# Painting Kitchen Cabinet Color Ideas - Help!



## JLSchultz3172

Hi,

I really need help choosing a color to paint my kitchen cabinets. I will try to get a picture of what I currently up soon! 

I have apple theme now that I can't stomach anymore. My house is over 100 years old with dark wood cabinets and trim (around windows, doors and base). I'd like to keep the trim as is. I don't have money to change everything so I thought paint for the cabinets would be the cheapest fix. I was thinking of a Sherwin Williams Practical Beige or Simply Beige color but I really can't find too many pictures of cabinets painted in beige and I'm a bit nervous to try it. My counter tops are laminate with a beige/tan/white spec, you see more color then white and my appliances are bisque. Hoping to change the floors but for now, the floors are vinyl in a cream color with a swirl of copper/reddish (very light color, hard to describe). I'm planning on keeping the bronze/antique looking hardware on the cabinets. Some walls are antique white painted over paneling, yeah I know what your thinking, painted paneling yuk but it is what it is. One wall is wallpaper and border with a chair rail which will be coming down so I will also need help selecting colors for it. I was thinking if I paint the cabinets a beige, paint all walls antique white and a darker color for the half wall with the chair rail but it needs to tie in with the darker wood trim and possibly a red/rust color between cabinets and counters where a back splash should go. Trim has a red/brown tone to it if that makes sense. Any suggestions?


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## idealady

*painting kitchen cabinets*

It's a lot easier to change accessories than it is to repaint cabinets, so going with a neutral, such as white, beige or black will give you some wiggle room if you decide to change your color scheme in the future. My best suggestion for color is to find a piece of fabric, wallpaper or scrapbook paper that contains the colors or feel you are going for and use it for your inspiration. In most cases the background is a neutral. 

As for painted paneling, sometimes it's the best option, especially in older homes. Your house probably has plaster walls, and after 100 years of wear and tear, the wall behind the paneling may not be so great. You can sand the paneling, prime it and repaint it. I've successfully painted paneling, but it requires good prep. The same goes for the cabinets. Clean, sand, and prime before painting.

Good Luck and post pictures!


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## golfgirl

I agree on choosing an inspiration (fabric, rug or picture) and going from there. You already have lots of the same beige colors with your counters and flooring and then antique white walls. I don't think I would add beige by painting the cabinets that color too. If they are nicked and scratched, you could refinish them. If you really want a change, you could paint the cabinets bright white, as that is always in style. I think I would do that but that is what I would like as dark wood cabinets are not normally my choice. You could paint your upper walls a light warm beige (maybe a historic beige) with a red or dark warm tan under the stained chair rail trim. Both your cabinets and dark trim would both pop either way but it really depends on how much dark or light you want in the room. If you chose to paint your lower wall a reddish tone, it would pull in the slight coloring in your floor. No matter what, I would pull the lower wall color up to the backsplash area, what ever color you chose. The color of your accessories such as towels or appliance covers if you have them, would be whatever is also in your inspiration piece. My inspiration piece for my kitchen is my wool latch hook rug. It has black, red, green, yellow and white in a chef theme. Just change the tablecoth and towels in those colors to go with the seasons.
As far as painted paneling, my first home was 150 years old and had it to in the kitchen addition. It had 1950's green and yellow paneling and I painted it all bright white and it looked great. I left those cabinets dark brown for contrast but just refinshed them so they looked new as possible. The rest of the home had the same brown-red mahogany stained oak trim so that makes sense to me. It is beautiful trim with a craftsman look to it.
No matter what you do, I agree, prep, prep and prep some more. Keep us posted and show pic's of before and after.


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## JLSchultz3172

*Pictures of the Apple Kitchen*

I had thought about just refinishing the cabinets but only for a minute, thought painting them would be easier. While trying to clean the years of dirt of the cabinets around the knobs, I removed some stain and couldn't find a stain that would match or stay on, the stain wiped right off. I did sand the draw some first but I guess you need to remove all stain first. I'm afraid of not being able to match the stain so back to painting. 

Here are some pictures...


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## golfgirl

are you keeping the country motif and your artwork on the walls? minus the apples as you said. 
what are the colors of the next room and can you see the kitchen from it?
that would also make a difference. it looks like a red, white/beige and green theme currently.


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## JLSchultz3172

Thanks for all the ideas so far. I will not be keeping any of the country apple or other decor and yes, you can see into the dinning room which is painted antique white and a color called Ravens Rage which is like a wine color with a chair rail in between. I redid my dinning chairs with an espresso material and have other dark brown accent pieces. 

I was thinking I could paint the lower part of the wall in the kitchen that has the chair rail a really dark brown so it wouldn't clash with the wall color of the dinning room, possibly use the red barn color where a back splash would go and just keep the cabinet color in the beige family or possibly an off white and then paint the walls beige. I think bright white would be too white for me, I'm a bit concerned if I paint the cabinets a lighter color it will look so washed out with the bisque appliances & beige/tan/white counters. If I paint the back splash area the red color should I paint the entire wall that color? Like around the back door or just stop the color where the cabinets end? There's not really an ending area and I might paint the back door the red color too.

Another Idea with the red barn color is to paint the back splash area whatever color I paint the walls and then tape off a diamond shapes every other foot or so and paint them a red barn color. 

I will try to scan the colors I'd like to use.


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## golfgirl

Just be careful with the red if your dining area is wine colored. It may clash. I also would not choose red and brown walls together (for me: just my taste) as they are both very strong colors and it may be way too dark. I would choose one or the other as I would not choose 2 very dark colors for such large areas.
You could paint your cabinets expresso brown and light beige (latte) on the walls and then on the lower wall a medium color (more like light chocolate milk-but definetly lighter than the cabinets). Then accent with the wine and white from the dining room for accessories, towels and things. That would pull both rooms together and give you continuity between the areas but opposites. Again, find a nice pic to place on your wall that has those colors to help tie it all together and find a fabric with deep wine red and browns for you curtains. If you have dark cabinetry, then make your backsplash light and the opposite if you paint your cabinets light. Contrast is always interesting. If I remember you were keeping your door/drawer pulls.
If you decide to paint your cabinetry antique white, I really do not think it would look washed out if you have beautiful warm beige and brown on all the walls. People have all white/light kitchens all the time and they are awesome, and be especially nice for your older home as you have only 2 windows that I can see. Accent with deep wine and expresso that tie into your wall pix and curtains. The antique bronze pulls would pop in contrast to the lighter cabinetry.
No matter what you do, it is only paint. Pick the colors that make you happy. They will never be wrong. For instance, my family room is painted satin black. It has 5 5ft x 5ft windows so it is light in the room despite the color. I have all light to medium taupe furniture fabrics and white blinds and accents of red and gold with white trim. It is very cool and modern looking and I just love it. FYI, I have all 18th century style cherry furniture. I saw my inspiration pix for my family room over 10 years ago. It wasn't right for my old home but is perfect in my new home. 
Before you decide, go thru lots of magazines. Cut out pix of rooms that make you feel good color-wise. That may help with your decision.


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