Here is your trxt to make it easier for the folks to answer: We have a 1920's home with a drop ceiling basement and brown 70's paneling in most the living area, but the laundry room itself is open wood beams on the ceiling, with pipes, conduit, vents, etc. running in every direction, unpainted. The walls are exposed cinder block previously painted and dreary looking, along with some sad amateur looking shelves. The "living areas" with the drop ceiling - we will be spraying the drop ceiling black. I realize this may make the ceiling look shorter, but such is life. The drop ceiling is old and dingy looking, we've put enough money in this house and don't want to spend a great deal in this area, but it definitely needs a face lift. The paneling will be painted as well. While the rest of our house is traditional, our basement will be decorated more contemporary as our old furniture from our apartment living days is contemporary, but I think the key is to stay with warm colors throughout. The exposed beam ceiling in the laundry room will probably be painted BM Linen White, just to give a clean brighter look in there, but I'm guessing this will be a huge undertaking as I have to figure out how to paint around all those pipes. Not sure if the pipes should be painted or not - galvanized steel, copper, cable wires, vents, etc. I am looking for suggestions on a wall color for the laundry room, and for the other living areas. We'll also be adding some custom wood shelves in the laundry room which is a workshop/laundry area all in one, and I'm trying to decide if I should paint the shelving the same colors as the wall or the ceiling. Should they blend or stand out? We tiled the basement floor with alternating charcoal and light grey ceramic tiles that we got on clearance at a discount warehouse years back, a decision on a whim, so we're stuck with that. Going back, I wouldn't have chosen grey. I would consider this a cool/neutral color, though I prefer warm colors on the walls. Regardless, I have oriental rugs everywhere, so it will have a somewhat eclectic look I suppose. The laundry room floor is not tiled, but it will be painted with a floor paint. Suggestions? Has anyone done this? I have a can of black floor paint that I've never used. Too dark? The rest of my house has warm colors throughout. I like yellows, but nothing canary-ish. Some examples are P&L Popcorn, Caramel Tint & Bay Rum. Also SW Viva Gold. My friend has BM Pine Brook in her living room (interior decorator), and it's fabulous, I'd love to try in my basement, but I fear it will look too dreary as it's a deep color. I dislike MOST pastels, pinks, blues, light green and beige/neutrals. I love rich colors, nice deep reds, but again I fear it will be too dark. I was looking at my paint cans in the basement, and the colors throughout my house that look good upstairs, don't look the same with the basement lighting, and that's what I've read everywhere about choosing colors for basements, the light doesn't reflect the same. We have glass block windows that let some light in, but not really a bright basement by any standard. Most of the lighting is fluorescent (unfortunately), but may eventually be replaced with canned lighting...not sure at this point in time. My original thought for the paneling was BM Philadelphia Cream (a historical color), as I think this is a great combo with the black, but undecided as of yet. I'd like suggestions for paint colors, and pics would be spectacular to give me ideas. My basement really needs a facelift.

A couple of my favorites.. Dark blue with a yellow door.. http://simplygrove.com/uncategorized/who-has-a-yellow-door Or lighter more muted colors.. http://www.countryliving.com/homes/renovation-and-remodeling/curb-appeal-paint-0206

showing dust and lint more might be an issue. I do love red, but I also have found over my years that I prefer to accent in different colors and keep everything else neutral, so I can change things at my whim....ie: artwork, rugs, seasonal decor. for instance, my whole house now is in shades of whte, creme, grays taupes and black I LOVE IT. Red is a powerful color, a pop color, a hot color, a christmas color, Valentines color, a passion color, so I choose to use it more as an accent. As much as painting the cabinets might be a fun and funky thing to do, I agree with a few posters that you might tire of it soon, and painting cabinets is such a permanent thing. HOWEVER, having said that, if you have money to play with and can change it out in a couple of years then go for it girl! I mean a laundry room can take a fun color. anyway, Sherwin Williams has always had a reputation for doing well with deep base colors. There was a color that I used years ago called Garnet Red. It wasnt too blue and wasnt too yellow, and looked beautiful against white. Here is a link that might be useful:

What colors do you like? Can you take a photo from further back? I ask because maybe it is the lighting but I am not loving that backsplash with your beautiful cabinets. Your river white granite has some pretty garnets in the color. It might just be the angle and light in that corner that you took the photo. Once a see a better picture I can help with some color ideas... What are the colors of the other rooms? Is there a color that you use in drapes, curtains, chair cushions, table cloth, or any place else. What is the floor color? Does this room open to other rooms? Some ideas...