I think you're on the right track with a pale yellow, but I have a feeling that the bright accent colors will look better with a cleaner wall color, like maybe Jersey Cream or Full Moon. Ivoire is toned/grayed down and it may look muddy with lime, turquoise, etc. I also worry about potentially muddy colors looking even more so in north facing rooms. I like to keep colors clear and clean in north light. My DD wanted a deep blue room and we went with a BM Historic color, also somewhat toned down, not a clear blue. Instead of the off white and toned down gold I thought we'd be using, she opted for lime green. I think a cleaner blue would have been better for that accent. Luckily, she doesn't give a hoot about those kinds of subtleties and I only go into her room under duress. :-) If you have a Ben Moore dealer near you, take a look at Ambiance. It is a pale yellow with just a touch of pink in it. I used it in my north-facing laundry room and it is very subtle and pleasant. I think it would work well as a backdrop for your daughter's brights...will let them take the stage.

tribbix, I did start a thread actually but after having tried some of the suggestions, the colors just haven't worked out for me. I think I was trying to go for the "coastal" look and I really need to stop forcing the room in that direction. I've bought a ton of paint samples and I'm just not happy with any of them. The blues are too blue, the grays are timid (but at the same time I'm afraid of going darker) and I just do not like any of the yellows and oranges or reds. I've gone through all the colors on the spectrum and nothing is 'clicking.' My current wall is yellow so I've been using posterboards and leaving a white trim to get a better read of the colors. I loved the idea of Wickham Gray and Gray Owl, but they read as very pale on my postercards. I wonder if it's because I'm just not very good at mentally imagining what the entire apartment will look like painted? Or do postercards whitewash colors and make them lighter than they actually would be when painted on the wall? I need to paint the walls before I move in and the painter is coming Saturday! I work so can't spend all day trying out paint colors and seeing it at different times of the day. I am now stressed to the point where I'm thinking of just throwing a dart, picking a color and hoping for the best. artikllery9, I loved your picture posted up above. Is that of a north facing room? That is the kind of color scheme that I want - gray walls, brown wood floors (carpet in the livingroom, wood in the dining area) and white sofa and couch with dark brown coffee tables. The room looks stunning! I tried Gray Owl but it read as very pale on my walls. Maybe I need a heavier coat of paint? Or maybe it will look different once the entire room is painted in that color? My room does actually get quite a bit of light and has one wall of mirrors on the far side of the room. Massagerocks: did Clay Beige work for you in a north facing room? I really wanted to like Horizon and Abalone but Horizon didn't show up as a color for me and Abalone was pure lavendar - has anyone else had this experience? Thanks in advance for all your help!

For my daughter’s room (which faces north east) we plan on painting it BM slip. The room across the hall (facing south west, I suppose), I wanted to do in BM Beach Glass. I painted a sample board. It’s a beautiful color, just worried it will be too dark in this room. Am also thinking about BM Silken Pine or BM Healing Aloe. The room next to my daughter’s room (further north than east) will be my son’s room. Sapele bunk bed, navy sheets. Am thinking BM edgecomb gray (LRV 63) or gray owl (LRV 67), though I’ve read that gray owl can be a minty green in certain lighting. The problem is little lighting as there is only one window. The hallway will be BM Wickham Gray. This is the one color that will stay as is because it works with the great room and the main foyer. Any thoughts / suggestions?

Have a peep at 868 Mountain Mist by Benjamin Moore. It can be a little ethereal, depending on the light. Pretty. It’s very similar to Farrow & Ball’s Borrowed Light. They are both from the Blue-Green Hue Family.