You are living in Paris???? We went this fall for the first time, and fell in love with the city. Could you post a photo of your kitchen? I do agree that keeping in simple, especially with the colorful tile, might be best. What color is tallow?

Oh my gosh -- Paris. Paint it anything and it will be wonderful. However, I'd try to match the off white tile and paint the entire place in that color (I mean couleur).

Here's the kitchen and laundry of the apt. I stayed in while in Paris.

I tried to post one picture, I`ll see if it works and if so post another, from another angle. It`s hard to get a decent photo in such a vertical space.
I don`t live here most of the time, I live on a boat in San Francisco, but I`ve had this apartment for 11 years and I rent it short term and come when it is empty to keep it up to snuff. About twice a year for 2 months.
Tallow is a Farrow and Ball color, a cream with yellow undertone.

another picture....the problem with off -white in Paris, is that it tends to end up looking dirty, partly because of the light and partly because, well, the air IS dirty. Hope I`m not shattering any illusions, but it`s a city full of cars and cigarettes. You have never seen such dust bunnies. You could vacuum the hardwood floors in the morning and find dust bunnies you could knit a sweater with in the afternoon. Incredible!

Let's see:

a)Cupboards and ceiling and window trim in F&B All White

b)Walls and interior of cupboards in F&B Orangery

I dunno -- I'll need to see it person to make a recommendation!

Teacats idea sounds intriguing! I will have to see it in person also though. So hard to see from photos.

It looks as if everything was already painted in one color, white?

First let me wipe the drool off the computer screen.

I love Paris! My favorite city.

I like the idea of using Tallow. Any warm, creamy color with yellow undertones sounds like it would ward off gloomy day blues. Add some copper accents, a touch of red, a touch of black and be done.

Enjoy a croissant for me!

I also like that Tallow color...very pretty. We stayed in an apt in the Marais this past fall & a former interior designer/painter owns it. They had it all painted in a creamy off-white, not stark white. It looked very nice. They had colorful rugs over the wood floors. It was a 3 bdrm, 2 bath apt with high windows and ceilings, and the entire apt was painted the same color. She also had a lot of her colorful artwork on the walls. I thought it played out restful, but not blah at all.

How large is your apt??

Have any of you who loved Paris seen a show on the Food Network called "My Little Paris Kitchen with Rachel Khoo"? It is just great...she's a British young woman who is a chef, and creates these wonderful looking dishes in the tiniest of kitchens, plus she shows going out to the markets, etc. to get her ingredients. She has a book out, that will be available with US measurements, etc. this spring...

Paint everything in a bright white semi-gloss to include the ceiling. It will look brighter, be easier to clean and not compete with that Orange. You might want to considered tile paint at some point or use one of the tin looking back splashes that glue on. They really do look nice. Love Paris, have not been in a while but I was in France in June. Best Wishes.

When we lived there, we did our kitchen in red, and it was fabulous -- everyone loved it. It was bigger than yours but not by much, I'd bet, with a small window facing the courtyard to the east -- so we'd get a little morning light. I'd be tempted to go with that orange color of the tile or something between it and Tallow. I wouldn't do white, you're right, it will just get grimy as I'm sure you open the windows often.

As for quality paint, I remember when they started carrying F&B at BHV, I was swooning! We also used Laura Ashley paint and the quality of that was decent too, some lovely colors that worked really well with the Paris light -- don't know if they still have a store.

Would love to see more pics of your apartment -- the glimpse of the ironwork outside the window makes me nostalgic!

I wonder how Setting Plaster or Fowler Pink would look?

I think Fowler Pink would look wonderful, but that Setting Plaster is too lilac in tone to work with your tile. And I agree that Satinee is best, and would look wonderfully chic.

The light in Paris does often have a pink cast, so I would have to come and see it in the actual space before I could advise you.

I could be there Saturday morning...lunch at Guy Savoy???

Dutch Pink????

Lizzie, the apartment you stayed in must have been gorgeous. What luxury to have 3 beds/2 baths in the heart of Paris! And the cream sounds lovely, but all the light coming into the apartment was not from the north, which is my case.
Mine is a one bedroom, and the windows all face north. Even cream can turn grey or green, especially with the tree tops outside. I wouldn`t change though. Too attached to my view!
I have read about Rachel Khoo and I think she may have even given classes in that tiny apartment. But some of the best meals I have had have been in tiny spaces, from the point of view of the food AND the conversation. Big spaces are overrated IMHO.
Gosh Bronwynsmom, I would love to lunch at Guy Savoye. So far out of my realm is that, that I`m not sure where it is. Probably on the right bank, where I rarely venture.
Saturday won`t work for me though, as I go to the flea market then come rain hail or snow. A lifelong addict.
Demolitionlab - I can`t figure out how to put up more than one photo per post. I would suggest you look at the photos on vrbo , the rental website, but that might be construed as advertising. I don`t want to get ejected as the advice you gardenwebbers give is SO valuable.
Thank you all - I think I have chosen tallow as a color, as I tried out some of the mid weight colors and they were just too much in a space where you are never more than 2 feet from the wall. I will post on the paint forum to see what they have to say there about satin on the walls, cupboards and ceiling. Is it even called satin in the states? Eggshell seems to ring a bell. All I know is that I have not used anything other than the mattest of the matt on wall for as long as I can remember. Never even considered anything else which is why I can`t remember what it is called!

diedres,

Tallow is a lovely color. I assume you've tested it in your beautiful Parisian northern light. Important with F&B.

I assume their finishes are the same everywhere? The Estate Emulsion is the flat. Modern Emulsion is next with a slight sheen, and then Eggshell with a bit more sheen. Neither of the sheens in these F&B paints are shiny by any means, it's all very subtle, especially in the lighter colors like Tallow, so I think you'll be very pleased with the subtle bouncing of light.... can't wait to see pics!

I would do eggshell on any cabinets. you can choose between eggshell and modern emulsion for the walls. They're both supposed to be excellent where a flat application on walls is less than desirable.

Thanks for you input Pirula,
As a matter of fact I chose tallow for the bedroom , which is a normal size room, unlike the tiny kitchen. However, during the day I see a little green undertone . At night, with just the table lamps, it is lovely.
Phillipe, the guy at F & B, has been with them for years and is really very helpful, was surprised when I mentioned the green in the tallow, but said maybe it was because of the trees.
They have finally realized that they need to offer a consulting service with the ultra expensive F&B paint, so before I paint my sitting room and bedroom again, I will bite the bullet and have Phillipe come up and advise , The service costs a lot more than in California - 200 euros an hour - which is about $260. But as you garden web experts know, it`s not just the color choice, it is what color and finish to put where that makes the difference in very small or otherwise tricky rooms
But I suppose it`s all subjective. What some people consider serene, others find boring and bland. I tend to veer from one to the other. I want light and airy but I also want cosy and warm. Hard to reconcile the two.