Hi ladies. All I am doing is thinking and looking at paint colors on my iPad for the past several days. It feels impossible to select cause you can never really rely on what you see on the screen. I had an easier time selecting a baby name then a color for my space. I am going to the Benjamin Moore store tomorrow to purchase large swatches or paint samples to put on my walls. I learned that I have a North West facing room and it does not get much light. I want a brighter color, but not too white...hoping to get an interesting modern feel with some depth. These are the swatches I plan to purchase,

Bilbao White, I stumbled on this online and really liked it

Edgecomb Grey, love the modern feel, just don’t know if it works in my space yet.

Dove Wing, I like the warm grey tones

White Dove, also looks interesting to me for both walls and trim

Swiss Coffee, this I am looking at since it was highly recommended more then once

Elmira White, looks a little backlit and interesting

China White, an old favorite of mine with grey undertones as well

If there is a color I am leaving out and should consider, please let me know.

The Revere Pewter is too dark for my taste. Also have to consider this will have to be complimentary for my living room, dining room and kitchen as well as my hallway. It is all connected and is one big open space. I put up some images of the other area that need to work with the paint color. I appreciate all your thoughts and advice!

I suggest you also look at Linen White and Simply White, both Benjamin Moore. I think you need a warm white. I’m afraid a cool white will look dingy in your space.

I feel you are on the right track...in the end you will need to just try a bunch out and see what works... so many are so close in look that my guess is there will be a few that can work. so, not to get you overloaded but wanted to share this website called clare.com. its a paint website but the colors are very curated so not a ton of colors but colors that have a broad appeal and I'm thinking there may be a white color that could work. they only offer a handful of white options, which actually might be a good thing. just thought I'd share.
https://www.clare.com/

oh, on the website you can take a quiz about the room you want to paint and it offers suggestions based on the direction to room faces, main color in the room, the feeling you want to achieve, the style of the room, etc. it may or may not help...

I've been following and enjoy seeing your choices. I hope you consider BM Ballet White (for walls and trim). It's a very creamy white that I think will look beautiful in your home. It's similar to BM Dove Wing only a little creamier.

frances, just thought I'd check in to see how the color choice is coming along?

Theresa, I narrowed my search on colors down to China White, Swiss Coffee and Ballet White. Learned a lot about reflective values and undertones and I don’t want anything with yellow undertones. My painter is saying mid April so I will have the swatches to view for a couple of weeks. I want to brighten the space as much as possible without it being too stark. I had used China white in my old house and remember living it...we will see if I still feel the same. I am loving Swiss coffee and Ballet White looks like a contender. Thank you for the suggestion Carolae. I found a lot of the other colors too dark ...like I said I get so little light with this Northwest facing room, I want to be careful. Also the color needs to work for a large space considering my entry area, living room, dining room and kitchen as well as my hall need to be treated as one space. My only concern is my cabinets in the kitchen...I hope they work well with whatever color I go with.

Laurie, it was actually you who I needed to thank for the suggestion of Ballet White, Carolae, simply white had very little depth and linen white was too yellow for me. But I appreciate your suggestions. Also, notice there is what was described as a sugar glaze in the grooves of my cabinets. Maybe that will help or make my decision more confusing, lol. In the meantime I replaced all of the lightbulbs to white light in the entire space. I am beginning to search out ideas for my dining room to help tie it into the living room. Hard, I don’t have much space to add stuff and my dining room is very traditional. Again, don’t want to be matchy matchy but all these blended spaces makes it so hard for me. My niece is working on the glorious orchid for my coffee table. Can’t wait to get that. I want to dress my dining room table and will start looking for ideas. I don’t want to add another rug. I will accessorize my kitchen better as a last step. Thanks for your continued support and guidance. Flo...we’re are you. I miss you!

I can't verify of course, but found this on houzz: "Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee is a warm white without the CREAMY FEEL / not too yellow, or almond, a great color to mediate between warmer and cooler materials and natural and artificial lighting."

mid April will be here soon. cant wait to see it.

Everdebz, thank you. So far, before I test the swatches, it is my number one choice.

Does anyone know if I can put my photos in the before and after section when I am finished? How can I do that.

I don't know the answer to your question about the before and after section/forum/site. I assume when you are finished, you initiate a post on that forum just like you did here on the home decorating forum. Then, add your photos as you did here. In addition, you could add a link to this post onto your "before and after" post.

What interests me about this post is how you are incorporating old and new items in your home. I also like your descriptions of how meaningful some of your older items are to you and how they relate to you, your experiences, your family members and friends. Your home has character.

I would highly recommend that you request from your painter that they apply a coat of primer first. Then, follow up with two coats of the paint color. I know BM says they already have primer in their paints, but.......Ask around on the paint forum about this. Maybe this is not a hard and fast rule, something to think about. Also, think about what sheen you want on the walls and on the trim. Some people like matte or eggshell for their walls and semi gloss for the trim.

BTW, love your front door and kitchen cabinets.

I agree that you could just start a new post with a title of before and after... not sure if there is a special way to do it...

Laurie, the painter is a close friend of my husbands and is a very sought after painter. He does huge jobs in some of the most expensive homes in the York York City area. My point is that I trust him. I will ask him about the primer. I always use Matt in my home. I don’t use anything else cause I like the washability factor. I also like a matt finish. I will have him use semigloss on the trim. I am not sure if I should paint the trim a lighter color or use the same color throughout. I do have crown molding but my moldings and trim are not that special...very basic. I am wondering if I should use brighter white trim if I am using an off white wall.

Thanks for the suggestions on the before and after section

I love that you love the stories behind my pieces. I just want everyone to know how much I am enjoying the process of watching my room come to life with the help of some terrific new friends who have guided me the entire way. I am going to continue freshening each room of my house using all my new skills that everyone has so unselfishly taught me. I have grown to trust my own knack for design and now understand what my decorating tastes truly are. I recently retired after 41 years of working in corporate marketing in NYC for a Swiss Bank followed by 2 1/2 years in the crazy retail business of selling mattresses. I may take some decorating classes and who knows, I may try to dive into yet another life changing career. You never know.

Hi! Frances! Not getting notifications so catching up. I really like walls and trim same color but matte finish on walls and satin finish on woodwork. I am a Certified Color Strategist from Lori Sawaya’s program and have loads of color experience. With your woods I would definitely try SW Alabaster. In fact, I just painted our whole new house (new to us) Alabaster. It is beautiful and just warm enough to not feel stark. Not finished at all but I love it. The picture with the red pot is the “before” picture the next one with the round table is now. I just got new rug for living room and it is so pretty. Still need skirt for bed and I am going to refinish night stands similar to the round table. I refinished that several years ago. It was deep cherry tone. Notice the French Curio cabinet in hall/entryway. It is a washed tone similar to your cabinets, which are gorgeous! They had just painted all the woodwork a bright white in a glossy finish. Not my choice and for your home I think matching trim color to wall color would be chic and go with your new “style”. It’s the “finish” that will stand it apart just a little. Hope this helps you. Of course, do get samples from samplize.com to test in your light.

Flo, the house looks stunning. I will order the Alabaster swatch. You have been a busy lady and it has come together beautifully. I love the floors and the double set of living room windows. I like the location of your table and lamp at the foot of the stairs. Also loving the mirrors over the nightstands. You can truly appreciate your gorgeous chair even more in this space. Thank you for all the great tips on color and finishes.

Flo, what ceiling color should I use. I am still waiting for my Alabaster sample and I do like Swiss coffee, so it will be a choice between the two. I am going to keep the trim the same color and use Matt on walls and satin on trim as you suggested. My painter is supposed to come in two weeks. I am so excited.

getting close!

It depends. If the room is contained, I love doing walls and ceiling same color and finish. If you want a clear difference we have to decide that after you pick wall color so we get the chroma levels at least .20 apart. Can’t wait for your samples. Remind me of the color of your trim please.

Flo M., I like seeing your place. You've been on the go. :)

Frances, I just found your thread and have spent the past hour reading in awe as your home has taken on an incredible transformation. With a bit of guidance to inspire you, I find your selections (rug, mirrored chest, lamps & art) are stunning. You have a great eye, and best of all.....you have chosen items that you love. Carry on.......I wait in anticipation.

Following

pat1250, thank you so much for your kind words. I am so happy you caught up and glad you will continue to follow the string. I have had the most incredible women guiding me every step of the way. I want to shout out to the world what a fabulous and exciting experience this has been.

Do you think these would work in my dining room table?

Flo, Swiss Coffee is my color of choice. I like it a little better then all of the other whites I considered. Even when the lights are dimmed, there appears to be a little brightness shining through the Swiss Coffee. I think it is a little more interesting then the other colors too because it is a little fresher and younger. My wood moldings on my windows as well as my floor moldings and crown moldings are painted White...I put a picture up of the can. Looks stark and cold! My metal on my windows are bright white and I always have my shades at least half way up so maybe it is best to do my molding in a complementary white too. I put another image of my windows to remind you. I can’t decide what to do with all the trim. Keep it the same as the wall color except for the sheen or make it lighter shade of white. Also, I want the ceiling lighter then the walls. What color white should I use there. I swear this paint stuff has been the most difficult decisions for me. I am really relying on your expertise. Thank you Flo.

My photos

hi frances, I'm no means an expert on color, so will leave that for flo. Swiss coffee seems like a great light and bright color and seems like a popular go to color. love the gold ginger jars too. either for the dining table or possibly the console in the dining room. I was just having a little fun with your living room and put this collage together. I think a rug could also bring a change to the room and add some dimension, brought in the gold ginger jars and gold buffet lamps too. i liked the warm colors in the rug with the black...

Frances- we can go a long way with color DNA and analysis but your light, flooring and furnishings plus your eyeballs all make final decisions. Swiss coffee is a color that has been used by many for a long time. So I think you will love it especially with your trim and light. Can’t wait to see it. I love those ginger jars. But I would just use one large one and couple it with cream ones possibly. Bringing your new wall color in too.

Bought an amazing fern for my Jardiniere & Pedestal

yes you did, absolutely gorgeous and perfect in that spot

Frances - Looking forward to seeing the Swiss Coffee in your home. Let us know if you decided to do the trim and/or ceiling in Swiss Coffee, as well. Those ginger jars are pretty and your new fern looks healthy and gorgeous. - Laurie

I am moving forward with Swiss Coffee on the walls and trim. Walls will be matt and trim in eggshell. I wanted a streamlined look and hate semigloss so I opted for less luster on the trim. Painters will be here Sat morning. I am very ready to get rid if the peach.

Another huge change coming your way this weekend...fun fun fun

Love it. The matte and eggshell will be perfect finishes! Can’t wait and I know you can’t wait!

I changed the trim from Eggshell finish to pearl finish...they say it is similar to satin. I decided I needed it to be more washable then eggshell once I will be using it in my entry and hallway too. My painter told me to buy Benjamin Moore Regal Select. $50 a gallon...ouch. I am using Revere Pewter in a bedroom.

It is done and I cannot tell you how much I love it. The color is soft and warm and the pearl finish on the trim looks so rich. Especially on my crown molding. I could not have done this without all the great friends I found here. Shout out to Flo, Theresa, Amanda and Everdebz for your invaluable advice and enthusiasm resulting in an amazing transformation. Thank you.

Lovely!!! ...Fresh, soft, open. No more peach tone that you were tired of. Goes so well with the art work, furniture & flooring.

It looks wonderful! So glad you love it and I am sure it just changes the feeling in the house!! Love it as the backdrop to the black in the art and lamps.

What an amazing transformation! Enjoy!

So beautiful. I see a lighter sofa or slipcover in your future! Haha! Lovely new room!!

Beautiful!!!

Nice! small thing of detail, that amber/golds in rug, chair back, sofa tie wood railing in, instead of disconnected... even think I see green in art and pillow...

Beautiful!! Glad you were able to keep your furniture and make the room feel fresh and new. Congratulations!

So Chic, elegant and updated. Love it!

My niece completed one of my silk floral arrangements. She is making another orchid arrangement for the living room.

Just a few more accents for my space. The orchid arrangement was created by my very talented niece.

Love the orchids, how lovely. Sorry, haven't been getting your posts. The ginger jars are very nice too.

Wonderful orchid arrangement. Love them for the classic, beautiful touch!!

My tenant moved out and I am r3novating my 2 bedroom apartment. I had the entire apartment painted Benjamin Moore, Swiss Coffee, lol….I can’t get enough of it.