Thanks all for the suggestions! Didn't think of the home decorating forum, have reposted there. artsyphartsy_home_maker - you know your dogs!! She is actually a maltipoo (I think her nose is a little longer like a poodle) - but you only got the back side there as she strolled through my picture!

We are remodeling our kitchen. Our kitchen flows right off the family room (step down family room). We are going with mid-tone wood cabinets, the flooring is an engineered hardwood in a rich cherry kind of color, with black granite counter tops (Black Pearl). The paint on the family room wall is Smokestack by Behr (kind of a taupy gray). I have no idea what color to use in the kitchen! I typically don't like just white. I was contemplating going 1 color down on the chip from Smokestack, but I don't know if the difference is enough. Two steps down gives me what seem to almost be white. Any general tips for how to decide paint colors when you want to change it from room to room (but the two rooms flow together)? There is a natural divider in the room, so we can switch colors (the ceiling will be the same all the way across both rooms - Polar White by Behr). I'm starting to think maybe I should just keep the same color all the way across, as I really do like the Smokestack. It isn't as dark as it appears in my pic of the family room, we didn't have very good lighting. I've added pictures below of the family room (paint only in better lighting, the whole family room photo bombed by the dog and then our cabinet color - which manages to look like 2 different colors in my collage).

Few suggestions. I'd remove the shutters. I think they are too thin and don't add much w/the brick. Black and crisp white, portico over the front door If you wanted to try a bright white trim and deep black shutters, maybe, but I'd prob lose them altogether You mentioned Urbane Bronze. here's what that would look like w/tthe brick, somewhat, and a darker trim color or use the creamy white for the trim. your current white trim is too yellow looking. have you considered painting the brick w/Romabio? IT's a natural lime product. if you did that, removed the shutters, and painted your front door this light blue, it would look like this they used the Masonry Flat for this brick. I love the copper awning over the front door too. Here's the back and the colors used. (this Masonrty flat can be tinted any color) if you like the limewas look, Romabio Classico would be the option. (try it out. it will hose off in the first 72 hours if you don't like it. try a sample on the side or back) wood front door, limewash, and darker shutters. also new black exterior lights and gutters I really like the look of this one too. paint the trim around the windows in the urbane or the iron ore, and limewas the brick much more distresssed with olive green shutters Limewash, distressed brick w/Taupe and copper color accenting. off white trim color the masonry choice. heavier coverage. black accents similar home style. they did the brick w/the gray, and added a covered porch.

The color of the brick mortar. You didn’t ask, but I’d take off the stone and either do the same brick there or match the dormers. You’ve got too many different materials going!