And they will all be neutrals, which I am finding very difficult to choose! What I think I like during the day turns totally different at night. I have been going back and forth for weeks now. I am pretty certain that I want to use Farrow and Ball, which means I need to come to a decision FAST, because the closest store is 1 1/2 hours away.

So, here is my problem- the kitchen has been opened up to the dining room. The ceilings of the two rooms will be separated by a beam in order to have something to attach crown to on the DR side. The walls, however, connect, so I need to do the same color in the whole space. The cabinets will be painted a putty color. I want the walls to be a light neutral. The trim, which is existing is some places, is already BM Mascarpone, which is a dead ringer for Farrow's Pointing. The ceiling in the DR is original plaster, and the kitchen will have a 5" wood plank ceiling. The kitchen side has northern light, but opens to the DR which gets northern/eastern light. So this means nothing too dark. I also don't want anything with a yellowish or greenish cast, or anything with a mauvey cast.

I want to make sure that the wall color reads as a color, not just an off-white, and that it has enough distinction from the trim and also the ceiling color. In the kitchen, the ceiling color will touch both the wall and cabinet colors.

I am playing with the idea of doing an accent color on the island (won't decide that until everything is in). I am also doing a wainscot backsplash, so that color will be the same as the cabinets, or the walls.

The colors that I have been considering from Farrow and Ball are:

Light Gray, or Fawn for the cabinets
White Tie, or a shade or two darker for the ceiling
just about every other neutral color for the walls.

Does anyone have any of the Farrow colors on their walls? I love rococcogurls apt kit, whcih is painted in Stoney Ground, but it looks too cool in my kitchen. Sorry for teh long post, it is really getting to me.

What about Old White? If I was going with a slightly cooler palette, I think it would be perfect. So pretty with black, white, marble. Seriously very, very nice and high end looking. It's not utterly cold. Has a touch of warmth to it.

It doesn't go as well with my tiles, but I keep coming back to it because it's so gorgeous. I have to keep thinking "sweeby test. sweeby test."

Here's "White Tie" on the walls (that's "Pointing" on the trim and ceiling:

I don't know if you remember, but I am doing the same knobs as you as well. I will probably do mostly stained, but painted to match the cabs on my hutch area. What other colors do you have in your adjacent rooms?

Thanks!

Amy

No, the cabinets are an FPE color. I was surprised at how close the White Tie was to the cabinets, but they are not the same. The White Tie is ever so slightly less creamy. I like the idea of your board ceiling being white tie. Sounds beautiful to me.

The adjacent rooms is Farrow's Cream. Here's a pic of it. Again, pointing on the trim, ceilings and built ins. I have a better pic at home I can post later, of the living room. With better light.

You can also look at Matchstick, but like Farrow's Cream it goes forth on the yellow side. You might want to also look at Shaded White. It's kind of in between Off White and Old White. It's very pretty, but also cool. And there's Joa's White too. I'm just trying to think of whites that don't go yellow.

If you have any other pics that show the cream that would be great! So do you see enough of a difference (in real life) between White Tie and Pointing? And what exposure is over the sink?

Thanks!

Amy

Here's a better one of the Farrow's Cream. As you can see, it's definitely a yellow cream. This was on an extremely bright day with 40 inches of snow reflecting the sunshine.

F&B's "Cream" is dreadful in my space, just awful. Hopefully it'll be nicer in yours when/if you test it. It went completely brown/green when I tested it. Awful. And considerably darker.

Waht about this scheme:

Old White- cabinets
Off White or Clunch for the walls
White Tie- ceilings
Pointing- trim (and also my "hutch" cabs)

Do you think that there is enough contrast between Old White and Off White? I think there is with Old White and Clunch. At least in this light...

Counters are combo of soapstone (charcoal with no green) and butcher block. I can either keep the butcherblock natural birch, or stain it- not sure yet. The backsplash will be wainscot, but I am not sure if I should paint it the same color as the cabs or the walls. On one side of the main run the backsplash hits the fridge box (cab color) and on the other side it hits a utility closet (wall color). What do you think?

Do you have some pictures of the cabinets/wainscot yet?

I saw your pics of your BR on threads in paint or decor- what exposure is that room. I know you said it looks very grey instead of beige. Is it a cool gray or a warm gray?

Someone else on that thread mentioned they have it in their living room and it is completely beige. So definitely test it.

I'm not sure how much of a contrast you want. To me, there's plenty of contrast between the two, but I like very subtle tone on tone looks. If you want even more contrast, then maybe Old White and Dauphin?

Color Wheel (in McLean VA) only has one gallon of Clunch at the moment, and it would be until next Friday until they get it restocked. I could still go ahead and get everything in the kitchen completed with that, but I would probably need to recoat the dining room next weekend if I go with Clunch.

I asked about shipping- but because it is a HAZMAT, the shipping cost is $95 a GALLON on top of the cost of the paint, for expedited shipping. Yikes! So, I will be taking a little trip.

A question about finish. The salesperson recommended the Estate for the walls as opposed to the Modern. Do you agree?

I am also getting a sample of Pale Powder which I may use on the insides of my "closets" in the dining rooom- they will have chickenwire full height doors with glass pendants, so you will see the color well. I have painted greeney-blues in some furniture pieces and some accent items as well. We shall see!

pickle- when are you going to look at ss?

Pale Powder is very pretty. I'm going to use it in the guest room/guest bath. The estate emulsion is flat, so naturally it is what is most recommended for walls, but Modern Emulsion is also good for walls and in fact ideal for kitchens and bathrooms. I would use it. It does have a slight sheen, which if you hate sheen you won't like. But it's very subtle, way less than their eggshell. If you want dead flat, you'll have to go with Estate.

Pirula, I love your space. Gorgeous.

I will check out Cox and see if that will work. The drive is 2 1/2 hours to McLean, with traffic, which there always is, so paying for shipping may be worth it anyway.

I don't know if Cox does expedited shipping, here is the website. I do know that if you order it today, there's a good chance you'll have it on Friday. It's taken that little time for me before, but I guess you really just never know. So many variables.

If the drive is 2 1/2 hours to Color Wheel I'd definitely be ordering it online. The other week I was in there and the F&B shelves looked really empty to me.

Hey thanks grlwprls!!

Pickle2 - I would love to see a photo of all of your F&B doors. What colors are in your final running?

Are sample pots of F&B and FPE representative of finish and color? (I remember hearing some complaints that Ben Moore samples are useful for color, but not for paint sheen or leveling properties...)

Amberley--good luck with the paint.

Thanks wolfgang80! They're cherry knobs. I got them at Lee Valley Hardware and stained them myself.

The sample pots are pretty indicative yes. Although sometimes a color will still surprise you with an undertone you didn't see in the sample. Bothers some, others adore it, most don't see it.

The sample pots are all in the flat Estate Emulsion (unless something has changed recently) so not indicative of any of the other finishes.

Pirula, I never noticed the wonderful use of the varieties of shades in your kitchen. I really apologize, because I know that had to be a major effort and focus for you to do such an amazing job. I always thought your kitchen is wonderful, but just didn't notice all of this.

I usually hate off whites and creams on walls, because they're so often used as the easy, builder's-neutral thing, but not the way you all are using them. How beautiful!!! I can't wait to see your kitchen, Amberley, with the shades of white on the cabinets, trim, ceiling, and floors, and the wood knobs and butcherblock! And I love soapstone that's gray without green. Sounds so light and comfy casual with the grounding of the counter and the warm touches...A barefoot sort of place. If I'd heard your plans before doing my kitchen, I think this is a type of 'white kitchen' I could really embrace and feel at home in.

I'm blown away...and by white, white, and white. A real eye-opener for me. I'm envious, because I think it takes a really good eye and amazing foresight to create this type of vision and make it come together.

Rhome- The "whites" I am considering are really not that white really. Poiting is the whitest, and it is very creamy when put next to a real clear white. White Tie has an even creamier cast- pirula's walls. And Old White and Off-White are really neutrals- and they REALLY vary with the light. Clunch is a chameleon- it has a grayish cast sometimes, an almost peachish undertone at other times, and some say a greenish cast, but I don't seem to have that impression at the moment.

My cabinets will be the darkest of these colors and will not read at all white, especially next to these lighter colors. My inspiration kitchens are mostly English (from England) which have an almost sparse but warm comfortable feeling. Definitely bare feet territory! I am also playing with the idea of painting the floors- also very English. But I am not even going to try to make a decision on this until everything else is in. I am going to be painting until I am 80....

juniecb- Don't have any samples yet, but the one in my fandeck doesn't go green.

I just meant that you were making me view them in a different way than the 'blah neutrals' I used to consider them and dismiss them because of. It's the wonderful way you're combining them with each other and with other materials that makes them so much better and more interesting than the old, usual way of painting a cream or white wall for neutrality's sake, as a builder might in a spec house. I hope that makes sense.

amberly, OMG. I just pulled together all your colors: Pointing, White Tie, Clunch, Off White and Old White and it is freaking BEAUTIFUL!!! An absolutely exquisite palette. Go with it!

pirula- I need to pick either clunch or off-white as the wall color for the kit/DR, but I can always use the other one for the living room walls, or the floor if I paint it.

BTW, this is my sideboard. Do you think one of those colors more than another is better with it?

sideboard:

Came home and Beleza looks quite green so may not be helpful to you in pics. I'll take some tomorrow.

I know you're doing wainscot for backsplash, but I wanted to toss up these photos just for fun. (This is what I keep coming back to whenever I want to use Old White instead of doing my green thing.) Trikeenan's Sharkskin and Milk White mix:

And this is their random whites blend (Fog, Crackle White, and Milk White):

My sideboard btw is part of my grandmothers Duncan Phyfe 1940s mahogany veneer. It wasn't in the greatest of shape, so I painted/wallpapered/glazed it. It cost me nothing, as I already had all of the materials. There are 7 coats of paint on that sucker though! I am really happy with it though, and it was the main reason that my DR/kitchen plan looks the way it does. I DID NOT want to lose that piece, so everything else had to fit around it.

So, should I get Estate or Modern for the walls? Remember that the whole space- both kit and DR will be continuous.

It is really taking shape now! They have about 1/3 of the drywall done, and they are hoping to have the first mud coat on by the end of the day! Once all the walls and the plank ceiling are up I will post some pics.

If you're going to do tongue and groove or beadboard on the walls, you can't do estate. For the kitchen, it's probably best to do modern. estate does clean up beautifully after it's cured for a couple of months, but modern would be way better. The dining room will look okay with modern, but estate would be better. So, if you can find a place to change it that makes sense, that would be ideal. The ever so different finish might even create a slight tone difference that could be really pretty.

If you HAVE to choose one.....jeez, dunno. That's a hard one. I guess if you have upper cabinets and backsplashes protecting all the areas of the kitchen where splattering will occur, and the walls themselves are far removed from daily kitchen grind type stuff, you can probably get away with using Estate on the kitchen walls too.

Where the kitchen meets the dining room on one side is easy, as there is a 90 degree change in plane with a pantry closet. The other side is hairy for several reasons. There will be a faux beam on the ceiling dividing the 2 spaces, and on the tricky side, it has to come down the wall a bit to enable the HVAC bulkhead to kill into it on the kitchen side. I am still not sure how we are going to make this look artchitectural, but regardless, there will be a cabinet "hutch of some sort saddling this spot. So, I guess the estate would probably be okay? Here I am answering my own question.

I can always recoat a section with Modern if need be right?

Also, which primer would be correct for painting the wood plank ceiling if I want to use Estate Emulsion on the ceiling? Or do you think I should use something with a nigher sheen on the planked ceiling?

I can't tell you how helpful you guys have been :)

I've only ever used the F&B water based primer with the F&B paint, but I'm sure any primer that's good for wood will work well enough. I don't know about estate emulsion on wood ceiling. Have you read the specs? It thought it was only for drywall and plaster? I've only ever used their eggshell on wood, so I dunno. Let me run real quick and see. Hang on....

Although it doesn't specifically say not to use estate or modern on wood, the spec sheets are pretty clear they're for walls and ceilings.

I think you've got it nailed with the dead flat for the wood ceiling though. Whether or not to do a sheen is up to you. With the windows I know from experience that you will have sheen on the ceilings (my ceilings are painted in Modern). I like it because I was trying to maximize light and it totally works. Some people hate it and only want flat ceilings. It's up to you.

Yeah the eggshell is pricey alright. Overnight is insane. It's never taken them 5-7 days. But, you never know.

BTW, did you find that the coverage was fairly accurate to F&B's website? If so, I need less than I thought I did.

Another question, I will probably paint the interior of my 2 "closets" an accent color- very subtle though. I was thinking Pale Powder, but I am afraid it might not show up enough. What do you think?

Here's another hood shot:

Yes amberley, I think the pale powder would be a lovely accent to the Old White and everything else you're doing. And I think it'll show up just fine.

I forgot to answer your earlier question. I have found that F&B goes alot further than the spec sheet says. Even with the three coats that I prefer to do with the Estate Emulsion, I always have paint leftover.

Warrenton is West of Centerville VA. My plans may be foiled by more snow however...

Amberley, your kitchen will be beautiful.

FYI, I LOVE Pointing for the trim - more than half my house's trim in my house is already Pointing and the rest will be soon. I also have Strong White & Lamp Room Grey in the living room, and Pavilion Blue and Blackened in various other rooms in my house. Lovely stuff this F&B.

That said, my own experience with Estate's longevity has been quite different to Ivette's and Rococogurls. I can't touch the walls at all let alone scrub them. They burnish in a hurry - this despite giving 'em months and years to "cure". The Modern and Eggshell are fine. Also, DKC's mattest does not burnish either. I LOVE the matteness of Estate but the repainting to touch up every spot or mark on the walls is driving me a bit batty. I don't know why I have this problem. What I do know is that here in the NorthEast in general and my house in particular, we don't paint over drywall. Every wall is first plastered - fully (and it looks Gorgeous!). Then primed and then painted. I don't know if my experience with the severe burnishing is because the paint goes over plaster vs. the others' do it over drywall or what but Estate burnishes like crazy in my house. And there are only two adults and two cats in my house. No kids, no dogs unlike Ivette who really - if there was a God - would have WAY more trouble with her walls than I do.

Still, Estate is lovely but it is trouble. I'd definitely recommend the eggshell if you're leaning that way. My eggshell trim is not shiny at all. In fact the painter panned it - said he thinks wood should be painted in a much glossier finish. Good thing he doesn't live in the house then because I love the soft finish of eggshell (on the trim). But j'adore the plaster of paris look of Estate! :-)

Anyhow, your kitchen is very exciting. I second Ivette's recommendation - if Old White scares you, look at its lighter mushroomier sibling Shaded White or its even lighter Off-White. They're all about the same color just different intensities. And I too think that your palette is tops. A very classic very sophisticated one.

Ivette, I'm considering DKC 7 or 8 for the loft in our house. What do you think of either of those colours?

Wow no kidding on the burnishing? I wonder why? DH did that level 5 whateverthehell finish on our walls, so mine's not painted on drywall either, but whatever that compound stuff is. I wonder if it's the darker colors only? But Cooking Apple Green hasn't burnished either in the boy's room. Hmmmmm....

I have my DKC samples out but please give me till tomorrow to look at them in the daylight okay? I'll get back to you.

amberly, I know where Warrenton is, I'm just wondering what on earth is taking you out there?

As to the two vs. three coats. I have just found that it looks much nicer with three coats. Happened with all the colors I used in Estate.

Could I please see a picture of your Lamp Room Gray living room? It's the front runner for a repaint of the boy's room (who's outgrown primary colors don'tcha know.)

Blackened burnishes quite badly too and it isn't exactly dark, you know. Strong White is okay. Not as bad as the other two for burnishing but it does - just not nearly as noticeably. So there is something to the darkness logic. But then you say that CookingAppleGreen doesn't for you either. Perhaps its just the Greys then ? Happily for everyone except me - Grey is about as much colour as I can handle ;-)

LRG upcoming. It is beautiful and your boy will love it.

pirula- Color Wheel doesn't have all of what I need, and there is a store in Warrenton that carries F&B that has almost all of the rest. I can only get one gallon of wall and ceiling primer between both stores. I hope that will be enough for what I HAVE to get done before Monday. I am painting with "regular" primer over alot of the new drywall, as it will not get a top coat of color (cabinets and backsplash).

pirula- what in the world is the level 5 whateverthehell finish? We have a combo of plaster and drywall

Oh, and DKC-8 was another cabinet color I was considering. I wondered if it was a warmer gray than Old White. I've only seen a tiny swatch online though. I can't wait til I can make it to the local store that carries a lot of great paint lines. Fun times!

Amberley, Ivette and Rocs and others have had no problems with Estate in their houses. But some people - me amongst them, sadly - have had to deal with the burnishing with Estate. It is too nice not to experience at least once so I'd be tempted to tell you to just try it. :-) But then know that I do trot out the paint tin a couple of times a year to touch up. Not the end of the world frankly.

Have you thought about using Light Blue inside your cabs instead of pale powder? I love F&B Light Blue with Old White.

I'm in progress with my kitchen remodel and island is light blue, cabinets are F&B Lime White

Walls are Off White

You're welcome pickle2. I didn't think my kitchen could handle a big focal point hood (especially with the beauty underneath it). The kitchen lives big, but only has 8 ft ceilings and is 14 X 13. So, I wanted something really simple. I was also trying to keep that wall as serene as possible with open shelves.

If you want a warm gray, please please check out DKC #16. Can I just tell you it's my favorite color in the entire house? It's beautiful. Gray, with hints of taupe some hours and violet others (but not pink!) check it out for yourself. It never actually turns violet, but you swear you "feel" purple for about a 1/2 hour a day. Or at least I do. LOL. The red in the violet is what makes it warm I think. here's a pic:

mindstorm, I get to work before sunrise, so will be back this afternoon to discuss 7 & 8.

(Amberley, sorry for hijacking your thread!)

Clunch, Old White and Off White work really well together and currently they are my favorite picks for the interior of my house to-be-built. Someone asked about Clunch... It is neutral and very versatile. I sleep in it every night; I tried it on the walls AND trim and I've never grown tired of it. Very mutable color. Sometimes it is so lovely, I could EAT it! Think of a pale, subtle, cafe au lait. Looks gorgeous with dark mahogany wood (as well as other more orangey wood colors like maple), pale Robin's Egg blue/green, and antiqued gold. You can stand in a room with it and all four walls look different as they pick up reflected light from different sources and objects.

Also, Off White is exquisite. It was used in a show house recently and I recognized it the minute I saw it (and I did not know they had used F&B paints until I saw them on the walls). It says a lot for a paint color when you can walk into a house and recognize it. This color is simply dazzling. Off White changes with the light and can have a beautiful greenish/grey (think lambs ears) element that comes through at times. Very, VERY subtle and extremely versatile color. I plan to try more of it.

For me, in addition to being deeper in hue, Old white is a little warmer than Off White. I think there is plenty of contrast, ESPECIALLY if one color is trim and the other wall. If you like it, for something a little greener/greyer, look at French Grey as well.

I'd say that Lime White is another color that carries tones similar to those this group.

Also, compared to the group above, White Tie appears warmer with more of a yellow base (my husband loves it) and is wonderful combined with Pointing which is absolutely beautiful, but, perhaps more "modern" and cleaner than the Old W, Off W, and Clunch. White Tie is gorgeous with traditional and antique wood furnishings.

I have had ALL of these on the walls here.

I've tried more that you've mentioned, including the light blues (which would look lovely with Off White)... however, I'm late and I've got to run for now. Sounds like a wonderful project ahead!

(Ivette - I think your cat is waiting for someone to turn the faucet on...)

Okay Mindstorm! DKC 7&8:

First, love them. Definite grayed down blues. I think I see a little green maybe especially in 7, but I'm not sure. The sun's going down here, but I did get a good glimpse of it earlier and there was no green then. There is now though. Alot, alot of gray.

7 is much lighter, and it appears to be less blue, and slightly warmer, although I wouldn't call it warm. The 8 to me, is almost a dead ringer for Blackened but without the violet. I love them both, I think if it were me, I'd go for 7 because it appears that it will be more interesting and unusual, and it's lighter, which for me, Little Miss Light, is a major factor.

So I bought:

White Tie Estate Emulsion- DR ceiling (plaster)
White Tie Estate Eggshell- Kitchen ceiling (planked wood)
Clunch Estate Emulsion- kitchen and DR walls
primer for all of the above

quart of Old White Estate Eggshell- to start the cabinet doors

samples of:
Pale Powder (DR closets)
Matchstick (LR walls)
Pointing (no one had any gallons)
Light Gray (another cabient door possiblity)
Fawn (another cabinet door possiblity)
Mouse's Back (which I might use on the window sashes)
Off White (I have to use it somewhere!)

Unfortunately, it looks like my guys left early today, I am ssuming because our power was out when I got home- power complany working on lines. So I don't know when I will be able to even prime, since he only had one coat of mud and about 2-5% of the drywall isn't up yet.

BTW, I really liked The Paint Shop in Warrenton- they had ALOT more paint in stock- both colors and the various types. Pirula- you might want to check that out at some point. It was about 40 minutes W-SW of McLean.

I am still totally up in the air about the floors. Maybe once I get the walls and ceiling painted I can do one of those "Vote" threads.

Sorry your schedule's not going exactly as planned, but such is remodeling. I cannot wait to see some pictures of all this!

BTW, 'sfunny but i have Pavilion Blue in my bathroom which is also essentially green. My sample boards of 7 and 8 are neither of them green against Pav Blue. Both are predominantly grey and both find their inner taupe against Pav blue's green which goes ever more so against them.

I really like 8 because it is the cooler of the two. But like you, I've been veering towards 7 also because it is lighter and may be as you thought earlier, more interesting. Do you see a taupe or mushroom in there despite their coolness (she asks anxiously)?

I was really trying to find F&B's "Shaded White" which wouldn't go khaki as Shaded White is wont to do here in Boston (am not a fan of khaki or of warm shades in general). In the process, I found DKC 7 & 8 and have been seriously considering them. More so when I learned that Barbara Barry and Michael Smith use these colours as their go-to colours - says this hangers-on!

Need to remember too, that these colors will do things differently here in VA than in Boston. But the coolness/warmth factors I think will be still be spot on.

I read the Barbara Barry thing somewhere. Is it 8 she uses as her "Celadon"?? I can't remember. I think it was.

If you're looking for an interesting gray have you tried 16?

You guys are color gurus! I'd love some ideas please!

When I go to the paint store Saturday, which Farrow & Ball and DK colors should I consider for my cabinets? I want warmth, but not going tan or beige. A warm, subtle gray-green would be lovely. Or warm putty. I want a bit more color than cream or white because we're a messy household with three kids/two dogs/messy husband/not great housekeeper me. My backsplash tiles will probably be a blend of warm greens, ranging from palest pistachio to moss. Counters will be either soapstone or antique heart pine (or both). Have a 44" black Aga Legacy that sets the tone of the kitchen.

I've already got: Old White, Cats Paw (why...I don't know...had all three kids with me that day at the store), Cord, String, Green Ground, Ball Green, and Vert de Terre.

Other colors?? Any DK colors? I already have DKC-16 on my list, but am a bit afraid of violet. Did I mention my fear of purple? Yes. I'm afraid of purple.

I like the idea of a paint pot party. Maybe we should all coordinate and send each other 8 1/2 x 11 cards of samples that don't work for us!

Be sure to include Cooking Apple Green and French Gray in your sample list. They are both very grayed down greens, that are definitely "there" and not too light or too dark.

Pickle2, don't know how intense or light a set of colours you're considering but here are a few graduated choices for warm grey-green or warm putty shades:

Have you considered Clunch? It's a very nice colour - warm greenish-greyish-puttyish but fairly pale. I don't know if you'd consider it in play.
In the same sort of intensity, consider Slipper Satin and Lime White. SS is very cool/interesting - looks like cashmere to me but may not have enough colour for you.

Getting into deeper and decidedly warmer colour territory: Pirula suggested Joa's White and I'd like to reiterate that. Very mutable and quite English colour. It seems right to call it warm but it also becomes very silken.
Others close by to consider in this territory: Matchstick, String, Savage Ground (actually a v. nice one so let me put in a plug for this) and Cord.

Now, if you're prepared for something a bit darker, do consider Hardwick White. I LOVE this colour. It was one I was very tempted by when I was considering Lamp Room Grey - similar grey colour but greener and warmer. Even more "interesting" than Lamp Room Grey which I eventally chose for a feature wall in my dining area (and of which I owe Ivette a photo) because it was the decidedly cooler colour of the two. If "French Grey" didn't scare you, then "Hardwick White" really oughtn't to do at all (btw, don't let the White in the name fool you - it is about as White as "Cream" is cream).
Of course, in this intensity, there is French Grey and then the famous "Pigeon".

Finally, Bone and Fawn which you may be already considering. Bone is greener, wouldn't you know.

And then let me put in a plug for my favorite and more contemporary grey - Skimming Stone. This may be too cool for you but personally, I didn't find it very much so. Sort of green, sort of putty, definitely grey.

If you're going to the store - do take a look at the painted cards that the F&B store ought to have. It won't be in your house and your exposure but still. One other thing, if you are seriously considering such a wide range of colours you may just want to purchase the F&B fandeck. This is a fandeck of 2.5" x 8" cards which give you a better feeling for the colours than the little dot-matrix that is the F&B fold out card contraption. I have one of these. If you're in the Boston area, I'll gladly lend you mine for a few weeks so you can live with the colours for a spell.

Inside of a cabinet used to display china would be amazing in borrowed light or skylight. Borrowed has intensity that would work as a background provided it's the hue needed.

BTW I have an unopened gallon of Pointing I cannot use. The painters left me with 21 cans.

So here is a question for you all. Should I do my baseboards, casings, etc. in full gloss or Estate Eggshell? Remember that my cabs will be Estate Eggshell, as well as the kitchen ceiling. I love the idea of the full gloss, but I am stumped when it comes to my living*room fireplace, which is painted the same color as the trim (and I want to keep it that way). I don;t think that the FP would look right in full gloss. Would it look wiered to have the FP in Eggshell, but the trims butting into it in full gloss? Would the window sashes be in full gloss or eggshell?

Also, my front door is FPE black full gloss (and the back french*door in the kit will be as well).

ARG. I just realized that they gave me 2 Pale Powders and left out my Pointing sample pots. Pooh.

I'd do the eggshell and only the eggshell. All my trim is in eggshell and has held up extremely well. I think you should keep the cabinet and trim finishes the same. But hey that's me.

Amberley, sorry you're stalled. That must be frustrating.

Thanks for all the color suggestions! Looking forward to my trip to the paint sore sans kiddos. Will be toting along my sample of soapstone and quartersawn heart pine.

Mindstorm, I am in the Boston area. Thanks so much for the offer! That's so kind of you! I think I'm going to go ahead and purchase a fandeck. I'm buying so many samples that it really makes sense to have one (and I have more rooms to paint)!

I know you know, but now you absolutely know.

I also tried Pale Powder in the closet, but I can't really get a good idea until I prime over the red. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it in my upstairs bath*room. It will absolutely be going in there.

I also tried Fawn for the cabs- that goes really green. Mouse's Back is way too dark for anything. And I think Matchstick is a good contender for the LR.

So what do you guys think of Off-White as the cabs and Clunch as the walls?

Here's a view of shaded white. Let me know if you want detail pics.

Nevermind Amb, *I* want detail pics! ;-)

Hmmm, I won't be able to help much with Clunch, which went totally flesh here when tested. But I will put the swatches together with Off White in the daylight tomorrow and see how they look and chime in. I should be able to at least tell if they'll look nice together, even if Clunch clearly is doing something different at your house.

That's a shame about Old White. Got pics of the sample??

Love the Shaded White. That is absolutely gorgeous!

I had to laugh at colors going fleshy. I am so paranoid about colors going skin-toned which is probably why I'm avoiding beiges and tans.

Sitting hitting refresh every 10 seconds to see more pics of histokitch's kitchen....

At least so far Clunch isn't going fleshy. But I haven't seen it in light prior to 4:30 pm either. Funny too, I just looked again at Old White and it isn't quite as cold...

If I took pics I am not sure that they would show up well because alot of it is on bare dry*wall, or over really saturated colors that would make it look off. I will try in the am.

BTW this add thing embedded in our own posts is really annoying.

Yes, it's very annoying.

The dry*wall will be sanded and the ceiling (hopefully) finished tomorrow, so I will try to take some pics. There is still alot of red in the DR though, so it might throw off the color.

looking forward to pics amberly.

(ahem, and you too mindstorm. tomorrow is Saturday, afterall).

The thought of fleshy Clunch is funny and surprising - it seems so un-fleshy to me. That's one of the reasons I am a bad paint-chooser, though, I like to rush into painting (just choose a color and go!), instead of sampling. When will I learn?

I'm looking forward to all sorts of pics on Saturday!

Now, to the combo of Off White and CLunch: Bright sunny day here in Virginia and the combo is very lovely. I like the White Tie in there too to warm things up. Not much contrast between tones of Off White and CLunch but that's just how I like it. There'll be enough to see their very different colors. Beautiful and I hope it's working in the daylight amberley.

So, 100 posts. What happens now?

Pale powder is absolutely beautiful, and I really like matchstick alot too. White Tie has a subtle glow. And Clunch is definitely going fleshy. It is more cashmere gray with a very pale celedon undertone at times. I really like it alot. It too almost sees to glow. I think that I am finding that alot of the F&B colors are doing this!

The more I look at Old White the more I am liking it for the DR table though (or my breakfront). Ceiling didn't go up today :(, but will be done on Monday. They are also sanding the floor*s on Monday. We aren't finishing them until the end though.

I will post pics soon!

Fer instance:
Early Morning:

Later morning in sunlight:

For reference the trim is Pointing while the ceiling (if it shows up - I'd tried when composing the pics to include the ceiling so that you have some reference) is All White. The opposite wall is Strong White.

As a lagniappe, I've included some pictures of Strong White. They are in the same room as the LRG. Last of the Strong Whites of them just looks wrong as it shows up quite pink and even as I took the photograph I checked the wall and to my eye there was no pink/violet on the wall. I suspect it was just the sunlight reflecting on the wall but whatever.

What amused me was how much Rocs' Shaded White on her 12th storey home looks like my Strong White on my 2nd storey place! ;-) Wouldn't have expected it. I've seen her Shaded White in her country house at less stratospheric altitudes and know that there was no confusing Strong White with Shaded White.

BTW, and this is where I disagree with Roc. To me, you look at the colours during the daylight in your house. Because while the lamp lights can be adjusted, you can't change the sun or how it lights your room. I've been on a quest for Shaded White but I'd need to change the sun for it to be acceptable in my house! The night time is easier! ;-)

Agree about the Shaded White in the high apartment. It's beautiful, but about 109 shades lighter than it looks like here!

Thought I would leave a quick link to an English bespoke cab co though. Has F&B named on some of the cabinetry pics.

When we put up Clunch in the bedroom here, we did notice that it appeared MUCH darker than expected (perhaps even brownish) during the first several days; then, after awhile, it settled into a more light and subtle color. I have it in a corner room roughly facing east/south and it never seems fleshy to me; that would drive me nuts (and, it is the reason that I stayed away from some of the more pinkinsh/cooler F&B choices). After reading here, I guess that I should try Clunch in a west/north room to see what I get. Anyway, here it definitely reflects the colors and light sources in the room. All four walls can look different at the same time and yet the overall color remains fairly neutral.

If you like blue/green, for a little pop of color, Theresa's Green is stunning with Clunch.

Clunch on Left, Off-White on Right. Pic right next to french door.

Left long strip: White Tie, then top to btm: Off White, Clunch, Mouse's Back (I think), then strip of White Tie, Old White, Fawn. notice how Old White is almost the same color as the drywall? This is on the left side of the utility closet which doesn't get direct light.

This is on the main cabinet wall. Mouse's Back, Old White, Light Gray, French Gray. Underneath is Fawn, and above is White Tie.

This is on the wall that straddles the kit and DR. It probably has the best color representation of real life- especially Clunch. L to R: Small strip of Matchstick, top: White Tie, middle: Old White, btm: Fawn. Then top Matchstick, then Off White, then another strip of White Tie.

Gotta run!

Anyway, it is great to see how the colors play off one another. I'll have to study.

After just a quick look, Fawn appears quite lovely. And, as you mentioned, it IS funny how Old White matches the drywall – I never thought of it that way before seeing this.

Can't wait to hear everyone's thoughts and your ultimate decision. Thank you for sharing.

For sure CLunch and Off White look lovely together in your space. And the White Tie goes with them beautifully. I also really like that medium dark color. Fawn? Mouse Back? can't tell....

I can see doing the cabinets in off white or clunch.

Just don't ask me why.

Love Fawn. So pretty. French Gray goes pretty dark in my kitchen, but it hasn't really cured yet. I've noticed the colors subtly change as they get fully dry. It looks so green beside your other choices!! Beside all the greens in my kitchen, it looks quite gray with just a hint of green.

Off White looks really lovely in your space. It looks like it has quite a bit of color!

I think I'm narrowing my choices down to Stone White, Cooking Apple Green, String, and French Gray in some combination or another. Possibly with a cream in there to lighten things up. Apparently doing offhandedly warm and comfy is really hard!

pirula- I think that the medium dark color you are refering to is Light Gray. I like it alot, and was my original thought for the cabs, but it is too dark for that application. I may use it on a piece of furn*iture, or as the floors if I decide to paint. French Gray is pretty, but reads just plain GREEN in my space. It is too much for me too live with as the cabs (green is not my fav color). It is a possiblity for a painted furn*iture pieces as well (can you tell that I will take a paintbrush to anything?).

bmore- I want the cabs to read darker than the walls- I want to avoid the cabs looking white or cream. I really like fawn alot, though, and I will sample it for teh walls in the LR as well, once I have it primed. French Gray is just too green and too cool. It would end up looking antiseptic in my space I think.

I think that Fawn would look nice as the cabs, but Off-White looks better with my Python ss sample since it is a bit cooler. I am thinking about painting one small cab area (separated from the rest) in Pointing to match the trim. Will get opinions once we get the cabs up. Oh, and I am loving Pale Powder in the closets. It looks fab!!

Didi you guys look at the Exmoor link? Some of the colors we have been talking about are on there on freestanding kit units. Here is another one:

One other thing, is there that much of a difference between the FB and the FPE? I ordered a deck from them also. I've seen on the paint forum that they suggest the FPE more than the FB. But, I can't figure out why that is. I'm assuming that they are using similar pigments and combinations of those. Why are there only so few fB paints and millions of FPE available? Do you have a particular favorite and why? Just wondering....

Thank you for any insight/ suggestions. I really appreciate it. BTW, I do have a BM colordeck. But, am dying to use the FB colors from all the posts on here and how everyone raves about them.

Thanks again!

So for you cabinets, F&B would also be excellent (I know this now, after four years of living with F&B on wood trim and built ins). But I think I'd still choose the FPE ECO over F&B for kitchen cabinets at this stage of my life with kids and a dog. But for that, I'd not hesitate to use F&B on the kitchen cabinets. Note I'm only talking the kitchen here, which gets by far more wear and tear than anywhere else in our house. For everything else, F&B is my first choice. But I love their colors and appreciate their limited color selection. FPE on the other hand will make paint matched to any of the Pantone color wheel colrs. So alot depends on the color you want too. For quality, either paint will measure up.

I've used both brands and you cannot go wrong with either one. F&B are harder to work with because instead of 3-4 pigments they can have as many as 16 so most of the colors have different undertones -- daylight and artificial light changes them.

I get the little pots and put 2 coats on a huge poster board (22x30) of each color to be sure because a tiny swatch can look really different when it's on a whole wall. Trust me it's worth the work doing this since the paint is expensive.

But once you figure out what you want, the F&B paint lasts and lasts. The estate (flat) has a very velvety texture and I think it makes my walls look better. It cleans and touches up OK. Also, since you're bumped, know that there is 0 odor -- it's hard to tell the house was painted.

FPE water-base is superb paint. The have a consultant who will help with color schemes over the phone (free), they will match any color and once it cures it's scrubbable. But it's a different animal as it doesn't have the mesmerizing color shift and while the surface is excellent, the flat isn't as velvety in texture. However, it's scrubbable. Their old-base paint for door and exterior is amazing and some paint kit*chen cab*inets with it but I wouldn't go near it right now -- fumes are not good.

Both are premium price paints. F&B are a bit more than Aura but FPE are much more.

I've stuck with F&B for three rounds of painting now and did my kit*chen cabi*nets this summer with eggshell. It's holding up very well. Allison also used it on her cabi*nets which are older and also holding up.

On the link is a huge article done in an English magazine which gives a lot of color schemes -- hope it will be helpful to you.

One thought about cabi*net color. In my kit*chen I did the lower cabinets and island in Dauphin as a tie-in to my liv*ing room sofa which matches Dauphin -- as the rooms are open to each other. I went much lighter on the walls and used White Tie on the trim and pointing on my ceilings.

Why do so many posts have asterisk's in the middle of words? Maddening.

When I look at your choices page, you could take smaller snippets and make a color story for the first floor. What I picked is what I think might be part of the story. If you can develop a scheme from photo snippets that express what you want your cabinets or walls to look like, then it becomes a matter of slightly shifting paint hues to match the effect of the photos considering the actual light in your room. Right now, we're all taking pot shots at a scheme.

Did the idea of creamy walls die? Or are we just all ignoring it?

What about something like the burlap color in the living room picture (that you picked for the dining room chair fabric) for the cabinets.. Nice wood knobs like the buttons but maybe the mahogany version?

Pull the wall shade from the lightest tone in the sink skirt fabric.

Maybe a little gutsy, but the orange-pink from the living room carpet as the trim or the orange-rust shades from the leather chair picture. Slightly less shouty would be the red from the fabric. Still noticed, but calmer would be to pull the gray-green-lichen color from the background of the same rug. More zen is the brown from the sofa ticking or a shade thereof.

I speak of myself as a decorating-ho - cause I like just about everything. You have strong feelings about the idea in your mind. The other thing you could do is try sitting in another room with a cuppa tea. If you want to stay with farrow and ball, have the color chart nearby. Close your eyes and see the layout in your head, see the way the kitchen and the dining room partner each other, the newly sanded floors lending some unity. Then see yourself walking into the kitchen from the back yard, carrying groceries or flowers from the garden, or baking cookies. Write down the colors of the kitchen you see. Have some faith in your choices - Ithink they are beautiful.

Completely different thought: I love the card idea. Maybe stop in the as-is area of ikea and get some painted drawer fronts - like $5 and I think half price on one day of the week? Put the cabinet choices on the drawer fronts - an actual 3d object instead. Then you can mix and match the painted cards and fronts.

THe gray-green of the rug I do plan to pull out- most likely on the breakfront- possibly French Gray with a glaze over it (pretty similiar finish to Allison's English island cabinetry), and then do the interior in a lighter color.

Oh, and the wall clor will work beautifully with the sink fabric. It is in the mail, so when the yardage arrives I will take a pic next to Clunch and Off-White (and Pale Powder too).

kimiko- I too have used FPR, but only the full gloss oil (my front door) and the satin oil (exterior trim and wood windows). This stuff is FANTASTIC. I can't tell you how many people comment on my black front door. That said, you could only use the ECO since you are expecting. F&B is an edited palette, and it comes premixed. It is sometimes helpful becuase you don't have as many choices, but like rococcogurl said, the colors have slight shifts from day to night and look very different in rooms with different exposures.

I am not even going to try to make a final decision on the LR walls until I have it primed, because the BM double tinted Concord Ivory is so saturated- it throws a yellow cast on everything.

Thanks for all the responses. I think that I will go with the FPE for the cabs and do the FB for the walls as you guys have suggested. I didn't realize that the FPE wouldn't change as the FB paints would do in different areas/lights. I think that I would prefer the depth rather than the usual paint. I think it's something that I've got to really see to appreciate. I'm sure that none of my friends would even take notice. I think you have to be a gardenweb junkie to really appreciate something subtle like it. I know my husband won't notice all. He will just notice the bill for the paint!

I've got a few narrowed down that I think I'll order this week. Hopefully, I can post some next week for you guys to see. Thanks for all the responses again!
Kim

Cabinets: F&B Off-White
Beadboard backsplash: Pale Powder
Walls: Clunch- or maybe I should go even lighter??

I also plan to paint the Pale Powder inside the 2 closets flanking the window.

I found this pic on an English bespoke cabinetry site with those 2 colors:

Here is the main wall in progress:
(beadboard on the island will all be painted Off-White)

closets in progress:

You're going very light! Which is certainly my preference. Are you still considering some of the darker colors somewhere? Or not so much anymore?

It looks like I will get the doors from Scherrs, so I won't be able to paint a door sample yet.

Have you looked at Stony Ground too?

BTW, I tried Off-White and whil I like it and it works, it is just too close to Clunch (the walls) to be the cab color.

I also tried Fawn, which I liked, but seemed just a bit darker than the sample pot of Old White. Maybe I will have to go with that after all...

What to do?

So I will be working on the walls and ceilings I guess.

I LOVE Pale Powder in the closets! I used all of the paint in the sample pot to get a good idea, and it is just beautiful! I think I will paint my bathroom upstairs that color too.

Now I am wondering if I should shift Clunch into the living room, and do White Tie on the kitchen and DR walls (would have much more contrast with the cabs), with Pale Powder on the planked kitchen ceiling?

Just curious as to why you can olny choose from BM? You can have Farrow & Ball shipped if you need to. Regardless, I LOVE the Old White. I haven't posted any new pics as I am waiting until I have the doors up and painted. Mascaapone IS very close to Pointing, but maybe just a tinge creamier. I would point out that the F&B finish I am using on the cabs is exquisite- It is their Estate Eggshell. It is the perfect sheen for cabs. I would test the BM sheens first before choosing, as too high of a sheen would look plasticy.

Others will tell you also that even if you "match" BM to a F&B color, it will not look the same. This is because of the number of pigments used in F&B paints, which is significantly higher than BM.

We are going for an unfitted look in our kitchen and have had a pine work island table an 2 jam cupboards custom made and because of budget the rest of the cupboards will be Ikea Tidaholm. We're doing alot of customizing ourselves so although they might not be our first choice in doors they are a simple shaker that we think will blend in well with our other period pieces.

I would really like to have the doors sprayed but cannot find a single place in Toronto who will spray them in F&B. Most places like to use their own brand. I know you can't color match BM to F&B and thats why I don't want to waste Old White on the cupboards. I thought it would be easier to pull off a cream/off white color in BM and use Old White on the walls.

We're putting on a fairly large addition and doing all our own work so having someone else paint the cupboards is a gift we decided to give ourselves.I guess the other alternative is to break down and just do it.The problem with that is that they have to be sanded as well, my least favorite job,

I think I recall that you were going to go with Ikea doors as well or order from Shers(spelling?) Did you paint your own and if so what kind of a finish did you get?

Your kitchen is going to be gorgeous and your house looks beautiful as well. It's old is is not? Theres nothing like old American Architecture.