I would paint all your cupboards white and paint walls light yellow

What color are your appliances, sink and floor?

Did you ever finish your other room?

I think butter yellow cabinets and white walls would be lovely. There are so many white kitchens, why not be unique? Just be careful selecting your yellow as it can wind up a lot brighter and darker than you think it will be.

http://houzz.com/photos/92437

I attached the picture to show you how dramatic white cabinets with upgraded hardware can look against a yellow wall. All the sunshine yellow needs to go. Yellows are tricky both my kitchen and formal dining room have different yellows. My rule has always been, find the yellow you love, then go one full shade lighter.

thank you so much for all your comments! here's the newly painted kitchen! now just need ideas for hardware and window treatments. any suggestions?

also I don't really know anything about regrouting the subway tile, do you think its worth it?

armygirl1987, which room are you referring to? I'm doing a few right now

Yes regrout and seal it. There is this white sealer that comes with shoe polish like applicator. This might be all you need if it is not cracked up.

Kathleen, does it need to be done professionally? also do you have a cost estimate for it?

Stainless steel handles would modernize it.
I would recommend wood type venetian blinds - would allow you keep them down but with slats partially open to let light in and hide the brick wall.

Like the yellow :)

Regrout and seal the tile. You can take a class at Home Depot / Lowes or any large tile store. Piece of cake. Nickle/Stainless hardware. Nice yellow.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_340569-54151-D1159-128SN_4294777203__?productId=3323488&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1&facetInfo=
would this fit in to this kitchen? Or something like this?
http://www.lowes.com/pd_245465-76633-89003_4294777203__?productId=3598778&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1&facetInfo=

The room is coming along great!
I'd go with the first handle; the second is a bit too contemporary.
Grouting is time consuming but not difficult- it needs to be done. For the window, maybe colorful fabric shades. What style are you going for?

thanks! I really don't know about the hardware, what style would go best in this room?

I think that first one (curved) is perfect. It matches the era, but it's modern in fabrication.

Since the kitchen has some vintage charm, I would go one of two ways. You could use a simple nickel pull, similar to this: http://www.lowes.com/pd_247228-29780-RL060827_0__?productId=3680944&Ntt=cabinet+pull+nickel&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dcabinet%2Bpull%2Bnickel&facetInfo=

Lowes also has one that is a utility style pull with the (faux) exposed screwheads. I can't remember the name of it, but they run about $6 so if you're interested, you can narrow the search that way (they're a polished nickel finish)

If you want to play up the vintage look, how about going with a milk glass knob, which would bring some accent color into the room. You could use these in conjunction with one of the pulls I suggested. There are a great price
http://www.dlawlesshardware.com/antique-glass-knobs.html

Replace the doors in the style color you prefer. Match the frame to the new door color. Finish upload picture to paint company website and try different color options.

thank you Kathryn! I love those milk glass knobs but it has two holes, is this a problem? also what would be a nice accent color?

Oh, yes, that will be a problem. You'd have to fill the holes and paint - you don't want to do that again! There are milk glass pulls (check the same website). You have to measure the spread of the holes, too. Not all pulls will come in the on-center dimensions you need, so check that. D. Lawless also carries odd sizes, I think, in case that is what you need.

You could use just about any of the colors. D. Lawless has a pale green or the turquoise blue, either of which would be pretty. For a kitchen, I think the solid color milk glass look better than the clear colored glass, but that's just my opinion.

Oops, one more consideration: think about how you will use the milk glass pulls on the upper cabinets. They are curved. If your cabinets are paired (i.e. the pulls will go next to each other on pairs of doors) it may work. If not, maybe you could just use them on the drawers and use a different, simple nickel pull on the doors.

Another consideration is how smoothly the doors operate. If they're heavy or tend to stick, you'll get more leverage with a handle than a knob.

do you know how much it can cost to get a regrouting by a professional?

http://www.lowes.com/pd_89226-89973-PA0222-PN_0__?productId=3061663&Ntt=nickel+pulls&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dnickel%2Bpulls%26page%3D3&facetInfo=

Just something a little funky

that handle is a little to modern for my taste

Here are the ones I was thinking of, decogirly: http://www.lowes.com/pd_247226-29780-RL060803_0__?productId=3680942&Ntt=sumner+street&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dsumner%2Bstreet%26page%3D2&facetInfo=

Or, what would you think of buying TRUE aluminum utility pulls and spray painting them? Here are the utility pulls (again, check the spread) http://www.lowes.com/pd_308981-46882-20911ZCXLG_0__?productId=3353260&Ntt=utility+pull&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dutility%2Bpull&facetInfo=

Here is an example of one painted
https://www.etsy.com/listing/119354744/french-decor-cast-iron-door-pulls-aqua?ref=sr_gallery_32&ga_search_query=cabinet+pulls&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=11&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery

Really, if you bought any type of hardware you could sand it a bit and spray paint it..

How many do you need? How about these? https://www.etsy.com/listing/159721568/free-ship-lot-of-10-unused-sealed-long?ref=sr_gallery_7&ga_search_query=cabinet+pulls&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=37&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery

How about using the Lowe's nickel utility-style pull vertically on the doors and using these, painted Robin's Egg Blue, on the drawers? http://www.dlawlesshardware.com/p10-w4317.html

the (almost) finished product!!

do you have some suggestions for a window treatment for the window that looks straight into the neighbors but still lets in some light?
thank you so much for your help in helping choose the handles!

I would use window film and a shade.

what is window film and what type of shade?

For window film ideas, do a search on Houzz under products. Many options available and is so easy to install. For privacy, pick frosted rather than the shaded. I have shaded to control uv rays and during the day you can't see in from outside because it's like a mirror finish, but at night when lights are on inside you can see in.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_361766-81227-P13101V-SN-C_1z0zzar+1z10wd4+1z140au+2z8vi__?productId=3474649&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1%26page%3D1&facetInfo=Nickel|Brainerd|$1 - $5
The handles I got!!!!

You could go with a top-down/bottom-up shade in a translucent fabric? That gives you the most options. http://www.jcpenney.com/dinnerware-/jcpenney-home-top-downbottom-up-cordless-cellular-shade/prod.jump?ppId=176d39e&catId=cat100260228&subcatId=dept20022800026&deptId=dept20000011&cmJCP_C=labeled&cmJCP_T=XGN3&colorizedImg=0900631b811fc672M.jpg

Or you could go with a blind http://www.jcpenney.com/dinnerware-/jcpenney-home-2%22-embossed-faux-wood-horizontal-blinds/prod.jump?ppId=pp5003570430&catId=cat100260228&subcatId=dept20022800026&deptId=dept20000011&

I would reinforce the vintage look, though, plus add some bright color, and go with cafe curtains with a pull-down shade behind - maybe just the ones you already have. How about some vintage barkcloth curtains? How about something like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-1950S-SET-OF-4-CURTAINS-AND-4-OTHER-PIECES-FRUIT-FLOWERS-DESIGN-/231192116818?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35d41fbe52

Or these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-of-Vintage-Colorful-Teapot-Curtains-Each-is-30-x-36-/390801045248?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5afd8eb700

Different era, but these could be cute: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Flower-Power-Curtains-Drapes-Hippie-Mod-Retro-60S-70S-Groovy-/261438745137?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cdef6aa31

Just keep an eye out on Ebay.

It's really to your taste. Window film comes in many styles and varying degrees of privacy. You might not need a shade at all. I would add a fabric roller shade for color though. Even a wide yellow and white stripe or Moroccan tile pattern would be cool.

thanks I like the idea of roller shades, do you know where I can find the stripes or the Moroccan tile pattern?

Any place that sells custom shades, or you could stencil a plain fabric shade.

Years ago when I didn't have much of a budget I made my own roller shades using inexpensive lighter weight fabric. First I hemmed all sides (including a place for the stick to go through the bottom hem) and pressed the salvages.

Then I used a product (can't remember the name) to add stiffness to the fabric. This allows the shade to hang straight.

The fabric was totally submerged and allowed to dry flat. Worked like a champ. Attach with staples neatly at the top to a regular vinyl roller shade (after removing the shade cloth that came with the shade).

One caution. Your windows will look better (and more professional) if the windows in your home don't have pattern or color.

You can also have the fabric backed professionally by your local designer and then put together in their drapery workroom. Just let them know what you are trying to accomplish.

In any event... it will be fun. Good luck!

Hi, what else should I add to this kitchen to make it look more finished?