Yeah, don't want purple. Undertones can be tricky. All depends on the light. You're definitely going to want to pick @ three colors, then buy sample cans, and paint good-size swatches on all four walls of each room, and watch how the colors react to the light in each room throughout the day.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, the window in the nook area beyond the kitchen will become a doorwall in a couple of weeks, which will up the natural light considerably. But the light will be filtered through a bunch of trees, so still not direct light.

Here's a pic of the entryway, which is right off that front living/dining area. I hate the yellow paint in there. IT gets almost no light at all now that we've removed the kitchen window and thanks to the front porch, the front doors don't really let in any light. I guess this area would also need to be the same color as the kitchen, again because there would be no good place to change the wall color--the two rooms have plenty of wall pieces in common.

At night, with lights on.

Tibbrix, yes, what I'm doing now is narrowing it down. Then I'm going to go to SW and get the sample cans. (Can I go to HD and use the Behr Ultra--will they mix up sample cans for me? I really need no VOC because there's a baby in the house.)

I highly recommend Eddie Bauer's Flax. I just did the entire house we just bought in Flax and love it. It is a beautiful and interesting neutral. Doesn't have any bad surprises with unexpected undertones, changes in different lighting, etc. It is consistent in all different lighting and looks beautiful with white trim. I posted pictures of it in the last month or two if you want to look. (Don't know how to link a thread. sorry)

I'm one of those who like warmth and was never sold on the gray wall thing. However, I do see so much gray in your counter top that I would stick with a warmer gray for in the kitchen proper.

But as your LR area and your kitchen are so neutral, any color would go with it. I'd go with a much warmer color in the eat-in area, and then maybe sprinkle it into the kitchen as an accent somewhere. You could go with really any color, be it a green, blue, yellow, gold, whatever. Maybe a soft golden yellow would be nice as that area will always feel like sunshine, regardless of the weather outside...

Look to fabrics, artwork, dishes, or other sources of inspiration for your color choice....

How do I handle the wall transitions?

Hard to say w/o seeing the entire layout, but it IS absolutely do-able, purrs.

I can't really tell, but it looks like there are places to make breaks between the LR and kit...not sure on the nook part. Best to break colors at inside corners. Outside corners can be done, but it needs a good painter who can do it neatly. If you are cross pollinating colors (main color in one room becomes accent color in the other and vice versa) between two spaces like the kit and bk nook anyway, then there's no problem with carrying one color through onto one wall until you hit a natural break...or just paint the largest opposite wall an accent color.

Pretty kitchen! I understand not wanting a cool color and if you go with a gray, pick something with a green undertone so it reads warm. Revere Pewter was mentioned. Also look at RM Rockport Gray. Some pictures look like you have a lot of green in your countertop,but other photos I'm seeing some pink in the undertone. Whatever color you end up with I think it should relate to the undertones in your counters. I would stay away from golds or even yellows because of it. I'd go with a green beige like BM Manchester Tan. It's a nice color. Where I've used it, it reads like a warm, putty. It has the slightest green undertone, but overall is pretty neutral. Also check out BM Bleeker Beige, Wheeling Neutral, and Grant Beige.

Tribbrix said "Richer is BETTER where you don't get a lot of light. Lighter is blah and dreary where there is little light. Paint is deceptive that way." I agree with this.

I agree you could also use a color in there, but since you mentioned continuing it into your entry space, where the floor is dark, I think I'd go more neutral and jazz it up with accessories, art, and fabrics.

This post was edited by sheesharee on Thu, Oct 16, 14 at 13:20

We just did our kitchen in BM Kingsport Gray. I adore it. It's rich without feeling too heavy....

OK.

I got a quart of amazing gray and applied it to the nook in the kitchen and part of the kitchen wall (most of the actual kitchen will have glossy white subway tile. I'm not sure how I like it yet. I think it might be a little dark. I will see what I think in the morning. plus it's only one coat so far.

Also, do you guys think I should paint the railing and post of my stairway white???? I see a white railing and post on dixiedo's stairway and I really love it! Mine is pictured upthread.

Pics of Amazing Gray:

I might do a little more painting tonight after the little man is in bed in about an hour. In the meantime, what do you guys think so far?

Yes, paint the stair railing and risers white and the treads black. Gorgeous.

Hoo, I LIKE the Amazing Gray! It'll look perfect once you've got the entire wall painted and framed pics/art up there, etc.

Dixie's pic should be an inspiration, IMO. Her deeper gray gives that room energy, versus a very pale gray. And yes, with the white stairs, it's stunning.

You know I do love black and whute. It is all over my house. Maybe I will think about that on the steps!! I'm actually tempted to carpet or add a runner due to the baby. He's almost walking and I'm terrified.

I will paint te railing as part of this project and think a little more on the steps themselves!! Do you have an inspiration pic??

W//gray walls. Notice the railing is actually black while the balusters are white.

This post was edited by Tibbrix on Thu, Oct 16, 14 at 18:13

Even though my other floors are honey colored??that is my only doubt.

I think I'd prefer a black railing in my house-- less likely to look disgusting in a short amount of time.

Hmmmâ¦good point about the floors.

Paint just the railing and balusters white. Might get away with a black railing.

Be wary of "creep", where one idea starts spreading to the entire house.

Btw, Purrus, which pic shows the Amazing Gray in its truest form? the first pic you put up shows it pretty dark, while the others make it look a LOT lighter.

I prefer the darker.

Just seems that the grey color with a bit of beige makes the space not so two dimensional.

Can you please tell me the granite you used?

I will be helping my daughter with her new co op. Seriously considering Edgecomb Gray.

I don't think I'm a fan of Amazing Gray for your kitchen.

It is Alaskan white Quartz.

So I've been hemming and hawing all evening... And I finished most of my first coat. I think with window treatments, our mcm kitchen table, chairs with black and white fabric and a big mirror, it'll be ok. At least for now.

purrus, I'd also put a long, colorful runner in the kitchen in front of the long stretch of cabinets. Love this:

Is the top of dixedo's table painted a metallic finish?? How cool!!

Tribbix. I actually had my eye on a black and white (of course ) runner from crate and barrel. I definitely will need a rug.
As for an accent color, I haven't decided on one ....Which is why I've contines to gravitate toward black and white and gray.

Hi purrus! My top is stainless steel... we bought that table in 1998, at the beginning of the stainless movement (lol) because it was so unique and different... little did we know what was to follow ;) I really need to refinish the top (steel wool??) Because it has seen better days!

If you stick with black and white, you can change out your accents easily for the season... and that seems fun to me :)

Dixie, see the link below

Here is a link that might be useful: restoring stainless steel

purrus, you send rather mixed messages! On the one hand, you want bright and happy and not depressing, and on the other, you want the austere black-and-white.

Hmmmâ¦..

Are you a Gemini, per chance?

LOL! I'm an Aquarius! I know, all along part of my problem with this project has been a little bit of indecision. Again, my style is also pretty eclectic--MCM, traditional/transitional combo, I think.

I don't see black and white as depressing though. Black and white, to me, is JOY! Hahaha. I didn't want a black and white kitchen, though, because I didn't want a black counter. It seemed like that would suck all the light out of my space. Also, black and white will allow me to (as dixiedo said) switch out accent colors with the seasons or my moods, which really fits me very well. Bright doesn't necessarily mean a "happy" color to me, it just means clean and not gloomy.

Anyway, here's what the kitchen looks like this morning with no overhead lights on (except the light in the entryway, that I forgot to turn off). It's fairly overcast. I did finish most of the first coat of Amazing Gray last night and I think I still like it this morning. I'm going to go paint for awhile on the second coat, but in the meantime, what would you guys do with the family room, which is the one that will open to the kitchen? (I'm standing in the family room while I take these pics, for what it's worth).

And here's the kitchen again, this time with lights on:

Here's a picture of the family room again, which opens to the kitchen. I don't know whether I should do a 50% lightened version of AG, or just use AG, or do a different color altogether, but I am ready to paint that room (it's never been painted from the POs, and we bought the house 5.5 years ago.)

That picture of the family room is a pretty typical amount of light. Also, this is an older picture that I took standing in the old kitchen, which is why there are ugly 1960s linoleum and cabinets.

So: What would you guys do here? Need inspiration. I really need to make hay today while I have childcare. Floor refinishers come monday and I won't have any childcare this weekend, so I've got to at least get started today.

Beverly, it's helpful to see that varied shade of gray/beige. I think for now, I will keep what I've started with, but choose a related color for the attached family room. I don't think I will use the same color in there, and maybe not even on the wall facing the range in my pictures where you can see I've started to paint (I was rushing and got wild with the roller--it's that wall on the right foreground in the pictures above).

We do have lots of art so that is also something I'm trying to keep in mind. It really won't be that much gray. Also, this table, which was handmade by a very talented woodworking relative, will go in the breakfast nook:

And dixiedo, 1998 or not, I like that table. I actually thought maybe you guys did something to it to make it like that!

Oh, I think the AG looks great! It's not nearly as dark as I thought it would be, but looking at the contrast between it and the white of the wall, I think it's perfect.

I would carry the AG though the dining area ending by painting just the face of the half wall, and using a different color in the FR. Family room = SW Curio Gray, warm and lucious but also contemporary and crisp.

Thank you for that link!!!!

I think the AG would look great as is in the family room.

Hey Tibb - Where's that rug from?

Sheesharee, I thought it was Ovestock, but I don't see that rug there now, so I'm not sure. But it's a "tribal" rug, and there are a lot of beautiful ones.

ok. I am an Amazing Gray convert. I simply love this color. I have also painted my entryway this color:

Obviously, now I need to update those window coverings, which looked fine when the paint was yellow but now they are all wrong. My question is about the stair railing again. Should I really paint it all white? I have never regretted painting some of the dated stuff in this house white. But I'm a little concerned that the railing will get grimy. Dixiedo and anyone else who's painted a railing white, did you put some water-based sealer or something on it to make it more scrubbable?

Also, I'm really having a rough time figuring out what other colors I can use in adjoining rooms. Off the entryway, the front living room/dining room is currently yellow. It's taking all of my willpower not to just paint it Amazing Gray too, but I really think there should be a least some contrast. I also need to decide on that back family room I linked before, with the white fireplace. I am starting to fear painting all of these rooms the same color just out of utter indecision. Maybe one should be Revere Pewter? Would that transition well?

I am so glad I asked questions here! You guys are a huge help!

Shee ~ Image search takes you here...........

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.homedecorators.com/p/regency-i-area-rug/

I'm tellin' ya, SW Curio Gray for the family room or living room.

I would DEFINITELY paint the stair railing. What if you kept the balusters white and painted the trim under the balusters white, and painted the railing and the newel posts high-gloss black? I think that would look great with the Amazing Gray.

So glad you're loving the AG!

Thanks Tibb and Forboys for the rug info!

The AG looks good and on my monitor the window coverings look good too.

Is the Amazing Gray as light IRL as it looks in your pics? That surprises me. But it does look like a beautiful gray, warmed up with a perfect amount of beige. Am I describing it correctly?

Love the Amazing Gray in your space! I, too, would do the fam room AG. I would chose something else for living room, although not sure what.

As for stairs, definitely paint. I agree with Tib to do the railing the newel posts high gloss black and the rest white. As for finishing, I painted my stair woodwork and it is not finished properly. I think it was Boop who had a gorgeous black high gloss in her previous home and said she needed marine grade poly on the railings and newel posts to finish and not chip. It also takes time to cure. But the finish is worth it!!

Your doors are beautiful. Don't hide them behind shades!

OK, I have some update pics! Sorry, things are a little messy because I just have a few minutes during baby's nap to take pictures and post.

living room with amazing gray (and furniture put back!)

Kitchen with AG, light fixtures, sink, finished floors and appliances

Entryway with new AG on walls and painted newel post and railings!! Also new treatments on windows (required for privacy reasons)

So, thanks to everyone for your help!! I still need to figure out what to do with that front living room... I suppose I need to go with something besides AG, but I've no idea what at the moment.

OMG! You painted the railing!! It looks fantastic! and the Amazing Gray looks, well, amazing! Perfect contrast with the cabinetry and trim. congrats!

This post was edited by Tibbrix on Sun, Nov 9, 14 at 11:35

Tibbrix, thank YOU for all of your help!! I am still looking for ideas for that front room. That one color you suggested (baby waking up no time to double check name) looks more brown to me online. Is it really brown?

Spectacular! The kitchen is absolutely perfect in AG and the transformation of the stairway is nothing short of brilliant.

Now, I am considering AG for our living, dining rooms (lots of daylight) and hall (hardly any natural light) that I need to repaint since getting a Nest thermostat several years ago and not being able to remember the wall color to paint the now visble part of the wall that was under the old thermostat. Sheesh. Have tried all kinds of shades- thought it had carmel or toffee in name, but no luck. Note to self: always always keep the paint chips and label with room name. Aarrgghh.

Enjoy your beautiful space!

purrus, the color is SW Curio Gray, and yes, it's a very brown gray. I'd call it a cousin of Amazing Gray.

If you open two windows on your monitor and put SW's swatches of each next to each other, you can see how fantastically they go together.

Curio Gray is a very soft, sophisticated color, IMO. I would not put it in a room that gets a ton of natural light, though. I would put it in a room that does not get a lot of natural light. It would be stunning in artificial light and at night, for example.

However, it has a pretty low LRV (28) versus Amazing Gray at 48 (my Lenox Tan is also 48,, and I wouldn't want it any higher, and would go lower, but 28 is low enough that you'd want to paint a whole wall, for example, with sample paint and live with it for a few days to make sure it's not too dark). It IS too dark for a naturally very light room and I don't recommend it at all for such a room. Just as using very light colors with high LRVs in naturally darker rooms is not a good idea.

Curio Gray at night

This post was edited by Tibbrix on Sun, Nov 9, 14 at 11:17

You know one thing I'd change? I'd paint the wall over the fireplace white, including the ceiling, but keep the strip up to the crown moulding AG, like you have it. I think that would make the fireplace looks less squat and the wall taller.

Huh, never thought of that. Not sure when I will get back into that room to paint but I will have to consider that. I do see how that visual trick could make it (fireplace) look taller.