We want something that has gray undertones but is on the lighter side. Repose gray was too dark, china white was (shocking I know) too white, edgecomb was the closest so far but husband still thinks it's too gray, and mineral by Behr was too icy almost blue. Let me suggest a different way to think about this. Obviously, thinking in terms of undertones isn't getting you anywhere. #1 - every color of gray belongs to a hue family. In other words you can find grayed down colors of red, orange, yellow, green, etc. #2 - there are different degrees of grayness. Think of gray like a dial on a paint color and you can turn the gray up to make it more gray or turn it down to make it less gray and more colorful. #3 - it is not possible for a paint color to have "gray undertones". A paint color's degree of grayness has nothing to do with "undertones". It's simply about how much a color has been grayed down or not. Try HC-84 Elmira White. Same hue family neighborhood and lightness as Edgecomb, just a smidge less grayness.

I have a pretty good imagination but industrial/farmhouse I cannot conceive of. Which of the two does "Pharmacie" represent or the giant D teetering on the edge of the mantel? I don't mean to be offensive, but the letter and word trend is one I never understood. A beautiful painting in one of many styles (and hung lower) would satisfy the eye more, methinks. I gather we're not allowed to suggest colors for pillows or rugs, or curtain panels, so I'm pretty much out of my element. I can envision the first and third rug there to help with all the dark colors, though. I'm curious how one cleans the one with the leather strips. I can imagine many cats being in seventh heaven with that one, though, or teething puppies.

What about a one-story cape cod like design with a back extension? That way it looks small and modest (and thus historically correct) from the front, but you still get the three car garage and whatever else you need on the back. I am aware that the cape cod home is a Northern style, but perhaps you can adapt it to a Greek Revival to fit with your neighbourhood. This is sometimes called, "big house, little house, back house, barn." Building in stages has a long historical tradition and these charming structures showcase that. Here is a website talking about this idea: http://arkitekturalsphere.blogspot.com/2009/08/ne-connected-farms.html

Traditional ? you mean true divided windows where each piece of glass was installed between wood muntins? I can't imagine you could even buy a window like that...maybe at a salvage shop. My experience is with Anderson 400 which offers is the look of true divided windows, are energy efficient, and avoids the snap in/snap out vinyl grids, that break and leave holes in the window frame. K H, tell your husband to take a look...he needs an introduction to muntins in modern age. He won't freeze with these. My neighbor mowed his lawn last evening while we were having guests for dinner. I shut the windows, closed the slider (Anderson as well) and it was like turning off the t v.