Why a custom color for the walls if this was the plan? I honestly never choose wall color before all other elements are in place and for sure cabinets and counters and floors so a bit backwards IMO. I think now you will need to go get a small poster board paint it 2 coats of the custom color then go get some paint strips from SW and test them with the sample you bring.

The previous owners chose the wall color and painted it five months ago, before I bought (or even saw) the house.

I just moved in, and I'm not going to repaint the walls - they look good to me.

But I don't like the cabinets the way they are, so I've got handfuls of paint strips from BM and SW taped to the cabinets, but no idea which ones will look good. That's why I need the advice.

I don't think you need to add another color to the space. There's kind of a lot of color/pattern going on.

A simple choice would be to keep it consistent and paint the cabinets the same color as the trim and doors.

. A white would be the only choice as it goes with what's happening so far. At this point white would bring come cohesiveness to your space. I would look to matching the trim out. Any other 'color' will just have to be done sooner than later as it will be out of favor. I agree the cabinetry and the fireplace are fighting each other...but painting the cabinetry is never where I would start...as you found in the bathroom. The gray of the walls and fireplace are not working with the floors ,kitchen and white trim.

I am a bit confused. First I cannot tell if it is your photo or the way it displays via the internet (lots of behind the scene color correction can happen when we view colors on the internet), but your walls seem much more blue gray than your fireplace. You are saying it matches Repose Gray, but that is not what I am seeing.

The gray on your walls seems to be bluer/grayer than Repose Gray, which looks like it would be perfect next to your fireplace, but something is off.

Then you said that you painted your bathroom cabinets SW Telegraph Gray. I was not familiar with this color so I looked it up on the SW website:

I have no idea what you painted your bathroom cabinets.

Given this information my suggestions/comments must be taken with a grain of salt.

Darker colors than Repose Gray are the colors on the same color strip as Repose Gray

Mindful Gray, Dorian Gray, Acer, Dovetail

We usually use a higher gloss finish on cabinets than on walls. Because the higher gloss reflects more light it changes the appearance, making it seem lighter.

I happen to agree with you that the cabinets are too close to the floor coloring and painting the cabinets may be the best improvement you could make.

You could, as others suggested go with the white that is on your trim.

You could use one of the lighter colors from your fireplace or a lighter version of Repose Gray, but you may end up repainting trim if you do that. Too many whites/off whites/pastels can start fights among the colors)

If the last owners left you with a can of paint you may be able to have the place that mixed that paint color create a new color that is darker than the original. I have often had the paint store double the amount of colorant (excluding any white colorant added), then mixed the colors with the original until I got the perfect shade, then had them mix me a new color with the new formula. You may need some guidance if you go this route. You can message me and I will give you my phone number.

If the original is truly a color match to Repose Gray you could use the colors that are on the same swatch, but darker than Repose Gray (listed above, shown below). I like Dorian Gray, I think Dovetail is too dark. You could do a mix of the two if Dorian is too light once you test it in the gloss level you want.

Another choice is to incorporate a gray green into your color scheme. Green is mother nature's favorite neutral and can often be a unique and wonderful answer. I really like Gris and Mineral Deposit with Repose Gray.

The other thing you want to keep in mind is the other colors that you are bringing in with furnishings, area rug, art. Will the color you pick work well with your belongings.

Thank you all so much - these comments provide the feedback I was hoping for!

Lori and Arcy, I was wondering about using white - they left some of the trim paint in the garage, so I'll use that color as one of my test swatches. It sounds like the "safer" option, which is what I tend to go for.

Jennifer, you were right on target despite the mixed-up information I gave. (Telegraph Gray is actually a Benjamin Moore color. It looks almost white in the bathrooms, and I love it - that's what made me start considering white for the kitchen.)

The wall color isn't a true match to Repose Gray, but it's closer to that than anything else. From what I've read, it shows the bluish/greenish undertones a lot because the natural light comes from north and west. The two top contenders for a gray color so far have been Acier and Dovetail, but we were wondering whether Dovetail was too dark, so you're right on.

I knew we could take the wall paint and have them make it lighter, but I had thought making it darker was more complicated than that. (Or at least that's what the not-very-helpful people at SW led me to believe.) I'm going to take a sample to a different store and ask.

My guess is the stone on the wall fits in a pocket where there aren't very many paint colors to choose from across major brands. It proved challenging in terms of finding a stock wall color to work with it so they went with a custom color.

I knew we could take the wall paint and have them make it lighter, but I had thought making it darker was more complicated than that. (Or at least that's what the not-very-helpful people at SW led me to believe.)

Either way it's complicated. Going down the rabbit hole of custom colors takes time, patience and money. Many on the interwebs over simplify the process - especially cutting and doubling formulas - which is easy to do when you're not the one with any skin in the game.

Lori and Arcy, I was wondering about using white - they left some of the trim paint in the garage, so I'll use that color as one of my test swatches. It sounds like the "safer" option, which is what I tend to go for.

I've been doing this a very long time. Edit and simplify is never the wrong answer. 🙂

I didn't have much choice in cabinet color. I didn't want the conventional, but classic white, so went with this dark gray. I have SW Repose Gray walls. Good luck.

I’m with Jennifer - paint the walls and leave the cabinets alone. It’s a lot easier to paint walls and have them look good, rather than cabinets.

Countingblessings, your kitchen is beautiful!

Thanks again for all the input. White (same as trim) has become the top contender.

When we moved in, we were fine with the wall color but we knew we had to get rid of those cabinets. Immediately. Repainting the entire interior less than a year after it was done, just to change the shade/undertones a bit, seems like a huge cost for little benefit.

Luckily, my husband is willing to paint the cabinets and he's done a great job with the 4 bathrooms: wood putty for knotholes and chinks, sand, wood putty again, sand again, primer, sand, primer again, 3 coats of paint.

Check out the bathroom before and after: It looks much fresher and cleaner and newer.

I wish everyone considering painting a for sale house would read this: "Repainting the entire interior less than a year after it was done, just to change the shade/undertones a bit, seems like a huge cost for little benefit." Your hubby did a great job! Even so you might consider having the kitchen professionally sprayed. You want a very hard lacquer finish for paint to hold up in a hard working kitchen. White is timeless so always a good choice!!! You didn't care for the paint the previous owner chose, remember that when putting major money into painting cabinetry!!!

You didn't show much of the kitchen counter, is it the same as the bathroom? It looks yellower to on my monitor. Not sure the white will complement it

Paint island back same colour as walls. Leave cabinets until you have been there awhile. Painting cabinets is big deal. Your countertops look like they would need to be changed if you painted. Just wait….till your furniture and art are in the new home. You might be surprised at what you DON’T need to do! Remember you bought because it appealed to you.

IM sorry but the bathroom looks like a renter remodel. I would not paint those cabinets, honestly wheres the furniture? rugs etc, cart before the horse. ( and I am not trying to be rude honestly)

Wow, tough comments! I had used photos snapped before moving in, which may have given a misleading impression. The furniture, rugs and art are all in place, and they go well.

Update: The photos also probably failed to show the extreme eyesore that the cabinets represented. It looks much better now. The island is Cape May Cobblestone, which brings out grays in the granite that I hadn't even noticed before. The kitchen is still a construction zone, but the cabinets are well on their way to being the same shade of white as the trim.

Barbie, you helped a lot when you mentioned remembering what had appealed to me. It's the view through the glass wall of the living room, opposite the kitchen. It really does put the whole cabinet issue into perspective.

Wow, Re view!