I author and manage an online eLearning environment about color. It's for pro's only, my private clients.

Why I'm sharing this is because the #1 - THE #1 - habit we have to break is counter staff pointing to a color chip rack in answer to customer's question about color. Coaching some of them up and out of this well-rehearsed response is like pushing a boulder uphill.

Honestly, many of them are speechless when asked about color and it's a reflex for them to just point to a chip rack. The new HGTV rack at Sherwin Williams is the newest "color answer" you'll received in a SW store. The Aura Affinity rack is the answer at a BenM store. Voice of color rack for PPG -- I could go on.

Hilarious tale from a paint store, binsd - hilarious because so many of us know it to be true and understand. :)

Can't wait to see which samples you choose. . .

marblehead gold
HC-11

I'm not going to tell you how to decorate, by any means. If it were my place I would make sure to have navy accents in that dining room, and some salmon pillows or something in the living room. Then the two are tied together to help you create the all important "flow". For the foyer/hallway, try a gray. Both of the colors you are looking at probably will work with a gray, it's neutral. The silver satin is nice, I was considering it for my bathroom, but it seemed a tad cool to me. I don't really know about the undertones, etc. but I do know that the strip of colors I love (the ones with Baltic Gray) have brown undertones in them and therefore the grays seem very warm and work with browns. Give it a look. MIght not be for you at all .

Are your rooms already the blue and salmon? It sounds like they are. If not let us know. I don't know about the navy you have listed. I have heard rave reviews of Hale Navy though lately.

There's a reason why the word "pain" is in paint. That's all I'm sayin'

There's a reason why the word pain is in paint. That's all I'm sayin'...

Ha ha hahahahahaha!

Whoops. That blue is BM Grappa.

Here's midnight navy:

I'm kind of liking that grappa though.

funcolors - I am honored that you stopped in to read this but I know the title of thread is eye-catching. ;) The last time I was in there, they were more helpful but today, it was like talking to the folks at Lowe's (which is hit or miss - I very occasionally get someone who loves to talk color - well, once).

I am looking forward to seeing the colors I choose, too. LOL

julie - thanks for the color suggestion. I think it's just a little too warm for the cool palette we're going with in these rooms.

bkw - good call on tying the rooms together with accents. DH does not like the midnight navy at all for the room saying it's already a darkish room (faces east with morning sun until about 11am). However, the dining room gets southern light so the living room draws light from there.

I think I just might consider doing that Silver Satin and find blue/coral accent pillows, etc...to bring that blue I really like.

I've not yet done anything in the LR but started to paint a wall in the DR the Dark Salmon. I really like it as does DH. Right now, the DR is in a shambles as it serves as the kids' playroom.

Will look at Hale Navy, thanks.

Yes...must agree - pain in paint!
BTW, BKW - he loves the Slip in your DD's room and actually likes it for our master.

Well, I'm honored YOU"RE honored. lol! :)

Hale Navy is a gorgeous navy wall color and Silver Satin is a good consideration, IMO

When I was choosing colors for our new basement a few years ago, I loved how SW 'Latte' looked with the darker, richer colors---it might be a good "neutral" for you to try. Think of nice tan pants with various rich colors of shirts to go with them.

I second the tan/khaki color and the cross pollination.

I did a similar thing with burgundy and navy with a short hall/walk though area. The white I had there was jarring. I picked a dark khaki, the whole time thinking I am nuts and the last thing I need is another color in my house. After it was up, I realized that for my "every-room-is-a-different-color" house, khaki is my neutral, not white.

The cross pollination in my house works not with blocks of color like pillows, etc, but with my Persian rugs. Each rug has a similar mix of reds, blues, off white, and greens. Without realizing it, what I did was just pull one color for each room.

I think the tan is a great idea! The "sand" to my coral, turquoise and night sky (I know - that's pretty corny).

Now searching for the right tan. I have a feeling that's going to be just as hard as finding the right gray, white or beige. :(

Pain in paint...no truer words!

It's not a BM paint, but Muslin, from Devine Paints is a really good neutral that would look great with both of your strong colors

{{!gwi}}
Devine Muslin

Maybe you can find something similar at BM.

binsd-

One of my fav neutrals is BM Marscapone,it holds up well to strong colors and IMO it can go with either warm or cool colors.

sandyponder