Ellen Kennon has a range of gorgeous Full Spectrum Paint colors. Full Spectrum and Ellen Kennon have been discussed on this site many times. A search may turn up some helpful threads. If you are not familiar with FSPs they are fabulous colors produced without using black. The effects can be absolutely stunning! If you are wanting to create something special I urge you to check out FSPs and also take a look at the photos on Ellen's website. EK's colors are made with ICI paints. Ellen sends the formula for your chosen color to your local ICI dealer to mix for you to pick up. Mine is always ready within an hour or so of placing the order! I am linking Ellen's website below. Here is a link that might be useful: Ellen Kennon's Full Spectrum Paints

I've been accused by my family of overdoing blue (Kitchen island is Azul Bahia, perimeter granite is Bros Blue, I collect flo blue china, family room rug is primarily blue, even my sheets are blue - pretty much everything I fall in love with ends up a shade of blue). So, last year I was on the search for the perfect gray. I didn't want it to go blue at all. I wanted a simple gray color to softly fade into the background and allow all my blue accessories to pop. I tried paint pot after paint pot. Most turned purple, some green, and some baby boy blue. Finally, I went to the BM counter and asked for a color that did not have any other color in it. I found Iced Cube Silver. It only has one color added - lamp black. How could I go wrong? White plus black = pure gray - right? I was so excited, I threw caution to the wind and had them mix up five gallons. I rushed home and went to town painting into the wee hours of the night. As I was finishing up the third wall, it was a soft gorgeous gray but in a few places, I noticed it looked a little blue. I attributed it to my fatigue. All my blue accents were out of the room with the exception of the granite in the kitchen on the other side of the greatroom. When I walked downstairs in the bright light of morning (tons of windows), it was most definitely BLUE. At night, there are angles and shadows that are quietly gray. The ceiling looks gray most of the time (walls & ceiling are painted the same - broken up with white crown molding). No one believes the ceiling and walls are the same paint. I've decided to live with the blue walls, it's a pretty, light blue-gray, I'm too tired and have other projects that desperately need my attention. All this to say, if you're looking for a pretty blue-gray, you might like ice cubed silver but then again, depending upon your lighting, it might actually look like a completely different color in your room. Good luck!

Ask your painter if they use SW or Dunn Edwards. Have them pick up a quart of each of your two choices in the preferred brand, and then have them paint a 4 foot wide swath from floor to ceiling on the front wall.

your ideas look great. The white trim should go. Definitely break up the 'soldiers at attention' landscaping, especially with an interesting tree/ shrub on the right side, between the windows. I'm a big fan of ornamental grass, but caution -some do grow quite large, so research them, your zone, size etc. Another is a tree- Harry Lauder's Walking Stick. Very gnarly, architectural, quick growing- but can get large. Nice homestead! Good luck.