Decorator suggestions

[cruisin]

What about just bringing the taupe/grey into the kitchen? Keeping the same color could make the area look bigger. I don't usually like a lot of blocks of color, it chops the rooms up. And, when you sell the house, the more colors, the more instances of people not liking one or more of them.

My kitchen cabinets are a dark honey oak with brass knobs. My appliances are black, my floor is terra-cotta, my counter is granite (grays, caramels, and creams with a terra-cotta vein running through it). I painted the walls with a double shearling roller. Using a split paint tray - one color a beige, the other color a very light shade of the terra-cotta. It almost looks like Venetian plaster, its a very subtle technique and overall looks like a peachy beige. It brings out the golden tones in the cabinets nicely.

A suggestion for knobs/fixtures - brushed nickel. It's warmer than chrome or stainless. And the brushed finish is easy to care for.

[rfisher]

Why is that? Out of style already?

Supposedly.

[skatefan]

I have light-colored cabinets (birch, not oak) and Jungle Green granite countertops, both of which I like. The contrast looks really sharp and, to me, dark cabinets feel gloomy in a kitchen.

I didn't think I would like white appliances, but since we bought the house with a white built-in microwave and dishwasher, we bought our fridge/freezer and sink in white. I like the look of white appliances against the dark countertops. You're right: it is easier to keep clean. I notice the dirt right away and a quick swipe gets rid of it. Now, if I could get my husband to stop putting magnets and papers all over the fridge...

My kitchen cabinets are stained dark oak and they are now so old-fashioned and dark (we put them in 21 years ago) so our aim over the next year is to extend (knock down a wall) into our smallish dining room and we'll be putting in maple, birch or preferably ash units probably with black glossy worktops. Haven't thought about wall colours as yet. But there are some breakfast bar stools which come in a gorgeous rich cherry colour and I would love to buy them and do a contrast wall to match

I was interested in your comment about white appliances - here it's unusual to not have white, although silver/stainless steel is quite fashionable and most appliances do come in black. Personally I'm not keen on the dark colours and will stick to white but my son has a mix of the stainless steel and black appliances which he loves.

I did notice on a couple of kitchen adverts recently that really bright colours like lime greens and purples (not necessarily in the same room!) with matching accessories are being pushed - kettles, toasters, etc., which actually look quite good if you really want to make a bold statement

[FigureSpins]

Our toaster oven and coffee maker are both stainless steel and black because we had intended to buy in that scheme for this house. I'm glad we changed our minds and went with the white. Since we don't have windows in the kitchen, it helps make it brighter.

My stand mixer is a white KitchenAid that my mom bought for herself in the 1970's, I think from Monkey Ward. I inherited it when she passed away, so I think of her when I use it and let's be honest: it's a KitchenAid. It's never going to die unless I suddenly turn into Betty Crocker, lol. I don't keep it on the counter, but I do have "color lust" for those pretty, brightly-colored small appliances.

Our kitchen had a peninsula counter with a short top wall that created a lame bar-height shelf that they tried to pass off as a "eat at bar." It was high, narrow and blocked the view of the family room. We had the wall cut down to counter height and a huge chunk of granite installed for the countertop, so it's now a counter-height bar with a lot of room. It is awesome - the kids eat at it all the time, which keeps food out of the family room area for the most part. When I'm cooking or cleaning up, I can talk to guests/kids/DH while they're watching TV or playing the Wii. For parties, we move the stools/chairs, lay out a buffet and people can serve themselves from both sides. We had a crappy renovation contractor that gave us agita every step of the way, but we really do enjoy the results of our battles.

[immoimeme]

http://www.houzz.com/photos/54085/Ki...tchen-new-york

pale color cabinets with green paint

might be too modern for you tho

[PrincessLeppard]

That? is awesome. rfisher, you do that and I'll never make fun of your poodles again.

well, not as much.

[pollyanna]

Love it, immoimeme!

[rfisher]

Acid green is supposed to be a hot color this year. I'd never do the counter tops in that color because it will be very dated in a few years. Paint is easy to replace. I do kind of like the acid green except I'd have to paint the dining room taupe. Acid green and red would cause my eyes to twitch.

[FigureSpins]

I was just going to say that the countertops don't look good in that color, but I like it on the walls above the cabinets and at the table. If the counters and under-counter walls were a different color, I'd really like it, too.

Love the chairs in that photo.

[Angelskates]

http://www.houzz.com/photos/54085/Ki...tchen-new-york

pale color cabinets with green paint

might be too modern for you tho

The blue chair looks odd, but aside from that, I love this!

[FigureSpins]

I liked the blue chair - it's like putting one black pebble in a jar full of white ones, lol. I've used that particular blue-and-green combination in my kitchen. It brings out the green in the countertios,