Palasis white from Behr paint is what I decided to paint the walls in the family room/kitchen/nook. Did I tell you that? The family room has been painted for a few weeks now, but with so many irons in the fire, I haven’t had a chance to do a proper post yet. Plus, I am still waiting for something I ordered on Etsy to arrive AND I still need to get that lobster painting finished as well…. So what better time to start painting the kitchen, right? 😉 Everyone needs at least 10 projects to work on at once, don’t you think? 😉
The kitchen and nook/eating area {totally not a dining room} is next on my list. But the thing is… there is SO MUCH yellow in those spaces, I can’t even think straight. I need a clean slate. Not only are the walls yellow, but so is the back splash tile in the kitchen, and the floor is light honey oak color and so it’s hard to hone in and figure out exactly what I want to do in there with SO MUCH YELLOW.
I’m not super crazy about the black speckled counter tops either… but at this point, I’m voting to keep them. The HH wants to have a new counter top installed, but I have a hunch that if the walls are painted out white, and the back splash is some sort of a creamy white, that even though the speckled black {corian, I think} counter tops aren’t something I would have chosen, the kitchen will look much better with those simple changes. Not to mention save a boatload on a kitchen update.
White cabinets and tile with black counter tops are a classic look, I know that, but the HH can’t seem to look past the speckled counter top. He always has a hard time imagining what a space could be, where I’d like to think I can make a good, solid design decision quickly and stick with it.
We’ll see.
So last night, when I should have been working on the roman shades {that are on the table} for the office and the kitchen {or doing laundry, or the dishes} I decided to paint a wall instead. My rationalization was that The Girl would be setting up the nutcracker display today in the front window and if the wall wasn’t painted, I’d have to move the nutcrackers to paint next week so why not just get that ONE WALL painted real quick. 🙂 🙂 🙂
It’s no wonder that when I finally crawl into bed each night, I’m out like a light in 20 seconds flat. When I’m up, I’m up and I can’t shut my brain off. But as soon as I decide I’m done working on projects for the day, it’s all over with.
Hey wait. Isn’t this supposed to be the food post?
What? No chives?
Homemade chicken soup with potato rosemary toast from the local bakery {$6.50}
Gobble Gobble.
Gladys Kravitz on the job to make sure everything is done right.
Leftovers {heated in the OVEN because the microwave died}.
And again the next day.
And the next day as tacos with homemade tortillas.
Raise your hand if you’re still eating leftovers. {I’m raising my hand!}
I think with a high of 28 in the forecast for today, soup might be a good idea to use up of the rest of the turkey. 🙂
Have a wonderful and WARM Monday everyone, and hey, what do you think about the kitchen. Do you think I can get away with white paint and swapping out the back splash? I need your input.
~Mavis
Total Spent This Past Week on Groceries + the Bakery $6.50
- Total Spent on Groceries in December $0
- Total Spent on Groceries in November $237.13
- Total Spent on Groceries in October $218.59
- Total Spent on Groceries in September $249.15
- Total Spent on Groceries in August $253.38
- Total Spent on Groceries in July $300.74
- Total Spent on Groceries in June $259.12
- Total Spent on Groceries in May $262.39 {More meat!}
- Total Spent on Groceries in April $284.56 {My husband bought a smoker and a BUNCH of meat!}
- Total Spent on Groceries in March $321.69
- Total Spent on Groceries in February $220.92
- Total Spent in January on Groceries $41.19
- Total Spent So Far on Groceries in 2019 $2660.86
You can go HERE to read more Shopping Trip Stories
Lindsey says
I have white cabinets, white subway tile backsplash, black granite and paint is Benjamin Moore pale oak. It’s gorgeous! My floors are dark wood though but I think it will still work for your space.
Heidi P says
Absolutely you cans paint and redo the backsplash. What’s the worst that happens? You end up changing the counters anyway? No biggie. It’s worth a shot and personally I think it will look great.
Linda says
I think your color palette is a good one. Those changes will make a huge difference and keep your budget low.
I look forward to your email every morning. Especially the Sunday Goal update.
Nancy T says
Have you ever looked at the Annie Sloan chalk paint. I mail order it through a company called The Purple Paint Lady from Rochester, NY. It would work on your backsplash. She has lots of tutorials and people have done amazing things with it. I used it on my kitchen cabinets and other furniture pieces. After three years the cabinets are holding up well. If you do replace the counters, I’d recommend getting quartz. It’s been the best counter I’ve ever had.
Peg says
Yes, paint! And then the backsplash. Maybe paint will tone down the backsplash enough that it won’t have to be replaced? Prior owner seemed to like bright yellow!
Brenda says
I don’t see the backsplash tile as yellow. I see it more as a light tan. Try painting a test spot in the window area pictured since its close to the counter top, tile and cabinets. Since the area in the picture is so small, I first thought I like the bright pop of color, but I understand that you might not want the larger areas that color. Could you do a bright pop shade of a color by the window and then a lighter shade of that color (or even a shade of white) in the eating area?
Diana says
I agree with your assessment of the backsplash. I think once the wall is painted, the tile will change color dramatically and might actually be acceptable. I agree with the HH, though, that the countertops should be changed. As a former kitchen designer with a big box store, we always tried to guide customers away from the dark colors, especially if the customer was older, because depth perception is much more difficult on darker countertops.
Margo says
I think once you paint and get a new backsplash in, you may find the countertop will look a lot more acceptable.
Jennifer Jo says
That shot of the kitchen windows makes them look like a framed abstract painting — love it!
Diana says
Me too.
Susan Hall says
I had a white kitchen with white backsplash and charcoal corian countertop when we lived in another city. I absolutely adored it. Corian is amazing-just use sandpaper to remove any stain. Plus I actually don’t remember any stain. It always looks great. I say go for it!!
Jeni says
I’m with you. I like a bright, open, clean kitchen space.
We moved into our new place in July and the kitchen is dark, dark, dark with black granite countertops and back splash, right up to the bottom of the cupboards(in fact, previous owners used this same black granite on the fireplace and both bathroom counters). Then the cupboards are dark. The wall space, what there is of it, is gray. Yikes! Still trying to figure out what to do.
I’m looking forward to seeing the finished space 🙂
Susan Hall says
What’s wrong with painting and then decide about the counter? Also, I’m betting the yellow tile just looks dirty when the walls and cabinets are painted. I’m fond of yellow, but it’s difficult to get right, to say the least.
Jennifer says
If you leave the countertop and use white paint, I would personally go for some subtle shade of color in the back splash, like gray glass tiles with silver or some similar combo. But that might be too modern for an under house? I had a house with black granite counters speckled with gold. And we went with glass mosaic tiles in various coffee shades, with a few black ones mixed in. The effect was excellent. But we had oak cabinets.
If you change the counters to a very light color, I vote a light colored backsplash, not white, would be good.
Jennifer says
I love the yellow, but I agree with many of the others. Paint first, then back splash (maybe something to go with your coastal theme?), and wait to see if that fixes everything before the countertops.
I’m in the process of painting my walls cream. I wanted stained trim, but the former owner painted the door jambs and trim while leaving the baseboards stained…it looks odd. So it hurts my heart, but we are painting the trim. I’ll have cream walls with black trim and cabinets, soapstone countertops, and wood floors. Bedrooms and entryway will be brightly painted.
No leftovers here, we didn’t really do Thanksgiving. Worked all week and bought some prepared stuff from the grocery store. I don’t mind, I don’t like Thanksgiving food anyway.
Mama Cook says
We (meaning DH) just redid our backsplash from charcoal slate to white arabesque tile! We also have black granite with brown/green undertones, the white tile completely changed the coloring in the countertop! We both were thinking to change the counter, but now I think it stays!!! My bet is changing to white will do the same for you!!!!
Virginia says
Assuming that your kitchen remodel does not include replacing cabinets — those cabinets look beautiful (and expensive) — I think you could totally transform the space with a couple of minor changes. Number one, I’d keep the counters if they’re good quality and in good condition. I agree that your counters do have a classic look and I think they look very good with your cabinets. The game changer would be replacing the tile. White tile would be a negative since it would make your cabinets look yellow (unless you’re up for painting your cabinets bright white to match). You said you want a nautical theme. If it were my kitchen, I would totally do a nautical blue gloss subway tile with white grout. Take a look at this one as an example (it’s not too dark and not too light):
https://www.completetile.com/products/ceramic/vermeere_ceramics/ceramic_tile/vermeere-ceramic-tile-lt-nautical-blue-matte-complete-tile-collection
You can also Google nautical blue tile and get some ideas. Whatever tile interests you, buy samples. (I actually ordered this same tile in a pale green and it’s gorgeous.) If you’re able to remove the trim on the left and right sides of the wall cabinets adjacent to your kitchen window without damage, I would run the tile all the way up to the ceiling and then replace the trim on the cabinets.
Another small change would be your cabinet hardware. The clamshell pulls are keepers, but I would change out the oblong knobs. The shape is odd and they look too small. My vote would be larger roundish clear glass knobs with a metal base that match the metal of the clamshell pulls. The glass pulls would be in keeping with the style of your house and would be different but complementary to your clamshell pulls.
Lastly, change out the light fixtures in both the kitchen and dining room. The fixtures should definitely complement each other if they can be seen from one room to the other. You can create your own fixture by combining a pendant fixture with a custom fabric shade. You could choose any color or pattern you like for the fabric shade, but I suggest at least a splash of red. As an added bonus, you can swap out the shade at any time for something new based on the change of seasons or even a change of taste, without having to replace the entire fixture. This adds a warmth to your space that you won’t believe. I looked at what seemed like thousands of fixtures for my kitchen and I ended up having custom fabric shades made. The look is so inviting, colorful, and I get complements galore.
Take my suggestions with a grain of salt, but I hope you find something useful and inspiring, Mavis!
Sarah says
If you were to paint the walls a more cream color (it has just a hint of yellow) it would tone down the heavy yellow of the backsplash and the honey color of the floor.
Teri says
Yes, I think your kitchen will look fantastic painted white and keeping the countertops. Actually I like them 🙂
Will it be hard to replace the backsplash? It might look good once the walls are painted.
jam says
yes I think painting and changing the backsplash would really change things up and make the countertops work better for you. But, I’m in the process of removing the backsplash in my kitchen and it’s hard to remove, so be sure to remove it before painting or you will just need to paint again because it really can make a lot of scratches, dents and require touch ups of paint around it to get it off. Also, changing out the pendant light that hangs over the window for something a little fuller and possibly differently colored would change the look quite a bit as well.
HollyG says
I just painted my kitchen from golden-yellow to creamy white. It completely changed the appearance of the cabinets. The hickory cabinets seemed to transform from a yellow undertone to a much more neutral tone – – so much better. Next it on to convincing my DH that the dining room and living room (which are, with the kitchen, one large space) need that same paint makeover. From a pacific north-westener………I hope you get a lovely blanket of snow.
Sharon says
I agree with you. Keep the counter tops for now. Could be a classic look. Color for new backsplash? Yep, all the yellow is a little too much yellow.
Mary Ann says
I think if you already don’t like the countertop, you still won’t like it after you make the paint and backsplash renovations. I also think it will be harder to change them out once you have new backsplash installed.
Brianna says
When I think of a nautical themed house I think of cool colors and the backsplash is too warm. It actually reminds me of the gold tile backsplash I grew up with with bright orange countertops. I also had that mustard bright yellow sunshine in my house in various places and I have almost finished painting over all of the warm crayon box colors the previous owners had. Taking everything down a tone to a Snowbound White has really helped make the woodwork (mostly oak and maple) pop. I have white kitchen cabinets and when I painted the kitchen white it looks sterile with white and stainless appliances. It isn’t a bad look, but I really notice any mark on the wall, counter (White and dusty rose laminate, yuck), or cabinet (1990s Oak/melamine) now. Our kitchen is just functional temporary until we can afford to completely remodel it. I absolutely hate yellow and warm colors and our house had a lot and peach tones too. Starting over with a blank slate is a lot of work, but I think it is a good idea just to create a better vision for what a space could be.
MaryAnn Smith says
I like the necklace that says “love”.
Connie says
I think once the kitchen is painted and the backsplash is changed, the countertops will look great! I love, love, love the wall color you choose and your hardwood flooring looks beautiful!
Linda Reynolds says
The kitchen is a daffodil. A simple change to white petals with a yellow center will shift the feel. Let a little life pass with the change brought at the little cost of paint. You may desire more changes are needed & changing out the counter tops then…seeing spots white one is cooking could be dangerous…counter tops decisions belong to the major cook.
Denise Kruse says
Still eating leftovers. Made a turkey pot pie last night. My son said it was the best he’s ever eaten.
Vickie popplewell says
I like the faith necklace.
Sheryl says
I just noticed your dogs name for the first time “ Gladys Craves” lol. What a hoot!