Expensive mistake

[TheRedWoman]

I've come on here to cry as DH isn't sympathetic at all. Dream extension / kitchen almost complete, work top installed today and it isn't what I was expecting.

It's quartz so an expensive mistake. It's much greyer in RL than the sample and just doesn't work with the units colour wise. The wall colour doesn't help, DH is currently painting various samples to find a better colour.

I am gutted. Was very nervous about getting the quartz wrong so said to DH on numerous occasions 'shall we just go for laminate, then we can change it in the future'. Apparently he thought I was joking.

Without sounding dramatic, it's ruined the kitchen. At the minute I can't see the change of wall colour helping much. I'm so cross DH didn't take my concern seriously and really consider a laminate.

Sorry, I know this is a first world problem but I just need to get it off my chest.

Have you definitely been sent the right work top? Wrong one not ordered?

I have light grey with darker flecks through it corian worktops with white high gloss units.

It looked very sparse with white walls, it takes tiles or a colour to pull it together.

Id repaint your units in white and it will look much cleaner and crisp.

Have you thought about a sage green colour for the walls?
Might be worth trying? So on the grey side but will stand out from the tops. Then you could use brighter accessories on the work top (bread bin, kettle etc) in red or a mustard yellow as above, I think that could look quite nice? (Your kitchen and extension look lovely by the way)

I think it looks gorgeous - the off white and grey is really gorgeous, very classic & French looking. You just need some coloured accessories/tiles to bring it alive and help the worktop and units blend together. It's v stressful getting work done - stop blaming yourself and lay off DH too. The number if dramas I had when getting my kitchen put in which I could care less about now as its a lovely space to live in. I actually have similar units to you and light grey walls, which I wasn't sure sbout at first, but now I have lots of deep orange accessories it looks fab.

I was gonna suggest mustard for the walls - def goes with cream and grey.

Is duck egg blue out of favour at the moment? I think that would be a complimentary colour for your walls?

Sorry, WiFi failed me and I had to go up and vote. Here are pics in very bad (almost dusk) light and slapdash paint job. Light grey on far left, white in the middle (not good) and dark grey on the right.

I quite like it but it's all a bit bland. My kitchen is similar (much cheaper though) with cream cupboards and a beigy worktop and it's all a bit blah. It's a new build and I didn't get to choose the kitchen so at least I can blame somebody else though! I'm going for a dark sagey green colour to lift things. I reckon a navy would look lovely in yours. I agree that it's a bit grey-and-cream-must-never-be-seen (if that was a thing!) but it's got a bit of a vintagey colour scheme to my eye, maybe you could exploit that?

Either way, it's still nicer than my kitchen!

Just seen your pics! I don't think grey works really, I definitely think you need something brighter to lift things.

The picture illustrates just how different the units look in this light, the wall units do look cream at the moment. My dad is our electrician and I am cursing him for not doing the second fix sooner.

I really do appreciate all your input, sorry I have not replied to you personally as yet.

I vote Sage green or duck egg blue on the walls.

Sage green metro tiles?

It looks weird, not hanging together. I would buy tiles in the same colour as the cupboard and work top and add three other colours and do a mismatch of tiling. So grey, cream, pale pink, dark grey, sage and then tile.

Thanks Sex, DH is trying his best to sort it. I'm not being a birch, promise.
He claims I never spoke to him seriously about the laminate option but I know I did.

I can't believe how grey the top is, we poured over samples for ours and discounted a mid grey as it just didn't work. I will speak to the company and see if there is a difference as we wouldn't have picked something so grey.

*hours

Something like this blue:

www.paintandpaperlibrary.com/blue-blood-door

Okay...I will buy some various blue and sage samples tomorrow and test them out. DH is convinced grey is best but I am not.

Tiling isn't an issue at this stage due to funds, maybe further down the line when our savings have recovered.

For those that asked we were going with kardean smoked oak flooring, but I am now having second thoughts about this too.

Sorry, I meant tiling isn't an option.

Mole, what did you hate so much?

Definetely go darker on your walls. And pick up with some really bright accents.

We did our kitchen on a budget, worth knowing that you get 3x value at topps tiles with tesco vouchers!

Makes a big difference to the price.

We spent a quite a lot of money having the floorboards fixed/ filled/ sanded/ polished when we did our house. They painted the stains I could choose from in the hallway and I had to choose in a rush so they could go and buy it that evening. There's no natural light in that part of the hallway so I didn't realise what the colour would look like in the south facing, patio-doored kitchen diner. I came home the next day and it was orange. Like 70s varnished pine furniture orange. I was gutted. Luckily it's faded slightly over the years, but it still annoys me every time I walk in the house!

I'm more pissed off at myself for allowing myself to be rushed, I'd be frustrated if I were you that you obviously spent so long making the decision and it's still not what you expected.

What are you putting on the floor?

Don't panic, this stage of a project is so deceiving and its difficult to get an idea of what it will look like at the end. It will look risky different once you get some lights in and different again once you get all your things on the surfaces etc.

I'd recommend not making a final decision on all colour till you have your lights in place so that you can get a good idea of what it will look like.

I've attached a couple of pics of similar colour units and Worktops which look great once they are lived in.

It sounds like you were gunning for a monochrome look. How about leaving it as is and accenting with a couple of these m.johnlewis.com/joseph-joseph-glass-worktop-saver/p/435629?sku=231948250&kpid=231948250&s_kenid=4b59ac44-a8b1-45b8-9485-2050cbfa6c8e&s_kwcid=404x1595579&tmad=c&tmcampid=73
And black worktop items such as kettle, chopping board etc. Plus do you have any wall space for some black and white art?

Its hard to tell from the pictures but it looks like the unit have a yellow tone to them so I think you need a colour with a yellow base to it rather than purples or other blue tones. I'd be tempted to look at yellow-based greens (sage might work but might be too blue - try a more lichen shade perhaps) or even a mustard like the scheme that someone else posted.

Other options would be to go strongly on the opposite side of the colour wheel and try a deep navy. Which kind of contradicts what I have already said. But of the other options you have tried, the darker colour seems to work best.

I think it'll all come together with the right paint/tiles on the walls - you might have to play with it a bit.

Duck egg blue, sage green or a pop of colour - orange or pink!

Might also be worth looking at your lighting - changing the bulbs can make a big difference