Also, I am just looking at Benjamin Moore paint colors right now. Here are some photos of the gray paint colors with the granite:

Edgecomb Gray

Some of the cream yellows I am thinking of are:

Vanilla Cookie, BM

Antique Yellow BM

Filtered Sunlight, BM

Philadelphia Cream, BM

Anything else I should consider? Or help narrowing it down? I would so be grateful for any thoughts you might have about this rocket science issue! A sincere thank you in advance :).

Take a look at BM pale moon.

Edgecomb Gray and Revere Pewter look like they could really go griege/tans in certain light. I would look for a very pale, off-white color and let that beautiful granite take center stage. Of your pics, I'd chose intense White. But your paint cards are very small and you really need to check them in the room you intend to paint and in various lights.

Check out BM White Dove.

Hi, thank you so much! I think that makes sense. As it turns out, I had the luck of talking with the paint guy in Orchard Supply who had a really good eye for color. I decided to go with Intense Gray and Antique White (unless I change my mind tomorrow). I checked them on the walls and think they look good. I'll check again in the morning. Thanks again!!

I'll take a look at Pale Moon as well. Is there a gray you suggest would go with it?

I used Grey Owl and it has a lot of blue undertones. Looked beautiful in my guest room, but it appeared more blue than grey. Grey is tricky. You really need to paint large swatches and see it in your light.

Jane

I tried to take a photo of my paint test on the walls, and will attach it - sorry it is not great. The two lighter colors are the ones I am thinking of (antique yellow and intense white). The white cabinet door is below, and two small samples of the granite are sitting on the cabinet. The two darker colors are two dark for the space I think because we don't get a lot of light (gray owl and filtered sunlight, plus I am a wimp with color).

Love to hear what you think!

Those pictures are difficult to read and yes, the colors are looking really, really yellow.

Again, check out BM White Dove--it's lovely. It's often used with Revere Pewter and complement one another well.

Also peek at this color:

This was in Southern Living. But it may be too "warm" for the "coolness" of your slabs. Gray IS very tricky, as a pp said. It'll make you crazy.

I use SW and my favorite gray is Amazing Gray and I had SW mix BM Philadelphia Cream at my last house and I loved it.

Thanks everyone, totally appreciate your comments. So is White Dove kind of like Intense White but a little lighter? That is how it looks on the screen. I think I can live with the Intense White, but will check out the White Dove as well.

For the yellow/cream color, I am now wondering if something a little more light yellow is the way to go (rather than with an orange tint - though I might be getting my colors wrong - it is just that the antique yellow I put on the walls looked so orange to me). So some other thoughts are Lemon Ice, Crème Brulet, or Pale Straw. Any thoughts?

When I held looked at the Antique White color (SW), it looked too orange to me next to the granite (but what do I know!).

Are there any whites I should be thinking of that are yellowish, rather than a warm orangey tint?

Try Linen White for the cream color.

For a clear pale yellow with no orange try SW Summer White.

A sincere thank you for everyone's suggestions. The update is that I am settled on the Intense White (a light gray color) and am now trying to figure out the yellow. This is the latest one I tried is Creme Brulee, but the family agrees it is too pale or something:

I also still need to look at Linen White and Summer White.

It looks like Lemon Sorbet might look nice with gray, which hasn't been an easy combo so far: Lemon Sorbet and Gray photo. I'll be glad to wrap up this yellow decision :).

Gmkarr: here are a few pics of summer white in the low light bedroom DM (95years) will occupy. I needed to brighten the room without making it too teenager cheery. Everyone loves this room. It just glows. I tested tons of yellow/cream/white. And finally just went with my gut. Most of the yellows looked orange. My painter insisted on testing a full wall. And you'd be amazed at the difference the second coat makes. Also. He bought the gallon size. Those little test pots don't always contain the full formula. Your paint store can guide you on that. Some samples are true. Others not so much. I struggled so much with paint. that and lighting so I understand what you are going through.

lights off

lights on

Your room does look great, and that is helpful to keep in mind. Part of the problem may be, as you mention, that my test samples on the wall aren't the truest color so I dismiss them too quickly. Also, I will check out the white summer color.

Hi again. I just looked at the pictures on my computer....hmm. Taken with iphone. The truest color is between the two windows and between the windows and the ceiling. I see the floor really reflected onto the wall in the picture - it doesn't do that IRL. Maybe I should have used the flash, but I think you get the idea. Best of luck.

Okay, I have concluded yellow just won't work in our space. So far the different shades have looked either fluroescent or orange. Maybe if I was more adventurous, but I just want something that will be calming and blend together. So I am looking at a few whites today (Marscapone, Ivory White, etc.), and if they don't work, then I am going with Intense White all over, which is a nice calming color (in spite of its name :).

It is going to be either Ivory White or Mayonaisse, and then I am quite ready to move on to the next choices to be made :). Thanks again everyone, this was a lot harder than I thought!

The decision is done! I went with the Ivory White - the magazine article from above is the one that convinced me to try it, in particular where he says "don't overthink this". It looks great, and maybe some other time I will try some stronger and darker colors. I just hadn't reached the more advanced level of color-decision making yet!

Yum! We had ivory white in our kitchen and it is lovely. Good choice.