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.

[Ilovetea82]

Dulux have an app that you can use to test out different colours , might be helpful to narrow it down.
It looks fabulous and it will change a bit when you get the lighting sorted out.
My kitchen is a mint green colour that make it look like a dentist office, i hate it but it's been like that since 2012

[AppleAndBlackberry]

I love that heather colour with it, or the blue that a previous poster added. I think it will be beautiful with the right paint and accessories.

[TheRedWoman]

Thanks Margot, might give that Heather colour a whirl too while I am at it.

I wanted a classic, timeless look I guess. I think part of the issue is the mirror flecked quartz. It gives it a grey hue. I was orginally going for a more solid colour, but got swayed by the pretty sparkles.

I think it will change massively when the lighting is in, DH will hold fire until then with the paint. Plus it's all very stark at the moment, with nothing to soften it.

I just felt sick yesterday when I entered the room, not the reaction I thought I would have. Thanks you all for your input, I will update next week.

[VulcanWoman]

What a great space and kitchen. I think your expectations have been built up so much, this was bound to happen.

[Charlieiscool]

The worktop is lovely, you will love the light grey with subtle sparkles once everything is in place. It looks modern and sophisticated, you are just having a wobble. Trust your decisions, you are getting there.

[PolitelyDisagree]

The worktop looks a bit dull in the photos because of the light, I'm sure it looks a million times better and more sparkly in real life.

[Kitsmummy]

I think you should complain about the worktop if it's totally different. It's not right and a different coloured wall isn't going to make it right. If they won't change the worktop I think you should re-paint the units (you said they're painted didn't you?). Gutted but I'm with you...it's not right.

[notagiraffe]

Long term, you will be so glad your kitchen work surface isn't white:). It's very different from what you wanted but it's fine.

[CarpeJugulum]

I'd go for colour - maybe a terracotta or a warm colour that will counteract the grey of the work surface?

We have the same units in cream, with a dark worktop and have a beige/stone colour that works well.

[BeYourselfUnlessUCanBeAUnicorn]

I like it, I don't why there are so many replies agreeing with you tbh.

That damson colour looks nice and I think that would work. I really really don't like the grey walls in any shade.

I'd go back to howdens and say it isn't anything like the colour you actually ordered and you discounted grey but it's what you have ended up with. I'd do that before anything else because they might sort it out.

[TheRedWoman]

BeYourself the quartz isn't from from Howdens, we bought it from an independent supplier local to us. After googling it lots today, I do think the colour is accurate, we chose it based on a 10cm x 10cm square sample. Kicking myself I didn't see if I could view a slab of it.

My friend has been up today and kindly left me some paint charts and samples. She has also sent me some very re-assuring texts.
I do think PP are right, in my head I have built this up SO much after 10 years of waiting for it I have panicked that it doesn't look exactly like my 'vision'.

Regardless as to whether it was the right choice of top, it will look a million times better once furnished, flooring down etc. The irony is it will be cluttered with crap within a week, so you won't see the colour anyway!

Just got to get the wall colour right and the lighting in.

[origamiwarrior]

Aw bless you. I've been in your situation loads of time too - carpet colour, window size, thickness of built in bookshelves, floor tile pattern and also quartz worktop! The galling thing is not actually that you have the end result you have, but is that by simply making a different decision, you could have easily had it exactly as you wanted - wouldn't have cost any extra; might even have been cheaper. Oh yes, been there lots!

You need to ask yourself: would someone coming in to the room with no knowledge of your angst actually notice? Or of they did notice, would they think it was an intentional choice? I bet if you had posted the same photo, and said 'should I have upstands or not?', no one would have mentioned the colours - you would have had loads of admiring comments. Looking at the photos that ChishandFips has posted, it would seem that your colour combination is a popular choice!

I guarantee that providing you are in that category (where no one else would in fact notice, or if they did, they would think it was your intention) then you will get used to it. I no longer notice any of the 'huge mistakes' I made (except the window size - still a little raw but that will fade!)

Keep playing around with the paints, and don't feel you need to have the depth of colour people have suggested - the heather looks really good but you can get paler/greyer heathers than the examples linked to.

[TheRedWoman]

Thanks Origami, you are right, I don't think people will notice. The wall colour is the main issue. Toying with removing the upstand but concerned it will take the newly plastered wall with it. My mum has been out today and painted 6 different colour paints on cardboard for us to look at. And dad got a load of the lights in, so we may have them working by the end of the weekend. I know it will sort itself out, just hoping I like it in the end.

[CauliflowerBalti]

Definitely the heather colour suggested upthread...

[MargotLovedTom]

Is the cardboard brown, and if so won't that affect how the colours look? I've bought a roll of cheap lining paper in the past and painted squares of that when deciding between colours.

I definitely wouldn't start ripping off the upstands, and definitely wouldn't be repainting the units. I'm guessing they will have been professionally finished in the factory using spray gun techniques, and any DIY paint job with brushes or little rollers is never going to look as good. And who wants the hassle?!

I'm also irrationally overinvested and keeping my fingers crossed that you go for the heather colour I suggested .

[MargotLovedTom]

Oops just seen Origami post. Yes, the heather (Dusted Damson) in the link is quite dark, so that might not necessarily be the right one when it's quite a dark space in terms of natural light, but I think the heathery tones, whether pale or intense, would look fantastic.

I've never seen the appeal of that dark battleship grey a lot of people go for, such a gloomy, oppressive colour, and I think the professionally styled kitchens up thread, with the grey and off white colour schemes, look a bit insipid (although they're obviously very smart and high end etc). It's all about personal taste though.

[SexNamesRFab]

Do not, I repeat, do not repeat the upstands. It will not change the colour of the work tops and will fanage an expensive, well fitted kitchen. The bones of your kitchen is great OP, you just need to decorate it to suit you.

[SexNamesRFab]

I mean do not RIP OUT the upstands. Sorry I've had wine and am over invested.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Sage green will sort that out plus accessories. It's beautiful!

[FanSpamTastic]

Hi there. Dulux has a visualiser app that you can download. You can take a photo of the room you want to paint and then experiment with different colours on the walls. You can also take photos of fabrics or the work surface and get suggested paint colours that tone with it.

[PotatoHats]

OP I totally understand why you were so gutted and I can see what you mean in the photo because the worktop stands out so much BUT it is a lovely coloured work top and I am deeply envious of the sparkles. I want sparkles if we ever move!

I echo all the paint ideas (apart from terracota - sorry whoever suggested that) - I love the heather idea, super lush. I hope you will post some pics of the different colours you are trying out so we can live vicariously through your new kitchen

[gluenotsoup]

How about painting the walls the same shade as the units? I know it sounds bland, but I think at the moment the different shades are fighting with each other, and not helped by adding another colour. Then you could choose lot of accessories to lift it, with colour there. Maybe a lovely clock, a group of framed prints, a sparkly light fitting to complement the sparkly worktop, then I think it will be the timeless look you envisaged. If you Google images of high end ish kitchens, you will see examples of this. I think Tom howley kitchens show what I mean. It is lovely already, but just needs pulling together to look more than the sum of its parts if you know what I mean

[Batteriesallgone]

glue totally agree that could look super classy if accessorised well.

Also the joy of accessories is how easy they are to change when you get bored

[LIZS]

I think with good lighting , the reflection from stainless steel appliances onto work surface and strong colour accessories (teal perhaps) it will look very different. Is there a cooker hood to go in ?

[Thelovecats]

Embrace the pastels- ivory and grey are perfect for that colour scheme. Alternatively, I think this looks fab