i am going to let you in on a little secret. i know this by being here a lot and trying to keep an open mind. forget all those fashion rules we learned. there are no two colors in the world that when in the proper hue, they go together. and at that most of their hues even go in one way or another. once you see this, you truly get it, then you can begin to understand that any color can be a neutral. the neutrals are really or should be based on you and your sensitivity to certain colors. i know that you are probably rolling over in your chair saying i must be wrong, but if you pick your favorite color and think about what colors you could put with it, you will find i am right. just don't put a lot unless you like circus, wild flower or boho looks! so to help you out lets pick a rug or pillow or curtains or something just to organize the color and maybe your whole color scheme can have the variations there. remember you do not have to like the rugs, just the colors, and they don't even have to be all the colors. like this last rugs, all the colors are fine with me but that very bright roadsign yellow! let me know i will remove.

I would ask on the Home Decorating and/or Paint forums.

Shead--I love green and I am also eyeing this green version of the Bodbyn fronts. I first saw it on the UK website. I then thought it was available in Canada, but now I do not see it on their website. I was actually considering the 5+ hour drive to my nearest Canadian Ikea to see it in person (I think I have too much time on my hands :)) I already have a kitchen-full of off-white Grimslov cabinets in my house waiting to be installed. 1906 home. We have fir floors and will have maple butcherblock countertops throughout or just on the perimeter, with soapstone on the island. I was looking at this green for the island and/or the row of shallow pantry cabinets that will be by themselves along one wall. At this point, I am sure we will just proceed as planned, but I won't rule out changing out some fronts down the road. Anyone who sees this in person or, even better, uses it, please post pictures! The way it looks on my monitor on the UK website would look great with wood tones, brass, marble. I am not sure how it would play with true white, but then I am not good with color. Oh, and Beckysharp, thanks for the paint colors! I may need to get my green fix via paint and/or backsplash.

The conventional wisdom is to choose a neutral that "works" with everything and that leaves your options for other colors wide open. For me there are some neutrals that work okay with most everything, but they may not be the best with the colors you love or in some cases they may not even be okay. My favorite colors wine reds and purples. Those neutrals that they say work with everything usually greige (gray/beige with green undertones) The neutrals with pink or violet undertones (taupe or violet gray) are the ones that most people steer you away from, but that look great with my colors. My sister loves olive greens and golds and orange reds - classic fall colors. - Greige is great in her home. My sister in law loves cornflower blues and peach. Greige looks muddy with her pastels, a light, clear cream or a light gray both work well. I am in my 60s and I can remember when we struggled with picking colors for our first homes and buying things through the years that were the popular colors of the day. At some point we all landed on the colors for in our home that are actually the same color families that look good on us. I am a winter (dark hair, ivory skin tone) and look good in bright, clear colors, Susie is a fall, (brown hair, olive skin tone) and looks great in muted greens that make me look like I died a week ago. Lisa has blond hair and blue eyes and skin that tans as soon as she walks out the door. Spring pastels look beautiful on her. We all ended up filling our homes with the colors that make our hearts sing, and apparently we are vain and the colors that made us feel like a 10 when we were young make our hearts sing. So what are your favorite colors? What colors make you feel like a 10 and what is the best neutral background for those color? What neutral color do you want surrounding you when you sit on your sofa in your favorite outfit while entertaining your friends?