The baseboards and trim in the dining room have been painted white. The windows have been primed and painted, but are awaiting a second coat. The built-in hutch however, has only been partially primed.
I left the beadboard backing untouched because I thought it might be a nice contrast to the white (and nice to maintain just a touch of the original wood). I like it, and I think I’ll leave it, but what about the shelves? Do you think they should go white or stay natural? I can’t quite decide, and I would love to finish painting soon.
164 comments
chris rasga
Hi..
I like your work!!
Chris Rasga/Brazil
my blog http://mixornia.blogspot.com
your work in my blog
http://mixornia.blogspot.com/2010/10/making-it-lovely.html
Ash
Go grey – soo chic! Check it out here especially the pic with the doors opening to the fireplace
http://www.calcotmanor.co.uk/restaurants/the-conservatory
Sandra Yeong
Hey, i think this looks like yours buffet..
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/house-tours/amys-mission-dolores-apartment-house-call-122043
meg
this might sound like it wouldn’t make a difference, BUT maybe you could paint the front edge of the shelves white. this is what we did when we replaced our kitchen cabinet doors with glass paned doors, to display our dishes and painted the interior shelves (for us it was black). it was kind of a pain to paint that narrow edge/strip white, but it looks really good. similarly with yours, the white ceramics would still pop against the wood shelves, but you’d have nice lines from the front and it would look well thought out…
Lacey
At first I really wanted to vote white, but now I am not too sure since the majority of the items sitting on the shelves are white as well. I wonder how they would look painted a color pulled from the wallpaper. Too much?
Erin R.
I would definitely paint the shelves. Then see if you like the back left wood or if you think you want to paint it a contrasting color.
Carol
If your items you are going to put on the self will be white do NOT paint the shelves white. You need a contrast to show off your lovely china/glassware. Paint the back a contrasting color to the items you wish to show off on the shelves. I’d match the back to the shelves on color. Gray is a popular color. I’d try several shades before choosing one. Good luck, you’re doing fine to far.
Julie
I agree with the other posts – definitely paint the shelves white so they, and the items on them, pop out in contrast to the beadboard backing. But, I also like the idea of painting the beadboard a contrasting color – and really love the idea of grey. I think it would go nicely with the white trim, and would play off the wallpaper colors nicely too. Can’t wait to see the finished product!
Gwendolyn
I think white would be better.
Molly
I love the beautiful display of white and think that it contrasts so nicely with the natural wood. I would paint the shelves white.
Beth
DEFINITELY paint them white. Another color would be too much going on.
Ann Wilson
You have been getting so much traffic on this, you should keep a scorecard.
Tape up some printer paper in the back of the cabinet to see if you like that look. It might be too much while. A pale gray might be better.
lara from oakland,ca
white shelves, pink back!
Nerissamar
You should paint the shelves & back of the hutch…. a mushroom color.. like a dark gray, similar to the color of the birds in the wall paper. That wait your white accesories would pop out.
hope it helps!
:D
Valerie
Love all your ideas, Nicole. Congrats on the new baby, too! I’d paint the shelves white and I love the idea of painting the back bead board black or another dark color. Whatever you end up doing, I know it will look great!
ashleyD
i vote white shelves!!!
Jennifer
My vote is for white shelves and paint the back the pink that’s in the wallpaper.
Lynn
Paint them white for sure!! It’s starting to look really lovely – I’m so glad you decided to paint the trim. Will look amazing when you’re done!
allison
Maybe I’m the minority, but I think you should keep the brown on the back and the shelves brown, I like the contrast. I love white trim but I like a little original wood as well.
JLR
I’d paint the back too!
If not white – then another color, but I’d def paint it – Looks fab too BTW!
Colleen
Shelves white and the back beadboard black!
Averill (Odi et Amo)
Hmm…I think I’d paint the shelves white, too.
Ashley
paint them, but not white to match the trim. I would paint them a contrasting color!!
citydweller
i vote white, esp if you plan to keep white ceramics on display
margie
I normally would be all for the white but since all of the things your are displaying are white I would leave it as is. I actually would suggest panting the shelves and the back a different color all together, perhaps a color from the wallpaper?
Daria
Leave them natural, to make your white dishware stand out.
Joy
Natural, if you’re going to leave the beadboard natural. If you paint them white against the natural background with vertical stripes, it will look like a tic-tac-toe board.
Jenni
painting the shelves white would make the beadboard backing pop event more. I think it would look better with white shelves.
Tiffany
I think the background should be painted gray to pull from the wallpaper.
Kiley Cogis
White shelves, for sure! Otherwise it feels out of balance. And isn’t that bottom shelf already painted white?
D
something like this would be nice.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71112133@N00/2340163751/in/set-72157604137514816/
kesikeno
Hello
love your blog
love your home
love your ideas
…
congratulations for your coming soon boy!
annie
I’d paint both the back and the shelves. Shelves — white, back — some other color.
It looks great. I’ll always adore that wallpaper.
Fiona
Looks great! I think the inside should be white, but it looks good both ways.
Emma
I would paint the shelves white. The backdrop, though, I would paint a darker color, mimicking the dark gray (?) of the wallpaper detail.
Kayzie
White! Painting while preggers seems a bit much to bear, but the results are going to be gorgeous!
Mary Lynn
I’d paint the shelves white and the back I’d try to color match with the pink of the wallpaper.
susan
Ordinarily I’d say keep the wood but in this case I think the shelves would look better white. It’s really looking nice.
Amanda @ Out of Square
I would definitely leave the beadboard as is and paint the shelves white. We added a built-in bookcase that followed those details and it looks amazing! It’s all white except for the walnut veneer back we added. So sophisticated and simple. Good luck!
Barb F (Australia)
Putting in my vote for white shelves. Looking great!
Fiona
Definitely paint the shelves because the central spine is now painted. If you’d left it natural the shelves might’ve been ok natural. Personally I’d paint the back too, a pearly grey would be gorgeous.
mribaro
Since the bottom shelf is already painted white, I think you should paint the other two as well, to be consistent. You’ll still have the back boards in natural wood for warmth and contrast. If it were my hatch, I’d probably prefer seeing the back boards painted in that dusty pink color, like your wallpaper, or I’d even go one or two shades darker.
Melissa
I’m with loads of others – I know you’re tired of painting and just want it to be done already, but I think the shelves and the beadboard would look great if you painted them all the same non-white color. The unpainted wood makes that part look kind of dingy and forgotten, maybe disordered. Just, it’s just off in a way I can’t quite pinpoint.
I would have suggested white, but I think the other commenters make a good point in noting that a slightly darker color (maybe a grey or pink) would really set your ceramics off!
Melissa
I think painting the back a nice grey, and then leaving the shelves as-is would be lovely. It would breakup the paint and accentuate your white accessories. White would make them fade into the background.
kat
Wow, so many white votes, which kind of surprises me. I think you should leave it natural. This way, the shelves blend into the background, and makes the white dishes stand out way more. I think it draws attention to your china / ceramic pieces. If you had lots colourful pieces, then I would say paint it white. I think leaving it natural makes the whole area pop beautifully! You get to see more details on the ceramics.
Pencils
tape some white paper over the shelves, put the ceramics back, leave it for a day or so, and then make a decision. Personally, I think they would look better white if you’re leaving the back natural.
BTW, I didn’t comment on this before, as I’ve been really busy lately, but I think painting your wood trim is a great idea and will make the place look so much better when it’s all finished. I say this from experience, as part of a larger project of painting the living room, dining room, and stairwell, we just painted the trim, stair woodwork, and the living room fireplace with Benjamin Moore Decorator white oil paint. And it looks SO much better than the awful discolored orangey midcentury stain. I particularly love the fireplace and the stairs, we painted all the woodwork except the treads, balusters and handrail. It all looks so clean and nice now! And looks appropriate with the recently refinished floors. I’m so happy with how it turned out!
wanderluster
I’d paint the shelves white and keep the back in the wood tone, but I would change out some of the white accessories for something colourful. Maybe something pink to match the small pink accents in the wallpaper.
sana
i vote for white!
querencia
one shelf is already white and having 2 left as wood looks disrupting to me. more unfinished than intentional. the natural beadboard looks like an intentional choice and i like it :) 2 out of 3 shelves staying natural when everything else is white just looks off to me. i think a background with a colour pulled from somewhere else in the room would be nice as well but i wouldn’t paint the beadboard, i’d put in a false back so you could switch between the two if you changed your mind later… i have a fear of commitment though :)
michelle
white shelves, black or dark grey for the beadboard. or DARK PINK!!!!!
Desiree
white!! Looks great so far.
Melissa @ HOUSEography
Definitely paint the shelves. I like the look of the wood but you may eventually want to paint a dark accent color back there. Keep on going! It’s going to be great when it’s done. Would love to see that wallpaper in person. Bet it’s even more stunning!
Jenna Ziegler
I would paint everything white including the beadboard
Jen K
I agree! White shelves and paint the beadboard a color from your wallpaper. It is looking great! Way to go Mama!
saintvictoria
I would paint the shelves white, and the back a colour from the wallpaper to make the items “pop”. They would stand out against a coloured back ground, but against a white back ground, the details may get lost.
Kim@Living with Little People
I would paint the shelves as I agree with an earlier comment they look unfinshed at the moment. I would definitely agree with you though about not painting the beadboard white – your lovely collection of white ceramics would be lost in the background.
Emily S
I’d definitely go for the white, but I’m not so sure I’d leave the backing. I would pull an accent color from the wallpaper and paint the beadboard. But I’m sure whatever you do, it will be lovely!
Brooke
White shelves and something striking for the back of the hutch… is that black/gray in the wallpaper? Perhaps jet black or a dark gray. Your white collection will look stunning!
katiedid
I vote for the white on the shelves, especially since it looks like the bottom shelf is already painted. Looks great!!!!!
cathy pusateri
What about Black? Black background with white shelves or white background with black shelves.
kristen
all white! it looks so great. crisp, fresh, and clean, like the rest of your house. love it!
amy goodhouse
I would paint the shelves white and I agree with some of the others that the beadboard could maybe be painted a color.
I’ve been totally priming my wood work all day today, so I’m all about the paint right now :)
Heidi
I think the shelves AND paneling should be panted – a contrast color, since the white-on-white will make everything hard to see.
Staci
I’m with everyone else–white shelves will make the effect look more finished (especially since the bottom one already is, and make the paneling in back stand out all that much more. Are the shelves removable/adjustable? Glass ones would look great too!
Bethany @ b*spoke
I vote for white shelves!
Donna
white!
Jenna
I like the shelves painted white.
If it were my hutch I would paint the back bead board something contrasting to make your white accessories POP, like the black from the wallpaper.
Catherine
White!! White white white!
Kinga
I think you should go WHITE! It does look like you forgot about them now. I would also paint or put wallpaper on the beadboard backing and this way you could make it pop even more.
Kim
I would paint them white and paint the beadboard a different colour. I don’t like the look of the wood now that nothing else in the room is the same.
Lori
I vote to paint the shelves white! I also think it would look lovely to paint the beadboard backing a coordinating color from the wallpaper (like a dark grey) to make the dishes & stuff on the shelves really pop.
Holly
I would paint them white.
Tanya
I would do black or dark blue for contrast, especially since you have so many white accessories.
sarah h.
definitely paint the shelves white.
but i vote no on leaving the wood beadboard – paint it gray or pink so your beautiful white pieces REALLY pop in front :)
Megan Elizabeth
Definitely paint the shelves! I like the look of seeing the original wood. It adds personality :)
Chloe's mom
I think you should paint the back a charcoal gray to bring out the color in the wallpaper. I would keep the shelving white. Otherwise, I think it looks odd and unfinished.
Sara
I say paint the shelves white. It’ll help them pop against the natural wood backing.
meryl rose
I’d paint the back a fun color that gives a great pop and compliments the rest of the room, and then go for glass shelves
Ana
I would do the shelves white and paint the back a color taken from the wallpaper.
Nancy J
I’d paint the shelves and also the beadboard, if you don’t want white go with a darker color, maybe gray, or pull a color from your wallpaper.
Emilee
Paint them. And paint the back, too, I think. But I’m not the boss. (Paint the back pink? I love pink.)
Katie C.
I would definitely paint the interior of the hutch a dark charcoal (like the birds in the wallpaper) so that your white objects really stand out.
Alyssa
I’m with the majority it sounds like! Paint the shelves white and the beadboard a darker color. Tres chic.
Bridget
Either I’m really old-fashioned . . . or just old. I think it all looked better before with the completely natural finish. The way it looks now appears, at least to me, that you just primed the trim for paint and blends in with the wall/paper as opposed to popping out. I think if you want to go white, then really paint it white . . . without the wood tones showing through. I do think that it would look nice with the black in the back . . . or black all around to make it more dramatic.
With all that said, I think you are amazingly talented and I don’t know how you have the energy for this right now. Also, I hope you’re looking into getting an agent if you don’t already have one because I see the potential for an HGTV show for you . . . seriously.
Meme
I’m pretty sure the wood tones showing through on the hutch are there because it’s only primed, not painted yet. In the left edge of the picture you can see some trim that is painted, and it looks great!
Julie
Paint it all- even the beadboard. I think it looks weird with the brown back.
Diane
I would definitely paint the shelves white. I would say to also paint the back white or paint it some other color that would complement the rest of the dining room. Maybe a nice gray? Or pale pink?
millie@passiondecor
shelves – white…definitely :)
ps…dining room looks much better this way
Jenny
Paint it!
Rebecca
Another vote for painting them white! With the bottom shelf white, it’ll look more solidified with the remainder of the shelves white.
What about making a fabric back for the shelves? You could cut a custom piece of foamcore and upholster it with a fun pattern, then pop in in place (maybe secure it with 3m contact strips). Then, if you get tired of it, you can change out the fabric, etc. It’s less permanent than painting the back too!
Of course, it’ll only work if the shelves are removable.
AbraCat
I think you should leave the shelves as-is, but paint the edges facing into the room (does that make sense?) white. Looks terrific so far!
Corey
My vote is white. And I agree with the other people putting their two cents in that you should paint the back gray or something like that.
Brigitte
I vote white. It’ll look more intentional.
Nicole
Definitely paint the shelves white! I don’t absolutely dislike keeping the beadboard in the wood tone but think it may look crisper painted an accent color.
Licia
Definitely paint the shelves white so they match the bottom shelf. I am also in agreement with the others. The back would look great if painted in a contrasting color.
Mara
WHITE!!!!!
kat
I think a colour, like turquoise or grey, would be nice!
eyeseepretty
Loving the painted trim! I would definitely paint the shelves, that way, the wood on the back draws the eye in!
Bekah
WHITE! I’d say paint it all white
Kim
Definitely paint the shelves white. The bead board would look hot painted a saturated color inspired from your wall covering. The high contrast will really make your white dishware pop!
Centsational Girl
I vote you paint the shelves too. I do like the contrast in the back. The wood is lovely, but what about pulling a color from your wallpaper? The blue or pink? That would be fresh too. Great project!
xo
Kate
SusanF
I was wondering if any one else would think pink. While I’m not a pinkie, I know you are. Even a greyed shade of pink would work. I never noticed the details of the hutch until you painted it white. Great way to wake up the dining room!
sf
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