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Kitchen wall colour advice

5 years ago

i have white kitchen cupboards with a white counter top and a navy island with grey wood effect tiles. There is not much natural light in the room and dark most of the time. The walls are painted farrow and ball strong white. Im doinf square panalling on the wall behind the dining room table and want to paint it a different colour. im looking for maybe a new colour for my walls and a different one for the panelled one. has anyone any ideas? even a colour for the panalled wall to match the strong white? no dark colours. thanks

Featured Answer

PRO

User

5 years ago

The table is great, just don't keep the table cloth on it the whole time, and paint the legs white to match the kitchen cream and white don't mix so well. You can put the cloth back on when you eat, just having the wood on show makes for a bit of variation. If you have a blue island then Turquoise is a great colour, I missed that on your original post. Turquoise, white and grey are a brilliant combo.

However, and i know you said no dark colours, but Navy will work best. My son has has near black in his house on one wall and weirdly it doesn't look dark, this is because it shows up all the white and makes it crisper. Navy over white will look great. Change the chairs for white, wipeable ones, as fabric chairs and small kids don't mix well, plus there's just too much grey in there.

Like the above but with a wooden table and white chairs, a low copper pendant maybe.

You see how vibrant the wood and leather is against the grey floor and navy wall, this would be much better in your kitchen and give it a bit of life.

mix with these for the dining area

Wooden legs to match the table top and wipeable too.

Comments (46)

J Hen
5 years ago
Hi, can you post some pics please?
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
sorry this was early morning so lights not great
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rinked
5 years ago
I love white paneling with a color above.

Celadon / sea / vintage blue. That range of colors. Not too much.

Add some warmth. Sand / beige, gold / champagne. A different table cloth (or even better bare wood), curtains. Some contrast. Artwork.

By the way, your chandelier is up rather high ;)

And do you have lights under those upper cabinets?

Some pendants over the island?
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
thanks very much, waiting on new table and chairs also bar stools. I have 3 glass pendants over the island. need a new light for over the table but finding it hard to get a nice one
rinked
5 years ago
What table, chairs and stools, if I may ask? And pendants? That helps to get the whole picture together.
PRO
User
5 years ago
F&B pink ground would work as a colour over panelling, and have the panelling just half way up. It would add some warmth and a great contrast. Definitely a little too much grey about, so the pink ground could work well, it's a sort of pale blush.

I don't think the bar stools help as they stand out more as a cream than white, so swapping them and the dining table for wood will help too as suggested above. Maybe a pale rug under the table to lighten the floor, which being grey, sucks the light out.
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
its an oak top table and cream legs ans like the one in the picture and these are the exact chairs. pendants are clear glass
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
il have a look at that pink colour thanks. will be getting new bar stools. rug wont work on my kitchen. busy table with kids
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
i know middle lights height needs to be fixed
Monica
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
How do you feel about a wall of mirror on that wall instead of the panelling? I think no matter what colour you will paint it the dark aspect will still be there. Having the mirror will reflect light back into the room making everything feel brighter more spacious. Failing that I agree you need a softer white. A bright white only ever works well when paired with lots of light.
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
im planning on putting a big circle mirror in the middle. thanks
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
table is being change to an oak table, the neptune sufflok with cream legs. I have chairs above ordered and a company coming out to spray them so they wont stain. i will have no table cloth, its only on that table because its glass. my island is f&b railing so its dark. i love the navy wall but i was looking to go with the below panalling. iv looked at them tan chairs often. they will look well with the island and the grey floor. the cream ones are from my old house so am looking for new ones. im wonder will the tan chairs suit my kitchen with the table and chairs? i dont know what you mean about too much grey, its only on the floor. i like that pendant over table but would it suit my table and chairs also? thanks for the advice
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
this is the panalling i plan to get. table and chairs will be same shape
minnie101
5 years ago
Lovely kitchen and the panelling will look great. I've got a corridor off my landing which only receives light if the bathroom door is open. It's only had one coat of paint so far but I've used dimity which seems to be working well, it may be worth a tester of that and joa's white. You could then look at smoked trout, dead salmon etc for the panelling?

I think texture could work for bar stools, I think these rattan ones would work well?

maybe in future consider an antiqued glass mirror splashback behind the hob?
minnie101
5 years ago
I forgot to say I noticed you don't have any downlighters, not a huge fan but they would obviously help with artificial lighting even though it may create some disturbance
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
thanks, will have a look at them colours. the barstools are lovely... I have the quartz backsplash the same as the counter tops. will look into that lighting, the kitchen is so dark because it has no window. this is because i swapped the kitchen and dining room to give me a big kitchen so the kitchen window would be were the doors beside table is and i put an extension on so thats the doors from the kitchen. pity its doesnt get much natural light. thanks for the advice
minnie101
5 years ago
Oh, I can see the splashback matches now, ok don't change that! If it's an extension is there any way of adding sun tunnels? I do sympathise, my kitchen is east facing and annoyingly is the darkest room in the house!
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
i did put big windows in the extension and it does help. its not as bad in the pictures. they were taking at 7am. im just afraid of the colour i paint it will make it worse.
minnie101
5 years ago
oh ok, I make the brightest of rooms dark with my pictures, If you just painted the panelling it might be worth looking at peignoir. It's apparently shown here with railings although I wouldn't have guessed it!
PRO
User
5 years ago
I notice that you don't have any spot lights in either the kitchen or dining room, this will not help an 'internal kitchen'.

I know it's an expense, but we have a north facing kitchen and dining room, we couldn't manage without them, it would just be too dark. I'd put up spot lights rough guide is 1 per metre squared. You can have angled ones now too.
minipie
5 years ago
Hi MATH, please can you tell me where those leather bar stools you posted are from? The ones with the high back? Could be just what I’m after. Thanks
PRO
User
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
They're from John Lewis:- John Lewis bar stool These are also nice and half the price:- CB2.com
rinked
5 years ago
" i did put big windows in the extension and it does help. its not as bad in the pictures. they were taking at 7am. im just afraid of the colour i paint it will make it worse "

Dare to get some contrast in there, or it will be light yet drab. Some darker colors make the light ones look extra light. (Reading comments above I see MATH said that too.) For example paint the wall above your kitchen the same navy as your island.
rinked
5 years ago
Note: my house's footprint is 6.5x6.5m, dining+kitchen facing north, pine floors, white trim, most walls white, but two rather large walls painted a really dark moss (people often think it's gray). It makes the white pop out! (and I'm even pondering whether I'm painting the entire 6.5m wall into the living area.)
PRO
User
5 years ago
Yes go Navy as Rinq says, makes all the light colours stand out more, just cut down on the gray as it's very light absorbing. I'd still have wooden or white chairs, not fabric with kids and def not gray. Wood or white against navy looks amazing.
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
my chairs are order and i have a company to spray them. i only have grey on the floor
Monica
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Suzanne, are the chairs a creamy hue? Could you pick their colour maybe and use on the panelling or are they too creamy? or the same colour as your kitchen units?? you said what you have so far is working and you are afraid to spoil it. Maybe choose one fo the existing colours to keep it consistent?
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
these and the chairs and table will be similar
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
this is the panalling thats going on the wall
PRO
User
5 years ago
The chairs are beige coloured arent' they? They look it on my screen. If you've got white cupboards then the table legs or chairs, or both should be white, not cream and beige. . You mention in the last post that the island is F&B railings, but the first post says it's navy, hence the suggestion from a lot for a navy wall. Railings is dark grey. Getting confused.............it's not difficult for me !
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
f&b railings is navy
Juliet Docherty
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Suzanne, my kitchen is dark (North facing) and you have to work with what you have. Before we ripped it out it was painted a quite reflective yellowy cream and it felt warm and not too bad but naff. So, wanting to embrace the whole tasteful colour thing is tricky when most paints are very 'greyed'. The odd bit of dark or saturated colour can really lift a dull space as MATH says. Whites in a dark room read as grey, so it's all a bit tricky. The warm tan leather chairs could really lift it.
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
heres a pic from online. my island looks this colour
Juliet Docherty
5 years ago
Railings is dark blue, very dark blue.
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
yes i like the tan chairs. just really have a problem picking the paint and painter is there all week. hes ready on monday to start kitchen so better decide quick. id love a navy wall, waa not sure i could use a dark colour but advice from people says it would be ok.. my front door is currently being painted navy and my couches are navy but wonder is it too matchy with the island?
rinked
5 years ago
A dark color on your window wall is the safest. Light comes in through there, so will reflect on your other walls. Pick the navy from your island and the tan from your chairs' fabric, will look great with white (paneling?). Add more color and shine with lighting, accessories, deco. Good luck!
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
im going to brave it and put railings on the panalled wall. thanks everyone for your advice. one last question? will i keep the kitchen walls in stong white or what other colour would suit?
PRO
Atom Interior Styling
5 years ago
HI, If your not keen on Dark colours then how about doing the panelling in a light grey which compliments your dining furniture and a Peachy Pink (don't be put off it looks fab with a grey colour). I am stockist for a designer paint. Please see the links to show you both Thor and Bea

Atom Interior Styling Paint house Thor

Atom Interior Styling Paint House Bea

both colour also compliment White.
PRO
User
5 years ago
Yes, sorry suzanne I was thinking of downpipe! What a billy! Glad you're being brave with the navy, I think it will look great, can't wait to see the finished pics.
Keran P
5 years ago

Not sure if this is what you are after but these have to be the most comfortable bar stools ever!!! I bought them from the vintage sofa company who are near Halifax.
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
they look fab
PRO
User
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Love those stools, how about a longer copper light over the table, perfect with navy.

The Tom Dixon ones do give off a lot of light I can vouch for that, our daughter has them.
Suzanne Rice
Original Author
5 years ago
them type of lights are exactly what i need but not sure about colour
rinked
5 years ago
Pastels, white, wood, navy, copper, hell yes! ;)
PRO
User
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
as Rinq says..............be brave x

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