What color should I paint my kitchen cabinets?

Question

I am getting unfinished cabinets so that I can paint them. My kitchen is a blank slate, I just don't know what to do! I have hardwood floors, lots of windows. I don't even know what color to paint my walls. I would like to have some color in my cabinets, I want them to be fun, but elegant. We live in the country in SC and my house is a little cottage (picket fence and all) Colors I already have in my kitchen are: my china is pink, my Kitchenaid is a pale yellow, my hoosier cabinet has some green in it. I really am a country type person, so modern looks like "black and white" won't work! I would like to use several colors if possible, and I will be doing some distressing. Let me know what you think, if you have interesting cabinets I would love to see pictures!

Answer 1

Since the colors of things already in your kitchen are pink, yellow and green, I would reccomend maybe painting the cabinets a warm cream color, like ecru or antique white. That will keep your kitchen bright. Also, white woodwork never goes out of style. So its not so plain, give it some texture by adding crackle compound to the paint. That will give it a country style. To add some color, stencil small flowers or hearts in pink and yellow with green leaves as accents on the cabinet. Perhaps try a "Swedish friendship heart" design. Here is a link to where you can get the stencil:

http://www.scandinavianmarket.com/browse.cfm/4,2005.htm

Answer 2

I can't believe some of the answers you have gotten, and I hope mine doesn't sound as stupid to someone else as some seemed to me! I don't think I would go with black. It doesn't seem like it would work with the pumpkin/terracotta color. You can buy paint samples now - little cans for 3 or 4 dollars apiece. Used to, you had to buy a whole quart. If you think you've found a color that you like, buy a sample first and paint a door or two. If you don't like it, try again. You can also use color boards for you samples, if you don't want to experiement on the cabinet itself. I'm thinking a flat cream color would be your best choice. I know you said you didn't want to go cottage-y, but the way around this is to put some new hardwarde on the cabinets. Find something in a burnished silver that has a modern feel - either chunky or very sleek. They're out there - you'll be surprised at the choices. Black hardware might even work. Buy a few you like, keep the receipts, and see which looks best. Take the others back. It's a pain to do this, but it will insure you that you've made the right choice. I think the key to your situation is going to lie in the hardware, honestly. Do your cabinets first and see how the woodwork looks. If it "flows" into the other rooms, it might be better to keep it like it is.

Answer 3

Finish cabinets in distressed white, green of hoosier, or yellow of Kitchenaid.
Paint walls yellow or green.
Stencil some pink and yellow flowers or other design on doors to cupboards, closets, and other rooms.
Get a print with yellow, green, and pink for curtains/placemats.

Answer 4

I would base coat them a light pink, then top coat them with an off white. LIGHTLY sand over indentations or random areas to "burn" through to the pink.

Do some samples first before trying it on your cabinets. You may not like those colors, but that technique is great.

Answer 5

In the movie Sleeping with the Enemy (Julia Roberts) she is shown painting kitchen cabinets a very pretty yellow, and the kitchen has green trim, very countryfied. with some very pretty pink flowers in the window. Check it out.

Answer 6

a distressed wedgewood blue would look great with pink and pale yellow! or a distressed pale green! (i prefer the blue!)

Answer 7

You should crackle paint them!

http://www.sherwin-williams.com/do_it_yourself/painting_techniques/faux_painting_process/crackle/

.. You can use whatever colors, one underneath and one on top. It would fit in with your country theme :)

Answer 8

first mustard then sage green.either rag roll or comb.