Jennifer, thank you! Regarding the flooring, we love the dark hardwood, I don’t think we would want in the kitchen with a dog, cat and three young kids.

Regarding the colours, that is exactly what the struggle is. I love the fresh look of all the beautiful whites right now but the house and exposures don’t love them back unfortunately. I don’t want to go too light or too taupe or too gray. It’s gotta be cozy and have some meat on its bones but not too much in the “putty zone” because we are in northern Ontario I feel is too depressing. Am going to sample Cedar Key with Edgecomb and Egret for sure!! I might just do Natural Linen as well. Thank you for the recommendation.

After reading your comments I would suggest taking a step back. Paint is pretty inexpensive as far as renovation expenses go, but it still isn't completely free of cost.

Your starting with a bit of a hot mess with all the colors and the mish mosh of furnishings.

The taupe flooring is bossy. It is driving a lot of decisions and driving a lot of the discontent.

You can't afford to change everything at once and may someday want to change the flooring throughout the home, but can't do that now. Got it.

I want you to tell me about you and your preferences. What are your favorite colors - the colors in paintings and art, fabrics and decor items that calls out "buy me" when you walk around a store.

Walls are the backdrop for all of the beautiful things in our homes, not the main attraction, so knowing the colors that make your heart sing can help us pick the best neutral to act as the backdrop for our things.

Once you have defined your colors I want you to think about the flooring that you have and tell me how those colors work with the dark wood flooring, the light wood flooring and the taupe vinyl flooring.

If the colors you love work nicely with the two wood floors and not with the vinyl flooring I would suggest that you start your home renovation journey by getting a cheap vinyl floor dropped in over the vinyl that is there.

Your cabinets may not need to be repainted if they are next to a flooring that isn't clashing with the floors. Your walls probably still need to be repainted only because Revere Pewter is a bit too dark, but it may also not feel quite so heavy with the right flooring.

It is not your forever choice, but sheet vinyl or peel and stick will buy you 5 -10 years and costs less than $1.50 per sq ft. For a 10x10 kitchen your looking at less than $150.00. I haven't had sheet vinyl installed in the past 25 years, so I am not sure how much installation will be, but Home Depot is quoting $1-$2 per sq. ft. Peel and stick you can do yourself. Even with the 40% off sales at SW you will spend around $50 a gallon for paint.

White Dove is not my favorite white, but it has been used successfully in thousands of homes without looking yellow and is one of the most popular whites in the country for trim, doors and cabinets.

If you figure out the colors you love and the style that you love and build a whole home color palette based on those colors it will be easy for you to slowly add furnishings and decor that you will love year in and year out for decades.

Jennifer, we bought a new floor. Thank you, that was great advice.

I am wondering if you will like any of the colors you choose, if you dont do something with your lighting first. Your bulbs, show very yellow. I would change them all to led daylight type 3500k lightbulbs. You will be amazed at the difference, once you are rid of those yellow bulbs.

Will try the lighting thank you. It’s very confusing some designers say 2700 for kitchen / dining and that anything over that gives hospital vibes so I’m so nervous 🤣. But, I will certainly try that. Thank you. 🙏

Hospital vibes are bulbs above 4000k. Thats when they start showing the bluish white. It will take a few days to get used to the new bulbs too, so do not decide in an hour or two, that you dont like them. I have turquoise walls in a hallway. My old light fixtures had the yellowish bulbs. That paint always had a gold cast to it, and the same paint in an ajoining room, was bright and cheerful. Once I changed my light fixtures and put in the 3500k bulbs, my hall walls, now look the color they were supposed to look.

Thank you I just ordered them 😀

Great. Hope you love them.

Would love to see pics with the new flooring.

Lighting is also important, but it is really a very personal decision and again, related to the colors you love.

I happen to love purple and wine reds. I don't want to muddy my colors by shining yellow lights on them. I also have clean crips lines in my furnishings and a more energized, modern feeling in my home. I use 5000k daylight bulbs.

My Sister-in-law has a contemporary home and love cornflower blue and peach and cream tones. 3500-4000k bulbs worked perfectly in her home.

My sister has a Tudor home with a mix of industrial and Queen Ann Antique furnishings and her color palette is fall colors, Greens, golds, and orange reds. She uses 2700-3000k lights in her home. Her home has that feeling like you should see Marmee reading a letter to Meg, Joe, Amy and Beth by the fireplace. Cozy, relaxing, welcoming. Again, the perfect lighting for her home. (The old incandescent bulbs were 2700k and no one minded the yellow light).

You have to think about the atmosphere you want to create and the colors you want to use and build your lighting to fit your plan or go safe with 3500-4000k (works in most homes).

There is also a difference in CRI (Color Rendering Index) values. I generally try to get a CRI close to 90, which is easier today than it was 7-8 years ago. LEDs have come a long way! Low quality bulbs with lower CRI can make colors look off. (Especially reds).

The green spectrum of neutrals that you seem to be drawn to are the most forgiving, working well with lower CRIs and lower k values than any other color family. 5000k may feel harsh with Revere Pewter, but it can be really nice in 2700 k or 3000k or 4000k.

My neutral needs 4000k or 5000k (BM Frosted Toffee). Anything lower makes the rose undertones go muddy.

Holy Moses thank you! Am really learning a lot from everyone. Here are the two samples of flooring we are looking at - I am obsessed with the beige.

I don’t know if it’s beige now that I look at it LOL but it’s definitely lighter than the other and I love how it lights up the room.

Or should I say I love how it looks with the dark hardwood. You can see that old light hardwood in the sunken basement below lol.

I have viewing things over the internet - so hard to know what colors are real and what has been altered. I like the contrast with the lighter flooring next to the wood, but both seem to work. I am seeing some pink/lilac in the photos of the darker color, but that may just be the internet or my eyes - running a fever, so colors are looking off to me.

I would suggest talking both samples outside around 2:00 in the afternoon on a clear day and looking at the two flooring samples with your paint color samples. Is there a combination that looks just perfect? Do certain combinations look bad? It is amazing how natural daylight shows us the undertones that are hidden when we are inside our homes.

More than likely some of the samples may go pink or green or the flooring will look pink or yellow.

The trick isn't finding the perfect floor or the perfect paint, it is finding the perfect combination.

Always look at flooring laying flat and wall color standing up when doing your comparisons.

I painted my entire interior with Anew Gray SW it goes with everything! it just gives the room a cozy feel without being dark…another one to consider.

Thank you! We actually just got two flooring samples and are going to update our flooring. It doesn’t arrive until March but am excited. It’s a big more beige, less taupe. It definitely looks different in different lighting and areas so am going to take a photo this afternoon but, I do love it with our countertop and dark hardwood !

@jennifer, I keep thinking about your questions about mood/vibe and what kind of art. The truth is, I’ve never had art on the walls because I never liked what I’d buy. Now I’m learning it’s all how you tie it in .. I’m learning! Definitely like transitional style I think. Cozy neutrals in the light to midtone range so am looking at colours with different LRVs. Am really loving Alabaster and Swiss Coffee, as well as Natural Cream and Egret.

We love Stone Hearth and Mushroom, but I think too dark for everywhere.

Will depend on how are flooring looks for sure. The more I look at it, I see some peachy tones in some light so know now that I’ll have to adjust the lighting lol. Thanks to everyone here.

@HomeInteriors with Ease. I love Mushroom and Limewash. Am wondering if they’d go with the flooring selected?

I really like the brightness and richness of SW Alabaster but unsure about everywhere. I’m worried it’ll look too modern? Then again I like clean, cozy and elegant with a rustic touch I think it pair great with the dark hardwood but am thinking it might clash with the new flooring lol

I will keep testing things out and update you all thank you everyone for your amazing help. I’m literally starting from scratch (we have a ton of hand me downs) so one thing at a time :)

Our foyer is in a limestone tile….very similar to your new tile pick color....and the Anew Gray works really well pulling the gray and beige together with dark wood floors.

@homeinteriors, is this your home? It is stunning. We are hoping to do something similar with the brick fireplace in our living room. We are out in the country, I love stone and dark woods.

@homeinteriors, I am obsessed thank you. What lighting do you have ? This seems to be what I am struggling to get right, thank goodness some folks on here were quick to point this out.

LauraAnne yes this is my home we are so in love with it..moved in almost 3 years ago…and completely changed all the wall colors to Anew Gray. I use all daylight bulbs on dimmers..it is life changing..all the color is so true to the eye...some are not fans but we love daylight bulbs!

@homeinteriors omg I LOVE this!!! I love that you have nature incorporated but it’s still current. Love love love am going to copy lol. Love that art piece and also the B&W photography in your foyer.

@homeinteriors - is this painting an original? Also, what white did you use for trim and stairs ?

Large wall art is from Uttermost…the black and white tree landscape are vintage copies I purchased from Etsy..very budget friendly and had the framed depending on the size you need you could frame yourself..you can get the SET printed on paper or canvas I went with canvas…

The large wall art from Uttermost is called Evening Mist….Trim color is SW Extra White

Thank youuu omg am so excited right now!

My entire home is a mix of neutrals and whites….mixed with shades of gray light and dark with black accents.

Have fun..here if you need me! just post HomeInteriors!

@ LauraAnne manninen

This is not a race, it is a marathon. By the time you are 65 ish you will stop adding and changing and start reducing and getting rid of the things you have collected over the past 40 years. Don't rush things. Take your time, enjoy the journey. It is so much better when you find one special piece at a time and collect furnishings and decor slowly, carefully, searching for the pieces that make your heart sing, filling your home with things you love.

The other really important thing to remember is your home's purpose. It is a roof over your head, a warm, safe space for your family to share love and build memories. When you are old you and your children will remember the times you cuddled together, laughed together, cried together. You won't think about what color sofa you had or what color the walls were painted.

Same as you learned how to dress yourself and pick clothing that became outfits. You learned to pick the right colors to complement your complexion and coloring. You learned to pick the right makeup and hair colors. Most likely made some mistakes along the way, but you learned.

This is just the next process. Learning how to design and decorate your home. How to pick your style and your colors and adding one thing at a time, sometimes making a mistake, but learning along the way and ending up with a home that reflects your personality.

Don't try to copy someone elses style and colors or follow trends. Look inside and figure out what brings you joy. When you walk through your home the colors, the art, the fabrics and the decor should bring you joy. Buying something special when you take a trip or go out shopping with your mom (or a sister or best friend) at some new place or on a special outing to an art show, adding just one or two new pieces a year and before you know it the house is filled with things that remind you of wonderful times throughout your life.

Your will be successful, just don't rush it.

following... loving the post and all the suggestions.

A few paints I love that might work with your space. although might cause more paint stress.

Simple White by BM

Balboa Mist BM ( i sound like a broken record but love this shade its a sometimes cool sometimes warm a chameleon )

Salt by Farrow and Ball

Skimming Stone by Farrow and Ball

I adore Kylie M Interiors... She has a great blog and you can see her work here below. Love the Dove White... looks more like a creamy white but normally this is a white color. The dark wood floors look similar to what you are going for.

Tudor Interior Remodel · More Info

Grant Beige similar to Balboa Mist...

Dining Room Remodel · More Info

Skimming Stone Farrow and Ball

F&B Dining Rooms · More Info

LauraAnne keep me updated on your progress…have you decided on the new tile you posted?

@boxerpal thanks for joining the chat! I love Kylie and she is actually the one I had hired to do the whole home package. Her blog and YouTube videos are wonderful. She recommended Egret White, Edgecomb and Modern Gray. They were all selected based on our tricky lighting but also on our existing flooring, which I hate. Jennifer gave me the aha moment when she said our floor was bossy and driving the decisions - so we are in fact changing it. Yehawww

We definitely seatched Balboa Mist and it did not work in our space unfortunately. Tried it in different rooms, looked at it at different times, it’s a hard no for our space. Same with grant. Beautiful colours tho. It’s funny how what we love isn’t always what our house needs lol

@jennifer and @ homeinteriors YES! We went with the lighter flooring :). See photo below taken just now in natural light. I’m also attaching one from the afternoon yesterday outside. I don’t think northern Ontario’s winter sky did us any favours but here it is. On another note, I have no clue how this picture of the dog got in there but I can’t seem to remove it.

On to the next part. We changed the lighting - I purchased bulbs that can be adjusted to different Kelvins. Game changer for sure. Thanks everyone for that recommendation!

We swatched the Anew Gray, I think it’s too dark for us maybe I’m scared lol. Here is our wall in current natural light. I’ve counted 14 colours on there 😆

The sofa and dining room table won’t be here for long (same with the light fixtures) so am not too concerned with those.

The colours left to right are pale oak (hard to see it is blending with the ballet white in the background), natural cream, egret white (has the white Samplize stuck to it), Edgecomb, anew grey (top), Swiss coffee, alabaster, agreeable gray (too gray), anew gray again, stone hearth). I think we are torn between earthy cozy moody (my partner) and earthy cozy clean elegant (me).

@Jennifer I think I am going to prime the walls, wait for the flooring to come in March then revisit. Although, Egret White is looking very beautiful in the spaces it doesn’t seem to change with the different lighting directions or times of day and I feel it is a lovely backdrop. Am currently hunting for art to put on the wall but as you can see, the staircase and angled ceiling make it a bit odd. I was thinking of doing a gallery wall of our travels but I’m thinking too busy for my taste. Anywho. That is for another day :)

I think covering your swatches and waiting for the flooring is the right answer. You want to see the two together. Primer should be covered with paint within 2 weeks of priming. It isn't just a white coat of paint and the adhesion properties could be compromised if you wait too long to cover. (Read the technical data sheet for manufacturer recommendations.).

Stop hunting for art. Get the floors and the wall color right.

Open yourself up to experiences that will let the art find you.

From about May through September there are local juried art shows all over the country, some good, some not so good.

Look up the shows in your area and go to a few. Walk through and enjoy the experience, see all the things that are being created, when you see something that whispers "buy me" in your ear as you walk past stop and look a bit more. When you see that piece that sings to you when you walk past and makes you smile as your mind sees it hanging in your livingroom, you know you have found the right piece for your home. If nothing sings, it just wasn't the day to buy anything.

When I went to a wedding in Costa Rica I spent a week shopping and visiting all the tourist gift shops and nothing was making me want to open my wallet. The day before I was leaving I stopped for a slice of pizza at a local pizza shop in Monteverde. There was hand painted canvases on the walls that were just beautiful. I asked the waiter about the art and found that it was art painted by the man who painted many of the buildings in Monteverde and that I could buy the canvases. I bought 2 and they took them off the stretcher bars and shipped them to my home.

My sister was traveling and found out that they were demolishing an old insane asylym in the area. She was able to get a few of the tin ceiling tiles that were bound for the landfill. She didn't use them for years, but found the perfect place to hang them when she moved to her current home. They fit her style and they have such a creepy history.

I generally hate word art, but her husband came across a big, square piece of copper with the lyrics of the song that was their wedding song engraved on it. It hangs in their bedroom and is a reminder to her that after 40 years of marraige her husband remembered dancing with her to that song on their wedding day. Makes her smile every time she looks at it.

I found an artist that painted the most beautiful and vibrant flowers and hummingbirds. My mother loved the piece I bought for her and then spoke with the artist and commissioned a piece to be painted for my sister, who had two little girls. The artist painted a colorful field of flowers with a big tree with two little girls on a swings. You just see the back of the girls with their blond hair blowing in the wind, but they were the same ages/sizes, coloring as my 2 nieces.

You will never find that connection with something found on the internet at Great Big Canvas . com

It’s so funny you say that. I’ve been saving up for a piece by a local artist here. She is a contemporary landscape artist that works with mixed media. I love this piece but it is so vibrant I keep changing my mind. It’s 40”x40” and reminds me summer sunsets in northern Ontario. Her name is Gillian Schultz and she is so talented. Another great artist from the west coast that I love is Victoria Rose Park. She creates her paintings outside in plain air and they too are inspired by natures. Just sharing in case someone is looking for some great artists :)

Thanks Jennifer, I didn’t know this about the primer. Will circle back with everyone in a couple of months 🩷

Just remember you are seeing all these paint colors next to very light walls..the varations of color will be stronger than when the entire room is painted. will you be painting the railing white to match the trim? will really open up the room and give a lighter feel overall.

I don’t think we will be painting the railing - we love the dark wood. It is what we fell in love with when you bought the house. The wood trim is definite going to go lol. It will be painted either white or in the wall colour we choose (with appropriate finish of course).

That is a really good point about the colours looking darker on a light wall, thank you. That makes sense.

Don't be too afraid of adding colorful art and decor. I see too many homes where you just feel like you are drowning is a sea of neutral.

I am bolder with the use of color than many, but I feel happier when I see colors and life is about feeling happy.

Omg I love that so much. It’s so well put together !!

Everyone has their own idea of what makes them comfortable in their home…if you love color than that is your happy place…I would never tell someone that because they like neutrals they would be drowning in it…or that I was tired of looking at it…I have had all kinds of clients that loved color and prefered no color…..I appreciate both….we all have our comfort zone….I feel calm and cozy in my home full of neutrals…have fun and enjoy the process..always be your authentic self….I can see why you like the dark wood railing it gives your space a cozy traditional feel…I have a-mix of dark and painted…anything goes😊

I can really appreciate how well people pull things together, regardless of whether or not the vibe matched my own. I’m learning the best parts of this process from all of you and am confident that the space will evolve into something unique that represents what we love. Am very much looking forward to learning as I go 🩷.

LauraAnne this is gorgeous!

It is right? I believe the artist is from BC. What is great is that she sells her originals but also does some limited edition prints. Her name is Victoria Rose Park.

I also have these pieces my mother made in the 70s at our cottage. I took them out of their old frame and ordered some black floaters. It’s a beautiful way to keep her and my favourite place in the world with me 🩷

Love them

Laura that sound so wonderful…I love being surrounded by family items…I have a old clock and old vintage black and white original photos of my family all the way back to my great great grandparents...can you imagine this today! A fox and bear on your fathers car! that is my great great grandfather and my grandmother as a very young lady.

Your mothers art is gorgeous! will be amazing all framed up! I am a bit obsessed with tree or landscape art….flowers a runner up!

Yes I love vintage photos as well that is stunning and has such a great history. 🩷

Thank you - they were sitting in these ornate frames and I didn’t know what to do with them. Jennifer’s comment “clicked” when she said “items to connect with”. I had never thought of ripping them out of those frames but am hoping they will look great. I love love love landscapes as well and always love when someone creates something with a cool process. This smaller piece my mother had painted sitting on the dock one day. I think she made it in about 10 minutes and all she had was a small board and a few paints from the dollar store. That is why I love it so much, she was always able to create beautiful things with minimal resources at her disposal. Here is another one that’s been around since the 70s it reminds me of my childhood. Will buy a clean minimal frame for it as well. 🩷

Hi everyone it’s been a while and I wanted to provide you with an update :)

We pumped the breaks on picking a wall colour and decided to focus on the kitchen dining space which was in deep need of some TLC.

We found some money and were going to put down the new vinyl but then by some miracle, we found the exact hardwood that we love in our hallway so we purchased it and laced it in. It looks like it’s been there the whole time and we love it. It really does warm up the space.

Now, we are moving on to a countertop selection. If you remember, we purchased this beautiful slab of quartz for our island top. What I didn’t think about at the time is what we would do with the perimeter countertops. Quartz is not in the budget. We found one at ikea but they won’t sell it for us because we live 4 hrs away and they only sell their custom cuts with the service installation as a package (grrrrrrr). Corian is still on the table but here’s my struggle. I really don’t want a grey countertop and I really don’t want white because it’s too modern/contemporary for our house. The gray corian May be the happy medium tho I might just have to suck it up we can’t always have what we love right?

Anyway…I came home yesterday and my very sweet boyfriend had demo’d the microwave insert and put down a piece of blond butcher block (to replace the blue) to see what it would look like. Is it weird that I kind of like it? Does it look bad and out of place?

One the one hand, I feel like the dark hardwood floors and island quartz look lovely, soft and elegant but then the butcher block looks so casual and is screaming for attention in the background (look at me!). It might clash.

On the other hand, it pulls the blonde wood in from the living room, adds a cute and casual vibe to the space, seems to suit the house vibe since we are in the country and have lots of wood and stone, adds brightness and lightens it up.

Would love to hear your thoughts. Is it too much wood? Does it clash? Is it plain WRONG? Pics below.

And before anyone says anything about the blue countertops and wood handles and cabinets….we are in the process of changing everything. One step at a time. :)

Thnx !