What Color To Paint Kitchen

When naming paint, color takes a back seat

In a redoubled effort to capture consumers' attention in the sputtering economic recovery, some paint companies are hoping to distinguish their brands with names that tell a story, summon a memory or evoke an emotion — even a dark one — as long as they result in a sale.

By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE

The New York Times

Sue Kim, color trend and forecast specialist for Valspar, in the paint company's offices in Chicago. In an effort to capture consumers' attention in the sputtering economic recovery, paint companies are distinguishing their brands with names that tell a story, summon a memory or evoke an emotion with names like Weekend in the Country or Harvard for their colors.

CHICAGO — If you heard the words "Tempest," "Turbulence" and "Tornado Watch," you might head for the basement — fast.

Paint manufacturers want you to head for the living room.

In a redoubled effort to capture consumers' attention in the sputtering economic recovery, some paint companies are hoping to distinguish their brands with names that tell a story, summon a memory or evoke an emotion — even a dark one — as long as they result in a sale.

What they do not do is reveal the color.

"For a long time we had to connect the color name with the general color reference," said Sue Kim, color-trend and forecast specialist for the Valspar paint company. "But now," she added, "we're exploring color names that are a representation of your lifestyle."

Thus, Valspar, which once featured Apricot 1 (all the way up to Apricot 6), now offers Weekend in the Country, a name that might put you in mind of an idyllic getaway or a Stephen Sondheim tune but that will not convey a specific hue. (For the record, it is the color of mud; perhaps not such a great weekend after all.)

Sherwin-Williams offers Synergy. From Ace Paint comes Hey There! Benjamin Moore has Old World Romance, all names that give new meaning to the term colorblind.

"Color names are marketing tools, meaning they help sell paint," said Lyne Castonguay, merchandising vice president for paint at The Home Depot.

With home sales depressed, there is new urgency to that mission. The fortunes of interior paints — "architectural coatings," in industry lingo — are tied to the housing market. Paint sales tumbled when the housing bubble burst, and while they edged up 6.7 percent last year over the previous year, they have not rebounded to the peak level of more than $9 billion in 2007.

What Color Should I Paint Kitchen Cabinets? Good Questions ...

Q: I just bought an apartment and the kitchen is in good condition but not my taste. The counter is a jade-like granite and I'm not in love with it but I think replacing it would just be too expensive. The cabinets are a good quality and I believe they are cherry but they really seem to clash with the counter (not even mentioning the back splash). The kitchen is open to the living room and I wanted to paint an airy pale blue with white trim and extend that into the kitchen area. Any suggestions on what I could paint the cabinets to tie these colors together? I was thinking maybe a two toned paint — one darker on

Please do not paint your walls pale blue. Any book on color theory will tell you blue is the worst color to use in areas where food is cooked and consumed. It literally kills appetite. The cabinets are not bad. You should be able to remove the splash, and install a tile backsplash. Subway tile in a matte cream or ivory with slightly darker grout would look good. Add more contemporary hardware to the cabinets. If you are able to add stainless appliances someday, that will also make a difference. A few changes will make this look elegant...painting the cabs two-tone will have the opposite effect.

I don't know if you can paint the cabinets...they look like stock cabinets, so I'm not sure of the quality of the wood. I'd be careful about doing that without knowing whether it would really work. Could you stain them instead? The wood is a little too red for my taste, but I love the floors you have

I don't mind the jade, but I think you could definitely work with it if you don't like it. If it's the greenness you don't like, you can change the backsplash to complement the appliances and make the green darker. The granite reflects the color of the walls so a dark backsplash would dull the green a little.

I say get a quote for new countertops. You might be surprised at the cost. If you are not fond of the granite that is currently there (which I understand) it is not like painting your cabinets will solve that problem. I could be wrong but painting the walls blue might only serve to accentuate the granite and cause for clashing.
Research your countertop options before jumping full force into painting/staining. Arm yourself will all of the knowledge and options first (I wish I did more of that). I have all too often looked for the cheaper or quicker (sometimes they go hand in hand as well) option only to grow tired of it or see the folly of my ways after some months or years. Good luck!

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