Picking a cabinet colour is the part of the job most homeowners find hardest. It's a big surface in the room you use most, and it has to work with things you're not changing. Here's how we help clients narrow it down.
Start with what's staying. Your countertops, floor and backsplash aren't going anywhere, so the colour has to work with them. Hold samples right against the countertop, not across the room. Warm countertops with beige or gold veining look best with warm whites, creams and greiges; cool grey or white quartz pairs better with crisp whites, cool greys and blues.
Look at your light, at different times of day. Montreal winters are long and grey, and a colour that looks fresh in July can feel cold in January. North-facing kitchens pull colours cooler, so a slightly warmer tone usually looks better. South- and west-facing kitchens can handle cooler colours. Check samples in the morning, the afternoon, and under your evening lights.
Understand undertones before you pick a white. There are hundreds of whites, and the difference between them is undertone — yellow, pink, green or blue. A white that's too cool can look clinical; one that's too warm can look yellowed next to white appliances. Comparing whites side by side makes the undertones obvious.
Consider two-tone if you want colour without the risk. Light perimeter cabinets with a deeper island — navy, forest green, charcoal — give a kitchen personality while keeping the room bright. If you tire of the island colour in a few years, it's a small area to change.
Choose the sheen as carefully as the colour. Matte and super-matte finishes look soft and modern and hide small imperfections, but they show fingerprints more. Satin is the most forgiving everyday choice. Semi-gloss and gloss are the easiest to wipe clean and give a more traditional or high-end look, but they show every flaw in the surface underneath.
Finally, see it on a real cabinet. A small paint chip under store lighting tells you very little. We spray a sample on a cabinet surface so you can see the real colour and sheen in your own kitchen before we commit.
Ready to pick a colour? Call AMF Coatings at (514) 249-7360 — colour consultation is included with every full cabinet painting job.