Two-Tone Kitchen with Sherwin-Williams
Within minutes of closing on our house, I dragged my husband across the street from the title company, and we were standing in our local Sherwin-Williams store, picking out paint colors. I had talked him into a white kitchen, and I wasn’t giving him time to change his mind. He comes from generations of cabinet makers and a great love of wood, and it was a hard fought battle to get the go ahead to paint over perfectly good oak. I know some people absolutely love oak, and even have a mom who worked hard to get her oak kitchen, but oak is not for me. We came home with the Sherwin-Williams color, Alabaster, and set to work taking off doors and prepping them for paint.
I was so excited to watch the transformation, and crossing my fingers that I would love it as much has I had built it up to be.
After the last door was hung, the kitchen sang to me–I LOVED IT!! Except it kind of seemed like it was floating. With so much white, there wasn’t anything to ground it. I decided to live with it for a while, and see how I felt later (we had plenty of other projects going on at the same time to worry about). Well, fast forward 1.5 years and I still feel like the kitchen is floating, and needs a dark color on this backside of the bar to anchor it down. But what color? Sherwin-Williams has this awesome color selection tool called, Color Visualizer, that lets you upload your own photo (or use one of theirs) and virtually try out colors before you buy the paint! I uploaded my photo and set to work trying out colors. I used the little square to color in the area I was testing out. After I had the first one color colored in, from then on I just dragged and dropped and the color changed. So easy I tried out a lot of colors! 
This orangey-red was nice. But not for my house.
Really Teal made me happy. But no.
To tone down the green undertones in the wall paint (which is Techno Gray) I tried a hue with a little more green. But, again, not for this area. Picking a paint color is hard. I spend a lot of time second guessing myself and inspecting all the undertones a color has, but Color Visualizer from Sherwin-Williams makes it a lot less stressful.
To see which color I chose and the kitchen reveal click here!
How do you find color inspiration for your home projects? Tell us in the comments below, and you just might win a $100 Sherwin-Williams gift card from BlogHer!
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I love looking at art, craft & decorating magazines for ideas. I also check out fabrics I like, and nature – can’t beat flowers for color inspiration! 🙂
I love using the Sherwin Williams site. I have been “playing” with colors for my living room even though I know it’s far down on the list of things to do.
I get most of my inspiration from nature, something that has special meaning to me (like the needlepoint dragon my grandfather did), or a favorite piece of artwork (something I’ve done or my kids have done or I bought). Magazine images also inspire me. I will take one color that catches my eye and plan the rest of the room around it. If the color is too bright, I will figure out ways to tone the rest of the room down so as not to overwhelm everyone.
I have always wanted to upload a photo to a program and see what different paint colors would do to it. I will definitely try this!
I admit. I have a color inspiration board on Pinterest. If the colors speak to my heart, I pin them. I still haven’t quite figured out how to incoorporate them, but I’ll get there someday!
I am in need of some paint for sure in this house! Working slowly but surely downstairs up! Thanks so much for the giveaway!
I find color inspiration from nature. I like green, blues and browns so I usually go for these types of shades
I find color inspiration from nature. I like greens, blues and browns so I usually go for these types of shades
tweet
https://twitter.com/kellysaver/status/329670388114157568
I love new paint! I’m in the process of a big paint job myself and I’m using SW paint. A gift card there would be great! Thanks for the giveaway!
I read decorating magazines and take home many color swatches.
[email protected]
I love to look at other paint colors as I’m out and about. I found my most favorite wall color while in the bathroom at a Panera! My entire main living area is painted this awesome color now! And I love it just as much in my house as I did in that bathroom.
Most of my inspiration comes from either sewing/quilting blogs I follow and/or Pinterest.
to find paint colors, my husband and I usually just go to the store and start looking at paint chips for ideas, then bring a bunch home to look at with the furniture, art work, and other stuff that’s already in our home. we just choose the ones we like best!
In inspiration comes from choosing colors that make me happy & brighten up the room & my day.
tweeted the following:
https://twitter.com/NanaKatF/status/329697001170149376
i thought I had already left this comment but didn’t see it so leaving the url again.
also, I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/LeahGolland/status/329696980618080257
seriously, we are buying a 2200 sq ft home and will need to paint the inside AND some of the outside, so this would be a GREAT prize 🙂
I look at color swatches and go with my gut!
We pick a theme for each room and pull colors from that. But I do love ability to see it on the walls before we paint.
I am a little ashamed to admit it but I bought whatever was on sale. It’s not my favorite color but until I can upgrade it will do!
For wall color it depends, like my daughters bedroom we bought the bedding and matched one of the colors in the bedding. For our Master, brown, then I go look at paint swatches bring a couple home, next time I am in the paint store I grab a couple again. I have picked the same color again, thats my color. I know that I am drawn to it and it works. This is also how I choose in other rooms. I do not consider trends, I go with colors that I am drawn to. Has worked for me for many many years. After the painting is done, and I walk in the room, I feel happy. Color talks!
I usually get inspiration from home decorating magazines. Thanks so much.
My husband & I like southwestern decorations & colors. Most walls are earth tones, but in our sunroom, which is mainly white, we painted one wall bright turquoise with a bright, sunny yellow trim on a window & doorway. We get a punch of color when we come in the house, but it’s not “in our face” all of the time!
I tend to cut swatches and then tape them all over the room I’m looking to paint. As I see the colors in different lights and moods, my husband and I remove the ones we don’t like. Inevitably, there are a couple left or even better just one and we go with that. Good luck! Remember, it’s just paint! You can always cover it up. Be creative!
I look at other people’s kitchens on blogs. 🙂 I am actually trying to decide if I should paint my cabinets and walls in my kitchen.
Pinterest 🙂
I love getting ideas from my favorite magazines and sometimes tv!
I get inspiration by looking outside or by watching shows on TV.
I go to the store and check out the paint cards. I take the colors I like home to decide on a final color
I get my color inspiration from magazines and looking at what color clothing I’m attracted to.
I love how your kitchen turned out! I love that visualizer tool and will be using it soon. I usually come up with an idea and then spend the next 1.5 years trying to talk dear hubby into letting me do it. I have painted a few rooms and then repainted trying to get it right. I get inspiration from something in the room or something I have seen and the room comes together and other times it seems like I keep stumbling about.
My house is still builder white – 3 yrs later! I need to paint something. I’m sick of the monochromatic-ness!
Pretty much every room I’ve painted, I’ve already fallen in love with a particular fabric or accessory, so I choose my color based on the fabric. I heard that once on a tv show–that it’s much easier to find a color you like to match a fabric than it is to find a fabric you like to match a color and I think it’s true!
I find fabrics I like and go from there.
Pinterest is one of my go-to places for inspiration.
What a generous giveaway!! The artist in me sees inspiration everywhere. . .an ad, a catalog, a flower outside, a Target shirt, the craft store, blogs, Pinterest. . .
I find color inspiration at the flower show.
I usually select colors by matching something else in the room, for my daughters room it was the bedspread.
Oh wow! This app is awesome! I can’t wait to try out colors for every room in my house!
I LOVE color!! It is a gift in our lives! I get inspiration from EVERYwhere…flowers, fabric, the ocean, photographs….When I am getting ready for a decoration/painting project, I get lots of swatches to hang on the wall and observe at different times/lighting throughout the day…then if I am still trying to decide, I buy a sample and paint it on the wall. I just finished painting the paneling in our family room a light “mocha cream” sort of color (with white trim on the woodwork) and absolutely LOVE it! It transforms the space! Thanks for entering me in the drawing! I would love to win!
So what color did you pick? I am dying to know. Love the white cabinets.
I use pinterest and country home type mags to find inspiration. I like a lot of blue and gray colors for the home.
Home decor magazines help to inspire me.
i love books and design blog plus i went to school for it
https://twitter.com/purplelover04/status/331055037944057857
I find color inspiration through Pinterest.
I enjoy making quilts and will pull color inspirations from the quilts I make and other items I am decorating with.
I like checking out home and garden magazines for ideas.
i find the color inspirations from just going up and down the mall and looking into the store windows and shops located in our downtown area. Even though my hubby and i have a home, we sometimes go home browsing on other days to see what others have in their home.
https://twitter.com/vivaciousgold/status/331446787871232000
tweeted
I find inspiration from the blogs I read!
I tweeted too
https://twitter.com/jessrwarfield/status/331584586981195777
My most recent inspiration was a happy accident. I walked into the paint store and asked if they by chance had a gallon of mis-mixed that I could use for the interior of a closet. Owner brought out a grey and said I could have the $35 gallon for $8. SOLD. Brought it home, slapped a bit on the wall, and it was love at 1st sight. Now it’s in my new bathroom and pantry. Oh yeah, and in the closet too
Look through magazines to things that catch my eye
I like to take tours of homes that are for sale.
onefrugalgirl AT gmail DOT com
Tweet: https://twitter.com/OneFrugalGirl/status/331784339589300224
onefrugalgirl AT gmail DOT com
Tweet https://twitter.com/kytah00/status/332357014703468545
RELAXING IN A BATH & JUST SEEING WHAT COMES TO MIND…
I love surfing Pinterest to get ideas on designs I like. I have a hard time visualizing how a finished room will look. It helps me to actually see the colors in a home.
I get color inspiration from the outdoor places that I love….forest, beach
I usually find my inspiration from a piece of artwork that I want to hang in the room. Or if it’s my bedroom I find my inspiration in a comforter I love. And then I match the paint to that.
I find inspiration in my favorite decor accessories.
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 at gmail dot com
tweet–https://twitter.com/WildOrchid985/status/333387427974635520
From magazines, most of the time.
https://twitter.com/smilekisses/status/333404837414834176
We have an Eastlake Victorian so it’s easy to find color inspiration from other Victorian homes. Thanks for offering this.
ky2here at msn dot com.
https://twitter.com/ky2here1/status/333548415516553216
When I see photos that I like in magazines, I tear them out and file them. Then when I need inspiration, I pull out the file and get ideas.
I look for ideas in art works, blogs, magazine layouts, fabrics – you name it (even food!) then I load the pictures on my phone and take them with me to the store.
and here’s a tweet!: https://twitter.com/AnnaZed/status/334473191793758209
My favorite way of finding color and decorating inspiration is by reading my favorite decor/craft blogs. I also really love perusing Pinterest for inspiration.
I look for timeless colors that flow well with the rest of the home… but with a great color pop for fun!
I look through magazines to find color schemes I might like.
I get inspiration from looking at fabric stores
i like to look at blogs and watch hgtv
I like colors from nature!
i get inspiration from nature!
https://twitter.com/DesMoinesDealin/status/335581456220966914
I look through magazines and watch decor shows.
Alot of my color ideas come from how my home decor looks in a specific room
I find color inspiration by browsing Pinterest.
https://twitter.com/CarlyHobart/status/335648872921718786
I like to use color samples from web sites for inspiration.
I like to walk thru fabric shops to see different color combinations. Thanks.
I find inspiration through my husband
I don’t know. Its from all different places. Nature is a big one…and my favorite colors are a natural choice too. My hubby also has a good eye for color.
I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/MsTofuFairy/status/335777594408570880
I look at magazines and browse the internet for ideas.
I get a lot of inspiration from fabrics. I love to sew and find that creating a wall hanging or a quilt will generate enthusiasm for a totally different look for a room.
Tweet – https://twitter.com/willitara/status/336032482690494464
I am inspired by colors that I see in nature. I love the colors that God shows us and I love to use them in our home.
susansmoaks at gmail dot com
find insperationhome magazines ty.
I like to use pinterest for a lot of my color inspiration lately. I think the ideas that they have on that site are really great!
I get ideas through magazines.
My color inspiration usually comes from nature and projects I find on home improvement websites!
https://twitter.com/abrightbabe/status/336249635175813120
I always find great inspirations from the DIY channel and magazines
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
tweet https://twitter.com/ChelleB36/status/336268032236216321
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
My inspiration comes from magazines, visiting a neighbor or even watching TV. When a project needs doing, you start picking up on an idea from here and a color from there. In the end, it comes together from multiple sources and becomes uniquely your own.
tweeted
https://twitter.com/bettycd/status/336276387923107840
Wow – I am amazed at how true to life the color visualizer is!
These days, I get my color inspiration from blogs mostly 🙂 Thanks for the chance to win!