The yellow was overwhelming but the beige paint (hallway = BM Cedar Key). Before we paint the rest of the house the same color, I think I need to have a plan for fixing the staircase to blend better - more of a statement.

Looks fine to me.

I think it looks fine, too. Perhaps the yellow walls were the statement and now you are feeling that since the carpet and new paint color are so similar that you no longer have that statement?

I think I'd be a bit more concern as to how this paint color goes with everything else in the house if you are looking to use it throughout and you are already questioning it.

Wish mine were that nice.

I've learned a good lesson in paint colors this month, in trying to rid this house of the yellow that was in every room. Ultimately the 'fix' may the problem. The yellow was flat paint and 13 years old, so it needed repainting - thought I'd calm it with Greige paint but ALL of those are on the wall are Greige. I may swap the main room paint to a soft green/gray, instead, but the painting is progressing quicker than I can 'see' how it will look against the granite (gold) hearth.

Are you sure you want to let a small patch of granite on the floor dictate the color for that entire room?

If you like the color you've already chosen, it's too soon to start second-guessing yourself. The walls will look great once the yellow and the greige patchwork are covered. A whole house in a single color can be really beautiful.

I think the remaining yellow walls are throwing off your perception of the newly painted areas. I think the color looks good and makes the chestnut floor color more of a statement. With endless funds I’d extend the hardwoods upstairs but I’m not a carpet guy.

I agree with other comments. The stairs and staircase are gorgeous, but walls and carpet the same color make it pop. It may seem less dramatic once you have decor on the walls. But i would think about doing away with the wall color or carpeting before doing anything to the staircase.

Stairs look great. Maybe you should consider a stair carpet runner.

You shouldn't be painting samples on your yellow walls. By doing this, you are throwing off the true colors of the samples and not getting a true read. If you can slow down the process what I recommend is 1st, prime an section on different walls. Then paint each paint color on it's own white poster board. Then taking 2 of the boards, tack them up on the primed area. Look at both samples throughout the day in different light and at night and on different walls. Pick the one of the two you like the most. Take that one and put it with another sample board and go through the process again. Continue to do so until you have exhausted your samples. By the time you get down to one or two you'll either have your color or you'll be looking for some new ones.

Without knowing your art, upholstered pieces, rugs etc, it will be impossible for others to select a color. Do you have an old photo with your furnishings?

I agree with the others. The problem is not your staircase, which is beautiful, the problem is the new color on the walls. I dont like the new color, even one little bit. Your old color was so much nicer (and I am not even a yellow paint lover).

Thank you all for the comments - and I DO agree that the paint is the culprit. The house is new to us; we have not lived in it yet - we live 30 minutes away so the ability to see the paints at different times during the day is taking several weeks since I work full-time. The original paint was that yellow (which looked orange in shade and sunny yellow bright light) was almost offensive to me (and I am a yellow-lover). It was a blanket of orange/yellow that I jumped to repaint in neutral tones - but everything looked pink/lavender.

The granite on the hearth is the same granite that is in the kitchen - a gold/copper/brown that is difficult to match, but I think I have managed to pair it (with SW Kilim Beige)

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I decided to try a completely different color - a mossy-yellow/green (Behr - Final Straw)that seems to work in the great room - I'll go tomorrow morning to look at it in bright sun (today was overcast).

I would consider painting the hand rails white...confining the wood detail to the floors...where it makes the bigger statement

Too soon to make a decision about your stairs. Figure out your paint colours and move all your furniture & stuff in, then re-evaluate your stairs. I completely agree that the yellow has to go, but it’s very difficult to choose a colour when your house is empty. Because you’ve got high ceilings, you want to get this right. If this was my design dilemma, I would hold off painting until I was moved in.

Changed direction and started painting main wall with BM FINAL STRAW. But what to do with the colors already painted.(upper wall and the dining room (which suddenly doesn't match)

Believe it or not, this green-paint fixed our stairs-are-blah event.

Foyer looking into the dining room. Hoping the addition of furniture help this. I'm looking for a rug for the dining room that incorporates the two colors. Hoping thats the fix.

Why don't you think the diningroom works with the Straw? Looks fine to me on my monitor.

" But what to do with the colors already painted.(upper wall" I assume you are talking about the tan upstairs that you started to paint with? If so, does the Straw work with the carpeting up there?

Thanks for responding - Yes the Green straw color does work better with the carpet IMO. My hubby says we need to see how color clashes once our furniture arrives.

Why is your husband saying see how the color clashes? Didn't you take your furniture into consideration when choosing your color?

If the Straw works with the carpeting in the upstairs hallway, would there be a problem painting those walls also straw? As I think that is what you are asking about when you say upper wall?

Yes, you are correct about the wall seen from the foyer looking up. That would mean re-painting the whole upper floor hallway. In the (more than a few) errors we made with choosing paint, the biggest judgment call we missed was starting in the bedrooms and working out way in. In hindsight - that would've been better to start with the main color and go from there. But, we were thinking start small - tackle the rooms that are easier to paint.

The dining room WAS this color of deep blue. It was (is) gorgeous when you walk inside and we ordered our dining room set new so it still hasn't arrived. So I don't know exactly how it'll look, but the original whole-house-paint was supposed to be some sort of greige - which started this quest to find a paint that doesn't have strong undertones in pink/purple.

I am not immediately loving the greenish/blue contrast between the two rooms, but I'll wait until the furniture comes to judge for sure.

Yeah, it would mean that you would have to repaint the upper hallway but that area is seen more than the bedrooms so it is more important to get it right. That is a beautiful blue (shouldn't go black at night like so many dark blues will) and as you are thinking that once you get your furniture in there and your house furnished everything will come together. Right now it is just a big contrast. I have a similar color as Straw throughout my house and find it compliments a lot of colors. Even your wood flooring appears to be the same stain as mine. And when I painted my Powder Room went a bit darker blue than yours. So I'm partial to liking your wall colors.

Is your new dining set wood?

Yes, it is... and If it is possible to be 'in love' with a dining room set - this is it for me. Tricia Yearwood' s brand. Very excited to see it in this space. (pic is the one in the catalog)

That is nice and yes it is possible to love your furniture. As it should be so you never get tired of it.