Thanks for all of the responses! It sounds like the majority here like the green, with a few votes for the brown. flyleft - yeah, I showed the pics to hubby. It's not that he dislikes the idea of a colored ceiling, it's just taking on the project. He actually has a point about getting involved in a project like that at this point. We've been moved in for a few months and we still have a LOT of 'settling-in' to do, to put it mildly. Once spring comes we'll also have lots of landscaping projects. Also, this ceiling is so high, and the room is large enough that it probably isn't as easy as getting a large stepladder and would require scaffolding. Also, it is continuous with the area over the stairs, so it would be somewhat of an undertaking. Funny thing is, when the painting was being done originally, I wanted to paint the ceilings something other than white, but came by one day and it was already painted (the contractors worked very fast, which was a blessing and a curse.) I just didn't want to get into asking them to re-do it, and I let it go...well, sort of, obviously. :-) lmalm - that's a wonderful transformation! Must be a lot easier to relax in there now - LOL. Thanks for posting the pictures, your color looks very similar to mine. prairiegirl - thanks for the compliment on the fireplace. It's a full masonry natural stone woodburner. There's a smaller version in the basement. So far we love them. Love the real wood fire. Someday, when we're more settled I plan to post lots of pictures around the various forums, since we got so much info here. That is IF I ever get settled enough to take post-worthy pictures. maxsam - thanks for the pics, and the light fixture compliment. I almost got a different one, but I'm glad I didn't! I REALLY liked some of the lights at the site below, but then I called for prices.... If I remember right, one of their smaller chandeliers (like for over a dining table) was in the thousands, and then they went up from there. I called hoping the lights would fit my budget, and I'd be done looking, but when the first question they asked was "are you working with a designer?", I just thought, "Oh crap, guess I'll have to keep looking." Here is a link that might be useful: Pretty & pricey lighting

sandyponder - that's a beautiful color. It works so well with the wood, the stone, the leather, and the oriental rug. I think this is an example of a "classy" dark color. "Classiness" doesn't have to enter into it... any shade can be classy, though of course people have personal preferences and may still not like a dark palette, or a light palette. But I suppose "classiness" (meaning lack of tackiness and a professional look) can enter in... as I wrote above, I think it can come down to a homeowner picking the WRONG shade... and I suppose "classiness" (or lack thereof) comes into it in that if they do pick the wrong shade it can look amateurish and tacky. Low-class. It's simply harder to make an egregious mistake with lighter colors... hence less of a chance to veer into the "tacky" and "unclassy" realm. (It's also much easier to paint with light colors - small errors in application do not show that much.) But I would never look at a well-done dark color and think it wasn't classy simply because it was dark, or even simply because it wasn't my particular cup of tea. Also... I think it comes down to current styles. Light is 'in' right now. White kitchens, light neutrals in the living areas, etc.. And bucking the trend can be perceived as less-than-classy even if it isn't.

I was just exaggerating a point and trying to be funny at the same time. I live in the deep south where until recently the norm was any wall color and semi-gloss or high-gloss white trim. And I mean WHITE, not White Dove, Linen White, etc. We just had the Parade of Homes in our city with 60+ homes being showcased and not a single one followed that color scheme. It's all pale colors, off whites, with similar trim colors. I do like it, but pairing the "near neutrals" can be a little overwhelming for the non-professional. One of my favorite rooms in my home has Pale Avocado walls, Woodlawn Blue ceiling and bright white trim. I never get tired of it. I just wanted to break out of my comfort zone and step into the world of neutrals in my bathroom. It's been quite a learning experience. The paint stores love the amount of $$$ I'm spending on paint samples! Thanks for your perspective.

Some neutrals and lighter colors can really shift hues when the formula is cut, but I have successfully cut Edgecomb Gray. If you want two shades of Edgecomb Gray and all ready have a sample can of paint I would buy a second sample of just the base without any colorant and buy an oral dosage syringe from the local drug store. Get 2 ramekins or other small containers. In one mix 4 ccs of the Edgecomb Gray with 2 ccs of the white In the next mix 3 ccs of the Edgecomb Gray with 3 cc of the white In the next mix 2 ccs of the Edgecomb Gray with 4 cc of the white Paint sample boards and see which shade of Edgecomb Gray you like. You won't run the risk of a different undertone. Sometimes the paint store help is not good with the math and screws up the ratio. If you know how to do the math, call the store and get the formula for the gallon size Edgecomb gray and do the math yourself or take the painted sample and have them color match the painted sample.