You need to get a bunch of chips from all manufacturers, toss them on the floor and see what they look like. See the link below for the method. It's easy, and you end up with way better colors. Here is a link that might be useful: Picking Paint Colors

Shanghaimom and Willow - Here are the answers to your questions: Shanghaimom: Yes - we plan to have a darkish dining table. Haven't decided on the exact color yet - I guess it will somewhat depend on the color of the beams. Willow: The ceilings are 9' high. The light should be good - there will be french doors and 2 windows facing south; and light from the living room coming from the north. I will be buying a new dining room table and am not planning to have a rug in this room (not until my youngest (3 yrs) is a little older. There is no dark wood in any other part of the house. The feeling I am trying to achieve (I think) is old/classic, but new/fresh. I like your idea of keeping them dark and then if it doesn't work, we can always paint them to match the trim later. Couple of other notes/issues: * I am including a drawing of the kitchen. The cabinets will be white/cream inset. The island in the kitchen will be distressed black (Amaretto) with a butcheblock top. The island color was somewhat of a random choice; I didn't want it to be white and distressed black was the only color that my husband and I could agree on. The counter on the perimeter cabinets will be Quartz in Raven (I think). We haven't decided 100% on a wall color, but are leaning towards a warm color red/orange/ color (BM Fire Dance). I know that cool colors would probably work better in this space - but somehow we want to try a warm color. With the wainscoting and the cabinets there will be a lot of what/cream to water the color down. * The other weird thing about the coffered beams is that there are 4 light fixures sticking out of them where the beams cross. So, there is a chandelier (which we will replace) in the middle and then 4 light fixtures wih just bulbs sticking directly out of the beams. I went on the "Old House" forum and was told that these lights are architecturally correct and most people suggested that I leave them as is. While I would like to keep them for the sake of preserving the character of the house, I think they make the ceiling look way to busy - with the coffered ceiling and the chandelier, there is just way too much going on up there. Plus, I don't really want to look at plain lightbulbs and haven't found any type of mini shade/cover that could go on them. The problem is, of course, that if we take out the light fixtures, we will be left with big holes in the beams that will be hard to fix, as well as expensive. This is partly why we had originally planed to paint the beams the same color as the trim... So, as you can see, I have some issues to work out! Let me know what you think I should do. thank you!!

Keliza, would it be possible for you to post a picture of your kitchen? You may get better feedback if folk here can see tile. Good luck with your project.

Someone in the past posted her kitchen using Farrow and Ball Pigeon. I love this green and think it could compliment your floor and granite.