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pamela53

Help! My new antique white kitchen cabinets look yellow!

pamela53
10 years ago
I was expecting a nice taupe/beige color and they appear very yellow/bright ivory color. I am stuck with them. My granite counter will be dark brown and floors a medium brown stain (provincial ). Backsplash a cream with brown glass diamond accents here and there. The kitchen is n a great room with lots of bright white trim windows and fireplace mantel.

What color paint can I use to make my cabinets appear less yellow? I tried posting phot but would not take.

Comments (39)

  • pamela53
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    Thank you, feeny, I hope you will be right.
  • dclostboy
    10 years ago
    Walls in a sisal color maybe or don't want to go that dark?
  • feeny
    10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago
    I'm speaking from experience, pamela, as we have a kitchen with ivory/antique white cabinets. When I first saw them against the stark white primed ceiling, I thought they looked almond or beige. But once we painted the ceiling the same color as the cabinets (the trim in the room was already the same color), and we painted the walls a light khaki, they "read" the off-white color I wanted. BTW: Our cabinets go up to the ceiling, which is why the ceiling color became an issue. In your case, I think the walls are the point of comparison, making the cabinets look yellow next to them.
  • Nicole Kenaston
    10 years ago
    If, once you paint, the cabinets still appear yellow you could try changing your lighting? I switched track lighting in my living room from incandescent to LED and my French white walls now look bright white.
  • pamela53
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    Thank you everyone for the very inspiring suggestions.
  • pamela53
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    The sisal color is possible since I want to keep my kitchen/ great room very neutral but any other suggestions for a paint color to offset the yellow?
  • dclostboy
    10 years ago
    Not sure what other colors you have going on, but I have Pratt & Lambert Armory in my kitchen.
  • Lindee S
    10 years ago
    Just curious how the kitchen turned out. I just got my cabinets in and am not happy with how yellow they look. :-(
  • Enid Van Beek
    9 years ago
    I also just got new cabinets in the office and way too yellow looking. Someone suggested a light warm grey for the walls to modernise the room. What do you think?
  • Nicole
    9 years ago
    Feeny has it right. Not when you paint a warm tone on the walls like dclostboy's sample then continue with the warmer tones in the backsplash and counter. Stay away from stark whites.
  • David and Ann Yarson
    9 years ago
    My kitchen is currently under construction with identical color Wood Mode cabinets and I have the same concern that they look more yellow than vintage white. The granite is Golden Beach with tones of green and grey so we are considering BM Greyhound walls and the color of the cabinets for trim. What color did you finally decide to use?
  • PRO
    Kealey & Tackaberry Log Homes
    8 years ago

    I'd love to see as well. I have this issue too :(

  • amandajones9
    8 years ago

    ME TOO!! Please post photos!

  • Veronica Chaidez
    8 years ago

    I would love to see pictures!!! Please!!! I am currently remoldoling my kitchen with Antinque white cabinets and I am having trouble choosing a wall color. I was thinking to color the window trim, door trim and the bottom of my island a chocolate color. Any thoughts???

  • dbh
    8 years ago

    To counteract any yellow, I would paint the walls a blue/gray (that has no yellow or green in it). Blue is opposite yellow on the color wheel, so that will help to neutralize the yellow. You can also change out your light bulbs to something less warm.

  • Andrea B
    8 years ago

    I am having the same problem. Our trims and shutters are very white and i don't know what do :(. Would matching the wall colour to the cabinets work?

  • amandajones9
    8 years ago

    I ended up just going with a wall color called paper white. Although it is whiter than my cabinets, it looks great. The cabinets definitely look cream (almost yellow) but I can't get them professionally done yet. I hope you find something!!

  • Keri Pleasant
    8 years ago

    omg same problem...ordered divnity white cabs...they look cream/ yellow toned. In the showroom, they looked fairly bright white, but not as bright as the icing white...but I'm disappointed. I even had cab guy come out and bring the three white door samples to try to prove they are not the color I ordered. I may be stuck with it...

  • PRO
    JudyG Designs
    8 years ago

    Old post

  • tinker_2006
    7 years ago

    Old, but helpful... My cabinets were just installed, and look yellow. Searching for help

  • jennofasto
    7 years ago

    Tinker_2006 - same problem here. Just out of interest what colour are your walls currently?

  • tinker_2006
    7 years ago

    jennofasto, my walls are a light gray, my island is repose gray... in the photo, the pantry door and trim are a soft white.. not stark. These cabinets were suppose to match the trim. I'm so unhappy... I switched the bulbs to daylight leds.. it does make the cabinets some whiter, but still not the color I expected, and who keeps the lights on all day?


    next to my white subway

  • Linda Stacey
    7 years ago

    is sherwin williams shoji white the right color for the walls next to these cabinets? anyone?

  • PRO
    Kellene Gordon
    7 years ago

    OMG!!! I have the same problem I am so frustrated I had my heart set on granite and these yellow supposed to have been cream cabinets have ruined everything!!!

  • Kila Sweeney
    7 years ago
    I have the same issue. Want to reprint them but trying not to give up. We currently have a color from Bear called chocolate swirl.
    Love it but ready for a change.... stuck!
  • Linda Stacey
    7 years ago

    What ever tile and colors you put next to these cabinets will make them look yellow or white. I bought a home with white trim which I thought was white until I put a true bright white next to them. So I stay away from true white in my house and the white looks amazing. This is how white works. It's tricky. As they say, "White is not white".

  • Linda Stacey
    7 years ago

    Is your subway tile already in. You can find off-white subway tile that looks white with your cabinets. Even then, I wouldn't stress to much. Many home designs include several different shades of beige and white. Sometimes we overthink.

  • PRO
    Marino General Contracting
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Hi Pamela,

    We just renovated a 1920's kitchen, and before we were finished painting, the homeowners thought the same thing. The cabinets are Cloud White, and the walls are Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore. It's such a versatile grey, and it looks good in every room, and every light. The cabinets are a bright white - I wouldn't worry until you're completely finished painting!

  • Amy
    7 years ago

    I have the same issue .my cabinets or snowbank on my receipt and then when they they ihot delivered. Box says snowflake , and I called the guy atsaid it was an era I am still skeptical and my cabinetts look antique yellow .

  • Kila Sweeney
    7 years ago

    look more ivory to me, a different paint color may help

  • smtolmie
    6 years ago

    So funny! I just walked into our new build yesterday and had the same experience! Latte on maple looked almost orange 8:30 am. I was so sad but reading your post and answers gives me hope. Also, our project manager said it was because of the primer on walls so to just wait. But we know how important our kitchens are, right!

  • Claire Pope
    5 years ago

    I had the same problem in my vacation home. The cabs are yellow looking but I painted my pantry door the same color and the walls a chocolate brown and trim, white chocolate. The kitchen looks very nice and I hardly notice the cabs being the wrong color anymore. Taught me a lesson though, I'm building a new home and made them send me a sample door and cabs came in white, they always look different in the show room. My new cabs came in just like the sample they made me a nice white white.

  • J Kay
    5 years ago
    Beautiful! It’s only because of the white walls. When you paint make sure to not pick a color with yellow undertones.
  • bsulecki
    5 years ago

    ugh same here, the cabinets are supposed to be cream but keep seeing yellow. Trying to pick a granite counter and now feeling overwhelmed with what granite to pick...any ideas/??


  • smtolmie
    5 years ago

    I’m just about to pick backsplash-probably an elongated subway tile. I’m leaning towards a cream tile with darker grout. Maybe a darker wall paint (taupe?). I think I just have to work with it and like someone said stay away from yellow undertones

  • HU-532855958
    4 years ago

    I just put white quartz in to replace black granite. it brightens the room and these cabinets have always leaned yellow. This was phase one kitchen redo. in 2-3 yrs i will likely paint the cabinets. i ignored the cabinets because i refuse to go all beige and brown and orange. it's a transition. For now i just lean into the yellow and white kitchen . This backsplash helped. years ago i just ordered these high end green glazed white cabinet that has always looked dirty and yellow. But it's a great kitchen. even if it was purple......

  • bsulecki
    4 years ago
    We are in the process of finishing the backsplash...still am annoyed that the cabinets look yellow but the brown granite countertop helps I think. Any thoughts on what color to paint the soffit above cabinets?
  • blahnik1
    4 years ago
    Do not paint the walls greyish blue. Any blue will make the yellow stand out. They are opposite colours. I tried this in my old kitchen. I used a light grey with blue undertones because I thought it would cool the space down. It did. However, the cabinets looked so yellow beside the painted wall. They looked more of an off white/antique white when our paint was a taupe colour.