Paint colour experts - I'm almost too embarrassed to ask...

[amazonianwoman]

Now I realise that this is going to come across as a terrible first world problem and am cringing as I type, but we recently moved into a Victorian house with a cream Aga. The units are oak (orange oak), the floor is chestnut (I think, orange too) and the worktop is black sparkly granite (bloody pain to keep clean)

It's all too orange. We can't afford to replace the kitchen for a few years, the Aga costs a fortune to run but I am (embarrassingly) growing to like it - and removing/replacing it would cost too much too - so all I can do is paint the cupboards. They're solid wood and good quality. Except I can't find a paint colour I like which goes with a cream range cooker and black worktops. Pale/whitish colours look too stark against black granite and I have 2 dogs so they will be a nightmare to keep clean. Most greys don't work with cream (I don't think?). Fashionable dark blues look ok with the Aga but not the granite. Greeny colours look a bit too country (Victorian town house)

Any suggestions, oh wise colour experts?

Not pink with an orange floor!

Skimming Stone might be worth a look. Or similar very pale warm greys. Still think the grey/green option would be best tho.

As regards the floor, if you ever do sand it (no mean feat) i think there is now some kind of white oil you can apply to give a limewashed look. Sorry a bit vague on details! Not high maintenance as it's a stain not a paint.

I was going to suggest pink! We've got Calamine in a bedroom with pine/oak look floor. Maybe a paler version of that?

I agree that a Light Blue type colour would look best if you don't want to go dark.

L to R: Setting Plaster, Stony Ground, Light Gray, Mizzle

SG or LG (not really grey, has green undertones) favourites so far. Skimming Stone too pale I think.

It's making my head hurt.

Mizzle.

But looking at Mizzle elsewhere it doesn't look as blue as that. I'd go Blue Ground - just to confuse you even more (hello, btw).

F and B Lulworth Blue - perfect light blue- retro looking , great with cream and will take the heat out of the orange floor

I think a blue (doesn't matter which, so whichever you prefer) would do the best at de-orangeifying.

I agree with you, Stony Ground or Light Grey. Both look really nice and seem to bring out the best in your floor iyswim. I'd probably pick Stony Ground as it's lighter and you have dark worktops and mid tone floor so might need some brightening, but depends how light your kitchen is.

By the way - I wouldn't use F&B eggshell to paint your cabinets in, it's waterbased and not very tough. I'd get it colour matched in something oil based eg Little Greene will do colour match service and they do oil based eggshell.

I love your floor.

Gorgeous colour

(Waves to SwedishEdith!)

Stronger/brighter blues and greens definitely bringing out the orange in the floor (something to do with being opposite colours on the colour wheel apparently )

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, DH said we could consider new worktop as we're hoping to move the units round in order to change the window into hardwood bifold/patio/French doors.

Off to F&B next week for more advice and samples. Will report!

And will use either F&B modern eggshell which is more hardwearing than estate eggshell or get Johnstone colour match in oil eggshell.

Just a note - my decorators are no longer recommending F&B as it’s not as long lasting as Little Greene.

Why not embrace the orange, and go full on Charlotte's Locks?

Tomato reddy orange?

Lovely colours but not my cup of tea

Setting plaster looks great 👌🏻

Just to add - it wouldn't be too much hassle to sand back the floor and lime it - would give a much softer tone with a slight grey to it that might be easier to coordinate colours with.

Noooo! I have setting plaster in my kitchen. That is why after five years of "meh!" I am looking at colours such as Charlotte's Locks!

Haha I love "meh" colours and setting plaster!

Life would be very boring if we were all the same!