Kim’s Color Conundrum: Solved
We were bursting at the seams to share Kim’s newly painted cabinets thanks to a handy dandy color palette that we whipped up for her a few weeks back. Here’s her letter:
I couldn’t wait to get home today and send you the pics of my new kitchen! It took me a week from start to finish (with a full time job, 2 kids and 2 dogs) and I can’t believe the transformation. It feels like a totally new kitchen. Since I really didn’t like this room when we moved in 2 years ago, I never displayed any of my cherished belongings. And now I have pulled out my creamware pitchers and my sugar and creamer sets to line the counters. Your suggestions were spot on and we did it all for under $200 (including new hardware for all the doors and drawers). And yes I did one coat of tinted oil based primer and one coat of latex paint in semi-gloss just as you suggested.
Thanks again for your help! I would have chosen warmer beiges and then it would have been a big adobe mess, so you were right on to go with the green/gray undertone. I used Behr paint color matched to the Glidden swatches you recommended after reading your comments on quality of paint. The pictures don’t do it justice- it looks great!- Kim
And now for a before picture to jog your memory:
And the fabulous after pics:
At our suggestion, Kim painted the base cabinets Le Chateau by Glidden and went with Stonington Beige for the upper cabinets (a shade darker than the Sand Beige that we recommended due to the lighting in her kitchen) and it looks amazing! Thanks so much for the speedy after pics, Kim. And if anyone else out there is withholding their fabulous after pics from a Design Dilemma or a Color Conundrum let this be a reminder to totally make our day and send a few pics our way!
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What a transformation! It looks like an entirely different room now. Great job!
Wow! That really is beautiful, great job Kim!
I LOVE “before & afters”!! I have a very hard time choosing colors and visualizing what any changes will look like. Wow, what a transformation! It even makes the backsplash look new…I had to scroll back up to make sure it was the same as before. Great job!!
Wow, this looks amazing, you would never think it was the same room. The new kitchen reminds me of the kitchen set of the Martha Stewart Show, just beautiful…
wow, looks like a different room. good choice of colour!
Ooh, so great! Nice job, Kim! I love your accessories around the edge of the counters.
I also had to scroll back up to see if it was the same backsplash. Gorgeous!!
Are you kidding me? It doesn’t even look like the same kitchen! I am so impressed. Kim did an outstanding job!
Fabulous transformation! It doesn’t look like the same space! Modern and totally chic.
Simply stunning. Wonderful advice, Youngsters, and marvelous execution, Kim.
Amazing! It truly is a brand new space! Kim – I’d love to know what shade of Behr paint you used for the lower cabinets. Fantastic “after”!
Wow! Looks amazing! Love it!
ooh-la-la!!!! I LOVE it!! looks like martha stewart’s kitchen. :)
What an AMAZING transformation. It’s incredible what a coat of paint can do.
NO WAY is that the same kitchen! Wow! So great.
That is such a gorgeous kitchen, it must be such a joy to cook in now!
My jaw dropped when I saw this! The backsplash takes on a totally different look with those colors. I’d never want to leave this kitchen now. Great job!
Now that’s bang for your buck! Amazing!
Great job Youngsters and Kim! I tried so hard to imagine it after reading the color advice post and was not so successful, so I’m SO glad you sent in pics, Kim! It is just beautiful!
Oh my goodness! This transformation adds value to her house and her daily life. I adore it! Great job.
my jaw dropped at the transformation. awesome! just awesome!
and yes, i want to see more of the after pics people are holding out on from prior moodboards. come on, give up the goods and send them in!
Beautiful work! The room looks so serene and ready to cook! I’m so jealous of all of the open counterspace, too! Kim is lucky!
This should give those shopping for a home out there a new way to look past at an unsightly kitchen . . .
My jaw dropped, too!!
I’m in such complete awe that I had to come back for another look and of course couldn’t resist another two cents from me: the color choice for the cabs was brilliant!!!! Love!
Wow! Looks FAB!
It looks great. It made the place “rustic-modern” and $15,000 more expensive looking…
Great color choice!
No WAY!!!
That’s the same floor? The same countertop?!?!?
I am totally flabbergasted. GORGEOUS!!!
Wow! Will you come and be my wife? You are not only frugal, but really creative, so nice job.
Good gravies mashed potatoes…that doesn’t even look like the same kitchen anymore. Wow. Looks great.
This is Kim’s sister. The kitchen is even more fab in person! Suddenly I thought “wow look at the tile backsplash…hey there’s a skylight in here.” It is bright and beautiful and Kim worked her butt off. Great color suggestions and great execution..a perfect pair.
Wow. I can’t believe how cute that kitchen is now!!
Good work to everyone involved!
Hi this is Kim’s Mom – beautiful job! I know how hard you worked – bravo!
Oh. My. God.
That’s absolutely amazing- like a brand new kitchen! The tiles look stunning now. I’m sure you’ve added quite a bit of value to your house- certainly more than $200.
Amazing. I never would have thought to use those colors, but they are fabulous! Nice work!
Wow! This is definitely the best transformation I’ve seen yet. It doesn’t even look like the same kitchen.
It’s given me inspiration to paint my bathroom cabinets!
The gray cabinets turned out really beautiful and work very well with the existing tile. Great makeover!
Those afters are amazing! They did a great job.
Like everyone before me, I am truly AMAZED at how paint and hardware can make a HUGE difference. Keep the before and after photos coming!
WOW!! What a transformation. It’s true, paint is the #1 easiest way to make a change. The kitchen looks very chic now!!
I’ve seen these pictures before, but didn’t realize at first that there were 2 tones used between the upper and lower cabinets…how do you know when that is needed?
Hey Julie,
Using a slightly different color on the upper cabinets is never necessary but it’s always fun! For this kitchen we intentionally wanted to cut all of the orange in the tile and the counter with some cooler hues, and we thought it would be fun to make the base cabinets slightly deeper for a bit of interest and dimension. In rooms where we suggest white paint for the cabinets (small rooms, or rooms that need to be brighter) then we stay away from the two-tone idea, but when we’re looking at our paint decks for some subtle color, it’s easy to slide up or down on a paint swatch and suggest two colors (the deeper one for the bottom cabinets and the slightly lighter one for the uppers). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I love these colors, but none of them look like the color swatches you recommended to me. Can you tell me which ones they are?
Thanks so much.
(Right now I have an all pine kitchen with paneling and cabinets stained to match! EEEK!)
Kim painted the base cabinets La Chateau by Glidden and went with Stonington Beige for the upper cabinets (a shade darker than the Sand Beige that we recommended due to the lighting in her kitchen) and it looks amazing! Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Kim,
Love, Love, Love yours kitchen…..would you share the Behr color paint names that you used in your kitchen. Did you replace your kitchen counter?
Thanks!
Hey Sue,
Here are the kitchen paint colors that Kim used: the base cabinets are La Chateau by Glidden and the upper cabinets are Stonington Beige also by Glidden (the walls remained the same plaster color (unpainted) that she started with. And as for the counters, they’re the same, they just appear a lot more toned down thanks to the subtle and cool color on the cabinets. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Thanks for the info. When I checked the paint colors by Glidden the La Chateau was a ‘dark chocolate brown’ (in the pic the cabinets look more like a gray) – they do not look brown at all – do you think it is because of the lighting in the kitchen that they appear ‘gray’ looking?
Thanks & Happy New Year!
s.
Hey Sue,
Good question! It’s definitely just the way it looks in the pic (since the floor and counter are so “warm” it makes the cabinet color look more cool and gray). Lighting in your space can also alter colors so we suggest bringing home the paint chips and seeing how they work in your space. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi,
Love the color combination. I came across this page as I am in the midst of painting cabinets. I know on the How To page you (Sherry and John) recommend wool or polyester rollers. I have two questions:
1) Did Kim use rollers or did she spray the cabinets?
2) With rollers, is there a stippling?
I have read pros and cons for foam and sponge rollers and cons against using rollers in general…so I am just confused and tired!
Thanks in advance,
Lilian
Hey Lilian,
As far as we know Kim used a high quality polyester roller from Purdy along with a high quality angled brush to get into all the crevices and cracks (we know she didn’t spray them). There is no stippling when this is done to apply thin and even coats of paint (there was none on our cabinets with this method either)- especially once things completely dry (let everything dry between coats or you could get some stippling!). Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Thanks Sherry, it does help. I am assuming (yikes!) that you are using small rollers and not the standard 9″ used on walls…yes?
I’ve also read to dampen the rollers (and brush) to encourage the leveling of paint by extending drying time. Have you tried this method? I’m actually doing the bathroom cabinets which are the same as my kitchen — builder grade. So this is a good test for me to see if I want to attempt my kitchen cabinets!
Thanks!
Nope, on my cabinets I used a regularly sized Purdy roller (like you’d use for wall) and had a great experience. We’re not sure what Kim used but that’s what we recommend in our tutorial so we’d bet she did the same thing. You can read more about our step by step process here (and peruse comments from people who have followed it with much success): http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/11/how-to-paint-your-kitchen-cabinets/
Of course you can also do things like dampen rollers but for me that sounds risky since we never encourage adding anything, even water, to latex paint. You really want it to cure in the time that it’s meant to (and not mess with the consistency) at least in our book. Good luck!
xo,
s
Hi: This isn’t really related to this, but I have been searching and searching for something that I know I saw on your blog, but can’t find!! It is regarding glazing painted furniture. You said to ALWAYS use a certain glaze. Would you please remind me what that is? I hope I’m not mixing your site up with someone else’s. I have always been terrified to decorate my house, but since I have found your site, I have done both of my girls bedrooms and am getting ready to paint cabinets for our new laundry room and then on to tackling our master bedroom!! We are going to do exactly what you have done in yours; it is the perfect solution!! Thanks.
Hey Suzie,
Yup, it’s a certain type of poly actually. It’s in this post (which can be found on the top of our How-To page as well). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I can’t get over how AMAZING this looks! All you did was paint it the right colour, what a transformation! You two are very clever! I was searching the net for inspiration on what colour to make my benchtops in my all white kitchen. If I had more than bench tops to choose I’d even give your service a go! Do you think it would be too hard doing one for a house in Perth (Australia)? You know, for future reference ;)
Hey Claire,
Yes, we’ve done online consults for people all over the world! Unfortunately we haven’t been doing Color Conundrums for a while because with a newborn there just aren’t enough hours in the day! We’ll definitely make a big announcement if and when we bring them back though. Stay tuned…
xo,
s
Thanks Sherry, I completely understand I have an 8mnth old and a 2year old! Who knows, the stars might align and Colour Conundrums will be back just when I have a doozie! I’ve only just discovered your blog/website, it’s amazing! Thanks for sharing your story and your ideas. I’ll be back quite regularly now (you know with all that spare time!).
Just wondering if you two knew that another company was using your photos to show off your work as their own…
http://www.atlantarefacing.com/Cabinet_Refinishing.html
Both the “blue kitchen” and your kitchen photos are referenced.
Just an FYI.
Ugh! Thanks so much for the heads up Chris!
xo,
s
Thanks for Kim’s post, I love the color of the cabinets! I have very similar, warm/terracotta-ish tile on the counters and a maple-y floor. I am off to find the cooler, grey/green for the cabinets, but am stumped about wall color. My kitchen runs into our living room, so the color needs to be somewhat consistent. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
A soft cream would look lovely in both spaces!
xo,
s