I failed to take a photo of the BM Elemental sample (sorry!) but here's a photo of it from the internet. I think it's fairly true to color.. it is a little more yellow and brighter in the main living space.. and a little muddier and darker under the cabinets in the kitchen (I will need to improve lighting in the kitchen).

And finally, this is the SW Lemongrass (also from the internet). I love how this looks in this space.. not sure how it will work in my space with extra light and warmth of the orange oak floors.

Funky, I have never used Elemental, but I took a chance with a darker color (Saybrook Sage) in our kitchen and 'keeping room' area off the kitchen. It does not make it feel smaller and it gives a warm and cozy feel to the room. If you love the color, go for it. As a lover of green, I bet you will be pleased with the result. At least, I would be! ;)

I don't see why you would feel "closed in" with the elemental. It's a yummy color. Below are the tones of paint that will work well with it. My choice for the fireplace would be the one with the word "straw" in it. I would probably use that straw tone for the trim too as it blends so well. As much as I love white trim, all of my trim is tinted a bit to blend with each room. They read white but they're not. I have very vanilla in my den and everyone asks the color of the trim. They think it's a white.
Also look below at the other tones they recommend as being similar to the one you chose.

Here is a link that might be useful: paint compliments

I like the elemental. Will it go with your belongings? I have used two affinity colors and have been very happy with them.

How light or dark do you want the green?

We're thinking of downsizing in 2-5 years and want to paint a neutral and inviting green. I love green, but I know buyers do not like too much green, so I'm thinking of BM CELERY SALT OC-136.

This color seems to be easy on the eyes and I can add any color to the room. I'm very sensitive to too much of any hue in a color.

I'm really not liking the color trends for 2013 at all. The only one I like is pale oak ( a neutral). Ironically I had that color picked out 2 years ago, way before it came into vogue.

I'm not trying to sway your decision, but I get tired quickly of a strong color, but that's just me. I love it in other peoples' houses, though.

Dabunch, I am not too worried about too much color-- as most of my first floor (and second floor) are in a somewhat similar (but more brown) color. I think more so than lighter, I was thinking I should go more yellow to make it more visually light... and dare I say, cheery. I HATE cheery wall colors.. but I guess I am thinking going a little bit more in that direction would make the space more inviting.

I have no idea if I am making sense lol.. much like with music, I know what I feel but I don't have the right paint language to express it.

I find it funny how the same paint can look so different in two different rooms based on light and surrounding elements. I do quite like the Elemental that you posted. I googled and see it paired with purple, and, like you, I also don't see that being the dominant color combination I would want to use.

Just to add another option and confuse things more, have you looked at SW Liveable Green? I have it in my bedroom and have a friend who used it for her main living space, and it is a very nice neutral green that I can see pairing nicely with many different colors. Funny, I read in another thread somebody mentioning that you are either a "blue" person or a "green" person, and I had to think that I must just be a confused person because I mixed them all together. I like it with the grays and blues of the bedding, creams of the trim, and browns of the carpet and furniture. If the bedding was yellow, I think it would look nice too. It is a nice....well.....liveable color. Here are some pics.

This first one is a bit dark as my camera doesn't like shooting against the brightness of the snow being reflected in the window.

This post was edited by kellienoelle on Sun, Feb 24, 13 at 13:17

Kellienoelle, I am with you-- i very much like blues and greens paired together but I am a green girl. While I like accents of blues with my greens, I couldn't live with blue walls surrounding me. I guess that's the difference. I will have a blue accent wall in the kitchen and I'd be very ok with a blue painted piece or a blue sofa.. but I need to be enveloped in green!

I really like your bedroom wall color-- and what I like most about your palette is that is very grounded. Sometimes light colors can be too precious, if you know what I mean. The grays and even some of the greens I tried ended up leaning towards playroom/nursery blue in my space-- your room looks refined and calming.

Blues, greens and browns are naturals-- literally and figuratively. They calm me the same way the ocean or a mountain lake calms me.. so perfect for a bedroom or living space!

Thanks for the photos!

Funkyart, green and purple are two of my favorite combinations. I think a dark room has much more warmth to it and I think you're instincts are right on track. I only mentioned the light tone as you seemed nervous about the dark. My smallest room is painted dark and it's my favorite room.

Love green and purple too! My fear of dark was/is about using the same color in the whole space.. i have been ridiculously anxious about the color selection so I appreciate your validation, Yaya and everyone! I am not usually so uptight -- I swear!

I too love Elemental. It is a very soothing color and it seems that it can definitely be a neutral color.

It's perfect. It will look great with your fireplace brick and your wood floors. Green is a lovely color to live in.

Don't be afraid of dark....there's always edison's light to brighten a space...a few can lights on the floor, a few up lights toward the ceiling and the room will brighten right up. Or you can add some spots to highlight light and shadow for an even warmer effect...

Thanks all.. I am getting more and more comfortable with it. This is a crappy photo with a mix of shadow and light but this is the palette I am narrowing in on. All Affinity colors. No idea for trim yet but I'll wait to do trim until I trim out the windows and doorways.

Top to bottom
BM Chambourd
BM Atmospheric (not sure about this one)
BM Flora
BM Anjou Pear
BM Elemental (looks less green here-- it's a chameleon)
BM Splendor

why are we not having coffee and doing this in person??

haha..yeah, what's with that!? I thought that yesterday when you said you'd been at TV in the morning. I start my new job on Monday so I won't have near the time to play until I'm moved and settled. :(

Painters are doing just the main living areas this weekend. I'll do the other rooms as time and budget allow. I'd LOVE to have you over before I move on to the accents and basement/kitchen remodels.

We have elemental in my husband's basement office. I have never thought it was too dark, even with the dark bookcases and desk. I love it. I'd take a picture, but my husband's office is, well, messy. :-)

We used BM Coastal Fog on all the other walls downstairs and I am equally as pleased with that.

I tried coastal fog (I think I'd seen photos of your rooms) I thought the coastal fog would be perfect because it has similar characteristics to elemental but is lighter. alas, none of the greens came out in my room like they do with the elemental.

I think I'll be happy with the elemental.. I was worried only because of the smaller size of my house but it's such a cozy color that I am banking on it working!

On my monitor on the BM web site linked above, it looks similar to Baby Turtle. They even have baby turtle in one of the strips below it on the website, and they look similar.

My kitchen is baby turtle. Some people thought I was crazy and it would be too dark (I worried too but it was the only color I liked after sampling a lot of colors). It was hard to find a color that didn't make my ugly orangy oak cabinets look even worse. I went with it and loved it. Even those that thought it would be too dark admitted they were totally wrong and loved it. It's so warm and wonderful.

I think you'll be very happy with that BM color. Please don't forget to post pictures when it's done!

Yes, as you said, they are listed as similar. I almost tried BT also.. in fact, I stood at the paint counter going back and forth and ended up deciding that I preferred Elemental. I always loved the Baby Turtle photos here on GW and glad you are so happy with it. Also glad that you confirmed that it works well with your orangey oak -- that's one of my major influencers.

What colors are you using adjacent to the Baby Turtle?

All colors are Benjamin Moore:

Dining room is York Harbor Yellow (2154-40) above chair rail.
Family room is Manchester Tan (HC-81) - another very popular BM color. Love it!
Foyer is Revere Pewter (HC-172)
Living room, which is not adjacent to kitchen but when in some areas of foyer both kitchen and living room can be seen is Moroccan Red (1309) above chair rail.

All trim, and below chair rail in dining room and living room is Vanilla Ice Cream (2145-70 or OC-90). A creamy white that I just love. So far it looks good with every color I've used in my house.

Wow, it sounds like a riot of color but it actually does all work together, or at least I think it does :-)

I am considering changing the dining room since I painted the foyer gray (about 2 or 3 weeks ago). But DH likes dining room color, so we'll see.

Hope that helps.