Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Time For A Change


Color plays such an important part in our lives and I have struggled with choosing a new color for my kitchen which connects to the family room since we purchased this house 6 years ago. I have never been a green person, my preference is white or a soft beige. One of the first things I was going to do was re-paint these two rooms, and here I am still surrounded by green.


I had a real attitude about this house since the time we purchased it. Our last home was a true adventure for me, the home was built in 1860 a Federal style, with windows that were all pre-civil war blown glass. The home was in complete shambles but I saw it as a decorating adventure. I completely restored the entire home from cellar to attic which was a huge under taking, it was like living in HGTV everyday for 2 years. Just as I finish the home and was about to really enjoy it my husband was transferred. Agony, I had put so much of myself into this home, it was like leaving a child behind.



This home was brand new, color selections were done by the builder and I was completely detached. I merely unpacked all the boxes hung the pictures and that was about it. Now after all this time I am ready to tackle the green actually it is more an olive green.

I would love to hear your thoughts about color selection. The cupboards are cherry, granite counter tops in a dark almost black green, brick paver flooring. Dark, Dark, Dark. So what do you think? I totally forgot to mention in my last post, I will be picking the winner of the burlap Paris slip on August 4th, so there is still time to leave a post.
I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend.



10 comments:

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

What a beautiful house you live in Michelle....I think that you should lighten it up with grey/white( very, very, pale grey) or just an off white, but, hey...what do I know.!! I'm sure that you will know what's right for you...you are so artistic and have such a good eye, I'm sure that you will choose the right colour.
I'm off on holiday to Italy tomorrow so will start commenting again in 10 days...Ciao XXXX

Sweet Old Vintage said...

Lovely home... I personally can't commit to a bright color... I love the creams and lattes .... Each of us have to do what we love....

Faded Plains said...

I painted our maple wood cabinets and loved the results. I think painting the cabinet tops and bottoms different colors would look great {that's what I did}. Maybe a creamy white on top and a subtle gray on bottom. I think taking off a couple of the doors on the top cabinets would open up the space and give it a more custom look too. Can't wait to see what you do with the space...I'm sure whatever you do will be amazing.

P.S. Just wanted to tell you that I have used all kinds of different paint brands...and by far the best for painting cabinets and furniture is Benjamin Moore.

Bev Norris said...

Hi Michelle, just checking in its been awhile. I have a cherry kitchen and have stainless appliances. We did a faux finish on the wall like a Tuscany and did some light colored tiles (tumbled) was going to do brick but thought it was too much, kitchen is opened into the family room and there is a stacked stone fireplace. Just an idea. We had an artist do a floor cloth with roosters in the corners. The floor cloth is 10 years old and no sign of wear, and I have two boys and a dog. Highly recommend floor clothes. Was a little pricey but in the long run well worth it. Good luck and lets see some pictures of the work in progress. Bev, Cottage Farm Chic.

June said...

Hi Michelle,
I think making color choices is so difficult, at least for me. Your home is so beautiful but I think I can understand how you could feel detached from it, but once you put some work into it such as painting, maybe that will be just the thing that will help you form the attachment to it. Your old home sounds lovely. Boy, that would have been a tough move.
Good luck on your color choices, I know it will turn out gorgeous.
Smiles,
June
Thank you for coming by and leaving the sweet message for me.

Jeanne Oliver said...

Any light color you pick will really lighten up the space. That is so sad about your last home. PLEASE show us photos...please????

Fabulously French said...

I think that a lighter colour would look great, they would look great an antique white colour which you could then distress to make look worn.

This together with a grey colour worktop would look gorgeous.

Hope that this helps....

Leeann

Julia said...

I love to give advise! ;)
Are you looking to change the wall color or the cabinet color? The cabinets look like they have a lot of red in them, the best way to neutralize that is to stay with a green. What about a medium tone cream with a green base to it?

Looking at the photo, I would be inspired to paint the cabinets a soft cream, like Ben Moore's Ancient Ivory OC133, or White Dove OC17.

I would maybe also replace the island with a larger one. Maybe it's the angle of the photo but the island looks too small for the room to me.

I see this often in newer houses where the builder puts two cabinets with some counter top in the middle of the room.

You could have a larger one made, a lot of great cabinetry makers are looking for business and giving great deals right now. I would put a contrasting granite on it and make it stained wood to contrast the cream cabinets.

meandering pearl said...

i know the feeling of putting something like painting first on the list of to dos & having no luck getting it off the list for years...but your house is lovely! im with you about cream & beige, but what about lightening th cherry colour until its almost white, so find a sample thats just got a tinge of the cherry colour in it, it would make the room luminous :)
lovely wishes for a lovely blog!!

maryboys said...

i'll be so interested to see what you do...this is almost identical to my kitchen (except no green). in fact, our entire home has this cherry trim - and i have just had to work around it, as my dh refuses to let me paint it...and he's serious on this one:) oh - and i'd just love to see photos of your old home, too! it's nice to meet you...

mary