What colour did you paint your shaker kitchen?

[SollaSollew]

Have just finalised the design and ordered my new kitchen from HMKOC, thank you Mumsnet!

I'm now in a spiral of indecision about what colour to paint it. The old kitchen is covered in a random selection of paint and handle samples and as it's going to be 2k to paint it I really, really can't afford to get it wrong.

When I went to the Esher showroom I loved their Shaded White kitchen (similar to Devol mushroom) but dh isn't keen and thinks it looks a bit bland. We both like Railings (very dark grey with a slightly blue undertone) but I'm worried that in a north facing kitchen it looks black and might be a bit oppressive.

I've seen so many kitchens on Pinterest and Houzz but you never know whether people got tired of them or they were a pain to maintain?

So my question is what colour did you paint your shaker kitchen and are you still pleased with it/does it stand up to family life?

Thank you.

[Mintjulia]

Watching with interest. My kitchen is 5 yo and still in perfect condition except the wood doors have bleached near the windows so considering painting them, or possibly stripping and recoating.

[bilbodog]

Im on my second churlish green and dh white kitchen and i love it with wooden worktops. Im sorry but im tired of seeing grey everywhere!

[bilbodog]

To clarify, it hasnt got a wooden worktop in the photo but my previous one did which i preferred.

[Tootletum]

I would go for blue rather than grey personally. Or a warm sage green.

[Comefromaway]

I had a cream shaker kitchen for years and still love it. We moved house and in the new house I'm getting a calico shaker kitchen.

[SollaSollew]

I hear what you're saying about grey and I agree I really do. I do like green too but am worried about going with something I will be sick of in a few years, on the other hand I'm worried about going too bland!

I do have two greens and even a dead salmon on the cupboards at the moment that I'm looking at.

This is the state of my current kitchen. Colours from left to right are...

Breakfast room green
Downpipe
Shaded White
Oval Room Blue
Railings
Pigeon
Blue Gray
Dead Salmon

On a positive I think I've decided on the handle!

[Saz12]

The sensible thing is to go for something safe as the units will be there for years. Paint the walls, have more interesting accessories, etc instead, these can all be changed easily (and you’ll have to repaint the walls periodically anyway!).

Although I’m not sure it’s actually what Id do!

[Peridot1]

We went with pale grey. Nine years ago. It needs repainting and I’d go for a soft white now I think.

We are about to move house and the new house has pale grey again but the island unit is dark blue. I quite liked that idea last time but DH didn’t.

[Notyetthere]

Go for cashmere colour. It is a lovely warm grey-beige colour.

[SollaSollew]

Thanks everyone for ideas, I love them all, I think that's the problem! It does seem sensible to go for a neutral and swap and change accessories/wall colours.

I liked the idea of a different coloured island but have had to compromise and have a peninsular.

@Notyetthere have you completed on your house move?

[Notyetthere]

@SollaSollew not yet I'm afraid. We are set to exchange tomorrow and complete on 8th on our sale. Hopefully we shall complete the week after on our purchase.

[7to25]

Just painted mine Cromarty in a dark kitchen. I love it!
It reads as green or grey even blue.

[skippy67]

Mine will be Railings, on the lower units. The tall units and island will be Ammonite.

[DanielleandBobby]

I had mine spray painted to match Farrow and Ball Studio Green, and the wall cupboards a pale greyish/taupe colour (not F&B). The peninsular unit is also studio green, and the worktops are white marbled quartz. Still in love with my kitchen three years on :) Let me know if you would like to see a pic. It stands up well to daily kitchen bashing, although I do have to wipe the doors down fairly regularly as greasy fingerprints do show up on a sunny day.

[Twiglet2353]

Jurassic Stone from Dulux. Light a pale sage. We have white door fronts with wooden worktops. Really like it considering I'm not a "greeny" person usually

[SollaSollew]

Thanks everyone all of them sound and look lovely. I think I’ll buy some more tester pots!

I would love to see some pictures @DanielleandBobby It sounds really nice, I do want something that I’ll still love even after wiping up after 3 kids and a dog for years.

Good luck for your exchange tomorrow @Notyetthere

[DanielleandBobby]

@SollaSollew I'll attach a couple for you! What I would recommend is having darker units for the cupboards/units on the floor as they don't show up the dirt so much from dogs and children! I would never have a white or pale kitchen if you have a busy family running in and out as it would stress me out too much! Please post pics of yours once it's done, and have fun choosing your colours.

[DennisTMenace]

Not painted as I bought the units in the colour, but duck egg blue. I decided sod thinking about how saleable it makes the house, we have no plans to move in the next few years, so I want what will make me happiest. The other option was cream. Perfectly respectable, but not joyful.

[beckypv]

Ours is painted a colour match to Dulux denim drift.

[Chasingsquirrels]

Sage green, which I really wanted. I kept deliberating about going with a cream which I could accessorize with colour but I'm glad I stuck with the sage.

[LongWinterNights]

Sorry, i am totally post jumping here, but which kind of paint are you all using?

[Saz12]

You all have such lovely kitchens!

[DanielleandBobby]

@LongWInterNights Our kitchen was spray painted by the company that made the kitchen, but if you're doing it yourself you should use a paint suitable for the surface you're painting onto... If it's MDF, a primer undercoat followed by an eggshell paint should look lovely. I think Little Greene's eggshell paint is fantastic. Have just done my fitted wardrobes in their Portland Stone (mdf, primer and eggshell) and the finish is fabulous! I used a small roller and various sizes of paintbrush. It took a few coats .

[Blue5238]

Mylands blackout. Very dark blue-grey that looks more blue in some lights and more black in others. Floor is paler and walls are white, with pale marble-look quartz worktops, so it doesn't feel too dark

[ApolloandDaphne]

Ours is currently F&B White Tie but is needs repainted and I am thinking about going a colour. This thread will be good for inspiration!