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brooksdeb2

Help! Should I paint my built-ins and mantle or keep the stain?

brooksdeb2
hace 4 años

I have repainted my house to lighten things up but am getting conflicting ideas about what to do in my living room with my built in cabinetry and mantle. Keep it the wood stain or paint it white? Also I have a wood burning fireplace insert that has a rather large black surround that I don't like. Should I paint that also?

My house is open so I am attaching pictures that shows the flow from my living room and kitchen. The kitchen cabinets are the same cherry and the living room.

I have done what I know to do to lighten the living room up - glass shelves with lighting, but it still is not working. Should I commit to painting these cherry cabinets? What to do about the fireplace surround?

I am not good at visualizing how things will look and know that if I paint them, there is no going back without a lot of expense.

Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks so much!!





Respuesta destacada
  • yvonnecmartin
    hace 4 años

    You could lighten up the bookcases if you cut poster board to fit the back of the shelves and painted them the color of the walls. Can you remove the doors on the middle right cabinet?

    Comentarios (34)

    • jck910
      hace 4 años

      Do you love the built ins? To me they are overwhelming. Have you thought of removing them?

      brooksdeb2 agradeció a jck910
    • groveraxle
      hace 4 años

      I'm not sure exactly what your goal is here. To me, the built ins look like a perfect bookend to the kitchen with your dining table bridging the gap. I also like that the TV disappears into the cabinetry now. I probably would not paint it.


      What I do notice is an awful lot of stuff right at the ceiling--two fans and a chandelier with crystal drops--that seem a little clutter-y. I might simplify those, even eliminate the fans if you don't need them, to lighten things up a little bit.

    • Jennifer Hogan
      hace 4 años

      I would not paint. They work with the kitchen.

      brooksdeb2 agradeció a Jennifer Hogan
    • User
      hace 4 años
      Última modificación: hace 4 años

      I would not paint them. I wonder if some lighter accessories/books might help? Love the blue island! I think the bar stools are also a bit dark and heavy.

      brooksdeb2 agradeció a User
    • PRO
      Louise Booyens Interiors
      hace 4 años

      Hi, I would seriously consider painting the bookcases as well as the kitchen cabinets. It will create a more open and spacious feel.

      Look at the difference between these two images:










      It looks as if your island in the kitchen is painted blue, so you could use a paint colour similar to the colour on your walls in the sitting room. It will brighten the whole space.


      Here is an example of a pair of painted bookcases in a living room:



      Let me know what you think.




      brooksdeb2 agradeció a Louise Booyens Interiors
    • PRO
      RL Relocation LLC
      hace 4 años

      Hello here is my list of things that would be better than $$ on painting the cabinets

      1. could you remove the doors on the right side of the built in? than would open things up

      2. replace both ceiling fans, and ask yourself do you really need a fan in the kitchen?

      3. remove the crystals from the dining fixture, they look like you might have added them. I think your money would be better spent on lighting then on painting.



      brooksdeb2 agradeció a RL Relocation LLC
    • groveraxle
      hace 4 años

      I did a few things which may or may not get you closer to a lighter feeling, but you can see what you think. I totally removed the fan, replaced the chandelier with a simpler, more open one, and changed out the living room rug for one that seems more complementary to the one in the dining room (which is gorgeous, BTW).


      I didn't remove any plants, though if any of those are fake, I would.


    • groveraxle
      hace 4 años

      If you do need the ceiling fan in the living room, look for something simple with no light kit that will blend into the wood.


    • hollybar
      hace 4 años

      How about changing the barstools, the lighting fixtures and the TV? A Frame TV would make a big difference on that wall of built-ins. So would restyling the shelves a bit. In any case,you have a lovely home and at least in pics, it does not read particularly "dark".

      brooksdeb2 agradeció a hollybar
    • groveraxle
      hace 4 años

      As per others' suggestion, removed doors on right side of built in:


      brooksdeb2 agradeció a groveraxle
    • grdnbeth
      hace 4 años

      I, also, would paint foam core board the blue of the island or the wall color & the inside of the corner curio cabinet. and all Groveraxl ideas.

      brooksdeb2 agradeció a grdnbeth
    • brooksdeb2
      Autor original
      hace 4 años

      I love all the ideas! I am going to start with removing the middle doors and lightening up the accessories and look for new light fixtures. I will post pics on my progress.

    • PRO
      RL Relocation LLC
      hace 4 años

      Love that ! We will be so excited to see the progress, we are always here to help! You have a beautiful house!

    • sunfeather
      hace 4 años

      I like what you're planning. Trying the painted foam board inserts may make a big difference. I also, for some reason I see the sectional on the other wall and the chairs near the windows. I might open things up a bit. Is there a table in front of the window or just a ledge? You could relocate the plants there. I can't tell what's on the windows - curtains and sheers? Is there a way to open that up too? Maybe shades rather than drapes?

    • Mary Beth
      hace 4 años

      Following

    • yvonnecmartin
      hace 4 años

      Another thought as to what might help your room: include small but defined touches the dark brown color somehow in the area with the couch and chairs. That will bring the brown as an accent color and tie the three areas together. The brown could be as simple as a throw on the couch or a chair or several pillows that color.

    • Laura Mac
      hace 4 años

      I would suggest a gorgeous piece of white/light marble on top your table, or get new table + chairs that lighten up the heaviness of all the dark wood...

    • cawaps
      hace 4 años

      Grover likes that the TV blends in, but I think it looks like a black hole in an already dark wall. Could you move the TV to the side wall (where the chairs are) and replace the TV with light-colored artwork? If necessary (and it probably would be) you could add a picture light. I know this opens up a whole can of worms with your furniture layout and probably your TV-watching habits.


      I like the built-ins and definitely wouldn't paint them. I think the idea of painted inserts is a good one.

    • Yayagal
      hace 4 años

      Grover can you superimpose some soft blue paint in the back wall of both units flanking the fireplace? I think it would pull the colors together instead of one big dark wall.

    • PRO
      BeverlyFLADeziner
      hace 4 años

      Since you seem to love blue, this could work.



    • itsourcasa
      hace 4 años

      If you don't want to remove it all then paint it white, it will be a huge difference. If it were me I would remove everything except the lower cabinets and fireplace. I'd do a light paint color behind and shelving above.

    • groveraxle
      hace 4 años

      Since everyone wants you to cover the shelf backs, I did. I wouldn't paint them blue, though, but something light and warm:


    • groveraxle
      hace 4 años

      Here are the shelves in blue, just so everyone can see. (I also returned your current rug to the room, though I think you could stand to go darker.)


    • njmomma
      hace 4 años

      Love the look of the back of the bookcases lightened.

    • PRO
      Open House Home Staging & Redesign, LLC
      hace 4 años

      I like the back of the bookcases painted the lighter (wall) color. Blue tones can be incorporated with hardback books. The shelves actually need more books and fewer picture frames.


      Great start to what will be a beautiful room.

    • C Marlin
      hace 4 años

      Try to put bigger lighter colored objects on the shelves, remove the plants and little stuff.

    • cawaps
      hace 4 años

      Replaced the TV with art.


    • PRO
      RL Relocation LLC
      hace 4 años

      The blue doesn't fair well with your current rug, the cream would be better, but i would put paint them or with foam core I like the all wood look.

    • petula67
      hace 4 años

      To my surprise, I didn't like the backs of the built-ins lightened with either color. To me, it cheapens them.

    • petula67
      hace 4 años

      Would it be completely cheesy to put mirrors in the backs of one or more of the larger built-in sections? Framed mirrors might be nice, but I've also seen mirrored plexiglass that comes in large sheets that can be cut to size.

    • jill302
      hace 4 años

      Really like your room. Would not paint the cabinets, I would just concentrate on any other decor being light. The lighting and fan recommendations also really improve the overall feel of the room.

    • Eve
      hace 4 años

      I love those cabinets. Sometimes when something sticks out in a room the trick is to run counter to instinct and to highlight it more. I agree your other dark or busy features—dark barstools, the busy living room rug—are competing with the cabinets and undermining them. If you don’t want to change the cabinets I’d lighten up or neutralize those—make the bold cabinets the star.

    • brooksdeb2
      Autor original
      hace 3 meses

      I just realized I did not come back and update what I decided to do. I so appreciate everyone's commnets and suggestions. I did have them painted white and love the result! it feels like such a tranquil room now.

      I don't know if it is just an itch to have something different, but now I am trying to decide if I want to have the kitchen cabinets painted white since to rooms are open to each other. I am not concerned about following trends. The cabinets are either maple or birch. As I have polled my friends and family I get differing answers. I am not good at visualizing and have tried the paint visualizers from SW and BJ but it looked like a kindergartener scribbled on the picture with a crayon!

      I did try homedesign.ai and no matter how many times I ask for white cabinets, it always produced this picture:




      I actually really like this look, but it also has new countertops and backsplash. I just wasn't ready to do a whole kitchen remodel.



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