I am so excited to share this kitchen with you all today. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – I love a white kitchen, but when you do so many of them, you get kind of burned out on white. So when a client chooses something other than white, it’s just fun. Plus, I feel like this is the direction that trends are moving (granted, Ohio is not known to be a trend setting state), but I love the look that some color gives a kitchen, even if it’s subtle. The look is still bright and modern, and in my opinion, super sophisticated. That said, I think you’re going to love this kitchen with painted cabinets in Valspar’s Frappe (color matched to the paint products that I use). This post contains some affiliate links.
The Before
The great thing about this kitchen is that the other finishes are on point, so painting the cabinets will bring it all together. The homeowners added beautiful quartz countertops and a subway backsplash, so that’s a good starting point.
The other great feature in this kitchen is the island that was actually purchased in a furniture store. You can see a peek of it here, and it fits in seamlessly with this space and gives it a sophisticated vibe. The original top was butcher block, but the homeowners switched it out with quartz when they added new countertops. It’s so pretty, and the black is really crisp and a gorgeous contrast in this space. (I didn’t get a good before shot with the full island in the photo, but I promise you’ll see it in the after photos). It’s also what we used as inspiration for new cabinet pulls. These cabinets are tall, and the existing pulls just didn’t have enough weight to them.
These oak cabinets were a bit on the grainy side, so I ended up doing a bit of a grain fill to minimize the grain, and ultimately, make the job of painting the cabinets a little easier, with a more polished finished look. I prepped, primed and hand painted the frames, and they turned out beautifully as well. I recently tried these flocked foam rollers for frames, and they really give an amazing finish.
The After
The after speaks for itself doesn’t it? Who says that you have to go with white for a classic, bright kitchen?
Here you can see how beautifully the island fits in with this space. It’s a perfect addition – like it should have been there from the start. And aren’t the cabinet pulls a great upgrade? They really tie everything together in here.
I have been fortunate to work with some truly lovely people, and these homeowners made me feel right at home. I feel so lucky, as it’s a pleasure to work with nice people – it really makes my job feel a lot less like work.
What do you think? Are you onboard for something other than white? Would you choose painted cabinets in Valspar’s Frappe like my client’s did?
If you’re looking for more paint color and cabinet painting ideas, check out these posts:
My Favorite Non-White Kitchen Cabinet Paint Colors
How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets Like a Pro
Tips and Tricks for Painting Oak Cabinets
Do you love the look of gray/greige cabinets like I do? Check out these makeovers for some more great ideas.
Benjamin Moore’s Most Popular Grays
Painted Kitchen Cabinets in Repose Gray and Gauntlet Gray
Kitchen Cabinets in Mindful Gray
Are you in the Dayton/Cincinnati area and looking for a quote? Contact me!
Jenny
26 Comments
Trisha
September 18, 2020 at 10:07 amLooks amazing! Nice work! We just painted our cabinets repose gray and love them not being white. We are now trying to pick out a countertop. Do you know what countertop they have? Thanks!
AliJ
September 18, 2020 at 11:18 amI LOVE the Frappe color! It reads gray in some pictures but beige/tan in other pictures. I think it was a great choice by your clients – love the countertops too!
Nan Schnabel
September 18, 2020 at 2:23 pmI absolutely love the color of the cabinets as I’ll admit kind of tired of white everywhere. When I did my kitchen in ’96 I put in Kraft Maid Maple cabinets in a shade call Pearl that’s sort of a white and all these years later still looks modern because its classic. Must also commend your client on her choice of pulls too. If there’s one thing that irritates me its a handle that will catch on my clothing while I’m trying to move in the kitchen. Sleek with nothing to catch on a pocket or apron is ideal.
thillta14
September 18, 2020 at 3:26 pmLooks awesome! Nice job. Color is great. We just redid our cabinets in repose gray and are glad we didn’t do white. Countertops look great too…what are they?
Jenny
September 19, 2020 at 9:17 pmSorry – I don’t have the countertop info.
Patricia M. Picha
September 18, 2020 at 9:01 pmJenny I am interested in new countertops I think I want quartz also could you give me the name of you clients quartz its so hard when you have those tiny samples. Would you recommend putting quartz behind stove?
Jenny
September 19, 2020 at 9:17 pmI don’t know the countertop info – but I do love the look of quartz as a backsplash.
Patricia
September 18, 2020 at 10:48 pmWow !!! That is gorgeous ! I LOVE everything. About it !
Jenny
September 19, 2020 at 9:16 pmSo do I Patricia! I can’t get enough of this kitchen!
Joe D
September 19, 2020 at 12:15 amWhat is the name of the quartz countertop?
Jenny
September 19, 2020 at 9:17 pmSorry – I don’t have that information.
Mr Mark
September 19, 2020 at 6:28 amTotally agree about moving away from white. This is another sophisticated example. The countertop and backsplash pop and provide a nice, crisp contrast to the Frappe and black.
Lisa
September 19, 2020 at 9:34 amI Love this! The kitchen is extremely similar to mine and I’ve considered having the cabinets painted for years. Seeing this moves up the task as a priority. Beautiful (and much less expensive than a remodel)!
Patricia M. Picha
September 19, 2020 at 3:26 pmWondering if you knew the name of quartz countertops
Jenny
September 19, 2020 at 9:16 pmI’m sorry – I don’t.
Shelly
September 20, 2020 at 5:51 pmFantastic job and beautiful island.
Jeanne
September 28, 2020 at 10:37 pmJenny, can’t tell you how much I LOVE the cabinets!! You performed your magic and made them gorgeous! When sitting in our sunroom looking into the kitchen, I think I’m in someone else’s condo! Really love the cabinet color and hardware! I see some have inquired about the counters which is Viatera Rococo Quartz and the sink (which I love too) is by Blanco in Truffle. It was a pleasure having you in our home and making it sparkle! Everyone that sees the kitchen comments on how gorgeous it is! Thank you again Jenny for your professional work! Jeanne and Ted
Jeanne
October 3, 2020 at 10:05 pmJenny, can’t thank you enough for performing your magic on our cabinets! We just LOVE the final result!! I’m so happy that I went with the cabinet color Frappe. The black handles was the right jewelry! I’ve noticed inquiries on our counters, they are Viatera Rococo Quartz with Blanco Truffle single sink. I was sitting in our sunroom looking into the kitchen and thinking I’m in someone else’s condo! Love the look!! It was a pleasure meeting you and having you make our kitchen sparkle! Jeanne
Jenny
October 4, 2020 at 10:57 amIt was a pleasure working with you guys, Jeanne. I adore your kitchen!
Amy McInnis
October 8, 2020 at 1:30 pmWhat color is on the walls ? I am actually painting my cabinets this Frappe color.. but deciding on walls. Thank you!
Jenny
October 19, 2020 at 4:15 pmThe color is Creamy (Sherwin Williams) if memory serves.
Amy McInnis
October 19, 2020 at 7:21 pmThank you!!
Consuelo Garza Ibarra
December 12, 2020 at 6:54 pmHello Jenny, is the paint satin or semi gloss?
Jenny
December 26, 2020 at 1:18 pmSatin.
Ruth McCleary
January 27, 2021 at 10:20 amGorgeous! I too will go with this color. Is there a top coat needed with valspar? And if so, what do you recommend? (I saw your Benjamin vs ppg post no top coat required with Benjamin satin). I do not want to come back and repaint my cabinets for a decade, so I’m looking for durability in a busy kitchen. Thanks for all your great help!
Jenny
February 11, 2021 at 11:58 amI used the Valspar paint color, but had it tinted to the products that I use, not Valspar paint.