Suggest good colors for walls/cabs w/out being boring but not crazy (PICS)

Redshift · Apr 14, 2011

Ok, so I've got some custom cabs going in and just did drywall. I am definitely doing the upper walls and ceiling all in bright white to reflect as much light as possible - that much is for certain.

I'm guessing the cabinet doors should be white also, but maybe the boxes themselves in a different color to add some interest and uniqueness? And possibly a gray or other off-white color for the lower portion of the walls (cabinet height and below)?

I'm NOT attempting to make it a car showroom - it's still a work shop - but it can't hurt to look a little nicer than all white, right? And since I have to paint them SOME color, I might as well do something other than boring old white everywhere.

Here are some pics of what is done as of now:

ducati · Apr 14, 2011

If you are going white on part of your cabinets, go white on all of your cabinets. Paint your walls to give color. No need to have white doors, blue frames, and red walls. Your not trying for "stripes" gum look are you? JMO

Redshift · Apr 14, 2011

ducati said:
If you are going white on part of your cabinets, go white on all of your cabinets. Paint your walls to give color. No need to have white doors, blue frames, and red walls. Your not trying for "stripes" gum look are you? JMO

Nope, not that. What I meant was, if I paint, say, the boxes a light gray, then the doors white. That would make them slightly more interesting than "all white" and still keep the reflectivity by having the majority of the surface area white still.

brslk · Apr 15, 2011

If you aren't going to weld in there then paint it all white or light colors.

If you do weld, consider arc light bouncing off walls and ceilings.

Redshift · Apr 15, 2011

brslk said:
If you aren't going to weld in there then paint it all white or light colors.

If you do weld, consider arc light bouncing off walls and ceilings.

I will probably begin welding at some point.

rsanter · Apr 15, 2011

grey gloss on the lower parts of the walls and the bottom cabinets

white on the upper walls and cabinets

ford blue stripe seperating the two colors

bob

Redshift · Apr 15, 2011

rsanter said:
grey gloss on the lower parts of the walls and the bottom cabinets

white on the upper walls and cabinets

ford blue stripe seperating the two colors

bob

Not bad, but I'm thinking maybe red stripe instead :beer:

78Bird · Apr 15, 2011

Good light all the time v/s some glare just when welding.... A bright, light colored room really brightens a work area, you get more oomph for your lighting expense.

I'll take the glare. Temp shields or something can be put up if needed.

nehog · Apr 15, 2011

Burgundy?

Redshift · Apr 15, 2011

78Bird said:
Good light all the time v/s some glare just when welding.... A bright, light colored room really brightens a work area, you get more oomph for your lighting expense.

I'll take the glare. Temp shields or something can be put up if needed.

Right - room will be used 98% for non-welding activities so should be designed around that.

rickairmedic · Apr 15, 2011

Red I am a Ford Fan myself so all of my cabinets are Ford Blue . The rest of the garage is Gloss white including the ceiling it is plenty bright in here with the lights on . I weld fairly often and dont have any issues with the bright white walls and ceiling myself. I would use a color you like on the cabinets such as the Red you mentioned. I painted my cabinets with tractor and implement paint which also has a good gloss to it .

Rick

JSK · Apr 15, 2011

Am still partial to how my color scheme turned out.

Original story.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65575

Redshift · Apr 15, 2011

Me likey!!!!!!!!!

Also your color scheme is cool too.

Jack Olsen · Apr 15, 2011

That's some nice looking cabinetry. I would paint the walls white. But I wouldn't paint the faces of the cabinets white. They'll get dirty around the handles very quickly. In your shoes, I'd paint the cabinets all the same color -- something close to white, like a light gray. You could belt-line the entire room in the same shafe.

Then if it still looks too plain and you want an 'accent color' to dress things up, do a stripe at the belt-line dividing point or the bench tops or something like that.

But if you're using the cabinets, then I'd say a slightly-darker-than-white color and definitely a semigloss so they stay cleaner longer.

FJ 432 · Apr 15, 2011

Jack Olsen said:
But if you're using the cabinets, then I'd say a slightly-darker-than-white color and definitely a semigloss so they stay cleaner longer.

X2. White IMHO would be a mistake even with pulls/handles I would go a darker color.

Redshift · Apr 15, 2011

Agree - white for cabs is bad. I have white cheapie HD cabs in my "parking garage" and they are dirty - have been since installed.

What do you think about this:

From outlets down, gray walls. From outlets up, white walls. Red stripe separating the two.

Cabinets painted in red (boxes) and black (doors and drawer faces) - similar to the toolboxes I have in there.

Countertop made from two 3/4" pieces of particleboard glued together, gray laminate on top for surface. Cheap, sturdy, easy/cheap to replace.

JSK · Apr 15, 2011

Dark is surely better than white especially in a working garage but I had made my mind up on white. Because torches and welders are more my style as opposed to woodworking (kudos to you Redshift), I ended up hiring a cabinet contractor. I’ve seen the “white” cabinets offered at the mass chains but I wanted something a little more rugged. Ended up going with 3/4" MDF finished with a melamine laminate which is very easy to clean.

Redshift · Apr 15, 2011

JSK said:
Dark is surely better than white especially in a working garage but I had made my mind up on white. Because torches and welders are more my style as opposed to woodworking (kudos to you Redshift), I ended up hiring a cabinet contractor. I’ve seen the “white” cabinets offered at the mass chains but I wanted something a little more rugged. Ended up going with 3/4" MDF finished with a melamine laminate which is very easy to clean.

I'm not doing the cabs myself. I wish! I could probably pull it off - but not that nicely, not this fast, and not in time to get back into my shop so I can continue using it rather than working on it. I hired it out to some master trim carpenters that have done work for me in the past. They are awesome.

Redshift · Apr 21, 2011

Update - here's what I've got so far:

JMartel · Apr 21, 2011

Lookin good to me.

redlinetoys · Apr 21, 2011

Wow. Looks good!

csp · Apr 21, 2011

Imagine that, gray and white with a colored stripe separating them. Never seen that one before.

j/k It does look good.

I'm in the same boat. I like that color scheme but am still trying to decide if I want my garage to look like so many others I've seen here.

BOONEY7750 · Apr 21, 2011

I like an oil based gloss up to the top of the bench or bottom of cabinets. I like a medium gray. This way it is easy to clean and match in the high traffic areas and still light enough to "feel bright" Then I would use a slightly lighter shade of the same color on the cabinets oil based again, so it is easy to match and clean. Finish with an eggshell high hiding white on walls and ceiling. My benches are stained mapple so I do not have color in my benches or cabinets, but I would keep it easy to clean and one color throughout.

*Edit* For some reason the pictures with the progress di not load for me the first time I read the thread. It looks very nice. I do not have my "lifetime" boxes yet so I could not paint to match. Very nice work all the way around.

Redshift · Apr 21, 2011

csp said:
Imagine that, gray and white with a colored stripe separating them. Never seen that one before. j/k It does look good.

I'm in the same boat. I like that color scheme but am still trying to decide if I want my garage to look like so many others I've seen here.

I know, I know....but, after much contemplation, there seems to be valid reason for such a color scheme. The darker lower walls don't show marks as easily, and of course the bright white uppers reflect a lot of light. The stripe is simply for style, and since my tool boxes and lift are all red,I figured why not. I agree with not wanting to look the same as so many others, but you'll only find them on here, and let's face it, how many of your neighbors have shops/garages like you? None of mine do, so at least around here it's special and as long as I like it, that's all that counts to me.

BOONEY7750 said:
I like an oil based gloss up to the top of the bench or bottom of cabinets. I like a medium gray. This way it is easy to clean and match in the high traffic areas and still light enough to "feel bright" Then I would use a slightly lighter shade of the same color on the cabinets oil based again, so it is easy to match and clean. Finish with an eggshell high hiding white on walls and ceiling. My benches are stained mapple so I do not have color in my benches or cabinets, but I would keep it easy to clean and one color throughout.

*Edit* For some reason the pictures with the progress di not load for me the first time I read the thread. It looks very nice. I do not have my "lifetime" boxes yet so I could not paint to match. Very nice work all the way around.

Here's what I did to make it water-friendly:

* Waterproof "epoxy" gray and red paint (includes red and black on cabinets)

* Water resistant drywall (lower 4' of all walls)

* PVC floor trim - will never rot, stain, warp, etc.

I can pretty much make a huge mess, spray some cleaner, scrub the floor down, then hose it out and not worry about any wood or drywall damage.

Dale Rogers · Apr 21, 2011

That's a good look!
I'd throw in a little yellow maybe now; but that's the love of Maico motorcycles in me.
DR

csp · Apr 22, 2011

Redshift said:
I agree with not wanting to look the same as so many others, but you'll only find them on here, and let's face it, how many of your neighbors have shops/garages like you? None of mine do, so at least around here it's special and as long as I like it, that's all that counts to me.

Good point. My wife said the same thing last night when I was discussing the two-tone with stripe thing with her. I just have to find some other colors that I haven't seen. Toolboxes are to be re-painted as well as cabinets, so I really have a blank sheet of canvas to work with.

dipper · Apr 22, 2011

that looks excellent. keep up the good work!

Redshift · Apr 22, 2011

I'm just eager to move back in. Glad I hired our drywall and paint - those guys are taking forever and they're pros. It would have taken me months to get that far on my own! I want my shop back to work IN, not ON! LOL

I'll do a new post soon when the counters are done.

JSK · Apr 22, 2011

Luvin it.

On Edge · Apr 22, 2011

I'm going to go with that color combo on the cabinets as well. I really like the cabinets and how your garage is turning out.

Redshift · Apr 22, 2011

On Edge said:
I'm going to go with that color combo on the cabinets as well. I really like the cabinets and how your garage is turning out.

It looks really good in person - better than pics. I'll get the lights and air hose reel and power cord reel and other trimmings back in place and take nicer pics so you can see. But, I'm glad my wife convinced me to reverse the cab colors from the original plan of red boxes and black doors... :beer:

Suggest good colors for walls/cabs w/out being boring but not crazy (PICS)

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