When we bought our kitchen stools in December — yes, the ones from a school supply store for $32 each — we knew we might tweak them later. Options like painting, upholstering, or staining the seats were all on the table. We decided to live with the stools for a while so the kitchen remodel could settle and we could make a thoughtful decision instead of a rushed one.

At first the stools felt right: they tied into the stainless appliances, hinted at a geek-industrial vibe, and echoed the gray tones from the penny-tile wall. But after months of living with them and weighing our options, we concluded it’s time to paint. The idea isn’t that we dislike them as they are — they’re fine — but a fresh coat of paint could elevate them from good to great.

We started experimenting with colors in Photoshop to get a sense of what each option might do for the space. Our first idea was a dark teal, inspired by the back of the built-ins in the adjoining dining room. Since the kitchen and dining room are open to one another, a teal stool would pick up that sliver of color you see when standing in the kitchen. It felt cohesive, though possibly a little too coordinated if everything matched too closely.

White was another option, and while glossy white stools would read modern and clean against the light cabinets and counters, we worried white might be too flat in a room that already has so much lightness. The look seemed to lack depth for our taste.

We also tested an oil-rubbed bronze (ORB) finish. ORB felt like a safe, sophisticated choice: it would connect with the darker hardware and provide contrast against the white cabinets. The only concern was that ORB could blend into the floor since both share darker tones. We considered dark charcoal as well, but ORB gave a slightly warmer, more balanced effect.

Because we enjoy small bright accents around the kitchen — a yellow jar by the fridge, a planter on the open shelves — we tried a cheerful yellow. In Photoshop it read loud and a bit scary, so we brought in Clara’s yellow highchair to see how yellow would actually look in the room. In real life the yellow felt surprisingly cute and friendly rather than overwhelming.

To explore more options, I grabbed a few random stools from other rooms (blue from HomeGoods, red from Joss & Main) and placed them by the peninsula. Each color brought a different mood: the blue harmonized with blue accessories on the open shelves, while the tomato red felt vibrant and new because that tone is rare elsewhere in the house. Red could also reference the red tones in the Lady Swimming print, though we hesitated because red or deep orange next to the yellow-green walls might read too McDonald’s from certain angles.

We continued to try greens — a leafy green and a deeper emerald — both of which could easily work in our neutral kitchen palette. A lighter teal with gray undertones was another contender, offering a softer punch of color while still feeling modern.

One clear takeaway: our neutral kitchen (white, gray, and warm wood tones) is forgiving, so many colors would look good. The final decision will depend on whether we want the stools to blend and ground the space or act as a bold, playful accent. Photoshop renderings help, but they don’t capture how light and surrounding finishes will influence the final look, so we’ll keep testing in-person samples before committing.

One small, funny moment: after working on color ideas, I walked into the office and found a stack of books that matched the palette I’d been leaning toward — a tiny confirmation that those hues are appealing to me right now. For now, we’ll live with a few top choices and likely make the final call in the next week or two.

We’ll share the outcome once we decide. In the meantime, any favorite stool colors or tips for choosing paint finishes are welcome — do you prefer a subtle, coordinating tone or a loud pop of color at the peninsula?