40 YEAR OVERDUE KITCHEN REDO AND CARMELITAS.... YUMMM

I just peaked at Aimee's blog and she had posted these Oatmeal Carmelitas, which just happen to be one of the recipes I've wanted to try for a while - so I'm posting the link for the recipe (above).  According to Aimee, they are best warm with vanilla ice cream...

I'm convinced.... how bout you?

QUESTION FROM A READER:

Claudine,
Redecorating my kitchen after 40 years. The cabinets are a soft creamy white with hint of grey. The backsplash is cambria quartz darlington. The backsplash is shell white glazed porcelain mosaic tile, the floor is linen travertine. All appliances will be stainless steel. Light from south in front hallway, west facing kitchen window and north facing large window. Would like a paint colour to bring it all together without yellow undertones. Thanks Maura 

Maura, 

You are LONG overdue for a beautiful kitchen.  Congratulations on the redo!  So far, I think your choices are very good.  Drawing from the description of your cabinets "soft creamy white with a hint of grey" I would go to the gray side for your wall color.  Take a look at these white kitchens with gray toned walls.

I do want to caution you on allowing your kitchen to become too sterile.  Adding some warmth in the form of wood tones, baskets, greenery, etc. makes a kitchen more appealing and a place your family and friends will truly want to gather.  I posted about that very thing not too long ago here. Adding a gray tone can tip the balance either way as some grays turn very chilly and others have a warmer undertone.

In the Benjamin Moore palette, (without yellow undertones) I would look at Revere Pewter, Collingwood and Rockport Gray.   Sherwin Williams has Perfect Greige, Essential Gray and Dovetail.   Make sure you test a few to see how they perform in your specific light.

FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD... and paint glorious paint...

MEET MY FOODIE FRIEND (UPDATE)

This is Aimee.

Adorable, right?

she is my 12 year old blogger friend and a fellow foodie

who has, appropriately so, a food blog

I don't have the time to blog about food,

but I do have years of collected recipes

and then, well, there's Pinterest

my food bulletin board is huge!

oh, how will I ever get the chance to try these recipes, let alone share them?

I know,

I'll have Ms. Jones try some out for me.

She has been baking since she was 3....

she is probably better at it than me...

and she's getting darn good at photography, too...

check out one of her delicious blog posts here

(we may make this a regular feature - especially if I get to taste test!)

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QUESTIONS FROM READERS....

Hi, Claudine.
I've been sampling grey paints (BM) for the better part of a year with no luck ... working on a driftwood/beachy feel in my master. Every gray I have tried either goes beige or is too dark. The room has north and west facing windows (that are typically kept closed with matchstick blinds). Any suggestions? Right now I'm considering Gray Mirage, possibly cut 50%..... KATHY

Gray Mirage - Benjamin Moore (full strength)

Kathy,

If everything is looking too dark or turning beige, it is probably the lighting in your home.  First make sure you have adequate lighting that you can control - most of us don't - both overhead and task lighting.  

Next, look for a gray with a slight green to blue undertone - not enough to actually look green or blue, but enough to stop it from turning beige.  Gray Mirage may work for you because it has a slight green undertone.  Here are a few more to try that are both lighter in hue and lacking a beige undertone - but that still have that beachy feel:

Gray Owl, Benjamin Moore

Horizon - Benjamin Moore

Harbor Gray - Benjamin Moore

Classic Gray - Benjamin Moore

Halo - Benjamin Moore

Moonshine - Benjamin Moore

Pale Smoke - Benjamin Moore

Silver Crest - Benjamin Moore

These are all lighter and for the most part have less beige undertone in them.   Try some on the walls.

Good luck!

    

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Can you recommend a white to match bottom cabinets in kendall charcoal as well as a  warmer neutral for the walls?  BM has so many paints and I want to go with a safe combination.  

Michele H

Michele,

My go to white with Benjamin Moore is White Dove.  It never turns yellow and it isn't a stark, cold white.  It looks especially nice with grays, so Kendall Charcoal should be great with it.

Try Revere Pewter on the walls.  It is a light gray with a beige undertone - it will have that warm undertone, but still be neutral and in the gray family.   

Another to try is Ashwood.  Both should go with nearly everything you throw at it!  Good luck!

Claudine