Need some thoughts and advice about a paint "theme" appropriate for a very small (800 SF) cottage I moved into just a few months ago. I'm really being challenged here with a house style that's new to me.

This cottage was built in the 40's and totally rehabbed in keeping with the original architectural details and paint scheme: original oak floors and doors throughout, oak woodwork everywhere (baseboards, the windows, the trim). Very Williamsburg. All walls and ceiling white. My previous homes have all had the opposite paint approach: deeper colored walls and white woodwork.

The floor plan is like a railroad flat: enter directly into the kitchen/DR with a view of the very long hallway that connects the rooms. There are very few and very small windows.

Because of the "wood attack" and in trying to keep with the cottage style (whites and pastels), I've made a first pass at painting all the rooms and the hallway in BM Dove White eggshell. It looks good in contrast with the dark wood and seems like a good choice when natural light is minimal.

Anyway... in some flashback to the past, I got the idea that the large kitchen/DR combo needed some color: BM Affinity Citrine (deep gold) for the walls and Salsa Dancing (cinnabar) for behind the counter.

Now, of course, I'm having second thoughts. While I like the deep colors, they somehow seem inappropriate for this space and this house. Also, I'm concerned about having this one room "pop" while the rest of the house is so white, especially since you see the hallway from this room. Seems like too much of a counterpoint.

I'm thinking maybe a compromise would be something like BM's American Heartland or Windham Cream--some color, but not such a bold contrast.

Has anybody encountered a situation like this? How did you balance maintaining the historical integrity with your color choices? Should it matter?