Do you have any daytime photos taken with all the lights on?

It might save time if you printed out a closeup photo of the stonework, checked the color against the original, and took that to the paint store, along with a drawer or door front from your cabinets.

Here's a daytime photo; this was taken before we started construction/renovation. We're going to buy new furniture when we're finished...which seems like an eternity from now.

Thanks for the photo; looks like you have both warm and cool colors in the room. I'd wait for the new furniture and/or rug before choosing a paint color.

It looks better above....nice.

Try bagel by Benjamin Moore.

Love your home. You have to try on your walls. Colors look totally different on computer. All the Moore shades are great get 3-4 and try before buying.

White is to cold. Go warmer.

Travisinteriors - thank you. If I told you the number of colors we've bought and tried, you wouldn't believe me. After many, many grey-based beiges & whites, we've accepted that we need a warm color; yellow and pink-based colors just aren't out thing. We'll keep trying....

The reason you are finding it difficult to settle on a wall color is the cool tone furniture that is sitting in the room and the present wall color, making it very confusing. Find and buy your inspiration pieces (rug, picture, furniture, fabric, etc.) with those pieces in the room it will make it much easier to choose the wall color.

Don't concentrate on the color of the wall so much, furniture and accessories will add color, focus and totally change the look of the room and those big areas of wall color that seem to stand out will disappear.

Another idea is to make an inspiration board with pictures and color samples of your furniture, fabrics, paint, stone. This is what designers do, they have to trust their boards because often they don't have the luxury of time, living in the space and everything has to be set up in within a short period of time.

Having pictures of rooms that inspire you are important too. Every time I thought a color or style was not for me when I looked for inspiration I also found beautiful rooms that had those things I thought I didn't like.

You have to do your homework, the furniture, rug and accessories store or your friends homes only supply a limited amount of information, there are so many more ideas out there.

Looking at some of the wood details of the stone wall, the TV surround wood details could be taken off creating a simple sleek look. Changing the cabinet doors for a sleek, simpler style with brushed chrome pulls. Exchanging the mantle for a simpler one and brushed chrome industrial look ceiling fans, changing the wall sconce to a more modern industrial look with brushed chrome metal, no glass will add to the modern look.

Making changes to the accessories can make big changes in the look of a room, these are just a few ideas.

The chairs could be paired with the black leather sofa and black leather chairs or the black leather with back, brown or light brown leather chairs in the living area. These are just some ideas.

Thanks, Suzanne.

If you want a more contemporary look, than besides the wall color, which I feel "white" is not correct- too stark with all the wonderful natural materials you have.
Glad to see the wonderful ceiling and woodwork and stone, but please,those fans need to be changed to something more contemporary, also that fire screen must go and the mantle. The tv ages the space as well, really need more flat screen, that deep tv ages the space and screams makeover. The furniture , great idea to change, either leather or a nice texture, and a wonderful carpet /rug that makes you want to take off your shoes.

Yes, a very warm white will do the trick. Swiss Coffee?

BM Putnam ivory. It changes nicely with light, and would harmonize with the stone.

Maguire - thank you! We're really struggling with paint and want to get away from the yellow/gold. Love F&B.
Darzy & mrs1916 - thanks!

Let me suggest that you buy your own paint fan deck. You've tried a lot of colors already. Any brand that you are likely to use, or any brand that has a fan deck at a reasonable price ($40) will do fine. Here's an example. http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/for-your-home/benjamin-moore-paint-color-fan-decks Although decks are most often used by professional designers, architects, decorators and painters, a home owner with a major renovation can save a lot of time and energy with one. Okay, they are entertaining, too.

applepie - I own 3 fan decks & the F&B catalog. They're definitely entertaining (and definitely not that expensive)!

I'm actually very surprised to hear gray's aren't working in the room. I see some nice shades of gray in the stone and definitely in the bit of kitchen countertop I see in one picture. Have you tried a color like the bone 15 suggestion? I would not choose white paint for that room.

I agree with Ann. Oyvey, did you know grey can be warm? I realize your first choice is cream as Ann has pointed out grey is in the stonework and kitchen countertop, grey can also go with the warm woods because it can be warmed up by adding yellow and sometimes red. You can check it out with your sample fan.

Sorry about my pic; the kitchen countertop is now Caesarstone Dreamy Marfil (a fairly new color which is *beautiful*, by the way). We've been leaning toward grey/greige since the beginning, but haven't yet found one with enough warmth. The problem is that -- perhaps due to the size of the rooms -- once there's no direct sunlight, the entire house starts to look like a cell block. I love F&B and tried to match the Bone 15 (and a couple of others), but we don't have a dealer in town. We're down to the wire with paint choices, so it's, um, a rather, "exciting," time over here....

I find that Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan is a fabulous color?! Good luck

Definitely buy furniture first, then select a paint color.

Sometimes there are several good choices, not just one.

@apple_pie - haha! At this point, we'd be thrilled with just *one* good choice. Agh!

What I meant was that the lack of a perfect color can sometimes be attributed to the fact that there are several really pretty good colors, any of which would be just fine. But if that is not the case, perhaps paying a color consultant to come out and take a look on a couple of days in various lighting conditions would be expedient. Each wall will, of course, look different at various times of the day. The intensity of sunlight and amount of blue scattered light will also change with the seasons. It is not a well-determined problem with a single optimal solution. There's a group of solutions.

I'm so sorry - I was just having a laugh in the midst of my frustration. You're right: there *are* many good choices. The good (and bad) thing about paint is that it changes with light, location, weather, etc. We're just particularly frustrated because we thought we'd chosen the perfect colors (we'd painted sample boards), but once the painter started to put them on the walls, we realized that we were *way* off. Now there's no time to bring anyone in to help, as this is the last thing that needs to be done before new lighting gets installed. I think we'll just wind up going with one and living with it. Life's too short to worry about everything, you know?

You're not kidding! I can't find colors near P&L Bone. I'm starting to feel your pain. What about BM AF-390 Glacial Till, the first photo, it may need to be lightened by 25% but it's a nice putty, not too yellow, not too gray. Muralo's Pale Taupe P171 is the lighter version, a little pinker, also possibilities SW Ramie or Khaki and BM AF-100 Pashmina the last here. the trouble I'm having is that they look different in the store and in my home so I'm sure they'll look completely different in yours too! I hope you have some luck soon.

I forgot to add Khaki and Ramie...

@Maguire - glad (and horrified) that you feel my pain! What's your guide to lightening paint colors? Do you just know that going lighter by a certain % will be enough? I'm curious but it may open a bag of worms....

Good thing you still have a sense of humor. I'd get the new lighting first before choosing paint color. The glass bowls on the current ceiling fans are going to affect the appearance of the paint color. Or just take the bowls off and put in some brand new incandescent bulbs in the highest wattage the fixtures will take. If you are getting LEDs, best to wait.

What about these colors?
SW divine white
SW Kilim beige
SW netsuke

You have a couple of dark corners up high where it might look even darker. Like the SW sample above, it looks as though Khaki and Ramie might be about the right shade but I posted the whole page because once you get home Wool Skein and Rice Grain might be more of the depth you're looking for, more of a creamy beige. You know how color reads differently depending on the light reflected off of it and other colors in the room? Hard to tell unless you see it in the room. I think you're looking for an off white with just the right undertones.
What color is on your walls now and what paint brand do you have access to?

@Maquire - yes! I'm dreaming of a creamy beige without the grey (or pink) undertone. This room (and the rest of the house) has such high ceilings that the color changes somewhat dramatically. We bought the house last year & are in the midst of many changes. I have no idea what color the walls are right now. They're quite gold and faux-finished. We're trying to choose from SW, Pittsburgh Paint & Miller. Problem is, the painters are ready to go...and we're not. The clock is ticking so we're probably going to have to make a decision tomorrow.

What did you choose?

Miller Paint 0175 - 3am Latte. It's the perfect mix of beige-brown/grey/yellow. Thank you so much for your help!

Looks good! Post a photo if you feel like it.

I definitely will. Thanks!

Here it is...
It's a bit dark. Start in the niche over the TV then step back to see if you'll need to lighten it.

maguire: how do you get that selection of colors panorama?

Miller Paints website. Hit the little "View Webdeck" button, then click a color.
http://millerpaint.com/consumer/color-choice.html

Cool, thanks. I wish Dunn Edwards paint had this feature.

Stone hearth by Benjamin Moore.
Would look awesome in your space

SW steamed milk?

Thank you to *everyone* who helped with ideas and suggestions! We decided on Miller Paint 0175 - 3am Latte. It's a really nice mix of beige, grey & yellow (and it changes throughout the day, depending on the light). It's hard to tell with the light blaring on it, but the top area of the photo show its true color. (We went with SW Kilim Beige for the adjoining rooms and it's perfect and complimentary.)

Sherwin Williams Canvas Tan?

oops like your color!

So you "bit the bullet" and made the plunge! You must be very happy to find the color working with everything. The color looks slightly warm which goes with the stonework, trim and kitchen cabinets.

It is important the color was chosen in natural light which gives the true color (it can also be seen under a white florescent desk light) and goes with everything, when the light changes all the colors will still coordinate!

Natural linen. Benjamin Moore.