In order to avoid coming home from the paint store with 900 paper swatches that you might tape to the wall or buying 79 little sample jars and painting little squares all over the place, you must first limit your choices.
If you have an existing kitchen, take a look at your countertop.
If you have a granite or marble countertop, chances are there are a few colors streaming through it. The best to look for painting any sheetrock portions of the kitchen is to pick your favorite color out of that stone countertop and paint your walls that color. That way you are sure to love it and you can be certain that it blends well with your color scheme.
If you have a solid colored countertop, take a look at your backsplash, your cabinet color, your floor color or even something like your favorite dish towel or serving platter. Take cues from what you already have in your space and there you will find the perfect paint color.
If you are putting in a new kitchen, always start with the floor.
Choose the perfect floor. Is it wood? Is it tile? Is it vinyl? Make your selection and then take a sample of your flooring to the cabinet showroom.
Once your cabinet finish is selected, bring your floor sample and your cabinet sample to the stoneyard to select your countertop material.
Now that you’ve got a gorgeous counter, bring your floor, cabinet and counter samples to the tile store and pick out the perfect backsplash that ties everything together.
Bring a paint deck with you to the tile store, so now you can see your floor, cabinets, counters, backsplash and paint colors all in one shot.
And if your budget is running low, don’t discount washable vinyl wallpaper as a backsplash. It cleans beautifully and can look fantastic!
Colors and textures in a kitchen aren’t a mystery. What pulls it all together is not magic, but really thoughtful choices and the ability to see everything together before it’s installed or even ordered.
I am constantly called in to help decorate after the renovations have taken place and mistakes have been made. I much prefer when my clients have me come in from the beginning so we can avert disaster.
