We are consistently amazed that anyone would make a color suggestion from looking at photos online! This is a surefire way to create major problems. Color is light reflected back to us. Photos simply capture a light condition at the moment it is taken and often greatly distort the light conditions too. Our computer monitors also vary greatly, so we cannot trust how a paint color appears there either. We invite you to take a look at our website for comprehensive advice on how to do it right. We also have prepackaged color palettes for sale in Benjamin Moore Paint colors that take metamerism into account--how adjacent colors impact the appearance of color. Color is not static. It fluctuates and changes drastically. Find swatches to match the existing finishes and decor--cabinets, flooring, sofa especially. Then hold those swatches up to swatches of paint colors you are considering to find what looks and feels best. Be sure to hold the swatches vertically like mini walls!

From the How To's on our website... http://colorinspace.com/dwellings.php...

Color is About Relationship

With the knowledge that color is light and energy, it is then so obvious how it is impacted by all of the other colors around it. They do work together...either to their benefit or detriment! All of the colors in a space need to be considered when making a color decision. Not just the paint! Cabinetry, flooring, decor, and other architectural finishes all impact how a paint’s color will appear. Even the most skilled color consultants need to actually see those relationships and if they work together or not. When we are able to isolate only the colors that will be present and see their relationship as a whole, we can then be assured that when it is painted on a larger scale, it will look and feel the same.

Knowing this, the last thing you want to do is make a judgment about a color when it is in the process of being painted! While paint companies encourage you to buy samples of their paint to test it (this sells lots of paint for them!), we know that this is the worst advice for getting an accurate idea of how a color will truly read once it is the only existing color. The color(s) you are painting over, even the blue painter’s tape, drastically affects your new color choice’s appearance.

Make your choice and stick with it! Without a doubt, from the moment you choose a color (isolating a swatch in relationship to the other finishes in your space) until the paint job is done and everything put back in order, you will not be able to accurately tell how your new color choice will look and feel. It is a leap of faith!
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Our Bungalow™, Estate™, and Cabin Palettes™ may be good places to start to find a warm neutral to complement the tones of brown in your home. We agree that this is definitely a home where an accent wall would just be silly. Whatever color you select for the walls should definitely go on the ceiling! This will make it feel most expansive--like being outside. Perhaps only the kitchen and back dining room wall get their own color.

Our mission is to provide sound architectural color education and advice. Not sell paint! Please let us know if we can help.

The brown couch and the love chair will go, I am putting black leather couch and love chair. Also I am planning to put a Maroon color recliner. I like all the suggestions. I got lots of ideas,

Everlasting by Ben Moore. Not yellow, not beige, just right.

Sesame is a sunny colour that looks great with grasslands. Both are Benjamin Moore.

If you do black furniture, then I would definitely lighten other objects.

Did you consider painting the cabinets to accentuate the flooring and the stainless steel appliances? To my taste, the cabinets need the boost!

Benjamin Moore Natural Wicker. Beautiful light neutral but full of pigment. Very nice with your cabinetry

I would go with Butter Cookie from Lowe's - it's a great yellow without being overpowering.

Sky blue

Beautiful. I like all suggestions. Best to go small samples and paint on small board and live with the sample for a while.

I love yellow in my kitchen, I would definitely repaint the cabinets a lighter color first though. Here's my kitchen. Ignore the messy pantry, lol. I coordinated it with my living room as well.

I know this might sound opposite, but you could try a cheery robin's egg blue or aqua paired with a goldenrod color. We have almost the exact same color scheme and brought in aqua and yellow and it's simple and beautiful and really brightens up the space! Best of luck - you have a great home to work with!

I like bevballew's idea. I've had yellow, sky blue, and light periwinkle, and they all worked well, depending on the amount and kind of sunlight that comes in your room, the typle of lighting your have, and the color of your floor. Ask for large samples, like Benjamine Moore has, and try them out!

Message from the cloudy Northwest- avoid gray, cool or deep colors. Keep color light and on the warm side (like the Bisque suggested). You have great accent wall already with rocks around fireplace- don't fight that with strong color or (God forbid) wall paper! Get some Art on the "tall" walls. Do you have room to put eating bar on low wall or low book cases?

You can paint walls in a double wide. You have to prime the walls first or use paint that has the primer already in it. You didn't mention your own affinity for color. Depending on whether you prefer brights or more subdued color, I would suggest an aqua color on an accent wall and some of the same color in pillows,etc. I think I would tile the wall below the cabinets in the kitchen with a tile with several different colors, possibly aqua, yellow, peach.

Cleveland Designs - this cracked me up "the elephant in the room is no TV" OMG!!! Maybe they prefer it someplace else. Maybe they don't have one. Maybe they don't want one. What a TV-centric society we live in :)

it looks very elegant. just pick a colour or 2 that you like. sage green and barn red, golden yellow and lime green, aqua and lime green if you want modern...

A color called Sea Salts by Benjamin Moore. Would be nice. Always get sample cans and try first. Do all rooms the same.

Your home is devoid of any color. Change out window covers to a rich teal color . Add teal, peacock blue pillows to sofa. And add accessories in the teal, mix with white. To bring interested into rooms. You have nothing but, beige. Living in the North, you need to change it up, mix in patterns. Use big area rugs in color.

Lighting is so important in cool climates. Under counter lights, and good over head lighting is always good.

Add glass tiles above backsplash. Color is the way to go.

Why are you going black furn? Go a color, then a print in your chair. Do not buy matching furniture. Think outside the box. Go fabric on some pieces.

Marigold and terra cotta

Benjamin Moore Monroe Bisque!

blues

Steel blue or a gunmetal grey

Love it just as it is...except would swap sink for undermount & gooseneck pull-down faucet. Use accessories if you really need to pop a color.

Head over heels... Benjamin Moore definetly will look amazing brighten the walls and match the furniture and cabinetry otherwise maybe a soft yellow tone if that color doesn't work for you. Beautiful home.

how much work do you want to undertake and budget will influence a lot of decisions

Behr "perfect taupe" it is the perfect griege
It will pop the cabinets and allow for any favorite color accents

ORANGE!!!!

I think it would be a huge mistake to go with another neutral. I'd go a terra cotta type of orange or a sage or spring green.

@Cleveland Design and kmkane... I think there's a TV over the fireplace if you look closely.

Go bold. Nice thing about paint is you can change it so easily when you get tired of it. I would do red.

I live in the north also and dealt with the same problem of needing to brighten the interior. If you really want to warm things up, try Sherwin Williams Rave Red, Anjou Gold and Martha Stewart Heavy Cream. I have that color scheme throughout my kitchen and dining room and it makes the rooms feel like a warm hug. Red looks great next to dark wood, better than it does with my light wood, though you may want to change up your backsplash and countertop materials/color.

Benjamin Moore's Delaware Putty would go nicely in all the areas. I just did my great room, hall and kitchen in it and it is warm and really makes everything pop.

So I already mentioned liking the greige idea but I went back and looked more closely at your photos...to add color I would look at finding a nice large patterned rug for under your couch to add some warmth and define the area... look into fabric side panels om your windows too in a pattern you like...so if your rug is modern find a modern drapery fabric... Also look at investing in some beautiful large paintings or prints for your walls... I actually wouldn't do a feature wall because the fireplace is feature enough and you don't want to take away from that.

I agree totally. Bring in some colourful curtains, rug, cushions and art and let the fireplace be the feature wall. Even slip covers to brighten up the dining chairs. The overhead cupboards in the kitchen could be painted a light colour to take the heavy look out of the kitchen.

Add some rugs, a room without a rug is like a kiss without a hug.

light tan color for wall aqua and brown throw pillows and rug to match the pillows

I'd go with something in the yellow family to brighten the rooms, and add accents of yellow, orange and corals/reds with throw pillows, rugs, curtains, etc.

I would use a golden tone, you can add other colors with accent pieces, rugs, etc. I posted three suggestions from Benjamin Moore....

I'll put a plug in for SW Comfort Gray, or Sea Salt. It's a great neutral that can tie your various browns together. Then add some bright, warm accents in art, throw pillows, area rugs, etc. Comfort Gray is a great neutral to work with!

Blue/turquoise or multi-colored accents would match the brown too

here is the latest pictures of my painting project, not 100 % done but getting closer ..I think i am still missing something in the living room, please let me know if you have more suggestions

colors i chose are rave red and bisque

Looking good! I looked back at the original photos, and it's a lot warmer/cozier now. I like the way the wall colour brings out the lighter colours in the FP. I think you need to bring some of the red to the LR. Maybe a red pot for the plant.

Much better and much warmer. Good job.

Lower the pictures. A different window treatment. As suggested bring the kitchen color into the living room...maybe pillows.

Here is an article I wrote, with suggestions about how to choose a color palette: http://bit.ly/1u1TOb5 I hope it helps!