Just wanted to chime in and thank you for this thread, nutmeg. I've been searching for that "perfect" neutral for my kitchen and, after painting it the wrong color last year, I'm back on it now and this thread really helped. Just picked up samples of: -Tobacco Road (I have admired this one for a very long time, but it may be too green for the space) -Whole Wheat (pretty sure this will be the one, but I like choice ;-) -Macadamia (this one may be too neutral for the space) We'll have to see, I'm going kicking and screaming against going too green... I have a dark green ceramic tile floor that I'm just not crazy about, but it cannot be changed right now so I must embrace it to a certain extent. The floor and the lighting (the big obligatory florescent - ick! - another thing to be changed later) are creating havoc with my walls ;-) and the color there now (Valspar Cottage Linen) is too neutral and not dark enough. I do love it in my studio (next door), however, so the excess paint will be used - it's what I call "tuxedo", plays well with black and white. I'll let you know which one I choose...

When I decorated my house, I took my inspiration from textiles I saw in stores. I liked the combination of robin's egg blue, chocolate brown and spring green. My dining room is chocolate brown (with lots of white trim and paneling) with robin's egg blue curtains and chairs. The living room is a muted light blue, with a green sofa, and some dark brown side tables. The kitchen is green. I didn't strictly stick with the color scheme for the kitchen (since it is separated from the other rooms by a hallway), substituting black for brown and using a bit more vivid palette. But the colors all work together. I only know a bit about color theory, but I figure that designers and artists know a lot. So I look for color combinations that I like in things that other people have designed. You may have to tone the colors down a bit for an expanse as large as a wall. In line with what Anenemity said, colors tend to look much more colorful on the wall than on the chip (or on the bedspread or in the painting), simply due to the size and uninterrupted expanse of the wall.

@pink-peony, so pretty, are you doing the whole house with agreeable gray? I looked at that color a while back to re-paint the master, before the remodel started, why I thought it was a good idea to try and do a little project on my own leading up to a big one I don't know why (and by my own, I mean my husband would paint because the last time I did was a decade ago and it ended in tears). Any thoughts from folks about how to deal with the fireplace and walls in living room, I'm keeping it simple-no mantle, we have a gas insert with a decorative brushed nickel surround and an iron black trim.

@Condo Association Hi, yes I did! I LOVE my teal wall! It is Benjamin Moore Jade Garden juxtaposed against Sherwin Williams Alabaster. I did not follow the advice of these professionals in this chain who told me I should get my decor first before picking a color. I still haven't picked my new bedding but I'm sure it will all look fine when I do. I won't be inviting professional designers into my bedroom to nitpick how the undertones of my bedding and walls match lol. I have gold lamps which look great against the teal and the white juju hat also provides nice contrast. I say go for it!! Color is such a fun and easy statement and I love how you can be bold with it. I repeat, this is super old bedding and I have not replaced it yet because I am focusing on other areas of the house first in terms of decor. Room decor is not complete. I got my new guest bedroom bedding yesterday and put it on my bed just to take a look at it (guest bed mattress and frame have not arrived yet....will iron, don't worry)