Carla’s Design Dilemma: Solved
A month ago Carla and her husband Evan hit us up for some suggestions to take their wood-on-wood kitchen to new heights. They wanted something vibrant, polished and a lot younger and fresher, so we tossed out a slew of ideas (painting the cabinets & chairs white while the table goes black to echo the backsplash, bringing in pops of fresh green with dramatic curtains and other accessories, adding a round jute rug under the table for texture, etc). Then we sat back and anxiously awaited the after pictures…. and they actually came pretty quickly! Here’s their letter:
We couldn’t wait to send the kitchen after pictures to you just one short month after our consultation. All we can say is WOW!!!! We honestly cannot believe the transformation- it’s like a brand new kitchen and we freaking L.O.V.E. it!!!! As you can see, we took a lot of your advice and I was able to talk my hubby into painting the table, chairs and cabinets- I think he’s still in shock! He was very apprehensive, as you know, but my smooth talking, good looks (haha) and the fact that I promised to do most of the work myself (even took a day off of work, thank you very much!) got him to love it AND help out too! We still cannot believe how different it all is. WOW! And all for around $800 (including primer, paint, curtains, rugs and every last plant, pot, accessory, and dishtowel). It was so great to be able to do this project with you and the best part is that we feel like we’re really making this house our home! You guys are an inspiration– keep doing what you’re doing! -Carla & Evan
Here are the before pictures for your viewing pleasure:
And the jawdropping afters thanks to some paint and a slew of accessories:
Is that not an amazing makeover? We love how much lighter and more cheerful the room is (we’ve said it a hundred times, but paint and curtains really can completely transform a space). We’re so glad that we convinced Carla- and Carla convinced her understandably nervous hubby- that painting those cabinets along with the table & chairs was the way to go (before the room was one big tan-on-tan blur, even the floor blended with the cabinets which blended with the blinds and the kitchen table). Plus tying the table into their sleek backsplash (with a dash of black paint) really added cohesion and updated what was once a country piece into something you’d find at Pottery Barn. And aren’t those punchy green curtains and that round jute rug the icing on the cake? We can’t get enough of ‘em.
Oh an here’s a source list from Carla and Evan:
- Paint for cabinets: chairs/cabinets- Valspar’s Ultra White, table- Olympic Black Magic, walls- Benjamin Moore Ashen Tan (you were so on the money w/ those colors)
- 3 Curtain Panels: Crate & Barrel (thank you for suggesting 3- it makes all the difference!)
- Table & Chairs: free! (painted black & white at your suggestion)
- White Placemat on Table: Pottery Barn
- Blowfish Fruit Bowl: Anthropology (seriously, isn’t this awesome!?)
- The “M” in the window: Urban Outfitters (painted black)
- FAB Round Jute Rug: Pottery Barn (LOVE it!)
- Coral: Pottery Barn (every room needs a piece of sea life, right Nate Berkus?!)
- Dishtowels: Crate & Barrel
- Rug at stove: Crate & Barrel
Fabulous job guys! We love that you went all the way and the transformation is seriously stunning. We especially appreciate this makeover because it’s a great reminder that “new” kitchens don’t always have to call for major demolition and mucho moolah. Let’s play one of my favorite games: whats-your-favorite-thing? I’m on the fence between that amazing jute rug and those lively and lovely curtains. Yummy. Oh and if you’re in the market for a custom room makeover of your own, we’re all too happy to help.
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Comments
Good question! Try Horizon or French Canvas by Benjamin Moore… or even Overcast. All three have cool blue-green-gray undertones. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I’ve been thinking about painting my kitchen cabinets, but I have a few questions.
-What kind of paint should I get to get that polish look? I don’t want the paint look/feel…. HELP!
-Would I then need to glaze it?
Hey Leona,
Here’s a post with step by step instructions for painting your cabinets! It’s as simple as oil-based primer followed by latex semi-gloss paint. No glazing necessary and it’ll last for years- decades even!
xo,
s
Thanks! I’ve been reading that tutorial you listed closely, but I guess I’m just too scared! HAHA! We just closed on the house and the kitchen is my first project!!!!! Thanks for your assurance!
Hello!
I am trying to ‘warm up’ my living room with some accessories and can’t decide on a color scheme. The room is mainly black/ white/ and cream (with beige walls). It needs some color! I am a horrible decision maker and would appreciate any advice! You guys rock!!
Thanks!!
Hey Holly,
We’re going to “teach you how to fish” instead of just dictating a color scheme for ya. Here’s what you do: go to Target or Bed Bath & Beyond and buy a bunch of pillows in a wide range of colors and fabrics. You will be returning a ton of them so don’t be scared to come home with twelve options in a variety of tones and shapes. Then toss them on your sofa and see which one(s) you like. You might find that a red and orange color scheme tickles your fancy and then you can return the rest of the pillows and pick up other accessories (throws, vases, planters, lacquered boxes, etc) in those colors. Or you might love how sophisticated blue and chocolate (again, just return the rest of the pillows and snag more accessories in your newfound color palette). It really is that easy!
xo,
s
Hey again! This couple’s cabinets were the builder basic oak just like mine, do you know if it was more of a hassle for her to sand and paint them since they are not the heavy duty solid wood like the original ones in your home? Thanks for your response to my other question as well!
Hey Natasha,
From our correspondence with Carla and her description of the cabinet-painting process it sounded just as simple and straightforward as ours was (and we do know that she followed the exact same steps that we did). Her result is certainly flawless- not bad considering it was her first time attempting a project like this- and she was thrilled with the outcome. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
The change is awesome. Not a great fan of wood finishes myself. Small accent pieces are OK. But not the whole darn room the way that kitchen was.
Hi! Wondering if you have any tutorials on removing a wallpaper border. I am about to tackle that project for the first time and could use any tips you have!
Thanks!!
Julie
Check out the comments on this post for lots of ideas: http://www.younghouselove.com/2008/08/pure-comedy/
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Thanks!! I’m aiming to report back with some before & after pics for you guys (if all goes well)
~Julie
Oh, man…I’m trying SO hard to convince my husband that we need to paint our oak cabinets (they were new when we bought the house 3 yrs. ago but I never would have chosen them…but since they’re new, he hesitates to mess with them.) and this is all I needed. We bought some cool Anthropologie knobs last year, and, even though I love them, they don’t look right with these cabinets.
My walls are chocolate brown with avocado-green and white accents…would white look weird with dark walls?
No it’ll look crisp and lovely- the perfect balance to those rich walls. We say go for it… and send us the photos when you’re done!
xo,
s
I love this kitchen update! I really want to try this, but have one problem though. I have white appliances. How could I make it modern and airy but not stark with all of the white?
Just bring in pops of color or deep rich wood tones in the accessories so it doesn’t look too flat. It’s all about layering in tones and shades and materials so a wooden fruit bowl full of oranges with an orange dish towel draped over the white stove handle and a chocolate colored tea kettle on top of the stove would immediately add more dimension. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Nope, same one. There’s just more light reflecting off of it in the second picture (plus those lighter cabinets make the whole room lighter!) so it emphasizes the stainless steel front in that photo. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I love the makeover! We painted our cabinets white a few months ago and added black nobs. We made the mistake of just using a brush and not a roller and it looks a little streaky (Not as flawless as I’d like) Could I fix it by doing a light sand and rolling on another coat of paint? Also would a black countertop look nice or too “matchy-mathcy”? Or should we go with a different color like in this kitchen? It’s currently light blue (yuck!) Would love any advice!
We definitely think you can sand things down a bit and then apply a thin and even coat (or two) of black semi-gloss paint with a high quality roller for flat surfaces (we like the ones by Purdy) to get a more seamless look. As for the black countertop, it should look stunning with the white cabinets and black knobs. So classic. We say go for it!
xo,
s
If the wallpaper comes off completely (along with the glue) you should be left with a pristine wall that you can just paint afterwards. We have never had to texturize a wall after removing wallpaper. Hope it helps!
xo,
s