. But if you want painted cabinets, white would be a better option than grey (or green) for your space- and overall.

As far as white paint colors: You will need to test some in your actual space.

if you want gray, Id suggest BM Classic Gray

will you be painting your walls or changing your backsplash? if not, youll need to get a white that threads the needle between the Gray Owl and the cream backsplash (also taking the ceiling into account) I think you’ll need to choose your white on site based on how those colors are in the room

Painting will devalue the kitchen. Painting anything but white will tank it's value even more. You don't want to make your home unsellable. Choose your white carefully. You would be better off taking the lighting advice and finding lighter counters.

Pardon me, but WHOA Nellie?

Someone has already messed around in a dated kitchen. Someone attempted to close a gap between dated cabinetry style, ( decorative VALANCE over sink ) with a coffered ceiling that reads like a heavy lid in a space for which it was never intended.

I think I see a lot of door base cabinets below counter, and few drawers.

Gray owl paint on walls is not your dictator.

Please take more pictures. All angles in full daylight. What is beyond the kitchen we see? A family room?

As to a paint color for these? Gray is no. Green is no. The ceiling is the dictator, bearing down on all else.

Add more pics, all angles everything. You are nowhere near "which white" ...........yet.

I have to say the kitchen has issues no amount of paint will fix. I love gray but not gray cabinets for sure. What do you hope to achive by painting? Change for change sake is never a good plan. The ceiling is awful and looks so heavy in the space . When taking pics turn on all the lights please /

I totally agree with posters who are encouraging you to adjust your lighting. That should make a big impact. I love painted cabinetry but with your black countertops I'm not sure painting would be a good idea especially if you paint white. There might be too much contrast between the white cabinetry and your black countertops to acheive a harmonious look.

Thanks all. Changing the coffered ceiling is not an option unfortunately, nor the back splash. I don’t like the wood color and looking to brighten it up by painting the cabinets. I think I’d prefer gray but it sounds like you all think white even with the black counter tops. So looking for ideas for what white so it’s not too stark a contrast with the black. I’ll try and post some more pics. Thanks!

A lot of grey kitchens have light counters - here is your wall color on the cabs. perhaps look for inspo pics of kitchens with black counters and see what you like?

Gray is no, because the heavy LID that the coffer creates in there is going to be just as oppressively heavy as it now is.

Match the white of the coffer ceiling. . If you don't like the black of the counter tops, that's another issue,.

You have an interior kitchen and paint alone will not fix the "dim." More electricity in order

Under the cabinet lighting, better choice in pendant lighting, Lose the valance effect over the sink, lose the window treatment for something very minimal.

As to stark? Stark contrast is what you have,,,,,,,,and want to eliminate. You can only do that with white cabinetry. .

Hi! With Gray Owl walls, an off-white backsplash, and black countertops, I would lean toward a soft white for the cabinets rather than gray. White cabinets will keep the kitchen feeling bright, timeless, and clean, while also giving a nice contrast against the black counters.

I would avoid a stark, bright white if your backsplash is off-white, since it could make the backsplash look yellow or dingy. Instead, I’d look at softer whites such as Benjamin Moore White Dove, Benjamin Moore Simply White, or Sherwin-Williams Alabaster.

If you prefer gray, I’d choose a very soft warm gray or greige so it doesn’t compete with the Gray Owl walls. Something like Benjamin Moore Classic Gray or Balboa Mist could work, but I think white would be the safer and more classic choice in your space.

Definitely sample the colors next to your backsplash and countertop before deciding, because the undertones will make a big difference.

White in my opinion. You need to brighten up that kitchen.

Personally, I wouldn’t paint those cabinets if the wood is at all a quality wood. But then I really like natural wood… consider that you will have to invest a considerable amount, as mentioned in the excellent detailed post above, to get quality Long lasting results. I would reconsider your countertops if I were investing in anything in this room. I also think the gray walls aren’t doing the cabinet colour any Favors… But that could also be the lighting which people have pointed out. I think there are directions that could be taken with this kitchen to make it a welcoming space without completely doing the cabinets over.

Wood is classic and it’s also coming back into fashion. I would consider some other options. I think the black countertops are actually one of the issues here.