Gray Kitchens
December 17, 2009 | 36 comments
Until we actually close on our house, I’m trying to walk a fine line between planning our move and not getting too carried away in case it falls through. And that, my dear readers, is no easy task! It’s even harder not to talk about the house because that’s all I want to do! But on the off chance that things don’t work out, I’ve been doing my best to exercise restraint.
I’m going to make a small exception today (because I’m about to burst) to talk about the kitchen. The kitchen in the new house is very traditional – like the house itself – and the walls and cabinets are painted a cream color. It looks something these kitchens except with with a beadboard back splash in the same cream color and marble countertops that are just slightly reddish.
I’m entertaining the idea of having the cabinets painted gray. I know! That’s HUGE for me since I’m all about white. But we are going to have the whole house repainted (white, of course), including the kitchen, so if I’m ever going to do something like this, now is the time.
I’m planning on using a white and gray palette throughout the house so I think a gray kitchen would tie into the rest of the house.
But the kitchen opens onto the family room (or as I recently learned, a “keeping room” as it’s sometimes called in the South) which will have white walls. Do you think that would disrupt the flow?
I would probably go with a lighter shade of gray like the ones above or this:
(The marble countertops are just a little darker than the ones above and it has a farmhouse sink too – love!)
But this dark one is very appealing too.
In the end I will probably chicken out like I always do because I’m always scared that I’ll get sick of the color. But right now, I really, really want to go for it. I’ve even collected paint swatches. So what do you think? Should I do it? Or will my love of gray fade and leave me wishing I had stuck to my tried and true white?
[Traveling Thursday will return in the new year!]
(Photos: 1&4 via Cote de Texas 2,6,8.House Beautiful 3.Decorpad 5.via Apartment Therapy)
36 comments on “Gray Kitchens”
Leave a Comment
Follow FTRB, won't you?
RSS * Facebook * Twitter * Networked Blogs * Bloglovin'
Bienvenue
PRESS & MENTIONS
Archives
Categories
Tags
Recent Comments
Sponsored Links
Currently
Followers
TOUR OF MY (LAST) HOUSE
Favorite Hotel Experiences
Home of the Style in One Picture Challenge
Banners & Buttons
Support
Please donate to Etiquette
December 17th, 2009 @ 3:54 am
I love the dark grey one, it looks like Gwenyth Paltrow’s kitchen in the Hamptons(my apologies if you don’t like her), I notice it flows on to a white walled room and it looks stunning. I would go for it. Sounds like the kitchen is big enough to take such a strong colour.
Cheers
Engracia
PS stumbled across your blog last week and I have spent the last week thoroughly enjoying myself reading it.
December 17th, 2009 @ 4:32 am
Definitely go for it!! And I’m not just saying this because I love charcoal grey myself. You’ll have lots of white alongside it to keep the look clean and light.
Amanda´s last post ..christmas – designers guild style
December 17th, 2009 @ 4:49 am
You should do it.
Brismod´s last post ..Homemade Greetings
December 17th, 2009 @ 5:08 am
White is lovely, of course but I do think a little splash of grey will give it that je ne sais quoi that I think houses need.
Grey is my colour of the moment. I only have a little bit in my breakfast room. My house is Victorian and located next to the kitchen was always the room they called the breakfast room. We have painted it in two Farrow and Ball whites and, I decided to paint the wooden fireplace surround, grey and the overmantle mirror grey. The legs of the old pine table, I have painted grey and distressed. I really like it. My favourite picture that you have shown, is the 3rd one. I’m sure that whatever you do will be wonderful.
It’s a difficult time, waiting for everything to be tied up when buying a house. I always say to myself that, it’s not ours until I’m sitting in it and I have the keys in my hands !!!! Hoping that it all goes smoothly and, just think. You’ll soon be in there and then the world’s your oyster in the decorating department !! XXXX
Jacqueline´s last post ..SNOW at ‘ HOME ‘ ……………
December 17th, 2009 @ 6:09 am
I really love any of the painted cabinets but I am totally obsessed with grey!
Jessica at Lavender & Lilies´s last post ..I Won!
December 17th, 2009 @ 6:12 am
It’s a great idea to paint it all white before you move in – there’s nothing worse than painting round stuff. Those kitchens are super, and I think the grey cupboards would look lovely so long as the kitchen walls are white (for brightness and continuity). I’d definitely go for a chalky grey rather than any sort of a shiny grey to avoid the restaurant kitchen look. Is there a stove in the kitchen? – you could have such fun having it reenamelled in a non-traditional colour to cpmplement the grey.
mise´s last post ..with my compliments
December 17th, 2009 @ 7:21 am
I think you should go for a pretty light grey. I bet you wouldn’t get sick of the neutral color and heck, if you hate it, you can always repaint again!
Jessica´s last post ..Holiday Gift Guide: The Little One
December 17th, 2009 @ 7:34 am
I love gray! And I love that 3rd photo down. Gray is so elegantly neutral. Go for it!
susie Quillin´s last post ..Today will be a beautiful day!
December 17th, 2009 @ 8:33 am
Don’t chicken out! This will be lovely.
virginia @ where you hang your hat´s last post ..for the librarian in your life.
December 17th, 2009 @ 8:48 am
I think grey isn’t a color you’d get sick of as quickly, because it’s not one of those in-your-face, overly bright colors that we are in love with one week and despise the following week. Grey is a neutral, which means you can accessorize the kitchen with any color you choose, and change it up when you get tired of it.
And I think the grey wouldn’t disrupt the flow, it might actually work as a virtual separation between the cooking area and the family room, but as long as there’s lots of light it shouldn’t be a problem IMO.
Elisa´s last post ..Outfit of the week: let it snow, I’m still going out
December 17th, 2009 @ 9:44 am
Love both choices! It’s so hard because they’re both appealing, although at least you know that white and the grey are both pretty neutral, no matter which you go with. It’s not like your painting it red! I
December 17th, 2009 @ 9:53 am
I love gray sand putty colors. Have you ever checked out Plain English? Beautiful kitchen inspiration. http://www.plainenglishdesign.co.uk/kitchens.html
katy elliott´s last post ..MacAusland Woolen Mills Blankets
December 17th, 2009 @ 10:45 am
GO FOR IT! If you get sick of it paint it again. I was just in a darling coffee shop in San Diego and it had grey cabinets and it was darling!
Can’t wait to see the finished product
December 17th, 2009 @ 11:10 am
Definitely go for gray!
It’s still neutral but so fresh and crisp…I’m sure you won’t regret it.
Therese Long´s last post ..My Christmas Den
December 17th, 2009 @ 11:41 am
Gray? YOU MUST!! Have you ever seen Design, Inc.? Sarah Richardson tends to paint a lot of kitchens a soft gray. I would go with a lighter gray, but a dark would be fadulous as well, would set the tone for a more dramatic space with darker accents throughout, I would think.
Have fun, go for it and best of luck getting the property closed!
Janell
Janell Beals´s last post ..Paint & Drapes – Purchased Before "Client" Could Change His Mind
December 17th, 2009 @ 12:03 pm
Yes! Go for it!
My friend has a kitchen as you have described, and painted the cabinets a dark, matte blue, but a blue which has similar saturation to the grey in your last photo. It works very very well to bring some modern into the traditional surroundings. So I would say go the whole hog and go for the dark grey… The lighter greys are nice but the dark gray has real visual impact!
Sophie @ Century Finds´s last post ..Etsy Candy-Colored Christmas
December 17th, 2009 @ 12:17 pm
the white cabins in the 1st pic are very lovely, but the creamy ones are not my favorite (the color!)I think you should definitiely try the gray, it’s very beautiful color! just not the darkest one, or then maybe go for lot more, like black (yes, black is so nice!). so, rathar light cold gray or simply white, or then black… now i want to move to a house.. good to see you back!
tiina´s last post ..7 days
December 17th, 2009 @ 12:53 pm
I think a light gray kitchen would be great. There was a beautiful one in Southern Accents that I think would align with your style:
http://www.southernaccents.com/architecture/building-remodeling/10-tips-for-kitchen-remodeling-00400000041647/
The magazine, of course, had more and larger photos of the kitchen.
James´s last post ..Ride-by Architecture
December 17th, 2009 @ 12:54 pm
I absolutely love grey. Thing is, it’s hard to know if the flow will be disrupted without seeing either room or the way the light enters into the picture. I imagine, esp. if you used black, yellow and grey accents in your family room, it would be great!
K-Line´s last post ..Slippery Slope: Part 3
December 17th, 2009 @ 1:12 pm
I think you should go for it! I didn’t think I would like gray cabinets until I saw a kitchen redesign on one of the home living networks, and it was fabulous. I don’t think the gray cabinets would disrupt the flow into the keeping room. It’s a subtle, muted color.
Giovanna´s last post ..Real Garden State Wedding: Holly and Nick
December 17th, 2009 @ 1:38 pm
I love a soft gray cabinet! Your island could be a darker gray too. It would help spruce up a traditional look.
xo,
cristin
cristin @ simplified bee´s last post ..DIY – Inexpensive, Handmade Gift Wrap Ideas
December 17th, 2009 @ 2:04 pm
Engracia: Thank you and welcome to my blog! I laughed at the “apologies if you don’t like her” part – I’m not a big fan but I don’t hate her the way I know a lot of people do(!)
Jacqueline: Your breakfast room sounds divine!
mise: I wish there were a great enamel stove like yours! But alas, it’s just your standard in the wall variety.
katy: That site is amazing! Thank you for the introduction!
James: That kitchen is gorgeous! That entire article is pretty great – thanks for bringing it to my attention.
December 17th, 2009 @ 5:10 pm
Hi! You hit a soft spot w this post! Go for it! Grey is the ultimate color. It ties with e v e r y t h i n g so you’ll never get tired of it.
IMO, the BEST grey hue out there is the Martha Stewart one. In her site, there are some photos of her grey kitchen (sorry, don’t remember which house) and they look amazing. Do try to check them out. Totally worth it!
I love the grey-lilac-white combination as well as the grey-chocolate-white (so winter-y). And of course the grey-pink or grey-turquoise…see my point? the choices are endless. Oh…! I so envy you!!! Be well!
December 17th, 2009 @ 5:25 pm
I think you should go for the gray! and I’m not just saying that because I’m TOTALLY going to be living vicariously through this amazing sounding kitchen of yours. If I ever make it to Atlanta for a visit, I’d love a cooking date in your kitchen that will (fingers crossed) be yours for real soon!
jen jafarzadeh´s last post ..applesauce muffins on the fly
December 17th, 2009 @ 6:10 pm
loooove all of them. Subway tile will always be a favorite in my book
stephanie´s last post ..Amansara Resort
December 17th, 2009 @ 10:21 pm
I say leap….go for it! I am sure anything you decide will be stunning!
xo
December 18th, 2009 @ 8:19 am
i definitely think you should go w/some grey. it’ll add interest and a bit of variety and pull the whole scheme together (plus it won’t show dirt quite as much on the cabinets).
then again, you are talking to the girl w/seafoam cabinets so take it w/a grain of salt.
Down and Out Chic´s last post ..Packages for lovers of illustration
December 18th, 2009 @ 8:50 am
Yes yes, do the gray, then show us! can’t wait!
December 18th, 2009 @ 11:13 am
YEEEEESSSS!If I had gotten the chance (before you decided to pack up your bags!) to bring you to my home – you would have heard me all babbling about (professionally) spray painting all my cabinets LIGHT GRAY! It will most likely happen this spring. I will go very light though, to keep it bright, fresh and airy (I am in Seattle after all!).
Those are 2 colors you see often see in kitchens in Sweden. White and light gray.
Happy weekend!
Hug, Mon
Splendid Willow´s last post ..Robert and Cortney Novogratz
December 18th, 2009 @ 1:59 pm
i love having a gray kitchen b/c then all of your beautiful white things just pop a little more.
(i have gray-green on my cabinets so it’s not the same but sort of
I think it would be beautiful with white walls & gray’s going to be with us for a while. (i bet you move before you get sick of it!!
cannot WAIT to see what you do.. i know either way it will be perfection like all of your stuff.
xoxoxo
Lauren´s last post ..Wreaths To Love
December 18th, 2009 @ 3:01 pm
I absolutely LOVE the dark gray in the last image! It’s stunning. I would totally go for it!
Brandie´s last post ..Art Scene: Fela!
December 20th, 2009 @ 10:58 pm
I say do the dark gray or stay white… The others — while I can appreciate them — just look a bit too drab. The all-white kitchens, and the one with the darkly-contrasting gray, are gorgeous.
Go all in or not at all, I say!
December 29th, 2009 @ 8:16 pm
I am finally emerging from the whirlwhind that the last quarter of 2009 was for me…and I am loving your blog! I can’t wait to read more about your new home in Atlanta (and hopefully, see more pictures!). I have been thinking a lot about kitchens lately, and there is a picture in this post that really resonates with me…I am going to show it to my kitchen designer.
Welcome to Atlanta! We should have a blogger get together…there are so many great bloggers in Atlanta now.
Things That Inspire´s last post ..A lovely fabric
December 30th, 2009 @ 7:42 pm
grey grey Grey GREY GREY GREY.
Do it!
Bromeliad´s last post ..DIY Wednesday: Make a bib necklace with vintage pins
June 14th, 2010 @ 2:18 pm
I would LOVE to know what color you chose and if you could post a picture? I am in the process of picking a gret myself to paint my cabinets!!! Hard choice!!
August 31st, 2010 @ 6:54 am
I am also in the process of deciding on a dark grey for my kitchen. Do people have any recommendations on shades? I was thinking Farrow and Ball- either Pigeon, downpipe or railings? Do you know what the dark grey kitchen photographed above is?
Thanks!