If the counters or cabinets aren't greenish in hue, then a very light yellow would be nice and won't grate on you over the years. If the kitchen doesn't get much sun, then light yellow walls make it "feel" sunnier, too.
I would stay away from really strong colors as they tend to get old after a while - unless you are the type who likes redecorating / repainting every few years! If the counters or cabinets ARE a bit greenish though then the yellow may make them look sickly.
Ignore the wood, it's a "Neutral" color. I'd pick a second color along with the blue for your color "theme". Examples that would look nice: Blue & Yellow - Blue & Mustard-gold - Dark & Light Blue - Blue, Green & Yellow - Primary= Blue, Red, Yellow - Blue & silver - Blue with Copper - Blue, Golden-Beige, Olive - Blue with Peach - Blue with Rust - Blue with Peanut Butter.
Color is my business. I do hand painted Custom Tiles for installation & my clients often ask for color advice. The tip I give to everyone I write to is this: Find something you love then pull colors from that. Make sure it has the same blue from your counter tops in it. Then pull one or 2 other colors from that item & use them to decorate around. This way you can't go wrong! Examples: Buy a throw rug, kitchen canisters, a large print or painting, several framed botanical prints, place-mats, planters or deco-tiles.
If you find something you love & the colors are to dark (but still have the same exact blue of your countertops) then you can use the same color but in a lighter shade on your wall. For Example, you find a great throw rug but the colors are blue, dark olive & dark tan or brown. You can use the olive or tan, but choose a lighter shade for your wall. Instead of a dark olive, choose a med or light olive as paint or a lighter shade of tan instead. These lighter colors will STILL match your rug (or other item) even though they are lighter in hue. Just stay in the same color range. Example: Say the color you're trying to match is an olive-green, don't pick a mint or a blue-green. Stay in the olive family, be it dark, med or light. Sage would be okay as long as it is more of an oliveish-sage.
1) I myself would choose to go with a golden yellow & med & dark blues. Blue & Yellow is always a classic & classy choice that never goes out of style. Bright white wicker or white trim would look fresh & clean with the blue & golden yellow. You could use blue picnic-checks as tablecloth fabric. I might also use cobalt glass as my accent pieces.
2) A second awesome choice would be to use a golden-beige on the walls with the blue counter tops. You can then also use cobalt blue accents and/or olive green. These are more "Traditional" colors.
3) If you want to go modern, you could use primary colors. Red (or Burgundy) Cobalt & Yellow (or Gold)
---> But, do yourself a favor, FIRST buy your piece of art, rug, place-mats or kitchen curtains, THEN pick out your paint. REMEMBER, you can always mix the paint to match anything, but you can't as easily change the other things to match the paint! Lets say you find some wonderful hydrangea fabric for curtains. You could use the colors in the fabric to decorate around, but once you paint your walls, you may have a very hard time finding piece to match the paint's color!
Carry a sample of your counter top color with you whenever you shop. Go to the fabric store & get ideas or a store that sells liquidation things like rugs & prints. Like Tuesday Morning, Ross or Big Lots, etc. You can't go wrong with framed Botanical prints. These never go out of style! Don't be to quick to jump at your piece of art. Wait until you find something you really love. It may take a few months or more. With me, I went to an old book store & found some old botanical prints from the 1940's. I decorated my whole living-dining room around them. I never tired of them & because they have many colors in them, I can change my room again & again & still keep my special prints.
Another thing to think about. Can you see other rooms from this kitchen? (like the living room) If so, you'll have to keep the colors for theses rooms in mind too. Here's a place to get ideas from. You can search Botanicals, Kitchen Herbs, your favorite artist or anything you like: http://www.allposters.com/
This pages has been archived 1 time. You can view older posts and feedback below.
Request: Adding Color to My Kitchen Walls (09/01/2009)
I want to add color to my kitchen walls that will make it up-to-date. The cabinets are light oak, countertops are butcher block color, windows have wood trim and the floor is ceramic tile, white with streaks of different shades of grey to blue-grey.
Post Feedback:
Login using the form on the top of the page to post feedback (if you are a registered user). If you have not yet registered, click here to do so. It's FREE!.
Archives:
Request: Adding Color to My Kitchen Walls
Archived on 09/01/2009
I want to add color to my kitchen walls that will make it up-to-date. The cabinets are light oak, countertops are butcher block color, windows have wood trim and the floor is ceramic tile, white with streaks of different shades of grey to blue-grey. Upholstered chairs are a weave of dark blue, light blue and nutmeg. This kitchen opens into a family room with a full brick wall fireplace, dark green carpeting and a large rust sectional couch. The picture was taken in natural light on a somewhat cloudy day.
Chris from New York
Feedback:
RE: Adding Color to My Kitchen Walls
I think a crisp wheat color of light tan would look nice. In the space above your cabinets and doorway you could then add a wallpaper border that have the various shades of tan, nutmeg, and country blue and cinnamon red to tie the already existing colors together. Or you could stop the border around the corner of the cabinet and add a swag of silk or dried greenery and flowers using all these colors, to hang above your doorway to create a visual "flow" between the two rooms by also tying in the color of your green carpet. (03/18/2007)
Go dark! Maybe dark slate blue. You have so much light in your kitchen with a light floor and light cabinets. I went dark recently and just love it. So much warmer, inviting. You won't be sorry. (03/18/2007)
By bizziemom
RE: Adding Color to My Kitchen Walls
I responded to tell you that I like your kitchen and colors. It is the same layout and colors of our old house that we
remodeled and sold. I miss that new kitchen :) (03/18/2007)
A slate blue or baby blue would be nice, and you have space above the cabinets for a display of decorative plates. Blue and white is a common color, or majolica -type patterns. I see you have some plates there already. (03/19/2007)
I went with sage green from Behr. I also have blues in my kitchen, and it is open to the living room which also has some blues.
Good luck! (03/20/2007)
By Michele
RE: Adding Color to My Kitchen Walls
Have you thought about a pale terra cotta? It should go well with the colors already in the rooms. Just go to any store that sells paint and get paint chips to compare. If you like a color that's darker than you want, you can always have it mixed lighter. Hope this helps (03/20/2007)
I am an artist and color is my thing. I think a light apricot or a melon color would blend in with your blue and browns. Go with a satin finish. (03/20/2007)
By Malinda/Pa
RE: Adding Color to My Kitchen Walls
One word: Apricot! (03/20/2007)
By Cheryl
RE: Adding Color to My Kitchen Walls
I think it's pretty as is. Just needs larger accessories with louder colors! And don't forget to add color cushions to the stools. (03/20/2007)
Thanks so much everyone, for taking the time to respond. My husband thinks your are all so nice, he wished he could invite you for dinner! There are so many good suggestions. We are going to get more paint charts that show apricot, melon and wheat. We already have the blues and greens, since they were the colors we were considering. We had been thinking of a mid-tone color or slightly lighter, so it wouldn't wash out on a sunny day.
I would like to add that we were considering repainting our dining room a mid-tone cranberry above the chair rail (to be installed) and a 15% of that cranberry below the chair rail. So, we were trying to come up with a color that would also go go with the dining room. You can see the kitchen from the dining room, but you can't see the family room from the dining room. Please keep your comments coming! Thanks again, for your help. (03/21/2007)
I'd try a sea-foam green or a pale blue (03/21/2007)
By LRP
RE: Adding Color to My Kitchen Walls
I would add a nice wallpaper border above your cabinets to go with your decor using your color scheme. This would add color, but not be over-whelming. (03/21/2007)
