Since you're talking about selling within the life of the paint, it can't hurt to keep sales in mind. It's a fallacy that neutral paint sells better. Stylish paint sells better, but not style forward. In other words, what's current, but not too challenging is a good idea. Some color is good because you don't want to show boring.

With that in mind, since all of your finishes are light neutrals, I'd choose a color to set them off. Green isn't as in as it was but it's still current. A soft, clear green, like the lightest one in your light fixture, would make your cabinets and backsplash pop. That is, the cool green would bring out the warm tones in your neutrals. Since those neutrals read in the yellow range, it'll look nice against a yellowy green.

On the window treatments? That's where for resale I'd go neutral and clean. I like the window shade you have now. It's simple, unobtrusive, functional, and clean lined. If you add a valance to please yourself (you have to live there for awhile, after all), I'd suggest doing something that's easy to remove.

sheil
Can you do a close up of the granite?

This is a pic of the granite when I was deciding on the backsplash..

First off let me say that the changes you've made are fantastic and have made your kitchen lovely! I don't feel qualified to suggest a color but my first thought was green but I love green and its in my kitchen. But I think you either like green or you don't and you have to look at it every day. I do think you should go for a color what colors do you like and what colors are in the rest of your house? Maybe try posting on the home decorating forum they might have some suggestions. Here's my green. It,s BM Flowering Herbs. It was taken before we decided on a backsplash.

Very pretty kitchen Marybeth!
TO get an idea of the color, I went to myperfectcolor to see flowering herb, and at least on my monitor, it looks very tan with a slight green cast to it. It sort of reminds me of SW macadamia which I have been considering as I have noticed it on other kitchens similar to mine, that I liked. To my eye they both seem very tan/beige. That is the direction I think I am headed in but I find the lighting and my cabinets/backsplash tiles really are chamelion-like in that sometimes there is an yellow/orange to a pink to a gray cast and it petrifies me to pick a big thing of color all over the walls.
I have beige (haha very specific) carpet in the adjoining family room, beige walls (but a very light beige) and blue (not quite cobalt but in that family) sofa/loveseat..
I may just post this over on the home decorating forum as suggested as I am STUMPED).

This might be totally out there, but would you consider a deep midnight blue? It would really make your granite and backsplash pop. It would also contrast nicely with your cabinets.

I also like the window treatment that you have now.

ok. now that I have an idea of what you like how about BM Wilminton Tan. I have it in my powder room. It is a very warm color that I think your kitchen needs to balance out the coolness of the cabinets.. Powell Buff is on the same paint strip and also a very nice color. But I think your kitchen can handle the darker one.

If you're remodeling your kitchen- check out www.bearcreekbronze.com for beautiful hand-crafted, solid-cast metal accent tiles, cabinet hardware, switch and outlet covers, and more!

Here is a link that might be useful: Bear Creek Bronze

Sheila, ignore the spam.

This is your kitchen. While I think a green might make the best of the finishes, they're neutral enough to go blue. You like turquoise, right? So you could choose a clear, beachy, turquoise, again, matching one of the lightest colors in your light fixture. But I'd definitely do the aqua/turquoise range rather than a true blue (of which there's also some in the fixture), in order to pull in some of the yellow tones in your neutrals.

It doesn't have to be one of the glass colors, either. I'm just suggesting that because it's an easy point of reference for what you already have and like in your kitchen.

I do like the way it is mostly, but I guess I did overdo the neutral- I was really thinking of a beigey wall color what a surprise and using the turquoise/bluegreenthing as stronger accents to pop the neutrals... Maybe two walls of the beachy turquoisey and the rest beige. I am so confused. I did want to clarify that I wasn't exactly thinking of the turquoise on the walls originally...

LOL!! Sheila, I know you weren't. I just thought that since you like it and don't like green it would work.

If you want beige, especially after considering other colors, then go for it. This is still your house. It shouldn't look awful. Monotone, but not ugly. Adding your turqoise accent pieces won't pop the surfaces however. If they're small and light they'll blend in. If they're larger and stronger colored they'll make the cabinets, etc., recede and become a background. To make the kitchen pop it needs push (wall color behind it) rather than pull (turquoise plates on the table or something).

That's still no reason not to do your house the way you want it. And it's just paint! If you want a little more color to entice buyers in a few years, it's easy enough to put some of that soft green or turquoise or clay up.

Personally, I think turquoise would look really weird in the kitchen, because it's such a warm earthy kitchen. The whole tone would be weird (to me!). I like a really nice camel shade, or some sort of dark tan. I also think a grey would work and would be a little bit of contrast and would bring out the darker squares in the backsplash, which I think are grey? I sort of picture a grey or taupe in the kitchen, for some reason. Something also earthy but not brown.

You are lucky that everything is in place and you can make poster board samples of colors and live with them/see what they do with your colors. Something might surprise you!

Pretty kitchen, whatever you decide.

I'm not one to give great painting advice, as I often repaint after painting (like I'm about to in my kitchen)....however...my 2 cents is that I would match your wall color to the darker brownish color in your tile. Your back splash is beautiful and it will help to tie it all together.

If you have an extra square, bring it with you to SW or BM and have someone sit with you to come up with golden browns/tans that might compliment the color. Then with your assortment of tans/browns - see how they look next to a chip of your current family room color. I wouldn't have the color of your furnishing (couch) impact your wall color. I don't think you always need to tie in your furnishings to the walls color.

And lastly, for a window treatment - have you considered cafe curtains. Find a rod that matches the color of your beautiful pulls and knobs (i.e. rubbed bronze, or brass) type rod and then have fun with your material. Perhaps your material could be a beige/tan background and connect the blue?? Here is a link to great hardware (expensive though, but great): http://www.rejuvenation.com/fixshow4943/templates/selection.phtml?n=v&tab=room&setting_id=53

And there is always Pot Barn:
http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p12231/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1:20:::0:::::::cafe%20curtain&cm_src=SCH

I'm not saying I would do the Pot. Barn yellow curtains - but it gives you another picture at least.

Now as for rugs - I would do oversized "oriental" rugs. Perhaps 3x5 or 4x6? I can't tell by the photos which would work better. But perhaps by the sink and on the beautiful curved side of the island.

Those are my thoughts. Good luck and I think your improvements to your kitchen are fantastic!

I think a gold could work great and you can be as subtle or daring with the tone/intensity of the color as you like. BM Spicy Mustard would be a bolder choice but I played around and "painted" a kitchen scene on their website. The picture I choose had an accent with a blueish tone somewhat similar to your tile. Thought it looked kinda cool...

I would go with something darker and rich--like BM decatur buff. It would look fabulous with your cabs and backsplash :) Love the Wilmington tan too, but I think you could even go a little darker.

Pearl Harbor, and the one right above it (dark beige, I think) are really nice gold colors that complement wood tones like the ones in your cabinets. I would definitely sample them and see what they do.

I also would sample revere pewter or some other grey tone, just to see. It might really bring dimensionality to the space.

I will have to get over to the BM store to get some samples. I feel like I have come full circle (well almost- still have zero decisions) because I initially started thinking that a deeper tan/beige might be the way to go. I so appreciate the input. And I now realize that a lot of the "Green" that folks were mentioning is tanbeige but with a green cast to it( like that macadamia from SW). I think it might be coming together. Now I only have 436 more questions to work through.

Hi Sheilaaus122,
I like your kitchen. And since you seem to like blues I
think you would be happiest with a blue gray shade in
your kitchen. Since you wil be going to the BM store
maybe you can find a samples of Heavenly Blue, Yarmouth
Blue or Buxton Blue. They are neutral blues that go with
everything. The nice thing about blue is it can be a
grayish blue or light ski blue and look great with your
cabinets.

But in case you are still thinking about other colors
here are some ideas with similar cab color to yours.
Thinking of your as you find your favorite color
~boxerpups

{{!gwi}}

I agree with boxerpups -- if blue makes you happy, go for it! I have picked some neutral colors for some of my rooms and they "match" fine, but just make me feel "eh". The rooms where I used a color that really "spoke" to me continue to make me smile and get the warm fuzzies even a couple of years after I first painted them. :)

Still have not decided, but am pretty close to a decision. Currently I am strongly considering BM Wedgewood grey (which is a blue grey) on the 2 walls with the stove and sink. The sink wall continues into the family room......then the other walls and continuing into the family room would be most likely Bradstreet Beige or Brookline Beige.
Any thoughts on that? I THINK I like the way the backsplash and cabinets look against the wedgewood grey and on the stove wall there is not much wall. The sink wall has the sliders and continues into the family room; the couches are against that wall. (they are a blue denim color).... Wish I could draw a picture better to explain- but I think this will give me the best of both options. Unless of course someone explains a drawback to it?
thanks...(not to worry still haven't even looked for a painter:)