Am I making a big mistake? Abort mission?

[InchyraUnsure]

My kitchen has left me feeling uninspired for a couple of years now. At first it felt lovely and fresh but I've since really regretted my cupboards and wished I'd stretched to a nice bold colour in a hand painted wood. Everything just felt so white and everything blended in to each other a bit between the units, worktops and walls. I snapped yesterday and did a few swatches and felt like I loved the F&B Inchyra so I got a bit carried away and decided yes this is the one.

Woken up today and gone downstairs and god it's dark isn't it. I've done a huge section but thankfully not the whole room. Is it just the shock? Or is it a terrible idea?

Something like this in your dining area would make it look warmer and give more interest.

That wallpaper wouldn't be for me personally but how would the OP end it well when the dining wall just runs into the kitchen bit? Not being snarky, I just have no idea how that would work.

My daughter 'panelled' the bottom half of both her children's bedrooms and painted the bottom half in dark green for one and mid green for the other. She liked the effect so much that she's done the same in her bedroom (darkish mustard below & soft white above) and sitting room (mushroom above & soft white below). Similar photo to what she's done below:

I had what looks like exactly the same kitchen in my last house. We painted the walls in Strong White which really warmed the room up but kept it fresh and bright. I would do that and add some accessories like a big ceramic vase with some faux stems and a lovely blind

I did this with Dulux emerald glade. One wall in the kitchen. It's a really beautiful colour but I didn't keep it for long, the wall is white now. It just made the space feel much smaller.

I like it a lot.

The other colour I'd suggest is a dark burgundy.

Sort of like this? With the top bit matching up with the upstand size and the panelling going across and also under the side bit of the breakfast bar? Not across the front of it but on the wall bit.

I could add colour to the kitchen by tiling but I'm not sure if I can above the quartz upstand and with the quartz splashback?

On the main wall it is fine, but I would leave the kitchen area alone. It'll make it too dark. Otherwise choose a complementary creamy green that can offset the cupboards or maybe something like Salt 1 from paint and paper library

I have a white kitchen (not as nice as yours,) and I did a very dark teal color on 2 of the kitchen walls and left the rest a neutral colour. I think you can be brave and get away with very dark on one or 2 walls. I love my teal colour but it wasn't a colour I wanted on every wall.

Totally agree with the white feeling sterile it is! I did a hobby type interior design class and that was discussed. I think it's a very common mistake to go white because it's bright and crisp but it's also clinical

How about a glass splash back? We got one to go in the gap you are talking about and it was a quick (and not too expensive) way of adding colour.

The big advantage of a dado rail at that height it is also protects the wall from chairs being pushed into it and scuffing the paint.

Yes that's what I'd do and look into what you can do with tiles and the blind.

Thank you!

That lining paper trick is genius from the PP!

OP I really like it but then I have a bold burgandy on my walls. Like others said it can always be painted back worse case scenario.

What colour did you finally go for out of curiosity?