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One Last Studio Cabinets Post (Because I’m Driving Myself Crazy With Indecision)

I’m here once again talking about studio cabinets. I know. You thought the decision was made, right? You thought I had placed my order, right? You thought the plan was set and I was moving forward, right?

Wrong.

I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve gone to my IKEA shopping cart online and tried to proceed with the purchase, but I haven’t been able to make myself do that yet.

I’m still 100% sure that I’ll use IKEA cabinets. That’s not the issue. The issue is the style and color. I had decided on the Veddinge white doors and drawer fronts, which is are just plain white slab fronts.

And then my plan was to add trim to the doors and drawer fronts, and then paint them. But the more I think about that, the more I think that I don’t want to purchase something that needs to be trimmed and painted. And I’m really having doubts about the durability and longevity of painting those doors and drawers. The more I think about it, the more I’d like to purchase some that don’t need any extras — no extra trim added, and no painting. I’d like to unbox them, put them together, install them, and be done.

Plus, I’ve tried to think through the cabinet color options (I’m limited because of the wallpaper in the studio), and I honestly can’t think of anything that appeals to me. I don’t want a warm color. Our home gym closet area has taught me that I prefer my warm colors in smaller doses, so a huge room filled with pink or coral cabinets would be too much.

If I had my heart set on a very specific color, I’d probably be more motivated to purchase the Veddinge white doors and drawer fronts and paint them. But I don’t. At this very moment, I have absolutely no idea what color I’d want those cabinets.

So I’ve pretty much resolved myself to purchasing something that I can use as is right out of the box. But here’s where I run into issues. I’ve gone over all of the colors that are available probably a minimum of 50 times now, and I can’t seem make a decision. Most of their colors are neutral — black, gray, gray-green. All of those are a no from me.

They do have one called Havstorp turquoise, and I think it would actually go very well with the wallpaper.

But do you know what I’d call that color? Teal. (To me, turquoise is a brighter and clearer color.) So yes, I’m fairly certain that Havstorp turquoise would go great in the studio with the wallpaper. But I’m not certain that it would play nicely with the rooms next to the studio, and the studio cabinets will be seen from these rooms.

My kitchen cabinets are already painted a lighter, brighter, bluer teal…

unfinished stock oak cabinets used in my kitchen remodel

And next to the kitchen, my pantry cabinets are painted a darker, bluer teal…

So if I chose the Havstorp turquoise, that means that the very next room over would have darker, grayer, and greener teal cabinets…

And all three of those cabinet colors would be visible when standing in the kitchen, part of the music room, or the breakfast room. I don’t think that would work at all. The studio cabinets would look just off enough to look like an afterthought in the whole house scheme.

So that brings me back to white. I’m not a white cabinet kind of person, but I’m not completely opposed to them, either. I’ve seen so many kitchens, studios, home offices, etc., that have white cabinets that look really nice, bright, and clean. So I’m definitely open to it.

But what I’m also open to is using a combination of wood and white. I love this look…

I just can’t decide if that’s too much of a kitchen look, or if it would work in a studio as well. And then I have the issue of the wallpaper. So I tried to do a little mock up of the picture above with my wallpaper added, and that floor cut off so that it wouldn’t be a distraction.

I really think I might love that. But quite honestly, at this very moment, I don’t trust my judgment. I’m working on the home gym, which has caused me frustration over the last couple of days (to the point I sat in the floor and cried on Monday night…ha!), so I really don’t trust my judgment right now.

I’m completely open to input on this. I really do want to get the cabinets ordered this weekend, but I also don’t want to make a decision that I’m going to regret. And I don’t want my studio looking like a kitchen, either. So what say you?

 

 

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106 Comments

    1. Yes, I’ve looked at them many times. They’re quite a bit more expensive, and I haven’t found anything that motivates me to pay that extra cost. But the problem is that I don’t know what I want. If I had my heart set on a specific design and color, it would be easy to go from there and make a decision. But I just don’t.

      1. Possibly order a couple of door fronts in the various possibilities- then you can see in your light, near your existing non negotiable items.

      2. Paint them! You’ll regret anything else.

        I painted some IKEA Hemnes bookcases bright plum and they look stunning. Much, much better than the white they were before.

  1. Black below, white up top with your wood on the back, inside; wood countertop/tabletops. Fabulous hardware.

  2. Kristi, this is just a thought. If you’re so stressed that you’re crying, perhaps you need a break from all these decisions for a while. Finish the gym and then let your head clear, you don’t have to decide on the cabinets Right Now, do you? You’ve already decided you’re going with IKEA. Let your head clear, go out and do some window shopping, etc, get out of the house and let the creative juices flow.

    1. Another thought, when was the last time you treated yourself to a new outfit, haircut or pedicure? I’m telling you, it will do wonders for you! Maybe you need some ‘Kristi’ time.

      1. AMEN!! Being a primary care giver, do-er of all things has to be exhausting! I 10000% agree with Phoebe. Give your self a break. Do something JUST FOR YOU even if its just taking a long bubble bath in your beautiful bathroom.

      2. Start with the plain white, hang them and finish out the area the way you’ve planned so you can see the big picture. You have several areas with this large room, bathroom and carport entrance to accentuate. Then you can see clearer how much or how little the cabinets need.

    2. I have to agree with Phoebe. It sounds like you need a total break from all your decisions. Treat yourself to whatever you really love to do outside of the house.

  3. I think you could go all white in there against that fabulous wallpaper. Mixed sometimes looks like parts of the unit were an afterthought. All white will keep that area light and bright, too, and won’t clash with your other colors in the house.

    1. I’m with Dawn. I’d go with white. My eyes don’t like looking at shades of the same color that don’t actually ‘match.’ Three different shades of teal/turquoise is too much for the eye to settle. You could perk it up with handles that match a shade in the wallpaper that isn’t teal/turquoise. Later on, after you’ve looked at it for a while and maybe have more energy (!), you can tackle a paint change. You do so much with color, white can be a compliment to allow all those colors.

  4. For what it’s worth, I think the white with medium wood and your wall paper is GLORIOUSLY GORGEOUS! And I don’t think the kitchen vibe is there. You’re putting in BEAUTIFUL cabinetry. Period.

    1. Will this room serve you to meet with clients in the future? If so wouldn’t a bit of neutral be nice so that when working on a project for someone else your room colors don’t get in the way of designing for someone else? I love love the addition of wood. Sooooo calm!

    2. I agree. The white uppers and wood lowers will be beautiful. The wood doors have a nice profile on them too. I also think it compliments the rest of your home.

      In time if you find that you don’t love it, you could paint then. But I honestly think you’ll be so happy having a functional space that it won’t be an issue once they’re installed.

  5. You have tons of color throughout your home which I love. You have lots of color on the wallpaper. To me quiet white cabinets that aren’t painted would be the way to go (you also don’t want nicks and scratches considering you will be filling them with tools and all sorts of equipment so the usage will be heavy). You can always paint the walls your favorite turquoise or add artwork or window coverings to add more color.

  6. Does the studio have to be seen from the rest of the house? I think that teal cabinet color is good enough to go with the house, though maybe not close enough to have it be seen at the same time as the other teals. I’d treat the studio as a separate space so that you can close the door and leave projects in progress and not worry about the mess. Then you don’t have to worry about that space being seen from other rooms.

  7. Do the cabinets come in black?
    The wallpaper is large and bold. With so many cabinets will that be overkill?

  8. Hi Kristie, I have been following you for years. Sometimes I second guess what you do but only occasionally. The work have done is incredible. You have transformed your home into a colourful home possessing great beauty. I am not ‘handy’ but I live watching what you create. BTW, one of fav stories was when you got the accessible that gave your husband a life outside of the home ❤️ generaoI find White too story utteries in the room, I think it is the best colour. If you were to go with the natural wood look on the bottom, I think you would up painting them. I would prefer all white but, how about this?
    What about going with stock cabinets from Home Depot or Lowe’s etc. Install them & paint them when you can or hire a painter?
    All the best. By the way, trust your gut! It never lies.

  9. Because this is your studio where a lot of creativity will happen, maybe simplifying the cabinetry (all one color and possibly white) is the way to go. Keep the cabinets more of a blank canvas knowing all sorts of colorful, chaotic and beautiful things will happen in that room.

  10. Honestly, I’d go white simply because it would act as a neutral up against that incredible wallpaper.

    You’ll have lots of visual movement once you add work tables and projects. Adding more visual pattern with the cabinets would overwhelm me.

    So I would get the plain cabinets in white and add some glam hardware.

    And, of course, I’m going to love whatever direction you decide to take!

  11. White with wood countertops and tabletops. The wallpaper is the feature. It will be clean, bright and read “creative workspace,” and you can use the white backgrounds to mount fabrics, paint swatches and art for consideration.

  12. Why not stick with your original idea of all white cabinets. They won’t fight the wallpaper and, once you’ve lived with them awhile, it will be easy to paint the doors if you decide the white is too stark. The main point is you will be able to get your studio organized and won’t have to do the extra work of paint and trim – at least not right away! You can always revisit the decision at a later date since white is versatile and/or easily changed. In the meantime, you can cross that job off your list and proceed with the next one.

  13. I’m thinking mocha brown… I don’t know why. Not quite black, not quite brown. Can you make that mockup so we can see with the wallpaper?

  14. To me the teal looks complementary and ties in with the theme of your other cabinets. I don’t think it would look like an afterthought. The fact that none of them are exactly the same is just a representation of your favorite color in many different ways. On the other hand, if you will be working on projects in the studio that require more accurate color representation, the white may be the way to go. That said, go with what makes you happy! Put up a teal page on one side of the room and a white page on the other side of the room. Then spend a few days walking in and out of that room and notice where your eye wants to go.

    1. Totally agree with this!! Not only is it complementary, I think I’m seeing a bit of that shade in the pantry backsplash!

  15. There are several companies that make doors that fit the IKEA cabinets. Two I’m aware of are Scherr’s and Semi-Handmade. I have used Scherr’s for my old house. Not the IKEA fit, but to get the door style I wanted for a home built vanity. I also got dove tailed drawer boxes from them. I bought the unfinished doors and painted them because I wanted a very specific color. They were very good quality and easy to work with. Fairly fast delivery for something made to order and well packaged. I highly recommend them and would use them again. My plan is for my next kitchen if we ever start building.

    If you look at Younghouselove they’ve painted the IKEA cabinet doors on their kitchen. I think if I was going that route I’d use a door style I wanted and then paint that.

  16. I have white cabinets in my craft room and office, I’ve never once thought they look like a kitchen. Your wallpaper has so much color that the white cabinets would make it more of a focal point. Whatever you’ll be working on with have color so you’ll have more colors in the room.

  17. Paint them! You’ll regret anything else.

    I painted some IKEA Hemnes bookcases bright plum and they look stunning. Much, much better than the white they were before.

  18. Personally, I love that look. I think it’s the perfect solution, but you could add a touch of black somewhere to make it look less kitcheny. For example, hardware or the back inside of the cabinet with a glass front. Looking forward to see how it’s all coming together!

  19. i am pretty sure you only think it looks like a kitchen because the cabinet in the picture has dishes in it – can you replace those with books in your mind and imagine how you’d feel – i think it looks great?

  20. Nix that wallpaper to something floral with more white in the background. I love the white cabinets with glass doors & lights inside. Good luck. I envy you with a project. I love decorating!

  21. Hhmmmm, loved the white & wood without the wallpaper but not so much with it. This is a tough one because I don’t have your vision/issues with color. I rather like the teal-ish color the IKEA cabinet comes in. Good luck in your decision making! ( it’ll look great no matter what you choose

  22. I honestly think purple cabinets would be amazing. Maybe white uppers and purple lowers if you wanted to tone it down (when have you ever done that?). You’ll figure it out and it will be beautiful no matter what you choose.

    1. I keep thinking of the console in the breakfast room–that’s a lovely dark purple. I think it would look amazing on the bottoms or even the entire cabinet. (That ready-color teal one looked very drab–I don’t see you living with that for very long, and you’ll have paid extra just to repaint it. :-)).

  23. What about white cabinets where you can see them from the kitchen and the turquoise on the wallpaper wall.

    1. Now that’s a great idea! I really like those blue cabinets, I wish I had been brave enough to use them in my kitchen. BTW, I’ve had two kitchens with ikea cabinets and both sets held up great -and I have four kids and do a ton of cooking. I would encourage you to stop worrying about ikea quality, I think you will be happy with them!

  24. Let’s throw in another choice! LOL! I see other styles of IKEA cabinets that come in a dark (navy?) blue. I’m not sure if that is a close color to the blue in the wallpaper or if the color would compete with your other cabinets?

    I’m sure that whatever you decide will be a most excellent choice for you! I look forward to your final gym reveal!

  25. I think different wall paper would be better with the wood and white cabinetry look…current wall paper is too loud to play well with the sublimity of the wood and white cabinets…IMO
    OR black bases with white wall cabinets would go great with your current wall paper! The black bases have enough contrasting punch to support that fabulously gregarious wall paper!

  26. Your blog has inspired me to finally use ALL the color in my house. I was always opposed to using white anything, anywhere, but now I’m finding myself using white and near white cool grays a LOT because of how well my color elements pop against the bright whites/grays. I adore your wallpaper (and chose a similar watercolor floral velvet for my dining chairs) so my vote is white cabinets with wood tops (if countertops are needed) or a mix of natural wood bottoms and white uppers. Show off that gorgeous wallpaper!

  27. I would not use a glass insert in the door. With all the colors in the wallpaper, you can’t really control the colors of stored stuff. probable clash with WP colors and way too busy. I would stick with the white solid doors. That WP is powerful in terms of color and design. Give your eye a place to rest.
    If the solid white doors are too blah, use some trim and some of the wallpaper to make it blend into the room. It is storage, not a Ming Dynasty art piece. I would love to see some large bright knobs/pulls that correspond to the colors in the WP. They would pop against the white and ties everything together. Even large wooden pulls painted a different color for each knob would be interesting and definitely won’t look like a kitchen.
    With that fabulous WP you designed, it needs to be the focal point unless you plan to have some other item be the center of your design for the studio.

  28. How about frosting the glass into the studio then you won’t get a clear view of the color use in there, and pick the color you like….

    1. It’s already frosted, and I keep the door closed most of the time. But after living like that for a couple of years now, I’d like to have the studio flow with the rest of the house, remove the film on the door, and leave the door open.

    1. Loved the look of those cabinets and they definitely had a Kristi look with the insets! But I am sure what ever you do well be awesome!

  29. I LOVE the wood and white look! Especially since you said you might use this space for hosting larger numbers occasionally, it’s ok if it doesn’t look studio-esq. It’s beautiful and wont make you feel like you need to paint either the studio or the kitchen ones down the road- I think the comparison of the saturated color in the kitchen ones makes the IKEA ones look older somehow.

  30. You already have a lot of color in your home, including the wallpaper. Why not purchase and install the white cabinets until you know what color you want. I think one day it will just happen what color you want, and in the meantime, the cabinets are available for your use

  31. I think a shade or two lighter than your kitchen cabinets, like the back bulb in the middle of the wallpaper sample shown, would play very nicely with all of your views.

  32. I would get the white cabinets and paint them. And repaint them if the color isn’t right.
    You will be looking at these cabinets all the time and anything other than the color you like will drive you nuts.
    Color on websites isn’t always that accurate and you may end up painting them anyway.

  33. Ultimately it’s your home, so do what makes you happy! Or, do what will keep your eye from twitching every time you look at it! I completely understand the regret of looking at something and thinking, “I wish I had followed my gut on that color/spacing/texture/whatever thing…”

    My thought is a little down the road. You enjoy the process of working on your home. Does a color choice now make a difference for when you decide to change this room in the future? The use of the room will likely be the same: creativity, storage and some hosting of friends. I understand the time you’ve put into the function of these cabinets for long-term. But will the color make a difference to you long term? And if not, does that free you from your own expectations?

  34. Paint, it’s always easy to repaint. What about doing an ombre using all your teal/blue colors?
    Using the darker color on the bottom and working up to the lightest color.

  35. I’d want function so if a power tool hit a cabinet there wouldn’t be perpetual damage.

    Perhaps less is more in the studio if it’s the “canvas” space where you create in…. or future YouTube videos where you want the feature to be your project not what is behind it.

    Or you could do glass doors, paint the interior back wall, or use some solid, textured wallpaper.

    Given that you don’t seem to use drop cloths clean up doesn’t seem to bother you but I’d find if I did my studio too fancy I’d be stressing about paint splatters, sawdust, junk piles, and heavens knows what else that happens in a working studio. I’d want to focus my redo energy on the actual house, not wear n’ tear on a studio.

    And yeah for the advise that you’re due for some self care. That sure would support decision overload and recharging.

  36. First of all, you need a date night or two with Matt. I agree with some of the posters, to step back, take a little break and first and foremost, take care of yourself. Your body/mind is telling you that it’s tired…maybe even exhausted. I can’t help you with any of the colors, but after following your blog, you never do anything to “get by” so……take a break and do something fun outside of the house with the hubby.

  37. White is classic, timeless, and would really set off the wallpaper. You can add accents of colors from the wallpaper in other places. and let the cabinets take a supporting role. And if you later find that you just can’t live with the white, THEN you could consider painting them.

  38. I LOVE the wood and white. I don’t like the teal at all. I just think it will clash with what you already have. If you don’t go with wood, I would go with black bottoms and white uppers or all white.

  39. Well, as I was reading your post, I thought to myself, “I think wood cabinets would look really great!” and then a few sentences later as I scrolled down, I saw that that’s what you’re considering, so I definitely think you’re on the right track. I really like the mock-up photo. As frustrated as you’ve been feeling, I think your judgement is pretty good in this case, lol. Ans I hope you figure out whatever is causing you headaches in the gym!

  40. Why not order everything but the doors and drawer fronts? That would at least get you started.

    I like the wood with the white for what it’s worth.

    1. 100% agree. Came here to say this too – just go ahead and Order all the cupboards and other pieces … get those built and by then you’d have had a break from all the creative decisions and the solution WILL come to you – it always does and you ALWAYS blow us away!
      That’s the great thing about Ikea – you can order the doors and drawer fronts separately once you’ve decided.
      The wood and white is so classic and stunning – no it’s not kitchen bound.

  41. I think the net sum of your thoughts is…you have to paint something. I know you don’t want to, but you’re not going to love the white it sounds like, and the other colors also don’t work. You could always get the white and paint later, though.

  42. Practically speaking, I assume this room will be primarily a workroom. Tools, materials, and gobs of stuff that are part of projects in various stages of progress will be everywhere. In no way do I imagine it will be in an orderly pristine condition a lot of the time. I say that based on how you work to achieve your ultimate great results. You seem to want to get right at things, thus, horizontal surfaces and floors must receive whatever lands on them with no pre-work covering. That is not a personal criticism; it is an observation of a pattern of your activity I have watched over several years. )

    That said, I think simple white would be a simple solution. White is in the cheerfully busy wallpaper pattern. It is enough to take in without adding still another color or trim. I have an idea the nearby bathroom will have a change of color all around. And that little hallway also?

    The cabinets will no doubt become a bit banged up and banged into as you work so repairs to the faces of them will be on the list to do when you get around to it. It sure will not be a top priority to fuss a lot with. A simple paint job would be the easiest to do to restore them.

    As for now: It would be good to get some distance from your house so emotions about it get a rest. A self-imposed deadline of “this weekend” makes for unnecessary stress. Is it so urgent or could you pick a fun and easy project to tackle first?

    It will all be good in the end.

    1. Agree with every word. She knows how you work, and so do I, so I would make your cabinetry be the background and let your wallpaper and wall colors shine.

  43. We have completed several DIY closet system installations all through this company. They have a wonderful website for DIYers. Allowing you to adjust the sizes as you are finetuning your choices. With add-on accessories, etc. And a lot of new cabinet door colors. Exceptional company. Discounts and free shipping over a certain $ amount. Free sample kits. Taake a look if interested. The link is to their product features.. so you may have to get back to the home page to create a logon etc.

    https://www.easyclosets.com/product-features/

  44. Your wallpaper has a white background. White cabinets will pick up the white background and will not clash with the other rooms. It will be clean and fresh beside the wallpaper and the other colorful rooms.

  45. Personally, I think you should go into the designer software and have it prepare a mock up of the different options. But I’d also like to add that you can just buy the cabinets, without the doors. Set them up, observe how your space looks, the weight of the different parts. A door is just a piece of wood, you can add your own doors, and make them wood so you can paint them whatever colour you want. That won’t be a big thing to deal with.

    And also, you can buy a drawer front as a sample for the colour that interests you if you want. That’s what I did. Was the crazy lady who was going around electrical appliances shops holding a drawer panel and putting it next to the ovens, to decide which colour to get. And I also carried a tile with me in some other shops. Imagine that, going into the big shops, hugging a tile and a drawer panel. 😛

    PS: I actually still have photos of that period. My drawer next to the beige oven, my drawer next to the off-white oven, my tile and my drawer together next to the countertops (“love from the exotic carpenter destination, wish you were here”) etc. Oh, and the drawer front somehow survived all the months of going around, and has taken a center position right under the oven that it helped me select – not just lost among the other drawers. It deserved better! 😛 (Also, it’s really late where I live, so please be understanding if this sounds a bit crazy).

  46. Didn’t you make a desk for that room? And a rolling table or two? How do those play with the white/wood/wallpaper combo? Because the wood/white/wallpaper look great together IMO.

  47. What about a light gray with black hardware? I also saw one on a site someone posted with mirrors on the doors that make it brighter in the room. They had scrollwork on the mirrors and that would look like the doors in the music room. This is a tough one. It might be hard to have glass doors depending on what you store inside. In my studio, I have mostly all-white just so it looks cohesive and bigger. I do have four windows, but the blinds are always down so no one can look inside, especially at night when I am working.

  48. Have you considered BM Classic Gray, since it’s a color that you’ve used in several of your rooms already?

  49. I like the last mock up you did, with the wood bases and white above. I also like the idea of bringing in a couple of doors with glass, maybe behind your desk area? I would keep hardware simple – I’m loving the edge pulls that wrap to the side or top of a drawer or door, and look like a flat metal bar.

  50. I agree with everyone suggesting to take a couple steps back and do some self care. You deserve it.

    I would order the cabinets minus doors and drawers. The bases are what you need to move forward for now. Once they are assembled and then you can decide on color and style.

    I lean towards white because the space will be busy will the beautiful wallpaper and projects. But not basic slab doors. I do love the idea of the wood lowers. I don’t think it’s only a kitchen thing but typically kitchens are the only rooms with uppers and lowers.

    Maybe do the wood version on the entire wall that you would see from the rest of the house. It might give it a bit more of a furniture feel vs pantry closets? And then paint or white on the rest of the studio?

    I’m excited to see what you chose.

  51. All white would be stunning with your wallpaper. Perhaps you’re stuck in indecision mode because you’ve never chosen white! I do like the addition of some wood tones which could be as simple as a wood counter. At any rate, don’t rush to order right now. You need to be more sure before you push the button.

  52. I’m with Dawn. I’d go with white. My eyes don’t like looking at shades of the same color that don’t actually ‘match.’ Three different shades of teal/turquoise is too much for the eye to settle. You could perk it up with handles that match a shade in the wallpaper that isn’t teal/turquoise. Later on, after you’ve looked at it for a while and maybe have more energy (!), you can tackle a paint change. You do so much with color, white can be a compliment to allow all those colors.

  53. I liked the Havstorp turquoise until the next two photos with your kitchen and pantry cabinets and then I didn’t. Havstorp doesn’t have the beautiful clear color they have. Also, I’m thinking you’ll hate the flat front because all of your cabinets are either shaker or have trim around the outside edge of the doors etc. I like the wood and white look but there’s too much wood grain competing with the wallpaper and the white cabinet only works because it’s really a glass front cabinet, not a white face. I think you should find white cabinets you like the styling of, and then maybe by the time you’re tired of white, you’ll have decided what color to paint at least the bottom ones. In the meantime, you’ll have put your craft items away and been able to use the room.
    I also agree with the commenters who said to take a spa day, go to a movie with Matt, go shopping, and just generally give yourself a short break and then come back to it refreshed.

  54. The teal color from ikea would be my pic. It’s a color you love & would look like a sister ( not a twin) to rest of your house. In my opinion the wood tone cabinets don’t compliment the wallpaper at all. Good luck!

  55. Have you checked out Swedish Door Co. They also have cabinet doors and drawer fronts that fit IKEA cabinets. So many designs

  56. The idea of plum or purple for cabinets excites me! They would ground the room and not compete with the teal cabinets in your house. Also I think a darker color would hide the dirt and grime of a shop/studio space.

  57. Have you looked at the cabinets available at Home Outlet on Franklin, there in Waco? You might find something you like..

  58. Hi Kristi, as an artist when im confused about a color i start with my color wheel. The opposite of teal is if course coral. That being said i know you have that color elsewhere. Have you thought of the range of yellows? I would start with the yellowish greenish color in your wall paper. My studio was a yellow for years and many friend questioned me because i hate certain shades of yellow. I painted my cabinets teal and it really was an inspiring place for me. Ive down sized and now have a neutral color on the walls with teal and gray. I hate it and will change it soon as i can finish with more demanding projects.
    Just a suggestion. Im waiting to see what you do decide on. You inspire me!

  59. I see it 2 ways… either get the white, enjoy the black canvas and put it on the maybe list. Or get the teal and enjoy a gradient like your stripes and then also maybe to do list them. Either way you might like what you get and either way you might paint.
    I’m a vote for keeping them white especially in a studio space because you don’t need opposing colors reflecting on your art or projects.

  60. You’re overthinking it. There’s a great saying that might be applicable here: “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.” I think you should go with the white Veddinge, install them, and then catch your breath. The plain white fronts are actually perfect for a studio, because they won’t compete with the wallpaper, and will act as a kind of palate cleanser to everything else that will be in that room. (I have white cabinets in my collage studio for that very reason.) And they will delineate that space as a separate working space, not a continuation of your kitchen. I had these cabinets and fronts in a previous kitchen, and loved the way the light reflected off the doors and provided a restful break from the rest of my open plan, which had a lot of art and color in it. And if down the road you decide you want color or texture or something, they are easily modified.

  61. Have you considered just ordering the frames now, install them and then see what you want for the doors? Maybe order one or two doors to sample paint and torture test them to see if they will hold up like you need. Ikea is pretty standard, they just rolled out the Sektion line so it won’t be discontinued anytime soon, and they add door finishes continually. Some of the doors get very expensive, so you don’t want to choose wrong.

  62. When CLJ redid their closet in their last home in Idaho, they used Ikea cabinets and totally changed them to look totally custom. Painting Ikea cabinets has been done a lot, by pros, so it can be done. CLJ also has a line of cabinet fronts that work with Ikea cabinets that they used in the Fullmer kitchen remodeling. 🙂 Good luck, it is a chunk of change.

  63. My daughter put Havstorp turquoise doors/drawers in her one bedroom cottage for the kitchen and closets. She was on a very tight budget and everyone that came over remarked “This is an IKEA kitchen? Wow!”. Get a sample and see what you think….

  64. isn’t there a way to have the wallpaper (or part of the design) on the white cabinet doors? you then could have the teal on the bottom if you want. it might be easier and quicker. also, have that designer touch.