KITCHEN CABINETS - PAINT PAINT PAINT

I love warm wood tones, but for some reason

in a kitchen

I prefer them on the floor

I love a painted kitchen!

You are no doubt well aware of my love of white kitchens,

but I'm really taken with this kitchen in soft gray... 

so beautiful!

and I'm seriously contemplating this treatment in my own kitchen...

white on top

medium to dark gray on the bottom

I'm also on board with making the island stand out a little

using a different paint or wood treatment there

it kind of breaks up what is sometimes too much of a good thing...

This next kitchen really caught my eye - I'm such a fan of grays, 

and this charcoal gray kitchen has both drama and softness with this color choice

gray goes perfectly with stainless appliances

it stays fresh with a healthy dose of white

lighter grays are welcoming and calming

grays pair so well with warm woods

The soft french gray of the walls, darker gray island and

bright copper collection below

is wonderful

 but my favorite is still

white... 

My friend Erin posted this next picture on her facebook page and I

asked her if I could share her kitchen re-do with you -
she went from 90s golden oak to fresh...

(first picture is the After, now painted fresh white!)

I love the contrast of the painted wood with the warm floor tones.

Great job, Erin!

(she sweetly said she was inspired by this blog!)

Here is one of my own transformations.
We did a little more than paint the cabinets.
We added moldings and tricked out the very plain island,
changed counter tops,
removed the dropped ceiling

and changed the flooring...

but the paint is what really transformed this kitchen!

QUESTION FROM A READER:

Hi there! I love your tips on CBID. I would LOVE to get your opinion on my painting project. I am trying to choose a color to paint my kitchen cabinets. My walls are BM white dove, my floors are dark ebony wood with a matte sheen, my appliances are stainless and my counters are granite tile in mostly medium grey, with white, dark brown speckles, with mauve undertone (which is not my favorite). I can send photos. My color scheme is mostly black and white, neutral with a bit of silver sage and some pops of magenta. I am considering white dove but am loving greys too! Maybe iron mountain?

Thanks so much for any advice you have!

Your palette is absolutely perfect for White Dove (Benjamin Moore paint) and would also be beautiful with a gray  - the silver sage accents would look great with either.  Here are a few color suggestions to put samples up in your kitchen to see if you would like to try a gray there: 

For a darker dramatic gray, if your kitchen is large or open -
Benjamin Moore KENDALL GRAY

A softer, lighter gray,
Benjamin Moore DOILY

Medium lovely gray
Benjamin Moore CHELSEA GRAY

Warmer gray,
Benjamin Moore SENORA GRAY

Paint a couple of the samples you are drawn to on some poster board and look at them in your kitchen and your lighting.  And good luck!