Young House Love

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A Soft Blue-Gray Paint Color For The Kitchen

Another Monday, another leap forward for our kitchen. Here’s where we were last week, after priming and painting the trim, doors, crown molding, and paneling white.

WhiteTrim After Main Angle

And here we are today, with the walls freshly coated with a little Nelson Blue (the light blue color that we’ve planned on from the start).

Nelson After Main

Shall we all let out a communal sigh of relief that the walls aren’t covered in wallpaper anymore and there are no more spackle holes and raw drywall from under those cabinets that we removed? Together now. Ahhhhh.

Nelson After From Garage

Update: There have been a few questions about the intercom and why we didn’t remove it yet, but we’re not sure if we’re going to retofit that with another system (maybe that plays an ipod in each room or something) so for now we’re planning to cover that whole wall with a nice framed out pinboard or something – so it’ll be hidden but the wiring will still be there for a future conversion. Getting to this was a bit more involved than just getting our paint on, though. For instance, you may have noticed that our big over-the-range microwave is now missing from the scene.

Nelson After Stove Area

It’s the only appliance we’ve planned to replace as part of our Phase 1 kitchen makeover, since it was so front & center in the room, it crowded our stove, and we always seem to prefer range hoods over microwaves with vents when it comes to performance. So we’ve replaced it with a stainless countertop version that we’ll eventually get “installed” into our pantry (which just calls for an outlet to be added in there so we can plug it in). It was just $78 at Home Depot (marked down from $139!) and that pantry solution isn’t just for phase 1, so we’re planning on using it for the long haul, even after Phase 2, which is nice.

Nelson After Mircowave Area

Removing the old one wasn’t 100% straightforward, but we managed. We had to unscrew it from above through the upper cabinet, but the screw was recessed a few inches below the cabinet, so our drill barely reached. Since it was so dark down there, we ended up breaking out the oh-so-thin battery-powered fairy lights from Clara’s Halloween costume to provide some much-needed illumination. #MacGyvering

Nelson Stove Sherry Unscrewing

I supported the cabinet from below the whole time so when it eventually came lose from the screws that Sherry was removing from above, I could guide it down safely. That puppy was not light. Probably all the dried food splatters inside wiring and stuff.

Nelson Stove John Lifting

Once we unscrewed the mounting bracket from behind the microwave, we also had this old vinyl backsplash to scrape off the wall. We knew we’d prefer a seamless painted wall back there for this phase of the kitchen’s transformation since we actually had a painted wall behind our first house’s fully renovated kitchen, and it held up well thanks to the paint being nice and wipeable – even with spaghetti splatters a plenty.

Nelson Stove Removing Backsplash

The pliable sheet of vinyl came off really easily (Sherry just used a spackle knife to pry it off) but it left the wall pretty pock-marked behind it. Thankfully it wasn’t anything a little spackle couldn’t handle.

Nelson Stove Putty

We already had the spackle out because there were plenty of holes around the room to be filled (and sanded once dry). This is a terrible iPhone pic, but you can kind of see the extent to which some of the walls were nail-holed. We’re talking 20 in a three foot radius.

Nelson Putty Holes

We finished all of our patching right before heading off on a whirlwind road trip to New Jersey for Thanksgiving, so it wasn’t until we got back on Friday afternoon that we could bust out the primer for our first coat (which is what many of you saw in our Instagram feed that evening).

Nelson Primer Instagram

Even though we were painting a light color over an already light wall, we chose to do a primer coat first for two reasons:
  1. The areas behind the cabinets that we took down had never been primed or painted, and it’s always good to prime drywall before painting it.
  2. Walls that haven’t been painted for several years may soak up more paint (as we experienced when painting Clara’s room) and we’d rather it soak up extra primer instead, since it’s cheaper than paint (one coat of primer + two coats of paint is almost always cheaper than three coats of paint because you usually need to buy more than one gallon of paint for more than two coats).

Nelson Primer Both Painting1

We knocked out our primer coat during Clara’s nap that afternoon using our usual Sherry-cuts-in / John-rolls system, which took the room from this…

Nelson Primer Before

…to this. Don’t mind the piles of stuff that we shifted to the center of the room, away from the walls. But much better, right?

Nelson Primer After

That photo was taken Saturday morning, right before we broke out the Nelson Blue paint.

Nelson Paint Hands

One thing we did to make our job (well, Sherry’s job) a bit easier was that we strategically taped off a few tight spots. Since it’s hard to squeeze into the gap between two doors, for example, we put tape along the edge of the door frame to protect the face of the molding from getting paint on it. It meant that Sherry could focus on making sure she got full coverage on the wall without worrying about messing up the crisp white molding next to it. And in less tight spaces, she’s great at just freehanding things (seven years of being the cutter-inner in the relationship can do that to ya).

Nelson Tape

We also decided to paint a couple of the eyesores in the room – like the yellowed doorbell box and an old phone jack next to the intercom box, which you can see two pictures down.

Nelson Paint Sherry Doorbell

We originally worried the Nelson Blue was a bit too faint, but it definitely showed up a bit more distinctly once it began to dry.

Nelson Paint John Rolling

We love the color. In fact, it almost feels like a nod back to our first kitchen’s wall color – although this one is a bit lighter and has more green to it, and the horizontal paneling around the bottom half of the room adds a little something extra. I’ll admit it’s a bit hard to fully appreciate the new color while the room is held back by things like the countertops, the cabinets, and the floor (we’re definitely in that “middle” stage, so it should start making more sense as we tackle other things on our list).

Nelson After Main

And we can definitely celebrate the fact that we’re a nice looooong way from where we started.

WhiteTrim Before Main Angle

When you look at it from certain angles, you can almost trick yourself into thinking the room is a lot closer to done. For instance, the view from the front door is much improved.

Nelson After From Foyer

And the little breakfast area is shaping up to be a nice combination of white trim + horizontal planking + blue walls + rustic wood. Just ignore the big intercom on the wall and the fake brick floor, mmkay?

Nelson After Beachy Kinda

So here’s what our kitchen to-do list is looking like now. We’ve officially crossed 9 things off and have 9 more to go… some of which are a lot easier than the nine we’ve already done (switching out lights and hanging shelves are a welcome relief after all this priming and painting – although that 15th bullet is going to be a multi-step multi-day extravaganza).
  • Remove wallpaper
  • Move fridge cabinet forward
  • Remove upper cabinets on window wall to prep for open shelves
  • Reinstall crown molding (you can read about how we did those first four things here)
  • Prime & paint the pantry and the door to the garage
  • Prime & paint the trim, crown molding, & baseboards
  • Prime & paint the paneling (you can read about how we did those last three things here)
  • Prime and paint the walls
  • Remove the existing microwave (craigslist it?) and get a countertop one we can eventually install in the pantry
  • Install a cheap range hood (we’ve seen some like this for $20 on craigslist) to lighten up that wall
  • Patch and paint the ceiling
  • Replace the florescent light in the cooking area and the pendant over the sink
  • Replace and center the light over the dining table
  • Hang floating shelves on the window wall
  • Paint the cabinets (you can see the colors we’re leaning towards here)
  • Update the old cabinet hinges and knobs
  • Get a rug for eat-in area? Possibly install peel and stick tiles everywhere?
  • Curtains for windows?
*To read why we’ve chosen these steps for Phase 1 (for example, why we’re painting the cabinets, why we’re not going to attempt to paint the linoleum, and what’s on the agenda for Phase 2) there’s lots of background info in this post for ya.

Our Favorite Paint Colors

If you’re having trouble picking the right color to paint your room, check out these detailed deep-dive posts about our favorite paints:
  • Sherwin-Williams Extra White

    • Comments

    1. Megan says

      Looks great! I love how the blue brings out a richer tone in the wood cabinets. Makes them easier to live with, I’m sure!

      Reply

    2. Alison says

      How is the table working out for you on a day-to-day basis? It looks gorgeous, but I’ve always heard that those unfinished wood type tables are tricky to maintain and clean. I am table shopping myself and would love to hear your feedback after a few months of use!!

      Reply

      • YoungHouseLove says

        It’s great so far! No stains or issues so far, and it hides crumbs (which is both a blessing and a curse, haha) but a quick wipedown helps with that.

        xo
        s

    3. Lee Ann says

      Geez, guys, you sure know how to “inspire” (read: “guilt”) a person into thinking seriously about a kitchen re-do. I swore that my kitchen re-do was at least a year away … you know, to let the Carpal Tunnel syndrome die down a little from this last paint job … but after looking at your kitchen work, I’m feeling like “maybe …?” If my kitchen can look half as good as yours, I need to get on the ladder and start! Thanks (?) for the inspiration.

      Reply

      • YoungHouseLove says

        Haha! Usually it’s the husbands saying “thanks for making my list longer” – sorry Lee Ann! Maybe you can hold off until after the holidays. You know, to regain your strength and power up on eggnog. Sometimes I try to convince myself of that!

        xo
        s

    4. veronica says

      I love the new color, it makes such a difference. I have ‘In Your Eyes’ as my pantry color and was considering using it in my kitchen whenever I paint my oak cabinets white, but it’s a little too icy. I like warm kitchens (mine is currently golden yellow). I know you all used the same color on your patio ceiling, so I’m wondering how does Nelson Blue compare to In Your Eyes? I know it’s got some green in it, but from the pictures it looks a little warmer. Is that pretty accurate?

      Reply

      • YoungHouseLove says

        Yes, I’d say it’s warmer, slightly more toned (not as light, but still very airy) and has some green. Still feels cool though, so a warmer one would be Quiet Moments (love that one too!).

        xo
        s

    5. Josephine says

      “And in less tight spaces, she’s great at just freehanding things”

      THAT’S WHAT HE SAID!

      Am I the only one who thought that? Couldn’t help myself. The kitchen is looking fantastic! You guys are geniuses!

      Reply

    6. Alicia says

      Love that blue and I’m usually not a blue fan! Unrelated question – I really like the Edgecombe Gray color you used in your entry. I went to Lowe’s (the only place I buy paint) and they matched it from the computer. I’ve only ever seen the color online (no swatches or anything) so when the little pot came out a light beige/tan no real “grey” at all, I was surprised. I haven’t painted it on the walls yet but was wondering if this is what yours looked like and I’m just seeing something a little different in the computer images?

      Reply

      • YoungHouseLove says

        I think it reads differently everywhere (we even hear it goes green in some lighting scenarios and is completely gray in others while it’s sort of a creamy sand color in our house) but I have heard that when they match it on the computer it can be really off, so perhaps that’s coming into play too.

        xo
        s

      • Alicia says

        Okay that’s good to know. It is coming off a little creamy sand so hopefully when I get it on the walls it has a similar look to yours (which I love). Thanks for answering my question! :)

      • Linda says

        Also, and especially with Benjamin Moore paints, paint matching may not work perfectly. It’s a matter of the quality of the pigments and the paint itself. Sometimes the match will be close enough to make you happy, and sometimes it just won’t work. In my own experience, BM has a greater depth of color that’s hard to match in a big box store paint.

    7. Victoria says

      Wow! The kitchen doesn’t even look like the same room. I love the soft blue against the white horizontal paneling. The whole space looks so much bigger and manages to be both serene and lively. It makes me want to sit down at that lovely table, drink some coffee, and gaze out of the windows at the “park” outside. I am so excited to see the rest of phase 1.
      Hope you had a great Thanksgiving. My husband and I were both sick with some strange virus that is going around so we had to cancel Thanksgiving. We just didn’t feel up to company and we didn’t want to spread the “love”. So we made the best of it and snuggled in our pj’s and ate Trader Joe’s
      microwave Thanksgiving entrees and sides. It was actually quite yummy. We followed that with a couch based movie marathon. The virus is, of course, temporary but it certainly made us aware of how much good health is something to be very thankful for and how thankful we are for each other.

      Reply

    9. Leslie says

      Looks fantastic – love the color. I think it’s funny how much you dislike the intercom system! I’m 52 and just bought a 1968 contemporary that has the original system that still works. I love it, but also like retro decor. My husband wanted to upfit it with something modern and leave the original wall plates on for me since I love them, but unfortunately the 1968 wiring couldn’t handle it. We listen to the radio all through the house when we are doing projects!

      Reply

    10. Alexi says

      Love how light & airy the new color feels! Gorgeous! Plus the wall color + white trim + the table is amazing together! I may be painting a room Nelson Blue now, great color!

      Reply

    11. Jodi says

      It looks great! Would you please share what type/formula/finish of paint you use that is wipeable and splatter-proof? Every time I get the slightest smudge on my paint I need to paint over the spot and it’s disastrous! Thanks so much.

      Reply

    12. Erin says

      Holy wow! What a breath of fresh air! It’s hard to believe this kitchen is going to get even more awesome; it’s come so far already!! Yowza, this is going to be one bomb.com kitchen.

      Reply

    13. Erin@Managing the Manor says

      Ahh, so nice and clean looking now! When I was little, I thought the intercom systems were those coolest things ever and wished my parents had one. And now I think, “Ick!” when I see them in a house. Funny how times change :)

      Reply

    14. SM says

      Leaps and bounds better than it was! But I think the color is a little bland. I was hoping for something a bit more rich. Can’t wait to see what you do with the cabinets.

      Reply

    15. katrina says

      About the intercom/plans for a new music system, I wanted to recommend Sonos. We have one in our offices at work and absolutely LOVE it. (Ordered off Amazon I believe.)
      Here’s a link for info: http://www.sonos.com/system
      (I know this seems like spam or an ad but I really do think it’s perfect for what you have in mind!)

      Reply

    17. Ranelle says

      Well, after two years of being renters, we closed on a condo this last week…and spent the better part of this week on paint adventures – paint chips, sample painting, and then a all day marathon of painting (Edgecomb gray by the way)! My husband and I were commenting about how long it had been since we had painted, sore in places I’d forgotten I could be sore in! Wahoo for DIY!

      Reply

    18. Tara says

      Hi! Looks great! I just painted my kitchen and dining area as well about the same color! Question, I see that you replaced brass looking door knobs and we have too with the black brushed Bronze look. Are you also going to replace the door hinges, or can you spray paint? I am not wanting to spend more money, and am going to try to spray paint mine!

      Reply

      • YoungHouseLove says

        Yes, we have had luck getting contractor packs of them at Home Depot (saves money to buy them in bulk, and that way we don’t worry about them chipping if they rub against themselves all the time).

        xo
        s

    19. Andrea says

      Look SO much better already! That would be really neat if you were able to turn the intercom system into a music system that connects to an ipod! I can’t wait to see if that works out!

      Reply

    20. Kristin says

      Thank you for addressing the intercom, I am very interested to see what you replace it with. I have what appears to be the same system in my home and have come to love it (i.e. Saturday morning breakfast/chores with NPR audible on every floor of the house). I’ve done a little research on a modern system that would do the same thing but none seems to function quite like that sad old intercom.

      Reply

    21. Karen says

      Here’s the truth I have you guys saved on my home screen that’s how much I adore you. Then I check every day for a new blog. Everything looks great I’ve learned so much especially about the paint brush used for cutting in. I went to s Williams and prayed let this make it easier, not only was it easier I needed no painters tape. It cut my prep or cutting in time down by 90%. People you have to invest in that brush. Thanks guys.

      Reply

    23. charlotte m. says

      Awesome. It looks amazing. WE are thinking of tearing out our over stove microwave and going with a hood. The microwave died in only 6 years and I do not want another monster up there. Any advice? Should we get a pro to look at it? Hubby is not really wanting to do this himself this time.

      Reply

      • YoungHouseLove says

        It’s usually a really straight-forward process (you unscrew a few screws while he supports it from below and guides it down). I would look in the upper cabinet to see if the screws are easy to get out and go from there!

        xo
        s

      • YoungHouseLove says

        Yup, that’s the plan! Gotta love getting rid of things of that way. It’s already in the garage and we have some photos, just have to get the listing up!

        xo
        s

    25. Ally says

      I love love love it! What a bright and refreshing change! I can’t wait to see what the end of phase 1 brings – way to go guys!

      Reply

    27. betty says

      this thanksgiving weekend we ripped up the carpet on the stairs, sanded (and sanded.. and sanded), stained the treads, painted the risers white, and ebonized the railings.. my poor tree is getting neglected because I cant stop looking at my fresh stairs!

      Reply

    28. Meghann says

      Will you get new fridge, stove/oven and dishwasher in phase 2?

      Also, will you be getting a new washer and dryer before the baby arrives? We had old ones at first, then finally broke down a few months after our daughter was born. Should have done it sooner! Babies create a ton if laundry for being so little:)

      Reply

      • YoungHouseLove says

        We’re keeping an eye out for sales on a washer & dryer but they’re still running well (knock on wood) so we’re hoping they don’t conk out on us! As for the new appliances, yes, we’re saving up for those for Phase 2. We figure we might reconfigure things (for example, we might want a wall oven in the new layout or something) so we don’t want to buy anything now that might not “fit” the new plan down the line.

        xo
        s

    30. Janna says

      Loving the transformation!! So, your walls are totally smooth then right? We have an offer in on a house from the early eighties that is completely wallpapered, including the ceilings (at least the ones that aren’t planked). We were thinking after paper removal we will like smooth walls, but have gotten some input that we should texture them. Did you consider that? And, if we end up with this house I will be constantly referencing your blog as we renovate!

      Reply

      • YoungHouseLove says

        In our first house we did a Phase 1 in the kitchen (painting the cabinets, new appliances, and new peel & stick flooring as well as new paint, hardware, etc) for about a year. Here I think the difference is going to be more dramatic (aka: more liveable) so it’ll depend on what we end up wanting/planning for Phase 2 I think (for example, if we want higher end appliances it might take us two years to save up).

        xo
        s

    34. Sandra T says

      Your kitchen looks so much brighter and happier! :) Our house used to have that same microwave. It took both my husband and I to get the thing off the wall and out the door! It was so heavy, I can’t believe that John took it down by himself. Kudos, he-man!

      Reply

    35. Marie says

      So jelly of your phase 1 renovation motivation!! My phase 1 has consisted entirely of stomping around insisting we need to rip everything out, pointing out every Ikea 20% off kitchen sale, designing my dream kitchen for hours on their crap-tastic app that freezes and randomly quits all the time, pouting for unspecified amounts of time, settle on buying a random large appliance (hello black friday french door refrigerator sale), and finally trying to rationalize my purchase to my husband :-/

      Reply

    36. Jennifer says

      I love the new wall color and the painted paneling is really inspiring! I’ve been scared to paint our paneling(http://blog.christmastreemarket.com/2013/06/home-decor-101-how-to-be-your-own-interior-decorator/), but you may be giving me just the encouragement that I need. I’m always nervous about painting over “real wood” because you can’t go back. But your ligther walls are such an amazing improvement. Thanks for the post and happy holidays!

      Reply

    41. Jen@Domesticated Nomad says

      Okay, I didn’t say anything when you repainted the kitchen in the last house, but now I’ve got to ask – why blue in the kitchen?! I know it’s sort of trendy thanks to Candace Olsen in particular, but blue is a well-known appetite suppressant (which is why you rarely see it in restaurant interiors). Blue has been shown to lead to people spending less time preparing and eating food. It makes me kind of sad to see blue there since I expect that the kitchen is the “heart” of your home like so many people. You guys have me worried. :/

      Reply

      • YoungHouseLove says

        We’ve just always had a soft spot for our first house’s kitchen, which was a soft blue tone for over three years and we ate like champs and loved being in there. So we must be immune to the almightly power of blue! Many a cake were baked in there, and many a pot o’ spaghetti for family and friends. I think the warm wood floors and woven rug probably helped (I can see how a cold and icy kitchen wouldn’t be as welcoming, but if it’s balanced with warm and cool elements, it can be really homey). So that’s the goal for this kitchen as well – a nice balanced room with a lot of rustic/warm elements in the mix as well!

        xo
        s

      • YoungHouseLove says

        Oh man, it’ll be back to doing it at night by the light of ten lamps (when she was younger her naps were shorter so it was almost always night painting for us!).

        xo
        s

    45. Denise says

      I love the kitchen up date..you guys are amazing and fast at what you do. Way to go! Great color and love the fresh open feel of the kitchen now.

      Reply

    47. Kimberly says

      Looking great! I am just curious to know what drill you own and if you are happy with it? My husband wants a new drill for Christmas. It’s for all the projects I make him help me with after reading your blog! Haha
      Thanks!

      Reply

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