The "yellow" is in the woods at your door. Simply White will go green, it's a guarantee. Dove will probably just "die" . MOST whites will go a bit dreary leaning gray. Or yellow. Or green.

White paint, is best with a lot of natural light. Northern and eastern exposures are dimmer and cooler exposures then magnified by your "woodsy: green cast from outside. You will go "mad" because it sounds like white ..........isn't the best choice. Far better a very very pale gray, If you love Nantucket Gray? Repeat it.

After you solve the white paint color puzzle, look at the big picture of the setting. Sometimes houses get darker gradually as trees grow around them. Take a look at shrubs and tree branches that may be overhanging your windows. Some judicious pruning may make a huge difference in interior brightness.

In my area of southern California November is the best time to have pine trees pruned. Your area in northern California may have different best times of the year for pruning.

Jan, thank you for your input. Very interesting! How pale is very, very pale gray? Any suggestions to compare with? My office is Revere Pewter, would 25% be very, very pale?

That is a pretty dark color and I wouldn't refer to it as 'white'.

Revere Pewter is very fickle, depending on the light it can turn blue, green, or purplish. Cutting the formula is not a good idea, as you can totally change the color. Better to find a color that works in its original formula.

You might try BM Coventry Gray, Harbor Gray, or Metropolitan for grays that are fairly neutral. BUT you must try them in your room with your light to get a true rendition of the color.

I cut to one half, Ben Moore Wish AF 680 MANY TIMES. Below

Interior Design Work · More Info

Jan, as you have experience with cutting a formula and it works, then great--that photo looks beautiful. But not all colors respond the same to cutting the formula. Sometimes it works and sometimes it's really off. For someone not experienced with colors, it's just easier to use a predetermined color.

Maybe I have been lucky, but I often cut the paint formula and love the results. I would experiment with the Nantucket gray, cutting the formula in half. I would just try painting some onto a white poster board and see how it looks. Good luck and thank goodness you are replacing that Standish White!

THANKS EVERYONE! okay, so I'm shifting my focus from a 'white' to pale gray based on this input. As I'm researching, I'm understanding that my maple floors need to be neutralized with cool central color. Is this correct? If possible, I'd like to stay in BM Historical (not hysterical...yet) colors, but don't want a trendy look. I'm seeing more earthy colors come in (which is right for us in our home), but don't want muddy. I appreciate any suggestions for a lighter, brighter, pale grey from that collection for our all over color. I plan to keep the Brilliant White trim, doors, ceilings, Nantucket Grey accent walls, Wedgewood and Woodlawn Blue bathrooms. Just have to get this Standish White gone...

I would just try painting some onto a white poster board and see how it looks.

califceltic, if you do this, be sure to paint part of the wall white first. Putting even a large sample against the Standish White won't give you an accurate color representation.

I agree with beckysharp on that!

A simple test of a quart can tell you if it "works" . The point is paint isn't as much science as it is ART. Lori will kill, as it IS indeed science.!! So are rain and snow, and you know those when you see them! At any rate....any mixer who is really good? He's been at it forever I guarantee..It's why you don't go to "slam BAM!! thank YOU Maam" Home Depot. You are always looking for the "sense" of the color. A little too green? Then trust your eye, as it will grow exponentially to GREEN on four walls.... a dab of red needed. Then you test on your walls AFTER you test on a two coated mat board in the paint store, and against a big swath of clean white. That probably breaks all the rule of the science involved. But it works. Twenty eight years of half formulas, tweaks, custom formulas, and virtually less than a dozen "chip formulas" on client walls? I only know what I see. It feels right, looks right, or it doesn't. I almost never repaint a wall; I think it has happened three times. I HAVE put a few quarts in the dumper at the paint sore. Paint is like sex. Different every time, and with a failure, there is always a do over: ) Lose the fear.

Just get a quart of 1/2 strength Wish AF 680. lol Almost foolproof. It is PAINT. You aren't bashing down the drywall.

BM Pale Oak

Jan, once again, you are hilarious!

lol........ seriously : ) Depending your age and gender, sex is either more fun than painting, or painting is more fun than sex. .................the similarity remains? Paint, do that other thing, roll another coat..........see how you feel. About either.

There's a hijack for ya.

guess I'm going to have to jump in and paint a wall cause now I'm going in circles. I'm considering BM Classic Grey, Wickham (too blue?), Grey Owl...Am I con the right path?

Ok, california, the only way you're going to know what color works best is to try it out in your room with your lighting. Do not paint directly on the wall over another color, as you won't get a true rendition. Use a large poster board and paint 2 coats of the color you're considering and see what that looks like on all 4 walls during the day in natural light and the evening in artificial lighting.

It's very difficult for anyone to choose a color for you long distance without ever being in the space. If all else fails, you might consider hiring a color consultant for an hour or two.

As I'm researching, I'm understanding that my maple floors need to be neutralized with cool central color. Is this correct?

No. That's ridiculous.

I'm leaning toward Simply White or Dove White and am desperate to get the yellow gone, gone, gone!

Not bad choices. But I'd steer you more in the direction of Alabaster and Shoji White. Both have enough chroma to bust thru the dim north quality of light and they also harmonize nicely with Nantucket Gray and Brilliant White.

When it comes to color, listen to Lori : ) . Always.

I dunno. That *always* part is kind of scary. lol! ;)

I very much appreciate the vote of confidence, Becky. Thank you.

A great big thank you!!! to everyone who contributed around my dilemma. After being responsible and not reactive, I purchased samples and made paint boards. I think I am settled on Paper White for my central color. It appears to stay neutral and while it leans to blue, it looks warm without being yellow or green and is fresh and bright. Just what I need in my east/north facing home in the forest. Now...for the perfect green/blue for the master bedroom...

Paper White

Very pretty.

Lori, I watched a bunch of your videos. Very interesting and informative! Thank you

Continuing sage. I put a bunch of Paper White on my walls. BLUE and COLD looking. Now turning towards Classic Gray which seems to nearly disappear. Suggestions of colors that go well with Classic Gray? This is for a central color...

Benjamin Moore Oxford White

I looked up your color you have in the room, the Nantucket Grey and it is more gray green than gray, would you agree? Here is my comparison of the Nantucket and your trim color.

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Flo, the Nantucket Grey reads like a sage green. Totally more green than grey.