Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Paint Me White {Need Your Opinions Please}

{source}


Hello, my friends! I hope you are enjoying the first week of autumn so far - I know I am definitely enjoying the cooler mornings & evenings over here! :) Well, we have begun the confusing process of choosing the "right shade of white" for {painting} our kitchen cabinets. Who knew that there were sooo many shades to choose from. Just when I thought I found the right go-to color, after tons of research on online forums:

White Dove by Benjamin Moore


I started second guessing my initial choice when I came across more "paint chip samples" at the local hardware store, like this...

{my kind of whites}


{creamier whites}


{cooler whites}


{warmer whites}


{paler whites}


{as if I wasn't already confused, I came across these family of whites}

and these "aura" whites by BM below:
{from to right: frostine, steam, mascarpone & paper mache}


And of course, there's a plethora of more BM "whites" listed out there, such as:


{chalk white}


{cotton balls}


{atrium white}


{china white}


Which leads me to ask for your opinion & advice on a some things, since many of you out there have already taken the plunge & have taken upon the task of painting your kitchen cabinets white.

1. What is your favorite "white" paint color & why?
2. If you have painted your cabinets white, did you go latex or oil-based, & either way, how are they holding up so far?
3. Did you use a fancy sprayer or did just a good quality paint brush and/or roller work for you?
4. And aside from the usual prepping like cleaning, sanding & priming - did you use an additional additive like "Floetrol" to reduce paint strokes? And if so, was it worth it? And if not, was there a problem in paint strokes showing up {minor or major}?
5. And lastly, if there is anything that you learned along the way when painting your cabinets - please feel free to lend your advice & comment, it would be greatly appreciated!

Well, I really look forward to anyone chiming in! I've only had the task of painting the entire interior of our house {the hubby + I = team work} prior to moving in, so painting cabinets is new territory. So I kindly give thanks in advance for any thoughts & advice that anyone may have. Take care & I hope everyone has a wonderful day!

XO's,
Jessie


Sharing with:
White Wednesday @Faded Charm
Whatever You Want Wednesdays @Free Pretty Things For You

14 comments:

Tricia said...

My kitchen cabinets aren't painted white, but I certainly wish they were! I talk about it all the time much to my husband's dismay.

Why don't you try getting some pieces of foam board and painting some big paint samples? I personally, prefer warmer colors. My husband is a general contractor and he always uses Benjamin Moore and a paint sprayer. Do you have a specialty paint store in your area? You could talk to them about the use of an additive. Maybe start your painting on the backs of the doors too so you can see how things are working out. Good luck :)

Sarah @ Modern Country Style said...

Hi Jessie,

If you're painting your kitchen cabionets then I'd DEFINITEYL go for a paint finish that stands up to heavy scrubbing, and humidity.

I guess it depends how much sunlight your kitchen gets. The more it gets the cooler you can go.

I love the paints you've picked out!!

Sarahx

Sarah @ Modern Country Style said...

Hi Jessie,

If you're painting your kitchen cabionets then I'd DEFINITEYL go for a paint finish that stands up to heavy scrubbing, and humidity.

I guess it depends how much sunlight your kitchen gets. The more it gets the cooler you can go.

I love the paints you've picked out!!

Sarahx

Fresh Vanilla For C said...

I need a white too so I will check your blog for the answers!!
~Cheryl

Colleen said...

Oooh... what a good post.

I would definitely recommend a sprayer. Paint seems to go on more evenly and it takes a lot less time. I don't know if you have a Harbor Freight in your area... but they often have good sprayers for not too much.

As far as what white to choose, I am bad at that game. I would definitely paint some sample boards on scrap wood and see how it looks during different times of the day.

Good luck! Can't wait to see how it turns out.

Betty Sneeringer said...

When I moved to this little house I couldn't wait to paint my what I call "sawdust" pressed wood cabinets! White is my favorite. If I could afford any nice wood cabinets I would still choose white. I used Sherwin Williams and it was oil based. They have held up great for 8 years.The little sponge rollers are the best! Goes on smooth! I have forgotten the white color. I hope yours turn out great.

Shanon at Vintage Sparkle Chic said...

I'm not sure if this will help but.....
I just painted two of my bathroom's cabinets the "decorators white" from Behr. I love it! I was looking for a more distressed look so I wasn't being careful at all. I first rolled primer on but it made it very bumpy so if you are looking for a smooth look I would not use that. Then I painted on the "decorator white" with a brush. I love the color white that it is. I just did this in the last two weeks so not sure how it will hold up.

~Shanon

High Street Cottage said...

Oh gosh, I'm terrible about helping choose paint colors, they all look pretty white to me, so I usually go by names, the china white and cotton ball are my choices;)
I'm your newest follower and thank youuuuuuuuu!

Revi said...

Hi, and here's my 2c worth! I painted my kitchen cabinets white and they've lasted 4 years with no wear, other than the distressing I gave them. :)
I primed with kilz (over wood) and painted with Rustoleum gloss white. I love it. I think you can allow the abundance of whites to confuse you, but unless you're trying to match something, don't stress! Choose a nice neutral white - not too cool with blue tones, not too yellow or any other color. If you want some white contrast for interest, use a blue white on the ceiling. Use a deeper antique white on walls. That shows off your architecture and keeps it from looking too sterile. Add texture in window treatments and all the other things a kitchen needs - utensils, etc. One tip - use the small foam rollers to paint with instead of a brush. It is smooth and goes lots faster! Your white kitchen will look gorgeous! I can't wait to see the final result.
-Revi from www.revisionarylife.blogspot.com

A Cozy Cottage in the City said...

Thank you dear friends for your input & advice, it's much appreciated! :)

~Jessie

Unknown said...

I personally love Benjamin Moore's decorators white for a true white, and dove white for a warmer white.

Faded Plains said...

I used Super White in the Aqua Pearl finish by Benjamin Moore (latex paint). My cabinets have now been painted for 6 years and still look like new. They are durable and easy to wash, I actually scrub them with the abrasive side of a sponge and it doesn't scratch or anything. I used a quality paint brush to paint mine, and I love the the way it makes the cabinets feel hand done rather than if you sprayed them and they look too perfect. As for prepping I used 1 coat of primer and 2 coats of top paint. Hope that helps ;o)

A Cozy Cottage in the City said...

@Emma, I too love White Dove by BM...that was our initial choice and I think that might actually work for our cabinets.

@Faded Plains, thank you sooo much for your input! Your kitchen cabinets are amazing, and so is your entire home! :)

Thanks again everyone! I think I am armed with enough info to get started on this project soon.

~Jessie

Pete the painter said...

Great article! I definitely agree with your suggestions. Getting the right shade of white in a home is a big difference maker. Keep up the good work here!

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