Asked on Oct 24, 2012

Paint color for small galley kitchen oak cabinets/flooring.

Galley kitchen, oak cabinets, oak flooring, skylight for natural only. Backsplash is beige with a few terra cotta triangles on backsplash. My kitchen also in attached to a small dining area with no natural light as well. My small dining area also goes into a big family room. Would love ideas for paints colors, I read BHG that grey is a good color but I can't see grey in my kitchen. Picture below of small galley kitchen on the other side of this is my small dining area. I don't know if I made it clear in the above message that I am not repainting my cabinets they will stay the way they are.
Small galley kitchen needs paint color suggestions as well as small dining room attached.
  29 answers
  • Tyler S Tyler S on Oct 24, 2012
    I would paint it like very dark calmly red color. Just make your kitchen look very warming, and not restiveness Like brown and red mix kind of colors.. Like the picture below
  • 101818 101818 on Oct 25, 2012
    Hi Joy! Think about a bright, soft white - I think that's they key to brightening it up, and creating a fresher look. Have a look at BM White Dove or SW White Heron. You could spray paint or replace the existing hardware in a matte black for a bit of interest. Hope that helps, good luck with your project!
  • Take into consideration how your color will blend with all of the other elements that are in the space. . .your back splash, counter tops, appliances, floors and the adjoining rooms. The idea is to make the space flow with the rest of your home.
  • Hello Joy, have you thought about a soft buttery yellow? One with a greyish base. I think it would blend with the woods in your kitchen and still brighten thing up. Send in a picture of the after.
  • True Identity Concepts True Identity Concepts on Oct 25, 2012
    Hi Joy, since you have little natural light in the space, I agree with several of the comments. A "soft buttery yellow" is what you should be looking for and Benjamin Moore Spring Morning is a nice option. You should get a couple of samples, a couple of paint boards to test on, and place the boards in the space so you can see what it will look like throughout the day in order to make your selection prior to painting - it will be worth the extra effort. We will look forward to seeing the after picture.
  • Designs by BSB Designs by BSB on Oct 25, 2012
    l would not go yellow (while its a great color for the kitchen) - I do not think it is flattering with oak cabinetry. Considering you backsplash and counter tops -- look at warm grays, which are the new neutral/trend!
  • Joy Kelly-Warner Joy Kelly-Warner on Oct 25, 2012
    Thank you all for the suggestions they gave me likes to think about. I liked all the ideas need to make that decision.
  • Joy Kelly-Warner Joy Kelly-Warner on Oct 25, 2012
    Homa Style can you suggest a color for the soft buttery yellow with a greyish base?
  • Joy Kelly-Warner Joy Kelly-Warner on Oct 25, 2012
    Tyler S what is the color you posted above?
  • I agree with Becky Sue - a warm gray will neutralize the oak cabinets.
  • Joy Kelly-Warner Joy Kelly-Warner on Oct 25, 2012
    Any suggestions on colors of warm greys. You know there are dozens of choices in that area. Thank you!!
  • Trent-Tonya Sharp Trent-Tonya Sharp on Oct 25, 2012
    soft buttery yellow with a old rustic brown in creases bronze handles :)
  • Designs by BSB Designs by BSB on Oct 26, 2012
    The most searched gray in the Benjamin Moore lineup of...
  • Joy, for a grey based paint I usually go with Benjamin Moore. The Hawthorne Yellow in their favorite colors could be a choice based on your photo. I also agree with Becky Sue that yellow can bring out the yellow in the oak. I would purchase samples of three colors. Paint close to your cabinets and in 24 hours pick one.
  • Joy Kelly-Warner Joy Kelly-Warner on Oct 28, 2012
    WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK OF THE HAWTHORNE YELLOW MENTIONED ABOVE FOR THE YELLOW SOMEONE SUGGESTED ABOVE FOR MY WALLS WITH OAK CABINETRY AND FLOORS.
  • Designs by BSB Designs by BSB on Oct 28, 2012
    Its a very pretty yellow, but would not recommendation with oak cabinetry.
  • Joy, forgive me...I reread your post and realized you're not redoing your cabinets. Somehow I had it in my head you where going to age or antique the cabinets. {my old age is getting the best of me} Since you are leaving the cabinets oak, be very careful with yellow. You could remove a small cabinet door and take it to the paint store for their assistance.
  • Joy Kelly-Warner Joy Kelly-Warner on Oct 29, 2012
    Homa Style it was not your memory. I just added to my post that I will not be changing the color of the cabinets. After looking at my counter top I realized that some shade of grey and some shade of white would probably match my kitchen very well. So I will get some samples of those shades and try to make a decision. You are not losing your mind. Thanks for the input. JC
  • 101818 101818 on Oct 31, 2012
    I made the same mistake Homa Style did - thinking you were painting cabinetry, sorry! I agree with Becky Sue, yellow with oak cabinetry might not be a good choice. I think you're on a great track looking at whites (and still stand by the ones I suggested for your cabinets!)
  • Cathy Cathy on Nov 05, 2012
    I have posted same dilemma. I have more natural lt, but yellow isn't trippin my trigger. I'd like to keep it light but cool-ish, so I was thinking of a cool gray. My appls are wht. Also long narrow galley style.
  • Joy Kelly-Warner Joy Kelly-Warner on Nov 05, 2012
    Cathy if you look over all the comments that are posted on my questions about small galley kitchen. You will see many different ideas for paint colors. I personally am not a fan of grey but some of the colors I checked out were nice. I am leaning more towards the warmer grays though. Good luck!!
  • I fell into the same category of thinking it was your cabinets. But my strategy of how to choose the color still holds true. I am with BeckySue in recommending that you NOT use yellow. It will fight with the yellow tones in the oak cabinets and the beige tones in the back splash. Keep with some of the cool tones such as greys or even a soft grey-blue or green. Again, take inspiration from other elements in the space or even the adjoining rooms so the color will flow.
  • Joy Kelly-Warner Joy Kelly-Warner on Nov 11, 2012
    I have still not decided on what paint colors to paint my kitchen and dining area (see photos below) I do like these colors shown below or similiar colors. I love the kitchen color above the cabinets in this picture. I did SW Chip it and this is the colors it matched from the picture. I am wondering what colors would I paint my dining area? I would like to put up a white chair rail and maybe paint the top of the wall a different color then the bottom. My dilemma is what colors do I use? Lots of folks suggested I use a color of gray but I can't warm up to grey. I am leaning more towards Tuscan colors as shown in the CHIP IT picture below. Also a creamy white as well. Thanks for help!! More suggestions welcome!!
  • Joy Kelly-Warner Joy Kelly-Warner on Mar 24, 2013
    I decided to paint my kitchen walls SW Macadamia they turned out beautifully and matchs well with my oak kitchen cabinets and floor.
  • JoAnn JoAnn on Oct 06, 2013
    Joy, I am having the same problem as you were having on paint colors for kitchen. My oak cabinets seem to have more yellow in them than yours and I have been having a hard time deciding on color. A few years ago painted them a deep golden yellow and never liked the color. I am going to check SW Macadamia and see how I like it. I want to stay with the country french look.
  • Matty Watts Matty Watts on Oct 07, 2013
    I also have a small kitchen & finning room .We painted the kitchen & one wall of th dinning room Apple red . The rooms on on the west side. Living room wall on the east side is a soft brown. South & north walls & hall are painted a deep tan window bli
  • Matty Watts Matty Watts on Oct 07, 2013
    Oops window blinds & door are white. We just did this . Hard wood floors. Staind
  • Lynn Lynn on Aug 27, 2016
    Try the project color app from home depot
  • Michelle Dolata Michelle Dolata on Nov 08, 2016
    Chalk paint the bottom cupboards in a Robin's egg Blue, top ones in vanilla. Walls in a creamy white. Lighten & brighten with pretty colors ! Or lemon yellow for Blue, which ever your preferred.