In another thread I was introduced to "LRV" concept - Light Reflecting Value - 1-100% scale black to white. Higher numbers are lighter. On the BM site, Healing Aloe is 68.95. Quiet Moments is 60.79. I think that difference is going to be noticeable and wonder how you will feel moving from room to room with a different color. Or, if both colors be seen in the same eyeful, that can be troublesome too with some colors. Quiet Moments Healing Aloe As a reference point, I have Woodlawn Blue in my bedroom and it is 60.38 LRV and it definitely comes across as light. I normally do deeper richer colors, but felt in the mood for a pale color there and it is. I think you will be best served to get a sample of each and try them both in both rooms. They read a little differently in grey-ness and green-ness too. That will affect your decision too. Also, at some BM paint stores they can show (or sell/ rent) you a large sheet of the colors. That may help you too. A nearby BM store has 16" square pieces of many colors and 7"ish squares of every color.

Oh, Marcolo, that picture makes me laugh because I had been teasing DH that our daughter's play kitchen would be a perfect color scheme for a 1940's house. He just gave me that look. I know exactly what you mean by putting in the wrong decade and I agree with you for the most part, but then our neighborhood houses' original finishes were I think closer to the '30's than the '40's (maybe the builder was using up stuff left over from before the war) -- though I don't really know. All the kitchens I've seen on the street have been redone, or at least repainted, at some point in between and the new ones all look very much like 2000-2010 kitchens. Granite as far as the eye can see. Christine and mama_goose, thank you for the input! I've looked at Barker Door and I will check out DoorStop too. I will have to go sniff some Cabinet Coat and see if it would work for the resp-sensitive family members. Unfortunately (or not), we don't have a garage or other separate enclosed space for painting. Mama_goose, I remember your kitchen and it is just charming. I love how you have made it all your own. I believe our house's original cabinets were much like yours except with slab doors, from what DH tells me (he was the one who replaced them with frameless melamine in the late 80's).

When it comes to hardwood, trends are something to ignore! Why? Because hardwood is pretty much a lifetime purchase, and unless yours is damaged in some way, you're probably not going to replace it. So, light wood vs. dark wood, wide planks vs. narrow planks -- that stuff's all going to come and go. With that in mind -- as well as the very real concerns about cleaning dark wood -- I'll vote for a nice, neutral midtone every time. Not too much contrast, not too red, and (unless it's a beach house) not too pale. I think this is the wood that's most likely to give you good service and stand the test of time.

Mayflowers, the only reason I'm not going with the half wall between the sink and the toilet is because I feel my guest bath isn't long enough. Plus to do that would mean making the depth of the shower narrower (and my SIL is a big man, LOL). This way it will visually keep it opened up and will also allow me to put in the 36" wide shower. I'm also thinking that by tiling the room (old fashioned 3' x 6" black and white tile) up to the top of the half wall, it will wind up creating a cohesiveness with the sink and toilet as almost a separate entity from the shower. For yourself, I really think that either solution will work very well. Just make sure you plan it all out in advance. On top of the half wall you can use tile, or use whatever you're planning on using for your countertops and/or shower curb. And you can even carve out a shelf on the toilet side to hold a book or extra TP or??? There really is no wrong answer.