I'm not a fan of much white, either, and it looks like you have plenty of light with all those windows, so what about gloss black?

How about a nice creamy beige? or is that too much beige with the walls...are you going to paint the walls at all?

The kitchen should stay neutral, and colour accents come from bowls, fruit, that sort of thing. You don't want to get tired of a colour, and strong colours tend to wear you down after awhile. I would paint the bottom cabinets a dark charcoal (dark grey) and the top cabinets white. I painted out my tiles, right over the grout, and it looks good, but I had to do about 4 coats so it didn't look painted. That's just to hold me over while I save for real tile! You might want to paint your walls a different colour too. A really soft white with a hint of yellow in it to keep it warm might look really fresh. Once again, colour should come from the curtains, the cushions, the more transient pieces in a room.

Paint the cabinets the same color as the wall, to blend everything together. You have a LOT of cabinets there!

Or chalkboard black, so you can just write your grocery lists and to-do lists on the cabinets.

Or maybe slate gray, but only if you're also planning on painting the walls. I can't see the gray working with that creamy color; they'd have to be more white.

I like maia's advice. There are a lot of cabinets and using two different colors would break up the monotony.

Give me a minute to get over being jealous of all that cabinet space.... Are there cabinet on the island too? Ok, one more minute.

I think gloss black would look good, if you wanted to go light I've been feeling a super light green lately (see Behr's hint mint). Either way I'd consider adding a set of glass cabinet doors or removing a pair completely.

I couldn't disagree with maia254 more, but it's really a matter of preference. If you love color, you won't get tired of it. But you really have to love color. My kitchen has been these colors: http://tinyurl.com/37ufjh for 5 years, and I love it more now than I did when I first painted it.

Charcoal gray!

i agree with dark charcoal gray - i worked for a designer who painted some tacky honey-colored faux-tuscan cabinets from a previous owner a glossy dark gray, and the whole kitchen looked sleek and gorgeous. i wish i could post a photo.

you might also paint the bottom cabinets a darker color and then the top cabinets a light color that matches the walls, to break up the sheer amount of wood you have going.

if you want to go nuts, all super dark navy, including the walls and ceiling, would be sexy as hell with some rope lighting for under cabinet lights. but it's a major undertaking.

i agree with a nice gray... i like white painted cabinets but you already have a lot of white going on there, and i think black cabinets look nice too... but then your white appliances would REALLY stand out.

From a color junkie, i agree with NoShowMo. Go with color. Black would feel oppressive in such a large quantity, imo. Grey is a beautiful sleek color but only if you get the absolutely correct shade. If I owned your space (if only, sigh) I would probably look at yellows. I know it's potentially very hack but you could never really be bummed out with that superb red showing on the outside of the cupboards and a very yummy yellow to contrast. I agree that painting the lower cabinets a darker color is a great look. And it gives a nice organized feeling to the room.

Btw, with a bit of reading some how-to's on tiling, you could probably remove the black pieces and replace them with something you like better relatively easily. I've seen individual tiles removed on some show once upon a time. They are standard sizes, as long as the depth of the tile is the same, so you could pop in some contrasting color you love for basically the cost of your own labor.

I was going to say almost the same thing as maia254 and a few other people, paint the bottom cabinets a color (I was thinking medium gray, but dark gray is good too) and the top cabinets white. I think these colors would look better with the countertops and backsplash. Also paint the walls a different color. (I think using black on the cabinets would look too black&white matchy with the blacksplash.) Also maybe add some hardware to the cabinets. I like your white appliances, I am sick to death of the fake stainless steel in every kitchen (including mine).

I too agree with the dark gray/blueish gray for the bottom cabinets and white/lighter shade of gray/that-mustard-yellow-that-complements-gray for the top. If your budget allows, why don't you consider replacing some of the solid wood cabinet doors on top with glass ones? That might serve to break up the monotony as well.

I would leave the cabinets as is, and paint the beige walls (too much beige/tan, the cabinets and the wall don't go together!) and switch out the countertops. Maybe white subway-tile?

I don't know, haven't reno'd a kitchen ever.
Wood is out, since there's already the cabinets,
I personally dislike granite & marble,
formica would look cheap here
metal would make a kitchen this large look like an industrial kitchen...

From the moment I saw your photo I thought grey too. I like the previous suggestion of grey on bottom and white on top. What colour are the floor tiles, can you pick a grey or it looks like maybe they have a deep blue in them, that could look quite sleek too, and keep the uppers white.

Black, with those black and white tiles might look too kitschy (sic).

gray gray gray

check out this house tour. benjamin moore stone on the bottom cabinets:

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/kitchen-tours/kitchen-tour-a-lovely-before-from-rena-and-derek-071728

Espresso brown!

First and foremost clean! I know you said it's an older picture, but take everything off of the fridge and most everything off the countertop. You have a very open kitchen so all of the accessories look like clutter.

As far as the cabinets go, I would go with white since your appliances are white. If you throw in a dark color and/or black and grey it will really make your white appliances stand out. If you go with a yellow your kitchen (along with the red "bar" area) will look like a McDonalds.

I would carry on the red to the walls above the cabinets (maybe in a lighter shade). This would give you a red, white and a touch of black for a color combo. Good luck!

Grey would help bring out the grey in your floor tiles, and tone down the beige in them. Darker grey on the bottom, lighter on the top.

You might get away with dabbing the black tiles with some silver model paint. It will tone down the black, and give it a "stone" look.

The four cabinets on the left......glass doors, or remove the doors and have open shelving there...display your dishes and such.

The three windows on top......do they need to be covered? I'd leave them bare to let in lots of light and give some dimension above the cabinets.

The window above the desk.....I'd use a different treatment, entirely...maybe a matchstick or roman shade. That window isn't part of the dining area, and the short matching curtains just make that areal look very out of place.

The dining area windows......you don't have enough drapery for the width of those windows. Even if you never close the drapes, it should look like there's enough fabric to do so.

A quick and cheap fix is super-wide sheers from Domestications.com http://tinyurl.com/p22hpd I think the claret red would look great, and will help pull together all the grey and beige.

Another great source for window treatments at a bargain is JCPenny's online outlet.

Then take your old curtAins and make slip covers, or recover, your dining chairs.

I would go two tone. A dark charcoal or black on the bottom cabinets, white on the top ones. You might also try having some of the upper cabinet doors cut so you can insert glass or wire in the middle (be sure to paint the interiors if you do this).

lower cabinets: gray (the concensus is spot on)

upper cabinets: white

I think that a sage green might really off-set the white/black tile. Maybe some black hardware.

I don't have advice for color selection... but I do think dark cabs on the bottom, lighter on top would provide visual interest.

Rather, I am here to convince you to take the miniblinds off the little window above your upper cabs.

Please.

I guess it is a pet peeve of mine when people cover every little sliver of window - especially those that were obviously put there for visual interest and to provide NATURAL LIGHT!! (I'm guessing they weren't your doing - they were there when you got the house)
But good gravy - whoever built the house went to extra lengths to provide a source of natural light on a wall that wouldn't otherwise have windows at all - and judging from their height I can't imagine they give any peeping toms access to seeing anyone cooking bacon naked!

Why not paint the walls red like the color of the island in the foreground?

I'm so glad the plants are gone! ;) Also: GLOSS BLACK!!! I think this will help to make the tile look bangin'. If you were feeling particularly adventurous, you could also play with adding some sort of texture/design to the center of the cabinets (i.e., with wallpaper or funky prints that have been coated with polyurethane, or a bright pop of color, etc.).

Please post 'after' pics!

bj

totally agree with clickchick

those miniblinds MUST go.

hey, check out this neat option for covering the backsplash until you can afford an overhaul
http://lowescreativeideas.com/idea-library/videos/Tin_Tile_Backsplash_0309.aspx

I think I agree with the consensus...slate gray on the bottom cabinets white or lighter gray on top.

Also agree that the clutter on top of the cabinets/fridge has got to go. And maybe try grouping items on the counters instead of spacing them out. It's more than ok to have long empty spaces on your counters/against your backsplash, you don't have to spread things out.

My suggestion – Loose the plants, loose the blinds. Take away ugly tile splash back. Paint cabinets white or a light neutral. Find an interesting tile (maybe in green) for the splashback. All of that would really freshen it up.

I would only recommend grey units if you paint the walls in a much lighter colour, although I do think the grey and white will look fab with the red. I would also recommend very light curtains in a warm white, and I think the curtain rods would look better in white.

If you elect to keep the wall colour, I would recommend a warm, white colour with a drop of black - maybe S1005-Y or something thereabouts. It will lighten everything up and make it more modern! Loose the blinds and add a few red accent pieces and a big plant or some herbs somewhere, to make it come more alive. Good luck!

For your tiles: A tip I learned from an ancient BHG magazine is to find small, compatible-with-your-color-scheme mosaic style tiles, possibly a cheap overstock. Carefully hammer out some of the tiles, in your case probably the black ones. Scratch out all the old glue. Put new tile glue in and glue in the mosaic tiles. You'll probably want a grid of nine small tiles. Then grout with a compatible grout. The mosaics can add a real upgrade for not a lot of money.

You can also use shattered color tiles, ceramics, pottery, smalti, compatible with your design.

clickchick, you are so right. I didn't even notice those were windows above the cabinets. That is my pet peeve too--particularly blinds over non-opening casement windows, like the kind that often flank a fireplace in an older home.

Refinish and stain them very dark - would be a good contrast against all the white. If you must paint, go glossy black.

My most favorite kitchen had cabinets stained in weathered barn red, with pale gray walls. With your white counters and appliances, the existing black and white tiles, the red would give you oomph but not be overpowering. The floor tiles would compliment the gray walls and tie it all together.

If you have the time and are willing to put in the effort, consider stripping the cabinets and refinishing them in another stain. You can get stain and finish options ideas by simply visiting any kitchen cabinet showroom or hardware store carrying woodworker's supplies.

I don't know about painting over tile. Is that expensive? Or do you need a professional to make sure its done well?

I was going to suggest a rosemary green, but the concensus seems to be for a gray. But instead of a charcoal gray maybe a french gray or battleship gray. Something really rich.

I think you should consider if you really need so much closed cabinet space. I think the space will feel lighter if you remove the cabinets that are above the red bar area and replace them with two or three long open wooden shelves where you can put colorful objects. A big work of art would be great above the shelves since you have such terrific ceiling height. You could also paint the shelves to add a little color (I keep thinking a bright, warm yellow and that you could repaint the red bar a soft green - then you could put flowy yellow curtains with a big cheerful print in the breakfast nook)

I agree with the consensus to paint the bottom cabinets (on the far wall) a soft slate blue/grey color that is in your floor tiles and to paint your walls and top cabinets a warm white that matches with your appliances and backsplash. Also, the cabinet that houses your oven could have a pop of color or would be a good place for chalkboard paint.

I think that would brighten it up!
Good luck - post your finished pics!

First WOW, great looking huge kitchen. I am also glad the plants are gone, I saw them and cringed.

Right now I live with ugly painted cabinets from a previous renter who decided they didn't like wood grain.
Please consider striping and staining them a darker color. Some dark mahogany or cherry would add some color and wood grain would add cool texture to your kitchen.

Personally I would try changing the wall color first, it would probably be easier than painting ALL those cabinets. But I'm also not a big fan of beige. A sage green would look really nice (if you repaint the red to). Or continuing that red on the further onto the wall would look cool.

Someone mentioned putting glass doors on a few of the cabinets. I think that is a great idea, as long as your cabinets are relatively neat, it will really lighten up the space. All those cabinets are very visually heavy.

mmmm...ok, i agree with some of these posts: black or grey would be very sleek. But! if you're adventurous and like color: I would totally go with the red that is in the foreground.

If I had this much storage space (and ohh, how I'd love it), I would use a lot of it as display.

My advice would be to remove the top cabinet doors and leave those open, then paint those white. That way the white wouldn't be overpowering and it would tie in nicely with your tile for the time being. It would also force you to keep your kitchen nice and organized (and happy!).

I'd also suggest painting the lower cabinets a darker color. Grey makes things look sleek and clean, but a black would work also, with maybe some silver knobs or something.

I'm also not a huge fan of the bar being painted red. Is it a transition into a red living space? Could you paint it a different color that would work better with the kitchen and still tie into the living area?

If budget allows, I would also replace your breakfast nook curtains with something less heavy. You could even make these yourself with some pretty, bright fabric and a few stitches. Good luck!

Hey, if you still hate the tile and want to change it, did you just paint over the ucky tiles you don't like? Oil based paint is the best suggestion, and with a little prep work like sanding and priming, you can get new looking tiles in no time!

I would paint the walls behind the cabinets...maybe in the same red.

this is my idea for your kitchen... http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3387/3572854611_7c95a2b1cb_o.jpg the gray like almost everyone said could be a really cool and elegant color but in your case I would like to add another shade for the doors in this case a light green-gray. I also would like to darken the red wall to an almost black-red hue and as a second step I would once the budget is availble you could change the tiles and countertops for something like stainless steel or a solid surface like corian...

Restain a dark shade or paint them black.

A friend just painted her cabinets dark raisin or something like that from valspar. Paired with a very pale grayish green wall color your kitchen could really come alive.
Oh, and I also lust after the amount of space/ lay out of your kitchen. Someday.....

I'd paint the lowers (and the wall behind the peninsula which is currently red) Charcoal Grey and the uppers a Dove grey.

Yellow Yellow Yellow. Paint the cabinets and the above walls yellow! It will pair well with the black and white and match the red of the bar as well.

I think by continuing the color from the cabinets to the ceiling, it will make the room seem so much larger and warmer.

Good Luck! :)

The first thing I saw was your refrigerator. Dark cabinets will make it stand out even more, unless it is also painted. If you stick with the White frig:
- Paint the top cabinets (and walls) warm white with long skinny black handles, to blend with the appliances, tiles, and counter tops.
- Paint the base cabinets a color from the tiles, with long skinny white handles.

okay a) i clicked on this post just b/c i was so upset about those plants up there. so yay! for taking those down. b) navy, all the way c) please dont even consider white. d) good luck!

agree on the gray, I just wonder if in a few years it won't scream late 00's. I guess you'll want to remodel or have moved by then!

Someone said restain the cabinets, I'm with them. Before you do that, please try some paint color options around the cabinets to see how they effect the look of the cabinets. Sometimes the color you surround something with will change the look of it dramatically.

Honestly I wouldn't paint cabinets myself. I've yet to see this project come out well. It always looks great on TV where you don't see brush strokes or roller texture. It's going to have to be oil paint and it's still going to chip. This really is a nightmare project that people say is easy. If you are planning to have them sprayed by professionals, that's a whole different story. Then I'd go with the white and match your backsplash to your decor somehow. Best of Luck!

That's a lot of cabinets to paint and paint nicely, I'd think about it long and hard! (Maybe rent a sprayer, take the doors outside, and spray them if you absolutely must paint!)

One problem with the current room is that the wall color is a bad choice with the cabinets. I'd either paint the walls (gasp) white to go with the appliances and countertops or else the same red as the base of the counter (or whatever color you might change the base to.)

The cabinets look ok with your table and chairs, and if they aren't beat up, I'd consider leaving them alone. To add interest, you might want to add some attractive hardware. If you keep the black tiles (and they don't bother me) I'd get black hardware, maybe square knobs installed on a diagonal to mimic the tiles.

Add black and white vertically striped curtains, maybe with red trim, if you want to go with a red, black, and white scheme... a few red glass accessories... maybe paint the metal of the chandelier black... possibly make a little slip cover for the highchair (with a washable red and black beach towel??) I think the room could look pretty great with little effort, so you can save up money and energy for any big changes later on.

I vote light gray for the tops, and a dark gray for the bottoms. Having dark bottom cabinets and light upper ones, will help to break up the sea of cabinets and draw the eye upward.

It would look really great with the black and white tiles, even though they aren't your favorite. As a bonus, any color you bring in as an accent will really make a great focal point against the monochromatic kitchen.

In addition, if I were you, I would take out a section of cabinets (not all), and replace them with shelving.

Even though I'm a total colour-holic, I'd have to go with black in your choice of finish (as long as it's durable, obvs.) I think it'd really work in the space, and be a dramatic focal point. Good luck with whatever you do in there. It'll look great.

I'm in the gray camp too and just found a photo that I had bookmarked with a great dark gray. Full disclosure its gwyneth paltrows kitchen, but hey her decorator has a good eye.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OAh4Xl94vrU/RwU7d49rr8I/AAAAAAAABJk/AI2Dq3XzDHI/s1600-h/masl07_paltrow.jpg

i haven't read all of the previous comments thoroughly, but you might do what others (i think) have suggested by not only painting/staining the cabinets (or the walls behind them), but losing some of the doors. if you swapped out a couple of them for glass-paned numbers or removed them altogether to create some open shelving, it would really break up that wall o' wood.

"Honestly I wouldn't paint cabinets myself. I've yet to see this project come out well. It always looks great on TV where you don't see brush strokes or roller texture. It's going to have to be oil paint and it's still going to chip."

If the OP sands the cabinets lightly after each coat of paint, they would not only get a nice smooth finish, but by going down to the wood on the edges could get an "antiqued" effect which would add to the character of the kitchen and help disguise chips and nicks to the paint finish.

Go with color. Lose the fake plants and the burgundy wall.

I would choose to have all that cabinetry disappear by painting it white. It's durable, timeless, and re-sellable. Add contrast and color with accents. I would invest in a new backspash...keep your eyes posted for any discounts on a discontinued tile @ your local home improvement location.

The off-yellow above the cabinets must go -- paint it red too. I love woodgrain so I would want to restain not paint, and I would probably use a warm dark stain with some red in it, like mahogany. What about doing the two major banks in different colours of the same lightness/darkness, to get some movement and contrast without messing up the visual weight?

Okay, after having mocked up painting the upper walls red on your photo, the off-yellow absolutely has to go. Your cabinets look much better on the all-red walls, but then you should think about keeping the cabinets in a lighter colour. Or, if you really want medium or dark-tone cabinets, paint the walls the same white as in the backsplash, and go for it!

Keep the cabinets - Replace the back splash, it reminds me of a builder special design and get new appliances.

You can get some colored glass tiles that would coordinate with a color scheme you desire and then use accent pieces to pull the colors through the entire kitchen

And BTW please paint that red wall - it only makes the kitchen seem that more awkward.

Oh and I forgot to add - take down the fake garden things you have on top of the cabinets as well