The best way to handle this is to treat it like one large room - if the cabinets were a color that blended with the DR stuff you would be having an easier time of it. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/45843/how_to_pick_perfect_paint_colors.html is one way to deal with the problem. Start with the Dining Room drapes and find a bunch of colors that look acceptable with the drapes. And I mean check every paint chip you can get your hands on to see what looks OK. After the kitchen cabinets are installed - you want cabinets and countertops in there - take the chips that look OK with the DR into the kitchen and start weeding out the ones that are not OK with the kitchen. Then you should have some paint colors that will look OK both areas.

Hi Pattyann, Your place sounds lovely. I know all about kids and their color choices, although they don't have to be teens. My son wanted a green and "bwue" bedroom. Oh lord. He chose the "Chinese Blue" and honey it is BLUE! He also chose an incredibly obnoxious green, but I drew the line there and talked him into a softer green. Anyway, it's not what I would have chosen, but I really kind of like it for a boy's room. Anyway. What I have read and have found to be true in my experience is that you can use different colors in an open concept space, so long as you stick to the same color strength/tonal value. By that I mean that they are all the same darkness/lightness. That way, they all go well together in general. It probably also helps if you stick to the warm vs. cool family. I was very worried that my "Off White" bedroom, which is SO off it's a warm gray that I just love, and my cream master bathroom weren't going to work together. But it's just beautiful and really interesting and I truly believe it's because they're of the same tonage (how's THAT for a word?). When I was painting my son's room, I kept looking into his white bathroom, which I was planning to paint in a really light/soft green and blue to placate my own desires. As I would look at that white room from his now painted room, it just didn't work. His room is medium toned with dark trim. So, in a stroke of insanity I decided to paint his bathroom in the same Chinese Blue. And do you know it's gorgeous and it all goes so well together! Again because the tone from one room to the next is about the same. The white tile, medicine cabinet, toilet, sink, and trim, as well as good lighting, keep it from looking dark. It's also a very small room, but truly doesn't feel any smaller for the dark paint. I hope fatlester and funcolors see this. They're both amazing with color and have actually studied it. I've only read many books and painted for myself. So my advice is do as many colors as you like, but keep them all about the same shade of light vs. dark, and it should go together beautifully. If you want to use just ONE color, then yes a beautiful neutral would, I think, compliment your other colors rather nicely too. Good luck! Ivette

Chinchette - Your flooring looks lovely. Thanks for the picture. Why am I getting cold feet someone asked? A couple of reasons. We do have pets (both cats and dogs). Dogs wouldn't typically be in the kitchen but the cats would. The wood I like is wide blank, medium to dark in color and distressed. I am concerned cat hair would really show up on it not to mention possibility of scratching. I know even with engineered wood we could always refinish but that will take away at least some of the distressed look. Then there are aesthetics. We plan to have cherry cabinets in a medium to dark finish. I find that when I look at pics of kitchens with darker cabinets and darker wood floors that I tend to not like it. We haven't picked a counter but probably a lighter granite. I've looked at a number of pics of kitchen with wood flooring and I like them when the cabs are painted or the cabinets have a light stain or when the wood floors have a light stain. But I don't want any of that. FWIW at our last house we had tile in the kitchen and slate tile in the family room/master bedroom/master bath and did not find it uncomfortable. We are probably going to have wood in our master bedroom in this house and perhaps in my study. The only eating areas we will have are the breakfast room (which is why we are making it 12 x 12) and the counter height bar seating. We rarely entertain so that is fine for us. Cangelmd - Good point that I've thought of. If we do decide to do something different in the kitchen than the family room I have to make sure that the designer designs it so that the transition works. I've just gone round and round on the flooring. I really want the open kitchen and like the idea of wood in the whole area a lot. On the other hand, I don't want the floor to look constantly dirty due to the cat hair. Year ago I had a very dark tile floor in my kitchen that always looked dirty. I did like the tile before (didn't find it too hard) but sort of wanted a warmer look for this house. So I could do tile in the whole area but then I give up wood (except perhaps in our bedroom). Just really uncertain what to do. I am almost paralyzed by this decision (one of many that I just can't seem to resolve).

@elcieg, wow, a lot of negativity here! Yes, I am a professional color consultant; I actually worked for Sherwin-Williams as a color consultant and have worked almost exclusively with their colors for nearly 20 years. I am not contradicting pairing Accessible Beige with Misty; however, I believe it is a poor choice for the author's living space as described. I have no problem offering personal advice with professional confidence. Perhaps you've noticed by now that I had offered @janesterly some color options for her space. Also, you misunderstood: gray with blue undertones (in lighter shades) gives off a baby blue vibe -- and I stand behind that statement!