I have two different ideas. The first is to paint everything the same color (blue grey?)and then get some large artwork or wall hanging to put over your table. Mount it low--so that you see when you are seated, not at eye height when you are standing. This will bring color to define the dining area, without chopping up small space. As an alternative (and we would need some Photoshop help here), I wonder if it could work to use two colors in a different way. Take a look at the second pic. Imagine a swooping line that comes down from the ceiling to just under the candle over the table. The line would continue to swoop down to hit the lowest point at the far end of the futon and then swoop up a tiny bit. Paint the wall below the line a darker color. I am not certain how to continue the line around the rest of the room, but you get the idea. Using this approach you would get more of the darker color by the dining table and have more of the lighter color in the living area. Just a thought.

OK. I'm always hesitant to post shots of my house, because it's so difficult to photograph such small spaces without it looking like Barbie's Palace of Clutter -- but I know how hard it is to get images of what paint colors really look like. The dining room is Hubbard Squash on top, BM Affinity Buttered Yam on bottom (the Roycroft Adobe was too burgundy-colored); looking into the living room which is Roycroft Vellum. (For some reason the Hubbard Squash always looks peachy in photos, it really isn't.) My study when it was Morris Room Green, looking into White Hyacinth hallway: My study freshly painted in Buckram Binding, not sure what I think of it in there yet (I live in terror of 1950's chalky peachy off-white), but it makes the room twice as big and blends very well with the other off-whites: Kitchen in Antique Yellow (very similar to your Bungalow Gold) looking into breakfast room in White Hyacinth. I know my trim is lighter than yours (we had to strip everything of 10 layers of paint and re-shellac), but perhaps this helps just a bit.

I would probably stick with one color for both rooms, if it were me. I instantly thought of BM Grey Owl for what you are describing. It is slightly blue-green while still being a warmish grey. I love it, but it was too blue to pair with my pinkish carpet in my house (didn't want a pastel color combo going on!) I also like SW Passive, but it is a little cooler. If you do the blue kitchen, I would caution against a warm grey with too much pink in it (the baby room effect). I'm definitely no expert, but I just bought my first home too and have spent MONTHS researching grey paint! I ended up selecting SW Useful Grey. It is a greenish grey, which I never thought I'd pick. I guess I'd just suggest taking your time and keeping an open mind when looking at colors :) And definitely buy samples to test in your home...

Hi everyone , So many decisions to be made during a renovation. In our walk our basement we are putting in a linear fireplace with a tv over it ( both about 65 in wide ) and built in open shelves on one side , a bench in the other . I have decided to paint it all. There also a small servery in the space. I am thinking about duxbury grey/ puritan grey / Kendall charcoal or metropolis . Are these too bold? The rest of the space will be light and bright . I’ll attach a plan for the fireplace and servery . Cabinets are ordered . We just need a color .