We have lived in this house about 11 years now and my kitchen was the first room to get painted. I really didn’t like the light wood cabinets and all the white that just seemed to jump out at me. Cream colored counters, white sink, white appliances and white walls. It seemed so bland.
So I painted it Chocolate Brown. That was a great start and then a couple years later I did a mini makeover. New granite, stainless sink, stainless hardware and dark wax to totally change the look of the cabinets. I kept the brown walls. 11 years later I need to repaint, and I want to give the kitchen a whole new look.
I know I’ve shown this a thousand times, and it really is just fine the way it is and I even think it looks really good.
However – I AM REALLY TIRED OF IT – and I think it needs to be refreshed and brought up to date and modernized.
(If you’re new here, this is what it looked like right after we moved in and I had just painted it brown.) Really builder basic and oh so bad.
NOW TODAY – – – –
This is how it fits into the rest of my house – – smack dab in the middle.
It is completely open to the familyroom and breakfast area. I have recently updated these areas a little so they reflect my current taste and decor style.
the family room area.
This is the view of the living/dining spaces from the kitchen.
I want to redo the kitchen to better reflect my current style that I call “Updated Traditional with a touch of Contemporary”
One thing that will change for sure is I am having hardwood floors installed all the way through the living/dining,family/breakfast/kitchen area. I am still debating color, but I am thinking something with a brown/gray color. If you look back at the photo of the kitchen in the middle of the house you will see how there is carpet then tile then carpet. The carpet is really worn and needs to go, so I am doing hardwoods all the way through so there is only one surface. I think this will make the whole area seem larger and definitely more cohesive.
I am thinking a medium color flooring like this. We are surrounded by farmlands, so we have tons of dust with all the plowing that goes on. This won’t show so much dust.
I want to refresh the kitchen –
WITHOUT PAINTING THE CABINETS.
I know, everyone is painting them white, gray or black, but I really want to leave them stained. So I need suggestions that will go with stained cabinets.
1. Paint walls – what color – I am not opposed to another dark color again, but I think I want something light.
2. Paint Island an Accent Color – black maybe if the walls are white or ?
3. New Stainless Appliances – These are the builder grade ones that came with the house. Time to go.
4. Remove all of the antique tin cans – I want a more contemporary look.
5. Add new accessories – but what?
6. New barstools – I just ordered these. (I even really like the floors too – great color)
7. Add subway tile or marble or????????? backsplash
8. Replace the formica counters on the back walls. (I really like the black counters in the pics below) I love the look of honed soapstone. (My granite has black/brown/camel/cream in it.)
9. Change Hardware – if there is something that would be better
In otherwords, I want to give the kitchen a makeover to something with a more updated contemporary look.
I will definitely be going with a slide in range. – -(I do like this Kitchen-Aid model and also the Samsung that is similar)
These are some great examples of light stained cabinet kitchens that I like. (Love the black island and it would look good to paint mine black)
Photo by Arch Studio, Inc. – Look for traditional kitchen pictures
I love these soapstone counters, so pretty.
Again, I love the black counters. I think they ground the cabinets.
The white island is pretty, but I think I like the black better.
Ok, now I know you are all so smart and so talented, so tell me
if it was yours, what would you do?
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Hi. I’d paint the walls white. Take the upper cabinets by the oven and move them clear up to the ceiling. Create an open shelf underneath them. Galvanized Range hood and lighting. Stainless appliances and farmhome sink. No track lights! The other upper on cabinets on right in the pic add 12 inch cabinets with glass doors above the existing cabinets so it goes to the ceiling. Paint island black with butcher block top. White quartz countertops on the rest. You have a lot of wood….sure you want wood floors? Lots of wood! Just my ideas! Good luck and please share when done.