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Recommendations for clashing kitchen colors

15 days ago
last modified: 15 days ago

We recently had our basic kitchen cabinets painted to tone down the yellow from the Santa Cecilia (?) granite. The recommendation was to go 'greige' but they ended up way more grey than beige, and they look awful. Coupled with the busy vinyl tile it looks a mess.

We could repaint the cabinets with something like a cream, but we would now have to do that ourselves. We can't replace the granite (due to cost), unless it's with laminate, which I'm guessing would not be recommended. We have a different flooring option that was meant to span grey/beige/cream, but it actually I think it looks better with the cabinet paint than with the granite, in which case that doesn't help.

Can anyone suggest constructive ways to alleviate this? We have a very limited budget, but need to prepare for the possibility of moving within a year or so.



Comments (23)

  • 15 days ago

    Just remove the granite backsplash. Patch the area and paint the splash area the same color as the wall. The eggshell finish paint makes it cleanable/wipeable.


    If you are going to do a sheet vinyl or lvp- consider a wood look that has a mix of tones - from light to darker which I think would tie in with your adjacent flooring(?). What is the adjacent hallway flooring?



  • 15 days ago
    last modified: 15 days ago

    So this is along the lines of what I am suggesting. I did a few visuals. Without knowing what adjoining area flooring is- I can only guess that it is a wood and looks fairly dark but I don’t know.









    This type of mix could tie the kitchen colors together, as well as possibly work with the adjoining floor- I need more specifics on the adjoining floor.

    If you are moving within a year- this would be a plan. I wouldn‘t replace a granite with laminate. If the next owner doesn’t like any or all of it- they can change it.


  • PRO
    15 days ago
    last modified: 15 days ago

    I am so sorry. I hate that you were given this poor advice. Who did this and why arent they taking responsibility for the error? Have you expressed your displeasure with them? Have you given them a chance to make it right? That should be your first line of action. Your walls have a strong yellow undertone your cabinets now have a green undertone and your granite has a yellow to orange undertone. (according to my computer screen. Paint your walls if you can to eliminate the yellow undertone. Choose a neutral toned white. Hold tight and save up for your cabinets to be re done professionally or a new counter. Also check your lighting in the space. Is it cool? Is it warm? Does changing this help? If the company agrees to fix the cabinet color spend money on a paint consult with a designer or professional paint consultant so you do not get stuck in the same situation again.

    Walton G thanked Design Interior South
  • 15 days ago
    last modified: 15 days ago

    Buyers are not going to be examining the undertones. And there is no way that anyone can accurately assess ”undertones” from: 1) a picture posted which is taken with who knows what camera and lighting conditions, plus 2) being viewed on a computer screen/tablet/phone, etc.

    It makes no sense to change the granite to laminate. ”Granite counters” in your listing sounds a lot better. And it would be ridiculous to paint the cabinets again.

  • 15 days ago
    last modified: 15 days ago

    That commenter said your walls have a “strong yellow undertone” and suggested you repaint your walls, too. Maybe they preferred your second picture, so didn’t bother to look at the first picture- even though you show them side by side.



    Again, under the best of conditions, involving cameras, lighting and viewing devices - people cannot in most cases accurately determine “undertones”, both from a scientific standpoint- as well as from the human perception standpoint - which perceptionally can vary from human to human.

  • 15 days ago

    If you are potentially moving within the year- consider starting to separate yourself from the house. A new owner may very well tear out everything- no matter what you have in the kitchen. This happens all the time. The fact that your cabinets turned out a bit on the grey side could very well be to your advantage. There are many people who are still in love with all-things-grey. And the warmth of the granite helps to balance the grey. It was not your plan- but imo it’s a win-win.


    Walton G thanked freedomplace1
  • 15 days ago

    If you are moving do nothing and move on.

  • 15 days ago
    last modified: 15 days ago

    its fine..your kitchen is neutral. you could probably get better hardware on the cabinets if you so desire. I might. No more large "tweaks" though.


    change the hardware ....


    Award Winning Kitchen Remodel · More Info


    Walton G thanked herbflavor
  • 15 days ago

    @freedomplace1

    Thanks for the comments and suggestions, and for taking the time to make the visual. I actually prefer a grey look, so if we had the funds I would go that route with the countertop.

    I'm glad you suggest not replacing the granite with laminate- it does seem to me that buyers still see granite as a positive even if the style isn't contemporary.

    The adjoining flooring is a kind of curupay hardwood, so a deep red. It would be nice (but difficult) to match that but it just isn't in the budget

    So you would definitely not go with the flooring option in the second picture? We have enough in hand to cover the space so cost isn't a concern, I'm just not sure if it helps - but the existing floor sure is busy.


  • 15 days ago

    You’re welcome, Walton G. My pleasure.


    Yes, definitely the existing granite would be a better selling point, imo.


    I understand the situation with the adjoining wood flooring. I looked again at the flooring you are considering. If you have it on hand, go for it. It is a definite improvement over the existing. And it’s fine that it syncs up mainly with the cabinets. It works.


    Walton G thanked freedomplace1
  • 15 days ago

    Have you looked at laminates lately? They have come a long way. I don't know the price point of your house or how active your market is so hard to say if a new buyer would gut the kitchen or prefer cabinets, flooring and counter that look great but have vinyl flooring and laminate counters.

    I encourage you to look at laminates. https://www.wilsonart.com/laminate-surfaces 

    If you do nothing else, remove the tiny backsplash and paint the walls white to tone down the yellow.


    Here it is with a solid laminate.


    Walton G thanked tozmo1
  • 15 days ago

    Not your exact cabinet color and floor, etc. but to show the general idea with the floor sync up to cabinets.







    Walton G thanked freedomplace1
  • 14 days ago
    last modified: 14 days ago

    The right flooring will do the trick. Instead of trying to pull in the grey cabinetry, the counter has much more of an influence. Consider a simple, modern large sized tile so as not to compete with the counter. I think a soft black will work well, calming things down and feeling more up to date (+ update the hardware and lighting).






  • 14 days ago

    Do spend another dime, except for accessories. Buy an area rug with all the colors in the space for the floor. Take a little ok at the area rug and buy a fruit bowl in one of the colors. Add cutting boards, etc. well you get my drift. This is easy to do and all is easily returnable. Play around with your accessories and see what you like.

    Walton G thanked njmomma
  • 14 days ago

    *take a look at the area rug

  • 14 days ago

    What colors do you have in adjoining rooms? If everything in the house is warm, golden, yellow tones and you go very cool in this one room it will feel disjointed from the rest of the home.

    Example: This home is a 1920s craftsman with beautiful American Chestnut trim and flooring.

    The owners renovated the kitchen. It is a beautiful, modern gray kitchen. Either color palette is find, but the kitchen feels like it belongs in a different house. The two don't flow.







    In your photo it looks like the wood flooring has a dark stain, but it is hard to know, it could just be shadowed or showing incorrectly in the photo.


    If it is as dark neutral stain that works with your countertop I would try to continue that flooring or that color flooring into the kitchen.





    And I would paint the walls something that is slightly more neutral so they don't look pastel yellow




    Given that I am correct on the flooring color this would give you a kitchen where the colors work together and your not having to replace or change the granite or the new cabinet color.



  • 14 days ago

    @tozmo1

    Thanks, I actually dont mind laminate and like the dark countertop you showed, but it seems like removing granite in favor of laminate could put sellers off in the future. I will certainly give it some thought

  • 14 days ago

    @Maureen

    Thanks, I like the idea of a tile floor but unfortunately that's not an option for my budget. Appreciate the suggestions

  • 14 days ago

    @njmomma

    Thanks, I see what youre saying. It would be different if I felt like I would still be in this house for the next few years. I will try a few accessories to see if that pulls things together a little more

  • 14 days ago
    last modified: 14 days ago

    @Jennifer Hogan

    Thanks, yes the rest of the house is a dark rosewood, I have tried to match it but again $$ are the limiting factor. I agree that having an area that's grey within a larger area that is more on the warm side creates a conflict, so I definitely need to be mindful of shifting the balance of the kitchen too much

  • 13 days ago

    Look for slate look lvt flooring that has some warm tones that tie to the adjacent flooring. Not terribly expensive and can be installed diy.

    Walton G thanked Jennifer Hogan
  • 13 days ago

    I certainly hope you do not DIY a kitchen cabinet paint job. That will be a bigger pill to swallow for future owners than the poor color choice. You devalued your kitchen, period end of story. A white would have been they only choice if doing this for resale but that ship has sailed so when you do go to sell, price the home accordingly and move on. Let the next buyer decide how they would fix the issues. Most likely they will gut and put in wood cabinets--much like you painted over.