Today’s Color Dilemma:

I live in a 1950’s style cape cod, and want to do over the kitchen, however i am planning to just replace the counter tops, repaint the wood cabinets. But the biggest issue is that it has blue half way up the wall, with black trim, my floor is white/gray linoleum that we just replaced, i need ideas about color scheme for the cabinets/counters and the remaining half of the wall. I considered white, but it seems to be too much. can you make any suggestions? –Deb

Kate Suggests:

I like the idea of working with your 50’s elements and here are a couple of options.You can pick up on the existing light blue/black with black or gray based counter tops. Depending on your budget granite is always an option or if that is more than you want to spend look for another material that has black or gray or both.

White walls could work but a gray or lighter tint of the blue that is already in your kitchen could work as well.  You could bring in another color on the walls but without seeing the room I hesitate to suggest this as it might break up the look rather than pull it together.

As far as repainting the wood cabinets, you could go with white or gray that picks up on the gray in your linoleum floor or a very light blue that works with the existing blue walls.

For accents an option would be to use red and/or yellow with the blue/black/gray/white color scheme.  You can see a bit of vintage dish towel above with blue, red and yellow that has these colors.  Another option might be to use bright apple green accents but whatever hue you choose adding elements in a fun color in your kitchen will add to its overall charm.

We’re in the process of selling and our agent has recommended we repaint our cabinets. They are currently green with the walls and trim being light blue and light yellow. Our appliances are stainless and we have verde butterfly granite. I am really not sure what color to go with- any help would be much appreciated. Thanks, Nic

Kate suggests:

By painting your cabinets to be more neutral the Verde Butterfly granite will show off more.  This granite looks great with warm mid-tone brown cabinets but for a painted finish I would go for a different hue.

I would find a mid to light neutral in the granite and then match that color in paint.  Depending on your actual slab this would probably be a mid-value color somewhere between a muted gold and a warm gray.

Don’t go for too much color but just enough to make it more interesting than white, cream or gray.  I saw an interesting color on a table at Pottery Barn yesterday.  It is from a collection called Bailey and was a warm creamy neutral and you could use that kind of a color and even go slightly darker in value.

Once you find the color use the same one but a few steps lighter for the walls and maybe even the ceiling if the ceiling is smooth and contained to the kitchen area.

This will give the kitchen a more contemporary feel so you may want to keep the soffit free from decorations and keep the countertops as free as possible of extra items.

I think this will visually expand the space and make your kitchen look up-to-date.

The four-day conference and expo featured must-see new products, innovative design ideas and the latest trends in kitchens and baths and Denise Turner was there to report back on the latest trends.

See the important trends on the horizon for kitchen and bath…

I have lots of yellow kitchenware from the 40’s and 50’s. I started collecting Harlequin dishes and Hall pitchers when I was in college and still enjoy them.

The Harlequin teapots are my absolute favorite and I have them in 9 or ten colors. I just love the pointed handles and bright colors.

The Harlequin water pitcher is also an item I like and have in many colors.

I have several Fiesta pitchers but parted with my other Fiesta pieces. You can only collect so many things.

The yellow in this style Hall pitcher is a much lighter and more muted yellow. Do you get the idea I like having the same items in lots of colors?

The same is true for my wardrobe. When I find something fabulous that fits well I often buy it in more than one color.

This yellow ice cream scoop reminds me of some fun times at my grandmother’s house when we would make ice cream sundaes or root beer floats.

As you can see in the background above and in this picture stripes are another favorite especially in these vintage glasses and pitchers.

When we lived outside of Boston my son and I would go to the Cranberry festival each year. We would scoop up the bright red berries right out of the water that flooded the bogs and eat them on the spot. They were so delicious and not at all like the ones you buy in the store. You know an eight year old wouldn’t be gobbling them down if they were too tart or sour.

Pocahontas wears a yellow dress on this vintage cranberry crate label. I have five different cranberry labels all from an old factory on Cape Cod.

You also get a glimpse of my roman shades that are gold, terra cotta, green, with a hint of black.

Contrary to what you might think I usually use white lights for my holiday decorating rather than the multi-colored lights. However, I do have a place in my heart for the colored lights that decorated our tree when I was a child and have dozens of antique Christmas tree bulbs. Here I pulled out a variety of yellow ones.

My duvet cover has yellow, gold and teal on a cream background. I love this color combination and snagged the cover and two matching pillow shams last summer on sale as Pottery Barn.

It’s hard to see in the picture but I have this two-tone gorgeous silk quilt in teal/gold but didn’t even think about these two pieces working so perfectly together until I got home.

We all seem to have color combinations or color schemes that we are attracted to over and over again. Gold/teal is one of those for me.

This is an antique hand colored botanical. I started collecting these prints just after college so I was able to buy quite a few before they got popular…and pricey. I wish I was as good at spotting stocks to invest in.

So thats a bit of the yellow that shines with optimism, enlightenment, happiness, and inspires creativity in my home.

Is it any wonder that sunny yellow makes me smile so easily?

Speaking of which it’s a absolutely perfect sunny Spring day here in DC so I’m going to put on my yellow espadrilles and head outside and enjoy this beautiful afternoon. I’ll see you back her tomorrow.

P.S. If this post hasn’t quenched your thirst for yellow you can always see ‘Yellow mellows on the table’ on Live In Full Color or  ‘All about the color yellow’ on my website.

We took our current cabinets and ripped the white laminate from them! Then sanded the glue off and painted them with Benjamin Moore pre-mixed black! The walls are Benjamin Moore Raspberry Truffle. What counter tops should we use? Quartz, Granite, Marble? –Historic_Bessemer

Kate suggests…

First kudos to you for putting so much effort into your remodeling project. Stripping off the laminate, preparing the cabinets and painting them was a huge task but it looks like your efforts produced stunning results.

I think the new countertops will really top off your kitchen design so to speak so look at all of the options you mention and maybe even a few other. Finding a surface and color you absolutely love for the countertops will keep you smiling each time you enter your kitchen for years to come.

There are so many great choices available today but if I had to chose just one for you I would recommend quartz. Quartz is gaining ground in the kitchen due to its easy-to-maintain reputation and variety of patterns and colors. You will be able to find a color that sets off the color scheme you have chosen and a quartz countertop will give your kitchen a very up-to-date look and feel.

Granite is still a popular kitchen choice, but some designers and manufacturers see it losing ground to quartz and solid surface due to its greater maintenance requirements and consumers’ never-ending search for “the next big thing.

There are many options when it comes to color so view the samples in your home both in daylight and artificial light as well as in different locations on the surface where it will be installed.

Quartz colors available from Cambria

Related articles:

• On Color For You Home: Color Trends: Kitchen Counters
  
• On Color Pro: Trends in kitchen countertops

Resources:

• Cambria Natural Quartz Surfaces website
• Do you have a color dilemma? Post it in the Makeover Gallery at RoomVues.com and you could be the next reader to have your color question answered on the Color For Your Home blog.

I have a galley style kitchen with one large wall, a backsplash behind counter and bulkhead – these are all painted Mountain Haze by Behr. It is too drab. I want to brighten it up with some kind of red, but I don’t want it to make the kitchen look smaller.

I don’t know whether to just do the wall, just do the blacksplash, the bulkhead or all. I am thinking of keeping the Mountain Haze color probably on the bulkhead as an accent to the red I pick, but I am open to suggestions. – tre1kent

Kate suggests…

When working with accent colors in small spaces, it’s best to not go too bold to avoid creating the illusion of an even smaller space.

For your galley style kitchen I would suggest applying the accent color to the end wall. By painting this wall rather than the cabinet wall you are not narrowing the room even more but rather bringing the end closer which will also make the room appear wider.

Red could work well with your cabinets and flooring. I think a warm, rich hue will accent your existing color and allow you to bring the red you desire into the room without overpowering the space.

Some red paint color that could work well include Behr ‘Cajun Spice’, Ralph Lauren ‘Hunting Coat Red’, Valspar ‘Oatlands Upholstery Red’ and C2 ‘Tango’.

Resources:

• Behr and Ralph Lauren Paint is available at Home Depot.
• Valspar paint is available at Lowe’s. Type in your zip code to find your local Lowe’s
• For a list of C2 Paint dealers visit their website
• Do you have a color dilemma? Post it in the Makeover Gallery at RoomVues.com and you could be the next reader to have your color question answered on the Color For Your Home blog.

**Please note: Due to individual computer monitor limitations, colors seen here may not accurately reflect the paint colors. Please refer to an actual sample of the paint for an accurate rendition of the color.

So, what’s the latest buzz on counter color trends?

While there are always designers and homeowners looking for the latest color trends when choosing countertops, neutral colors and earth tones are currently the most popular choices, albeit with tone-on tone variations, stone-like particulates and other textural elements that take neutrals from boring and blah to wow.

Not surprisingly, nature-inspired designs and colors remain a key trend.

Indeed, “Countertop surfaces that impart the complexity found in nature are extremely popular right now,” says McGeehan. She adds, “Consumers are using their home environments as vehicles of self-expression, and are particularly drawn to materials that lend warmth, personality and character to a room and reflect natural movement and colorations.”

New Colors in Dupont’s Corian Line

According to Mandell, “Color trends in countertop materials haven’t changed radically in recent years.” Instead, earth tones and shades of white have been jazzed up to give them more textural appeal. Of course in some markets, bright colors and patterns with showy metallic accents or even embedded precious stones are turning up as a way to personalize the space. But ultimately, he believes, while there are always those looking for something unique, he maintains that “warm neutrals continue to be the first choice for the majority of homeowners,” since these are both easy on the eye, and easy to use with a variety of design styles.

Staron Surfaces

Calvo concurs. While he agrees that there will always be a market for those who want something bolder and brighter in the color department, there’s still a strong contingent of consumers who will opt for the “best color for resale,” or something neutral that will be less likely to become dated over time. He says, “Color and pattern trends are very personal, and [our sales of different choices] vary from quarter to quarter, but the highest percentage of Silestone sales is the neutral color sector.”

Silestone Neutrals

Of course, earth tones are inherent in the wood countertop category. According to Hewing, the darker blends, including red tones, are very popular for wood surfaces. Buch points to increased sales in the medium brown tones to very dark tones, which dovetails the general trend toward darker woods in cabinetry. This, too, can be tied to the growing interest in nature-inspired spaces that incorporate a sense of warmth, with natural materials mixed and matched to provide texture and aesthetic appeal.

John Boos Butcher Block Countertop

Dunham predicts that texture will be one of the hottest trends in the coming years, and believes that countertops of the future will feature colors that look like “concrete or suede, and feature sophisticated textures and patterns.” He also says that color is one of the features that will continue to drive designers looking to create distinctive kitchens, as well as homeowners looking to differentiate themselves from their neighbors.

Read the entire article at Kitchen & Bath Design News…