Kate towards the end of our build I was exactly where you are. I wanted one color for walls to use throughout, neutral enough to live with in every room, work with existing and yet to be purchased furniture but interesting enough to last until/if I decide to change it. I did not want gray but was looking at greiges and losing my mind! I had chosen my cabinetry and counters already, planned white oak floor in a light stain and had picked tile for the bathrooms so there was the beginning of a color palette but I was stuck with the paint. Also like you I kept drifting to Pale Oak and others like it. Then I called Amy Woolf. I had known her for years from GardenWeb but never had need to hire her before. To make a long story short-ish, she steered me away from the too light greiges I thought would work and gently led me to a slightly deeper greige that would stand up to the south and west/southwest light in our main living areas and not get washed out. I ended up with Benjamin Moore Natural Cream for the walls, Mountain Peak White for the trim and Dove Wing for the ceilings. They are in every room and depending on the room exposure and time of day there is just enough difference to keep the house from feeling static. And I have to say one of the things I love most is that the transitions between the 3 paints is crisp but soft, not stark the way a true ceiling white or bright white trim would be. You can see it here in our front entry, kitchen, dining room and living room. It may or may not be a good choice for you but I can guarantee a consultation with Amy will be well worth it and you'll come out with the right neutral for your house.
Q
love these
Q