I often mention how unique a kitchen can look if you choose a dual paint treatment for upper and lower cabinets. Our feature photograph displays such a kitchen with a style that is eclectic enough to be visually interesting but neutral enough to be palatable.
This kitchen has a slight country flavour but fits into a contemporary home. The vintage style of the drawer pulls adds to the country twist while the modern Moen faucets lean toward the contemporary style. The colour is warm and inviting but not too cute.
The window bench is casually juxtaposed against the stainless-steel pots and countertop accents. The rough-hewn stone-tile backsplash accents the sleek marble countertop. The large, mullioned windows with wide trim are great architectural features that are best left unadorned by curtains or blinds. The darker green colour used on the windows highlights their beauty and size.
The chef's hanging pot rack says "I'm a serious cook," while the padded window bench seat says "I don't take myself too seriously." The neutral wall colour helps the various elements relate and also makes the window trim pop. This is a truly inviting kitchen.
The light wooden cabinets are lovely and would be acceptable had the entire kitchen had the same wood finish. By the same token, the green paint is a lovely, soft colour and would also look great on all of the cabinetry. Mixing the two finishes, however, creates an unusual feel and look.
I suspect even reversing the look by painting only the upper cabinets would look just as nice. Notice, too, how the island and pantry relate to the built-ins because they are painted the same colour as the lower cabinets.
This is a good lesson for those who are in the middle of a kitchen renovation. There are certain scenarios in a kitchen that may require a change but not necessarily an entire cabinet replacement. Perhaps you've decided you need additional storage space and choose to add a stand-alone pantry to your kitchen but are having a hard time finding one that matches the existing cabinetry, or you want to add an island and are having the same issue with mismatched finishes.
Another common dilemma is a lower-cabinet water-damage event, either from the sink drain or a dishwasher leak. Again, finding matching cabinetry can be a challenge, especially if your current cabinets are older.
Paint might be the answer to your dilemma. By painting the lower cabinets, island and pantry, as was done in our feature photograph, you can have a kitchen that is both co-ordinated and lovely and save big bucks in the process.
Maybe you're just tired of all of the wood and need to add some colour. The right choice could transform your kitchen and give it new life. Finding the right paint colour for your kitchen cabinets is the key to the success of the overall look.
In our feature photograph, the soft green colour works perfectly with the honey wood tones of the upper cabinets. The wood has a yellow undertone, so choosing a paint colour with a similar undertone was the best choice in this scenario. Notice, too, that the hue of the green paint is not stronger than nor lighter than the hue of the natural wood. This gives balance to the space so neither the upper cabinets nor the lower cabinets stand out or appear top- or bottom-heavy. If you imagine it in the extreme, with dark espresso cabinets on top and light green paint on the bottom, for example, you can visualize how the room would look top-heavy and unbalanced.
When painting the lower cabinets, you want to pay special attention to your existing flooring and countertop colour and pattern.
Again, as an example of what wouldn't work, imagine the flooring having a strong pattern of blue and white, and you can see this particular colour of cabinetry may not be the best choice. In this situation, you'd want to find a paint colour that would work with the blue-and-white flooring and also with the tones of the existing cabinetry.
Once you've narrowed down your colour options, get some additional advice. When you think you've found 'the' colour, test it out before you paint all of your cabinets. Get a length of foam core, cardboard or what have you and paint it in your chosen colour. Lean it on the floor in front of the cabinets you intend to paint and live with it for a day or so to see how the light plays on it and experience the overall feel. Take your time. Consider it from all angles.
When you think you've found the perfect colour, then prep the cabinets and choose a goo- quality cabinet paint so your efforts will last for years.
connieoliver@shaw.ca
