Help choosing a colour for kitchen cabinets: blue/green/grey (F&B)

[LeeMiller]

We have decided to paint our own kitchen cabinet doors. We will either paint ourselves or ask the carpenter making the doors to paint them for us. The consensus seems to be that Eggshell is the best finish. We are in Italy where the 'eggshell' finish is not a thing so the choice is limited: Farrow & Ball eggshell or 'Fleur' (also water-based).

I am feeling overwhelmed by the choice of F&B colours. We'll order samples but I can't afford to order half the chart! So I would really appreciate it if anyone with experience/excellent taste could help me narrow the list down... We like blue-green (not too apple-y) or blue-grey: fresh, not too 'country' and warm-toned. It's a south facing room and will receive strong Mediterranean sunlight.

Other relevant info: floors are oak, work surface is oak butchers block, white farm sink, white tiles and white walls (Pure Brilliant), shaker style doors, brass handles. Cabinets only on one wall (base cabinets with a couple of wall cabinets over the sink) so not dominant - other furniture is wooden or off-white. Room is small so we'd like something quite subtle that doesn't feel heavy but still has enough contrast with the tiles and sink to prevent blandness, and which doesn't make the oak look orangey.

If you're still reading, any thoughts on the following?
Pale Powder (possibly our first choice but I'm worried it would pull too white/green)
Teresa's Green
Borrowed Light
Light Blue
Blue Grey
Cromarty
French Grey
Purbeck Stone
Pavillion Grey
Mizzle
Vert de terre

I've ruled out:
Hardwick White (too white)
Parma Grey (too blue)
Pigeon (too dark and murky)

I second reading traditionalpainter.com especially this page and this one. Just do exactly as Andy says . You use a small foam roller and a good quality brush to "lay off" to get a smooth finish. You will have a week of doors propped up on bits of wood everywhere in a dust free room but TBH that's the price of saving a load of money on a new kitchen. It was a really satisfying project.

The great thing about painting your own is (obviously you keep the tin) its not a big deal if you do need to touch up. We used primer, oil undercoat and 2x coats LG oil eggshell and apart from one poor corner bashed whilst moving the sofa, everything else is perfect 3 years later and can even be cleaned with CIF. I painted my wardrobes in Dulux diamond eggshell (waterbased) and whilst it was quick and easy, it just doesnt have that velvety finish and seemed somehow to make a thinner coating.

Thanks Abraid. Interesting reading. I'm hoping F&B would be ok as it's on raw (correct term?) wood, so not a problem surface.... LG does sound like it would be more hardwearing/easier to apply.

Thanks Raisingsteam. Do the touched up bits notice? I always thought paint fades so you'd have to repaint totally.

Do you know of any companies using LG for painted furniture/kitchens with photos available? I can't find many photos of rooms/furniture painted with LG and a lot of their colours seem very saturated compare to F&B , but that might just be on the chart. Drizzle is nice though.

I noticed that the traditional painter mentions that "Eggshell finishes especially Exterior grades, are great for a kitchen environment" and that Martin Guest Traditional Painter Worcestershire uses F&B exterior eggshell for kitchens... are there reasons why this wouldn't be a good idea? Maybe it would have a more durable finish?

Photos 4 & 5 on this link is kitchen cabinetry painted in Teresa's Green eggshell. I cheekily asked the owner when I viewed it, because it wasn't the right house for us, but I loved her kitchen.

We have borrowed light , pale powder and Theresa's green in our house and they are lovely . We also have a very light green kitchen in a south facing room which has a lot of light and it looks great. I would say very close to pale powder which I find def green, very subtle but no blue. Borrowed light is def blue and Theresa's green somewhere between the two! And agree F&b egg shell is expensive crap but don't think you can beat the colours . Does that help?!

TBH I imagine a lot of the durability is in the prep, undercoat and painting. I would not choose solely on cost, compared to effort of repainting it's not that much. I guess if someone is sold on Farrow and ball colours then those must be the more durable eggshell finishes.

Personally I cannot tell where we touched up when I had to change a couple of handles, I painted the whole "panel" but no way the whole kitchen! Maybe less obvious in the light colours.

The LG palette overall is lighter and fresher but I felt they still had a fair choice of off whites and vintage colours. Our kitchen is Tracery II.

If it's any consolation I agonised over the decision for ages too, collecting dozens of charts and testers! Sounds like you have some options.

Thanks for the link Jyn! What a lovely kitchen! And much paler than I thought TG would be.

Thanks Raising and allthekingsshoes! Not sure my samples list is any shorter... and I've just ordered a Little Greene sample card... keeping my options open .

In terms of South facing rooms it seems like it basically makes everythng look paler and greener, correct?

I'm struggling to remember, it was a while back, but I think it has come out significantly paler in the photos than it actually was.

But it was a light, south facing room, and looked great. Not Mediterranean levels of light, though.

Personally I think you need one of the stronger colours on your list.

Thanks Jyn. They really need to be seen in the flesh I guess. So it's sample time! And I think you're right... bright light probably needs more saturated shades, so maye teresa's green rather than pale powder.