This is the fireplace we are putting in.

We felt the scale of the oak fireplace was wrong for the space. We are putting the fireplace 6" under the bottom of the top window and with 6" on each side.

The floors are natural birch. The staircase is oak. The fireplace was oak. Some doors were cherry. Some doors were white. Some doors were oak with a cherry stain. The kitchen trim was painted chocolate--I think they were trying to match the cherry cabinets. So, we are trying to eliminate a few of the varying woods. We are doing all of the doors, casing, baseboards, and hardwood floors in a dark walnut cherry. I have a woodworker who feels he can match the stairway to the trim. He is giving me a sample and if it looks as good as he says it will I am going to have that match.

So, that is part of the reason we are not using the oak fireplace. The other reason is because we love the look of stone. (:

Back to paint. I love greige. Greige will go with a lot of the ideas I have to decorate--black, white, pops of blue, green, and yellow in different areas.

It is hard for me to imagine this look with stained trim and a greige color but I think it would work, right?

Darn, I wrote a long post and lost it. BM Grant Beige might be worth a try.

Hi Gina, I think you're spot on with the greige tones. below is a site with the new neutrals in paint, I like the one named Fretwire by Behr. Take a look. Oh and I love your fireplace and the dark woods will look smashing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Trends in neutrals

These are great grieges and/or taupes
sw stone lion
bm Brandon beige
Bm revere pewter
Bm pashmina
Sw balanced beige

I absolutely love the wall color that's already there. Once you get the FP and stain on, it will reek of cozy.

I guess I wasn't much help! lol

If you are not happy w/what the decorators/paint ladies choose - then you have to go w/your gut. I listented to a paint "specialist" - and I hate all my paint colors she choose.
I like color but not dark colors on my walls(my floors are dark) But, I do really like the EK saturated paint colors.
Hope you find the right color as painting is a big expense and you need to be happy.
YOu have a ton of light so I would think you could go a bit darker than your basic beige. But, too dark may end up clashing w/the lighter tones of the stone for your fireplace.
Can you take a couple pieces of the stone to a paint store and see if something makes you go "THAT'S IT - THAT"S THE COLOR"????

Don't feel rushed because of the sale. Buy the paint and take it back to have it tinted later. A lot of people do this.

The hardwood floors in pic #1 don't look like SW's Burnished Walnut - they look a lot lighter, warmer and yellower undertone. Maybe it's the photo?

Thank you so much for your help!

Beekeepers wife. I went to Sherwin Williams today and told them that I didn't have the color yet but wanted to buy the paint and tint it after I put a couple more samples on the wall.

Funcolors: the floors are natural birch right now but we are going to stain them to a burnished walnut (with a little red tint--it is custom made by the person who is going to finish the floors).

Jeannie: that is my fear!! I feel so bad for you that you don't like any of your colors. What did they talk you in to?? What is EK saturated paint??

gatorfan: I went to Benjamin Moore with my stone sample, floor sample, cabinet sample and pictures of my house. First, I asked the specialist for her opinion. I was happy that she suggested greige without me telling her that was the type of look I want. She showed me thunder and weimermeier. I took a list of the colors you mentioned and grant beige suggested by chispa. They really looked green with my samples. I don't know why that is but every one on the list were green against my cherry stain. I put weimermeier and thunder on my walls tonight and I do not like either of them. Weimermeier is too purple/pink and thunder has a tint that I don't like and is too light.

BUT here is the good news. When I was at Sherwin Williams I mentioned that there was a big difference between Virtual Taupe and Tony Taupe and Warm Stone and Mega Greige. They are one color up on the same strips. The specialist said that he agreed and that he could mix Warm Stone and Virtual Taupe at 60%. I have both colors up on the wall and love both of them.!!

Virtual taupe is more of a taupe-grey. Warm stone is more of a grey-taupe.

I am happy to be choosing between two colors that I like. Both look good with the stone. I think both look good with the stains. I plan to decorate with white, black, charcoal, and pops of color. Both specialists said that both colors would look good with the way I want to decorate and furnish my home.

I feel like warm stone is more rare--none of my friends have it. And Virtual Taupe is "smoother". Does anyone have an opinion of these colors??

Thank you for your help. If you have any opinions between the two colors that I am down to please let me know!! Both colors are in their essentials classic contemporary book.

I keep thinking of Goldilocks. Too dark--too light---and finally just right!

YIPEE ! If you have both colors on the wall - do the squint test maybe that will help you decide.

Jeannie, what is the squint test?? I think that might be something that I need!!!

I think I have the color "stick" chosen. I really like the colors with virtual taupe, tony taupe, balanced beige, etc. It isn't too taupe or too grey.

I have a follow up question. I see a lot of questions about colors in different rooms and accent walls. I was not going to have any accent walls and only use the colors up or down on the color strip for different levels and bedrooms. Am I thinking right? Have any of you done their house this way??

I don't think accent walls are as popular now as they were several years ago. So I think you are on the right track to choose colors up and down the same strip depending on lighting and desired mood.

I have seen accent walls which were just a couple of shades darker on the same paint strip recently, but not something that was totally different like you used to see.

Thank you, Randita. That makes me feel a lot better. It also gives me an idea. I could go with a lighter tone, because that's what I'm more comfortable with, in most areas and then maybe a shade down on a few walls. Who knew paint could be so hard?

The painters have the balanced beige done in the basement and I love it! I don't know if I over thought (read stressed) paint, or if I just found the right colors. But I am very happy with them. On the main floor, from the pictures above, I went with Tony taupe which is darker. I haven't gotten to see tony taupe on the wall yet but, given how much I love the balanced beige in the basement I think I'm going to love it. I used assessable beige in the upstairs bedrooms. And the lightest color at 125% on the ceilings. It is looking fabulous. Thank you for your help. I will post pictures after they are done painting and after the cleanup is done.

I forgot to mention that I have found the stone for the fireplace. It is Owens Corning Chardonnay country Ledgestone. I ordered the same mantle unfinished and will have it match the dark trim that is being stained right now. The dark trim and doors have arrived and look stunning. I think it is all coming together and hope and pray that it will all work cohesively. I am so ready to be done and moved in but have to remind myself to enjoy the process.

This post is nearly 3 years old, but I'm wondering if you ever posted pictures of the finished rooms? I'm in the process of building and we're going with american walnut floors and cherry cabinets/trim. The paint strip I'm leaning towards is the same you used. I'd love to see how it turned out for you.