Kitchen remodel - help with paint colors

[58limited]

As part of the continuing hurricane repairs, a work crew is currently tearing out the floor in the kitchen and breakfast area. This is a good time to finish the kitchen once and for all. The old wall paper is directly covering the original ship-lap, no dry wall at all. I'm going to take off the old 4' tile board and cover all of the walls with paneling (no grooves, just flat paneling). I'm going to use diamond pattern stainless steel as the backsplash behind the counters. Basically, the kitchen/breakfast area is heavy with black, white, and chrome. I need some color on the walls. I'm leaning towards turquoise and yellow, but might consider coral or even a light burnt orange. Maybe one color in the kitchen, another in the breakfast area. See pics on my website (link below) to see the kitchen as it is now. The floor will be the same as in the pictures: black and white checker.

Just curious to know everyone's color opinions. The kitchen has a 1940's, early 50's style, the house was built in 1936.

http://home.roadrunner.com/~limited58/kitchen.htm

 

[panthera]

Since the paint can wait

until the rest is done, I would. It would be simply dreadful to make the decision and then, just at the end of the renovation to find something perfect for either room and have it clash with the color you chose.
Of course, you can pick up any number of programs which will let you change the color of the walls, floors, etc. on the screen to experiment. They aren't perfect, but pretty good at eliminating impossible combinations.

 

[hydralique]

Consider a pale, creamy yellow; stay away from crisp or vibrant yellows because they'll look too harsh. I love turquoise but it's better suited to being an accent color than a wall color. An old trick is to use two variations on the same color if you have adjacent small spaces, with one color being a bit stronger than the other. That way they'll be completely complementary but one space will seem a bit warmer than the other.

Before making a final decision on the color, buy some pints and paint representative splotches on the walls. Then look at the splotches at different times of the day so you'll know how the color reads under different lighting conditions.

 

[jeffg]

Here's turquoise. Not sure what/where you had in mind for the yellow..

 

[jeffg]

Whoops sorry, forgot the dishwasher.

 

[dogboy44]

I had a thought

Jump in with both feet and complete the diner feel you have started
White walls, red trim
Ditch the 2nd fridge, and put in a juke box?
A vintage neon clock would be great
Quilted Stainless backsplash in a harlequin diamond pattern

A little more residential
Apple green walls with white trim
White subway tile with a dark grout with a ½” black feature strip about 1/3 of the way down. – This would be best with the silestone, keep it from looking to slick against the vintage look
Red accents – maybe do the rooster thing?

Or?
Pale buttery yellow, with a large print green Ivy wall paper same placement as you have now.
Same subway tile back spash
Turquoise accents – some canisters, fiesta ware or maybe the cabinets?

 

[58limited]

The turquoise looks good, thanks Jeff. I was thinking of keeping the cabinets white but that is not final.

You have some good ideas too, John. Lots to think about.

The quilted stainless back splash will go behind the counters but will also go behind the stove and fridge - floor to ceiling.

I'm finishing the tear out of the original floor - was under all the other layers (1 1/4" thick!) that the work crew tore out this morning. Its damp so it is really a good thing that I followed the insurance company's recommendation to tear everything out.

 

[whirlaway]

Colors

See if you can find some House & Garden magazines from that era! You would be surprised at how colorful Kitchens where in the 3os.A nice sunny yellow with white woodwork really brightens up a kitchen area.My house was built in 38 I stripped all of the cabinets and painted them white with Pale yellow walls and under the chair-rail is skyblue tile with the original white tile with dark blue marbling in it.Its really very cheerful and inviting.Good luck Bobby,Oh that rubber tile is on the floor with the marbling.

 

[mattl]

I don't understand the paneling, what type are you thinking? This is just the bottom half?

I really like that arch, that is one detail that needs to be played up.

 

[spankomatic]

I like the creamy yellow or gold colors for walls and cabinets. It needs some "warmth" to it. Cabinets can even be two tone. Center being one color,edges being another would give it some detail. Accent with some really neat wall paper. The exhaust fan is an eye sore.... I'd put a hood on it.

Jim

 

[58limited]

I don't understand the paneling, what type are you think

I'm not sure what they call this stuff, it is like paneling but there are no grooves cut into it like wood grain paneling. It is simply a flat wall covering. I just don't want to get into drywall: taping, mudding, etc. The lower half is old tile board and it has issues, so its coming out. I thought about replacing it since it goes with the time period, but I decided I want painted walls floor to ceiling.

I recently painted my office/laundry room yellow - I like it a lot so I'm leaning towards a softer creamier yellow for the breakfast area. I was thinking of painting the kitchen a different but complimentary color but I might simply use a different shade of yellow.

 

[58limited]

I found this web page that gives vintage color schemes and shows numerous pictures of kitchens, bathrooms, etc. from each decade starting with the 1920s and going through the 1950s. Scroll down all the way to near the bottom and click the links at the left.

http://www.antiquehome.org/site-map.htm

 

[58limited]

More pics

Here is the kitchen down to the subfloor. There were several layers: the ceramic tile on top, cement board under the tile, purple linoleum from the late 50s/early 60s, 1/2 plywood, another layer of linoleum, then the original floor. I measured: about 1 1/2 inches of flooring was removed. No rot in the kitchen even though there was dampness in between the last layer of linoleum and the original tile. There was evidence of a past dish washer leak but no rot there either.

 

[58limited]

old tile

Here is a pic of the old original tile. I like the pattern.

 

[58limited]

1940s linoleum

Gag, I don't like this at all. Notice the "newer" linoleum in the lower right.

 

[sdlee]

Nice

what youre doing so far is just awesome.Id like to see more cupboards over the stove and fridge (replicating the others ofcorse) or an open shelf there to display the things above the sink better and then those diplay areas closed in with doors

Some other suggestive changes, get rid of the roaster and put a square tub maytag washer there with a black roller and a red roller and a red emblem on the front. And I like the replace ment of the dinning room rfridge witha jukebox (more fun).
Not sure about what to suggest for the space of plywood above the sink, the neon clock idea appealls to me for that spot. or a long horizontal built in box to display vintage salt and pepper shakers.

wall papers would be hard to find what would be right. Instanly what comes to mind is something diner-y but you wouldnt want it to start looking too much like a reproduction diner. I wonder if you could find something mimicing the table tops of the era your table comes from, something with those geometric designs, like bommerangs and star burst and what not.

well wahtever you choose I hope youll upload, It looks great so far and is an exciting find. Good luck to you.

 

[sdlee]

some more thoughts....

if ya want them, that is......on that spanse of plywood above the sink I thkink Id just raise it and leave it plain but smaller.

Color scheeme, well if your looking for a do over and want to get away from the black and white I would go with a half way up wedgewood green and something with lemons on a creamy white background in the kitchen area and then the same in the dinning area only no walpaper just the plain creamy yellowish white on the upper half.God I wish I was having your fun.Hve you been on HGTVs rate my space site yet?

 

[mattl]

Paneling...

Ok, I see what you are talking about. Personally, I would look for something that's more authentic to the period. What was there originally? Not being familiar with the NO styles I can't comment but I would think bead board or perhaps even finishing the ship lap would be more in keeping with the rest of the kitchen.

I may be a budgetary issue, other than drywall, which is dirt cheap at the moment, most finishes are more pricey. I've had some water damage to my finished basement, very 1970's, and the insurance is paying to replace the entire ceiling. I'm doing the work my self so I will take the extra and drywall over the nice real oak paneling that is so dark. I plan on adding bead board and a chair rail on the lower portion to minimize the amount of drywall finishing I have to do. Those panels are running about $20 up here in MI. You might consider those.

Drywall is not hard to do, and there are tricks you can use to hide sloppy joint work if you do it your self, but in your case it might give you a better base to really show off that great space and that interesting arch.

 

[polkanut]

This store in New York has vintage linoleum for sale

http://www.secondhandrose.com