duplicate post--other has 50 comments (

I mentioned at the bottom of the other thread that I was starting a new post since I had narrowed my choices down to 3.

I think eternity is great color and goes good with wood.

i appreciate the photo, but I'm really hoping that's not what it looks like in person. I am seeing bright blue green on my monitor!

I'm still struggling to make a choice here, and I have to give them my paint colors by Friday afternoon! I am going back and forth between Bunny Gray and Eternity. Basically, I can't decide if I should go lighter or a darker. The downstairs, pictured above, doesn't get much natural light, but the two upstairs bedrooms face east and west respectively, so it seems like the lighter color would work better downstairs and the darker up. But I need to just go with one for ease of painting/materials. I've decided on Chantilly Lace for all trim and doors.

If you're renovating to sell who cares! lol People usually change the color anyway. They're both nice grays so you can't go wrong. I would go with the Bunny Gray so it brightens the room. It's a safe choice. With the darker gray it may look gloomy If you put back furniture & decor. which may darken the room. :) Keep us updated !

You are so right, and I know it! I'm way too much of a perfectionist, and we are spending thousands of dollars to paint the entire thing and I just worry that I'm making the wrong choice! I have this fear that Bunny Gray will look baby blue. I think I perceive more blue in paint colors than others. For example, my master bath is BM Paper White, and I really don't like it, I just see a pale pale blue. But everyone else sees a very light gray.

But yes, I do think the darker color could make the downstairs look gloomy, so I guess I need to suck it up and go with the Bunny Gray.

Thanks!

I read online that Bunny Gray has blue undertones. Not sure if you were against that. Where I live there's a paint store called Aboff's & they help you choose the right color. You can also try going to a Sherwin williams store for advice & then have BM copy the color they suggest. But I know you need it tomorrow! ugh the stress lol

Grey is always in danger of looking pink, green, or blue. I'd be curious how the Bunny Gray turns out. I've come close to using that color a few times in various remodels and never pulled the trigger.

Bunny Gray doesn't have "blue undertones".

It is blue.

Technically belongs to the purple-blue hue family but just barely. It's right at the end of the blue hue family on the verge of the purple-blue hue family.

For Bunny Gray to look "just gray" it's going to take the perfect combination of context and lighting.

Lori! I have been praying that you would come across my post! I hit on bunny gray because of my floors, and another designer recommended thundercloud gray. So many other colors were looking muddy/dirty with those floors. But I would love to hear what color you would recommend for it. The upstairs gets more light but has similar colored floors. I’ve taken my paint sample, 8 in x 10 in card, and laid it against a giant piece of white foam board all through the space at all different times of day. Sometimes it looks gray, and you’re right, sometimes I see almost lavender. Can you help me avoid a $5k painting mistake?

Nuc, thanks so much for the info. I am very familiar with gray owl, in fact I used white wisp, one shade lighter, for my entire open concept living in my current house. It’s a beautiful color, and we have lots of windows so it doesn’t turn green on me. I’ve found that any of the colors from the yellow-green family just aren’t looking great in this current space we are redoing.

as for your daughters room, what is the look you are going for in the space, and what are some of the elements like floor/lighting/furniture?

Is there a reason you're looking at colors of gray?

I guess because that’s what I’m drawn to. But I think you are probably getting to the point that If it doesn’t work with the elements I have then I can’t force it.

I really don’t care for earthy tones, so I don’t like golds or beiges that lean that way. I want it to be neutral. I was afraid to go too light because I was worried about it looking drab in the downstairs.

what would you suggest?

Thanks so much Lori, this is great information and very helpful. I have both of those paint chips, and a sample of worldly gray somewhere, so I will try it tomorrow. I was so wrong on my choice! I was convinced that a chromatic gray would look green or ‘muddy’. But just browsing photos online, I see how that’s not the case. But I also had a nagging feeling that I was about to paint the entire place blue, so I’m very thankful you came along when you did!

As for trim, my plan was chantilly lace, is that still a safe bet, or do I need to be looking at something else? I had originally planned on SW pure white, but switched to chantilly since I perceived it to be a little less stark.

As for trim, my plan was chantilly lace, is that still a safe bet, or do I need to be looking at something else?

I would do PPG's Delicate White with Alpaca or Worldly.

Ok I do totally trust you and your knowledge, but I’ve never heard of PPG and can’t even get a paint chip where I live. My husband had banned me from buying anymore samples for this paint job. So I’m very nervous to use a color I’ve never seen in person.

Is there a SW or BM white this is equivalent or close?

And I’m just realizing that worldly gray is very close to revere pewter, which is the color we painted almost our entire first house! I never thought I would go back to that!

And I’m just realizing that worldly gray is very close to revere pewter,

Depends on how you want to qualify very close.

Worldly is lighter and grayer, less colorful than Revere Pewter and it has a snidge less greeness than RP.

So I’m very nervous to use a color I’ve never seen in person. Is there a SW or BM white this is equivalent or close?

Not really. Neither SW or BM has a color equivalent to Delicate White. However, most SW stores can successfully color match Delicate White. If you want to see DW and have a chip to take to the store for a match, you can order large color chips from PPG here, https://www.ppgvoiceofcolor.com/designer/color-samples. Takes about 3 or 4 days to arrive.

BenM's Super White would work too.

Thanks Lori. I'll see i I can squeeze one more sample out of him. I definitely want to get the white right.

I have a friend who used Alpaca in her master bath, but I think as a cabinet color and not a wall color. Either way, I may take a look at it.

A couple of follow up questions, they're about the paint finishes and kitchen. First, I'm torn between using a satin or semi gloss finish on all of the trim/doors/cabinets, and either flat or eggshell on the walls. Is satin really that much harder to clean than semi-gloss? B/c this is an older home, there are a lot of imperfections everywhere, and I'd like to hide as much as possible. What do you suggest?

As for the kitchen, I'll attach a couple of pictures so you can see the space. We added White Thunder granite and white subway, but with the white floors, my plan has been to paint the cabinets a grey or greige to break up all the white. Would you do that, or just keep them white and use the wall for color? I am open to color suggestions for the cabinets too if you have the time! There isn't a ton of wall space in this kitchen, it is a galley. Hardware is purchased because the price was right and it is polished nickel, all appliances are stainless. Honestly, I originally wanted to use BM Wrought Iron for the cabinets, but chickened out and switched to a lighter gray/greige to be neutral.

close up of kitchen

One last picture. Pay no attention to the uneven subway tile on the back wall. They shimmed one side of the countertops and not the other, so one side was 3/4 in higher. They had to rip out all of the subway on one side and redo the countertops.

The struggle is real. Worldly gray looks like putty in the house and I am hating it. It is so similar to the Edgecomb Gray we have and it isn’t at all the look I would like. Is this simply a personal taste issue? Do you all think this is the right look? Do I need to set my opinions aside and just go with a neutral and move on? We are either listing this townhouse once reno is done, or potentially renting it to someone we know for two years and then listing it. I need it to be appealing to potential buyers, we aren’t repainting again in two years so I want to get it right this time around.

This picture is with daylight bulbs in the dining.

Yep, I see it.

Have you looked at Stonington Gray HC-170 by Benjamin Moore?

I have, and i do really like that color, but it's definitely going to be too dark for the space. I've decided to go with BM White Wisp. It's what I have in my current home, and even though it can lean grey-green or grey-blue, the color is so light that it's not overpowering. I think it will work in every room, which makes having it painted easier. I'm using Chantilly Lace for all the trim.

As for the kitchen, I'm strongly leaning towards either Repose or Mindful Gray for the cabinets. I think either will coordinate well with the granite we selected, and I think it will break up the white in the space since we aren't changing the floors.

Lori I'm so grateful you jumped in when you did, otherwise I think I would have ended up with a Bunny Gray disaster on my hands! It's a beautiful color, but I'm sure now that it would have looked straight up blue or lavender at all times, not gray.

One followup question though about paint finishes. Should I do satin or semi-gloss on all doors/trim/cabs, and flat or eggshell on walls? This is an older property, so I want to hide as many imperfections as I can.

Thanks everyone for your help!

Depends on the brand and grade of paint. Sorry, not an easy answer.

Overall, no matter what label the brand puts on their gloss levels, I prefer a look of satin on doors/trim/cabs and a matte to eggshell on walls. I personally don't like super shiny on trim unless it's exceptionally designed, super high-end materials.

Thanks. Brand is Sherwin Williams. I am paying for materials, but painter is ordering, so I can specify the line. I’m not as familiar with their lines of paint as I am with BM. I don’t want to go with spec, so what line and finish do you suggest? For trim/doors/cabinets and walls?

I think I’m confused about it because I would have sworn that all the trim and cabs in our current home are satin, but when I looked at the cans the painter left over they all say semi gloss. They are Farrell Calhoun. The walls also look flat but it says eggshell .

think I’m confused about it

lol! :D Yes, gloss levels are super confusing. There is no consistency and no industry standards.

When it comes to paint for trim/doors/cabinets, I never tell a painter what to use. They have to apply it and guarantee their work, so it's important they choose the products.

If you're hiring a painter, just tell him/her you're on the fence about gloss and need to see samples of the product they're using before you decide. It's their job, don't hesitate to ask.

Haha well that explains a lot!

good point about the painter, thanks so much, I’ll ask him what his finishes look like.

It turned out fantastic, we closed on Friday! We decided to sell and not rent after putting in so much money for renovations. I took pictures with my camera so once I get them loaded on my computer I’ll try to remember to come back and post a few!

Argh dying to know how this all ended!