Help! What colour walls?!

[ButtfaceMiscreant]

I want to call upon the hive mind if I may.

We are in the process of having a light grey, shaker style kitchen put in, and we were going to have cream walls (seaglass tiles, mid-dark wood laminate worktops) but the decorator has asked if we want to put another colour in or just go white instead. So now I am stumped. What would/have you gone for in this situation?

We have American copper handles and copper pendant lights, if that makes a difference, plus white ceiling/above the picture rail/woodwork.

Many, many thanks in advance!

I'd go for white with light grey cabinets.
It'll go nicely with the copper handles etc.

Cream will look dirty next to pale grey - I would go for white too.

Even with white ceiling, above the picture rail and the picture rail itself? Is that not too much white?

Is it a large room?

If you really want to use a colour how about using white with a hint of the seaglass colour? If necessary use a paint mixed by Dulux.

It is now a large room as knocked too together. I have been pondering all evening and I think we may go with white but use a light grey on picture rail and other woodwork, and the radiators. It's so hard making a decision without really being able to see the end result before it happens! Thank you for your input everyone, it was really helpful

Without knowing what the room looks like it is hard to make suggestions. Like the idea of using grey for the picture rail.

Another idea is to paint the space between the picture rail and ceiling grey. I am wary of using too much grey but if its a large room and you use other colours and textures, it might work.

I like the idea of white as a contrast, however i used pale dove grey in mine with a light grey shaker & a white ceiling & it looks stunning. Have used white worktops to tone it down and an offwhite floortile 👌🏽

Pale Dove Grey from Laura Ashley

Cream and grey doesn't look right in my eyes however many think it does so yeah it's up to you personally I'd go with white

Been looking online I love the copper white looks very clean and fresh however a soft rose would brighten it up even if you had the wall where the oven is a soft rose and the others white x

This is one half of the room, so you can see the colours I am working with. The other half I haven't got a photo of at the moment but it's a line of units top and bottom (with the tiles) then a chimney breast with cast iron fireplace and a blank alcove by the window. So only really have 2 blank walls which will have an Ikea storage unit/clock and mirror on them so won't stay blank.

Soft rose sounds lovely but might be the same issue as the cream in that it adds another colour. I think I will go with white walls and grey woodwork; as DH says we won't see a lot of the bare wall but he agrees with me the woodwork will need to be a different colour.

We are disagreeing, however, on whether the radiator needs to be white or grey (there are two, with a window sill and skirting boards above and below which are both to be grey). Any thoughts?

This is one half of the room, so you can see the colours I am working with. The other half I haven't got a photo of at the moment but it's a line of units top and bottom (with the tiles) then a chimney breast with cast iron fireplace and a blank alcove by the window. So only really have 2 blank walls which will have an Ikea storage unit/clock and mirror on them so won't stay blank.

Soft rose sounds lovely but might be the same issue as the cream in that it adds another colour. I think I will go with white walls and grey woodwork; as DH says we won't see a lot of the bare wall but he agrees with me the woodwork will need to be a different colour.

We are disagreeing, however, on whether the radiator needs to be white or grey (there are two, with a window sill and skirting boards above and below which are both to be grey). Any thoughts?

(Sorry for the double post, my phone didn't like having to post a photo!)

White. White white white!!! White woodwork too, not any kind of colour. Ever.

Why no colour on woodwork, Trucking? Would it not need something to break it up a bit?

I'd go white too and bring some colour in with your nick nacks.

Well, look, decor can only ever be personal taste, so you go with what you love (I'm assuming you've looked on line at grey kitchens for ideas) but I just think woodwork should only ever be white. That said and in total contradiction to what I've previously said, dark grey walls can look really good in grey kitchens.

I agree with you on the woodwork aspect, I think white looks best, just worried it will be too white if the walls and woodwork and radiators are white. I guess I just need to stop fretting and remember I can change it at a later date if we don't think it works for whatever reason, especially from a base of white paint!

I have spent far too long looking at photos of other grey shaker style kitchens which I think is clouding my view! Thank you for your help

love your tiles!

I think white would be perfect

Thank you serbska! We have geometric ones up behind the hob which I especially love - they're the Attingham range from Topps Tiles.

We have gone for white all round after talking with the decorator

Can I just be a bit critical? Do you only have a central light fitting? I would think it will give shadows when the light is behind you and you are working at the sink. I have multiple lights in my kitchen so each zone has direct light. Can you get more lights added in? Or have a i not spotted them?

Paint the radiator the same colour as the wall it's on - you want it to blend in rather than stand out unless it's designed to be a feature.

We will have more pendant lights plus lights under the wall units, they just haven't got that far yet! That's the old fitting still in situ.

I would stick with white as there aren't many bare walls. Love the tiles too.