I know it's a first world problem, but may I have your opinions.....?

[littlecabbage]

I feel embarrassed to be asking this, as I know there are bigger, more important issues in the world, but....

My husband and I extended and renovated our kitchen last year. The kitchen is knocked through to the lounge (partially), and there are two sets of bifold doors, one in each room. These are the PVC version (rather than aluminium) and are anthracite grey, as is the kitchen window.

Part of the roof of each room has also been raised up at an angle, the kitchen having 4 velux windows, and the lounge having 2. These are currently wooden - light coloured pine. There are various oak elements in the rest of the kitchen - beam over the cooker, table and chairs, door to room, part of sland, and a shelving unit.

So, one of us thinks that the velux window frames should be painted in anthracite grey, to match the bifold doors and windows, and the other of us thinks that the velux window frames should be stained with an oak varnish, to match the rest of the wood.

What do you think? Thanks in advance.

[MrsOverTheRoad]

They should be left natural IF they do match the rest of the timber.

If there's a colour difference...even a slight one...they should be painted grey or it will look messy.

[littlecabbage]

Any other opinions out there? I'm hoping to hear a few more before I say which way I want to do the window frames!!

[NamedyChangedy]

I would naturally have gone with anthracite for the roof glazing to match the bifolds. But in reality I'd go with the option that would be the hardest wearing in the long term (being very budget conscious as we're still mid-extension £££).

[ParanoidBeryl]

Can we see a photo?

[PanannyPanoo]

why do they need to match anything? if they don't need to be treated then leave them. Horrible job doing window frames. frames in roof even more horrible!
We have 4 wooden Velux Windows in a glazed gable end (white) kitchen / dining / sitting room , limed beam, dark Iroko work top and oak table.

I cant imagine what the benefit would be of matching things.

[littlecabbage]

Hmmm, no clear winner so far then. ParanoidBeryl, I don't mind sharing a photo but had to have a tidy up first, as I was embarrassed about the state the kitchen was in! You would have thought me a slattern .

[Gatekeeper]

Being as the windows are so close to the bifolds I would paint them to match

[Gatekeeper]

Bloody lovely kitchen mind you

[ParanoidBeryl]

Lovely kitchen! I really like the tiles behind the cooker.

I think the velux frames are fine as they are, but if you really wanted to change them, I would suggest matching the grey.

The only thing is that charcoal grey is going to become dated (much as I love it), so you could potentially be creating a load of work to have to repaint awkward to get at frames in a couple of years.

[OutandIntoday]

I think they are fine as they are.

[NamedyChangedy]

Thanks OP, the photos really help.

I think that with the size of your kitchen and height of your ceilings, you could really leave the window frames as they are. At the moment they disappear visually and you already have the dark pendants up there which would be competing for attention if the frames were painted a darker colour.

And from what I can see, the frames aren't prominent enough for the pine / oak clash to be an issue - I bet no-one would ever notice it unless you pointed it out (please don't do that!)

So sit back and enjoy your lovely kitchen. If you need a project you're very welcome to come over and help me choose mine - I'm really struggling to make decisions at the moment!

[Ladybird909]

If it was my choice, I really wouldn't paint the velux window frames grey, it will make them look really dark and obvious and might make the room seem gloomier

[SwedishEdith]

Oh, I'd leave them We have some and it's never occurred to me to paint them.

[littlecabbage]

Thanks everyone for your opinions, and kind comments about the kitchen. Usually there are piles of crap (not actual faeces, just paper, crockery, kids' clothes, etc) on every visible surface. I just moved it all off-camera!

It is me who wants to stain the frames an oak colour, as I agree with some of you that dark frames in a white ceiling will really draw the eye to the frames (too much) and make the ceiling feel lower. I do like the idea of staining to match the other wood rather than leaving as is, because everything else is oak. We also have a small oak shelving unit which is yet to be fixed to the wall between the bifolds and the kitchen window, so that will be close to the velux windows.

My husband really wants to paint them dark and we have a guy doing some other painting who is poised to start this on Monday, but I think it is a huge mistake, especially as this guy says the paint will kind of seep into the wood so even if sanded down at a later date, we would never get rid of it.

When I google pictures of veluxes and bifold doors together, people with dark bifolds seem to still have wooden or white veluxes and I am sure that is to maintain the appearance of a high ceiling. Velux don't even do dark coloured frames - I think this speaks volumes!

Anyway (sigh), thanks for your input. Much appreciated. Namedy Changedy - I know what you mean. I struggle to be decisive at the best of times, and really got decision-fatigue during our project. As I said though....first world problems eh....?!

[littlecabbage]

P.S. ParanoidBeryl, tiles behind cooker are from Topps Tiles!

[FutureMrsTempah]

I agree, don't paint them grey, I'd leave them as they are. It is a gorgeous kitchen, do you mind me asking where you got it from?

[RockinHippy]

I would go with staining them to match the oak, I think it might look too harsh if it's the dark grey. Staining allows you to paint over later if you really hate it. Once it's painted tigers no going back

[RockinHippy]

tigers = there's 🙄 Sod you autocorrect

[littlecabbage]

Thanks Ladies. I wonder if he will be convinced if I show him this thread?! Any other opinions v welcome (whether or not you agree with me!).

Thanks Mrs Tempah - is a Wickes kitchen with Beltrami quartz worktops (charcoal) and slate floor from Mandarin stone.

[Deux]

I wouldn't go for either of your options.

I would paint them white so the frames will recede in to the roof.

[Smitff]

I would paint them white. Actually, seeing as you asked....

Ordinarily I would have said they should be painted grey to match the doors. This would have the effect of making the real oak (not stained pine) elements of the kitchen really stand out. Lovely feature. However, as you have a dark countertop and not much natural light, and have gone for black pendant lights on top of that, I think you need to brighten the room as much as possible.

So personally I would have gone for copper pendant lights, white/off-white countertop, oak-stained velux frame and white pvc doors (even though I abhor the stuff but presumably there are cost restraints). It'd lift the room massively.

[littlecabbage]

Yes, I know what you're saying - although I prefer wood to dark grey, I would rather they were white if we were going to paint them any colour.

(And yes, couldn't have stretched to aluminium bifolds!)

[littlecabbage]

Yes, I know what you're saying - although I prefer wood to dark grey, I would rather they were white if we were going to paint them any colour.

(And yes, couldn't have stretched to aluminium bifolds!)

[Alittlepotofrosie]

I would paint them white. I think they look weird any other colour.

[NoSquirrels]

I think they are absolutely perfectly fine as they are, and would do nothing.

But if you were set in it, I'd go for the oak stain. Or painted white. Absolutely not the grey.