- The 12 Best White Paint Colors
- Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray
- Benjamin Moore Simply White
- Sherwin‑Williams Pure White
- Sherwin‑Williams Extra White
We finally painted the kitchen. After teasing the idea in previous updates and with Nonna watching Clara for the day, we tore the room apart and got to work.
When we renovate one room, other nearby spaces inevitably collect the clutter. For us, that meant the dining room became a temporary staging area while we painted the kitchen. These displacement messes are part of the process—and, of course, they often happen right before guests arrive.
We’d loved the yellow-green “grellow” we used before, but it was difficult to photograph accurately. More importantly, the color reflected onto the white cabinets and countertops, making them look slightly yellowed, and it altered the cork flooring’s warm tone. The goal with the repaint was to choose a wall color that would let the other elements—white cabinets, counters, cork floors, and backsplash—read more naturally.
Here’s how we narrowed down the new color:
- We eliminated other yellows and greens because they would likely produce the same yellowing effect on cabinets and counters.
- We wanted a color with enough depth to create contrast so the white cabinets and counters would pop, but nothing too dark since the kitchen is mostly interior and lacks strong natural light.
- We avoided another gray, because several adjoining spaces already feature gray and we wanted to avoid a monotonous feel.
- We wanted an actual color—something lively to balance the neutral finishes (brown floors, white cabinets and counters, stainless appliances, and gray backsplash).
- The wall color needed to tie into the four rooms the kitchen opens to, working harmoniously without being overly matchy.
After surveying the adjoining rooms, we drew inspiration from the soft blue accents in the dining room curtains and living room pillows, plus hints of blue in the kitchen shade, the gray backsplash, some of our kitchen artwork, and nearby decorative elements. Those touches led us toward a blue-based color that felt cohesive across the open plan.
We chose Benjamin Moore Natura in an eggshell finish, which is durable and wipeable without being glossy. The color is called Colorado Gray—an ironic name, since it reads clearly as blue in our space. We bought the paint at a local shop for $52 using a Facebook coupon and used about half a gallon, so there’s plenty left over.
We’ve had blue kitchens in previous homes, and currently this house has blue only in the guest room and the back of the dining-room built-ins. Adding a mid-tone blue here felt like a nice, complementary middle ground.
Fun fact: in our first house we repainted every room except the kitchen and master bedroom. In this house, so far we’ve only repainted the kitchen and the master bedroom. Painting rooms does create a funny pattern in our lives.
Some areas of this kitchen have been painted several times, especially the fireplace area we briefly recolored for photoshoots and then reverted. Painting is an iterative process, and sometimes a wall gets more than its fair share of updates.
Why we love this blue:
- It’s unmistakably a color—not a neutral—so it gives the room personality.
- Despite being colorful, it still reads as sophisticated rather than loud.
- It makes the white cabinets and counters look crisp and true, without a yellow cast.
- It complements the warm elements in the room—cork floors, wood stools, and rustic cutting boards—creating balance.
Most importantly, the color connects visually with the adjacent rooms without feeling too coordinated. Colorado Gray (really Colorado Blue) has become a favorite in this house—we feel like it belongs here.
We applied two coats. I cut in freehand with a brush while John rolled the rest—no drop cloths, since sealed wood and cork wipe up easily and we avoid overloading tools to minimize drips.
We left the laundry room in the original yellow-green because it sits beside a large glass door and window and reads differently with natural light, so the grellow still feels fresh there. The yellow accents near the kitchen doorway also balance that glowing touch.
That said, the real showstopper in this space remains the penny tile backsplash. I’ll always return to it—paint comes and goes, but that tile has our hearts.
Our Favorite Paint Colors
If you’re struggling to choose a paint color, here are some of our go-to resources that dive into paint choices and finishes:
- The 12 Best White Paint Colors
- Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray
- Benjamin Moore Simply White
- Sherwin‑Williams Pure White
- Sherwin‑Williams Extra White