color with confidence

If a plain white kitchen just doesn't do it for you, spicy mustard paint and fanciful blue wallpaper offer pleasing possibilities.

With just one window to illuminate this kitchen, it could have looked dark and depressing. But owners Paula and Glenn Wallace of Savannah brightened the room with sunny yellow paint and white marble. Blue chinoiserie wallpaper, showing amusing dancing figures, gives the room its cheerful feel.

Designed by the Pros

Paula and Glenn, interior designers and administrators at the Savannah College of Art and Design, know that even the smallest accessories add up to big style. They hung mirrors in the corners and set table lamps on the countertops. To accentuate the room's height, they placed decorative jars on brackets mounted above the mirrors. Even the tops of some cabinets offer display space for a birdcage and paper parasols.

Everything in Its Place

The Wallaces installed open shelf units that contain racks and compartments for storing china. Built-in refrigerators, each with a pair of freezer drawers installed below, flank the recessed arched door to the pantry. This work area contains another sink and dishwasher as well as more surface and storage space.

Color On Your Cabinets? Of Course!

Stand out from the crowd of white and stained wood. Follow these painting tips when you're ready to say bye-bye to neutrals.

* Pick a color you've always loved. Highlight favorite accessories or pull out hues from adjoining rooms. You can always go neutral on walls or countertops.

* High-gloss, oil-based paint offers a pretty sheen and smooth application, but cabinets face a lot of wear and tear. A semigloss finish is also a smart choice, and, thanks to today's technology, latex paint goes on just as well as oil-based.

* If painting cabinets yourself, invest in a high-quality brush. For a flawless finish, sand lightly between the first and second coats. -KAREN PERKINS

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Jul 2007
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