A couple weeks back I asked for y’all’s help on decorating my stairwell.
You were amazing with your responses.
My stairwell isn’t decorated yet, but I’m still mulling over all your ideas.
I thought it might be fun to ask for reader submissions and let everyone help out on decorating another space!
The first one up is Hope’s Kitchen.
Let’s start with her color scheme ideas and inspiration.
She knows she wants these colors:
However, instead of that darkest brown, she would like a soft buttery yellow, kind of like this one…
Hope says: “I’m in love with French country. A touch of industrial. And a touch of blue.”
Her exact words for this space above were “Love, love, love.”
She is also a fan of the red and yellow combination in this kitchen above.
And the red and yellow in this kitchen.
Alright, so there’s her inspiration. This is her current kitchen. Keep in mind, she is in the process of a renovation!
She is going to make this dresser her kitchen island:
Isn’t that such a cool idea? She doesn’t know what color to paint it though!
She also knows that her kitchen countertops will look like the island countertop in this photo:
That wood will be on both her island and other countertops. She also knows she will have a beadboard backsplash.
Her biggest dilemma is figuring out what paint colors to use where.
So, what do you guys think?
She wants a red, buttery yellow, and neutral toned space – what colors should go where?
My first thoughts are to paint the cabinetry white, the island red, the beadboard backsplash yellow and the walls one of the neutral colors.
Leave your opinions in the comments!
Need more kitchen ideas?
How to Make Laminate Counters Look Like Soapstone – I did it and it’s easy!
DIY Kitchen Island Ideas – ideas for creating your own kitchen island that you probably haven’t thought of!
DIY Kitchen Banquette – build your own banquette!
10 DIY Countertop Makeovers – makeover those countertops on a budget!
You know you don’t wanna miss any of this crazy.
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Vivian says
Why paint the cabinets? They already look French country to me. Lighten up the countertops, add that fantastic island in red, and paint the walls the buttery yellow. Add in some blue and red accessories….
Vivian says
Looking at wrong picture! I take it all back!
Marianna says
White cabinets, for sure, at least on the uppers. The other neutral could possibly be black? and do that on the lowers, island red absolutely and yellow on walls. OR
lower cabinets yellow too? hmmm Blue here and there…great French Country look!
I’m still struggling with mine! It is easier to help someone else decide.
Hope Williams says
Yes it is! Great options, thank you!
Shelley says
I think the walls painted a very faint buttery yellow, the cabinets painted white or possibly slightly glazed if she wants a more rustic French look, and the dresser island red would look amazing. I would use some red buffalo check or red ticking stripes as accent fabric for curtains. I think the bead board painted the same as the cabinetry will look more seamless and fresh. 🙂
Hope Williams says
Liking your suggestion a lot!
Cindy says
I really like your idea. If she wanted a lot of white she could have the beadboard white too and then paint the walls the yellow. I was also wondering since she liked the one picture so well if she should paint the walls red too (if she goes for the yellow beadboard).
Keep us posted…sounds like a fun project!
teresa says
buttery color on top cabinet and for a neutral would go with about 3 shades darker than the top cabinets for the bottom cabinets ,island definitely red for a pop of color and the backsplash would be light gray …good luck am now working on the home we just bought and working on colors also for kitchen
Hope Williams says
Loving your suggestion of a darker yellow on bottom.
Ann C says
I love your ideas. I have yellow living room walls and just added some wedding pictures in grey frames to the wall. Love the grey/yellow combo.
Monica VandeWerken says
Try to picture this: island and lower cabinets buttery yellow, upper cabinets white, walls neutral color, and accessories in reds and blues. That way if you get tired of the bold colors, just change the accessories.
Hope Williams says
Great suggestion! Except red is my SOUL color!
Vicki McNabb says
I don’t understand the bead board as a back splash. That is too much wood for me. I’ve seen some self-adhesive metal tin ceiling tiles that look elegant. I tried to copy and paste a picture here but it didn’t work. You can google it under self adhesive metal ceiling tiles though. Some of them are already decorated and some you can paint. They have beautiful detail. I love the picture you have posted and since you have it as your source, I figure you must love it too. It has just the right amount of red. Chair covers to match the kitchen valences might be nice as opposed to the plaid. I do like the plaid though. I believe the dresser painted red for your island would be really nice as would the wood counter tops. Wood floors would be nice too, but again, this is a lot of wood which is why I think something different for the back splashes would give it a pop of something different. I guess I’m drawing from my own experience. I had bead board back splashes in my kitchen and I found myself wanting to replace it almost immediately. Well, those are my ideas for what they are worth. I didn’t realize I was so opinionated! Hopefully not offensive.
Hope Williams says
Not at all opinionated. I’m lost and that’s why I need help. As far as beadboard, it will be painted. Tin tiles are not an option right now. Which pic do you mean?
Molly Burwell Heaney says
Paint the island the butter color. leave the beadboard a shade of white…not cheap five gallon bucket of white, white, but something softer… perhaps and the cabinets could be either the same lovely soft white that would blend with that soft butter yellow… then with the golden tones of the wood picking up the butter yellow, pop it out with that rich rustic red in soft touches in fabrics such as upholstery, curtains, towels, crap that goes on the counter? that toaster and coffee pot? make the soft fabrics and accent colors blend with THAT red so that the rest of your natural born life isn’t spent trying to make that red stand mixer look like it belongs. ( Life is too short to spend it putting away stand mixers.) That is going to be a phenomenal room one of these days! good luck!
Hope Williams says
Thank you. Yeah, not a red toaster, mixer, blender kind of girl. I am using a red grain sack fabric for under my sink. No curtain or valance as of yet.
Patty says
I think the Island done in a beautiful red with a glaze over it would be gorgeous, and the upper cabinets painted white, and the lower cabinets in a buttery yellow and the walls in the same yellow. I’m not sure about the bead board backsplash, I think I would paint it white and inset a few blue tiles to give you a splash of blue. I think whatever you do it will be beautiful with the colors you want to use.
mary ballerin says
I like red in a kitchen but I also like the color green of old milkshake makers in restaurants, in a lighter shade, for the cabinetry – light green cabinets (glazed?) and red small appliances, linens, etc. I have failed twice with yellow kitchen walls, I didn’t learn the first time. Maybe a buttery yellow backsplash is enough and I agree that beadboard is too much wood. I’d do a diagonal subway or other shape of yellow tile backsplash. Neutral, light walls, in a greige or putty. Keep is light and bright. Red and green are great colors for a food zone. I like the wood countertop but a little goes a long way. The flooring could have a tint of blue to bring all of the French colors together – I can envision some great fabric that contains all of these colors in a wonderful print for cushions or chair/stool upholstery. Good luck!