Thanks, acm. I completely agree. Perhaps I forgot to mention that the kitchen (in a small beach cottage) is being gutted. So the cabinet person is asking me for a color because they can't get the cabinets made until I come up with a color (?). So we are not painting existing cabinetry. I have always used real wood in my kitchens and have never had painted cabinets before. After checking out some colors, I realized that the color goes at least one step darker on lower cabinets, and especially under soapstone. No light seems to be reflected anywhere on those lower cabinets. So I think I was going too dark. I wanted a kind of calming zen-like color. Some of the pale greens and blues you provided here look good. Once I get samples like this and try them out, they look totally different. But thank you!

Have you thought of using your trim color as your cabinet color

Teal

Grey/Blue

I love wood with soapstone

Palo Alto Traditional · More Info

Be sure to install adequate lighting to compensate for the lack of natural light. Since it is a small beach cottage and you don't want white, how about a soft blue/grey? Alternatively, something a bit brighter with say, a touch of teal, may give the space a bit of oomph since it's lacking in light. Pale Smoke #1584 BM Annapolis Green #687 BM

Thanks so much, all. Barbara, we are going to be changing out all the lights to something akin to 21st century lighting, including small LED's underneath some open shelving. I've decided, since posting, that part of my problem was with this tile I'd chosen (but not yet bought) that seemed to be throwing off everything. I just want tile on this one wall behind the stove. I appreciate so much the suggestions here, and had looked at some of these colors. I rather like Tranquility, too (Ben Moore)-- also a pale green/blue. Now that I got that tile choice out of my head, I feel like I have many more options. I also had seen a Walker Zanger subway tile (6th avenue line), a beautiful very pale gray/blue-- although all their colors are beautiful. For that one wall, I was thinking of using that, or maybe their warm-white-- and then choose a paint color for the cabinets that will mesh with that. I need the tile first. I like the idea of using the trim paint possibly, too, for the cabinets; thanks for that, kjoy1. I've realized pale is what I should be looking at, rather than dark. Thanks everyone who answered here. If you have any more suggestions, please let me know.

Beams in each image are Ivory Tusk and walls in each are Wind's Breath

If you go to the Benjamin Moore website you can try out any color in this sample kitchen.

I think it is risky to choose wall color and backsplash before you know cabinet color. Especially backsplash. There is no need to choose it before countertop is installed.

I think taupe cabinets could look nice but I was unsure how they worked with the green in your wall color.