Help! Don't like the colour of our new kitchen

[DougalTheCheshireCat]

Just posting here for ideas / advice / reassurance.

We are midway through a renovation. Spent lots of time on the kitchen, aiming to get it just right. Have ordered from a fab company called NAKED kitchens in Norfolk. Delivery is due in two weeks.

We just received samples of the colours it will be (going for a different colour for the lower and wall units) and we don't like one of them .

It isn't an error, exactly. It just isn't what we expected. We did extensive tests on the walls of the room. The sample does match this when we hold it against it. They offer a colour match service to our chosen colour (F&B Charleston grey). However the effect on the type of paint they use (which is smoother, like eggshell) is both browner and lighter than we want.

Any ideas on what we can do? Or anyone had this experience and had it all come out ok in the end, whether sticking with it, or managing to get it changed?

We are talking to the company to explore our options although I am not sure a repaint is affordable, or if there is time.

Also I know samples can be misleading so that we perhaps should have realised a smooth eggshell would not appear the same as the matt tester. And that, trying to be positive, once installed (if we go ahead) it may well look different / better over the much larger area of two runs of cupboards, rather than the 15 x 15cm square we currently have.

Any wisdom or reassurance from the knowledgeable Mumsnet collective would be great.

repaint the walls.

This is going to be of no help but I also had the same problem with Charleston Grey. I had painted a lounge in Elephant's Breath and wanted a grey for the alcoves either side of the chimney breast. Didn't even get a tester pot, loved the colour on the chart, looked at various images on line and bought a big tin.

It looked chocolate brown on the wall. Definitely brown and not grey. Had to repaint.

Is it already a fait accompli? What would be involved in changing the cabinet colour now at this stage?

Thanks for the replies so far. Yes we are looking at the wall colour (which will be white) to make sure it is a cold white which throws cold light back onto the cupboards to make them more grey.

They have sent us some photos, which look ok, but photos don't tell you anything - depends on the light shot in, whether the camera was calibrated, whether the screen you are looking at it on was calibrated.

The room is south facing so will be very light. And it seems from the sample that the more light / sunlight there is around, the lighter and browner it looks. Whereas if it was a darker / north facing room it would look darker / greyer.

They say they need to speak to the painter, so we will chase up on this. I think it would be ok as is, but we are concerned enough that we need to know what the cost / time implications of changing it would be.

Anyone else got any bright ideas?

Can you get down to the factory to check them out in situ?

unfortunately not its 200 miles away

So your options are to accept them or get the painter to re-paint? Do you have an alternative colour in mind?

Yes, basically. If we repaint we'll either go for a darker greyer grey or a navy blue.

Or, if we get comfortable with it, we'll change the (French doors open onto) living room colour. It was supposed to be London stone, but with the way the light falls (kitchen south facing, living room north, there is an optical illusion that the London stone and Charleston Grey are the same colour. The idea was Toning in the same palette, not the living room walls (appear to) match the kitchen cabinets.

What's thrown us is it is both lighter and more brown than we thought. I think one or other we would have taken in our stride, but both....

Charleston grey is a funny one. I've had two kitchens painted in it. The first was in our previous x2 house 10 years ago.
The flooring was cherry timber so quite red. In the evening sunlight the units would look very well almost pink/blush colour. However as soon as you turned on electric lighting, then it would look grey

Our last house I also had a kitchen installed and painted it Charleston Grey. This looked grey in electric lighting and taupe during the day. Oak flooring and different orientation of windows.

Have a look at Little Greene Mid Lead colour.
If Naked Kitchens are colour matching using the Dulux service how about going for Dulux Trade Night Jewels 4? That's a lovely grey colour. And it doesn't change with different light sources.
I've recently had a bath exterior painted in that colour.
If you're looking for more of a taupe colour, try Dulux trade Terra Ombra. But this one may be too red toned for you again. Although it would go really well with London Stone.

I'd go and see it before you do anything.

I know it's 200 miles away but you could do a round trip in a day.

It sounds, from others experience like it's going to look different in different lights anyway and the same might happen if you change colour but that would be much more expensive.

Thanks all for your advice. they said a two week delay and a cost around 10% of the total to repaint. So not crazy, but significant money we can better spend elsewhere.

We have decide to stick with what we have. I think it can work, and look good. Possibly it will be more classic (good thing) than what we thought we were getting. I was worried the dark bottom / light upper cabinets look would date.

We will paint the living room a different colour to avoid it all looking the same. Any good suggestions for a nice warm, strong blue from Little and Greene please?

Hi were you happy with your colour in the end. Looking at this colour for our new kitchen! Thanks

@DougalTheCheshireCat

just using the chances of you actually seeing this post.

Sodding phone upping

The post is 6 years old !

re blues - love Juniper Ash by Little Greene

Hahaha ahhh thank you @JuneJubilee

@Sparkle880 you're welcome! I just assumed after6 years she probably wasn't checking on the thread for new messages!🤣🤣

but if @DougalTheCheshireCat wants to update! That would be great... maybe even a photo or two 😊