I contemplated my Sweeby test (calm, serene, etc) and applied the spilled-cofee, dog-print, backyard-bits test. Truth, I realize I don't want to maintain another light colored floor if I have other options.

The clear winner at hiding everything is Shitake.

A lot going on there but it reads pretty neutral, like a wood floor would. And since it is darker and I love my light kitchen, I will lighten the walls with EK's Khaki (on the chip and the folder). You can see the current darker green gray color to the right in the first photo. The Khaki is more warm and tan than in the first photo - notice that the Corian is also grayer/cooler in foreground than it is to the right in that pix. Second pic color is closer.

I have been wanting to use the EK Khaki paint somewhere and love how it shifts color from tan to grey to khaki even to brown (and once before a snow storm briefly to a startling sky blue. Cool.) It is most often a soft khaki color, but sometimes it changes like in the pix below.

This house has lots of angles and great light - even the builder's ceiling white changes color. Some EK paints like Khaki are especially chamelean-like here.

Soooo, big changes going to a darker floor and lighter walls. Change is good though, hey?

You like? Anybody screaming "No! Don't do THAT."

my only concern would be if those color changes are also texture and stuff will get stuck in the lower parts of it.
if it's smooth, great! I'm being real careful to get a smooth flooring so i don't end up on my hands and knees with a scrub brush to clean out those areas.

this pic is off a bit in color. the walls look a bit blue -
they aren't. they're navajo white.

Rhome, I will contemplate the paint color more. I do like my current color a whole lot. But I also am surprised how much I am liking subtler lighter shades in my LR and DR. Guess I tend to have a heavy hand with color - sometimes less is better. I likely won't paint until after the floor is in so I'll see what the Marmo'd room is like with the current color. And if I still crave color shifting but want depth, EK's Edgewood Green is pretty close to what I have now, a little less milky and more brownish.

Floor first, paint later. Feels good to have the floor decided.

Desertsteph, Marmoleum is a flat sheet product. Like a vinyl but very sturdy and organic. No grid, no grout, no ridges, no problem.

LOVE the color!! I haven't seen that before. It looks perfect!

And I LOVE the paint too! Go for it! I hope you'll do the ceiling too.

So glad it's all coming together.

After the floor is down, be sure to test the paint to make sure it doesn't go too pink.

Thanks for sharing your choice with us.

I'm having trouble figuring out paint colors and backsplash, as I have a lot of neutral going on. Guess I need to start a new topic.

Flooring guys want to install bamboo before Marmoleum and bamboo needs to acclimate in place before install. blah, blah, blah, I have 22 coming for Thanksgiving here, then going to see my family out east, then have to pack up and clear out my office for the bamboo install and set up temporary office in the basement (I work out of my home).

Long story upshot - install set now for Dec 7. I am painting kitchen now in the EK Khaki while I wait. Looks good!

Install will be sheet (3 seams - big space) and I am opting for the adhesive rather then the welded seams.