MY GO-TO NEUTRAL PAINT COLORS // PART ONE

Hi. My kitchen is painted SW Garden Sage, which I love, it’s a medium olive shade. I will be painting the common (vaulted) wall with the living room Garden Sage too. I need a neutral paint color for the north facing living room that will complement the green, the neutral will be adjacent to it on both sides. I will carry the neutral through the living room, into the foyer, it will also be in the stairway going downstairs and the stairway going upstairs. I made a huge sample board of Accessible Beige. In my room it looks very gray, almost muddy. Is there a better choice? There is not a lot of natural light in this north facing room. Right now the living room is cream and caramel colored and I need to update the space. Thanks so much!!

We painted Aloof Grey in the living room, hallways, and bedrooms of our 1957 home. I love the color, it is soft and soothing in our house that has been updated to have a classic, almost beach/cottage feel with a white mantle fireplace in the living room, medium brown hardwood floors throughout, and nice baseboards and crown morning throughout. But now, I’m struggling with what color to paint an adjoining room that has remained untouched except the floors. It used to be a den, but as it also connects to the kitchen and a nicely sized living room, and we are without a dining room, I’d like to transition it for that purpose. The problem is … dun, dun, dun, it has terrible wood paneling and a giant red brick fireplace! I’d like to freshen it up by painting the fireplace white but then I’m stuck with what color to paint the paneling? I’d like something light, and neutral, as the room is kind of dark (probably thanks a lot to the fireplace and paneling) but it has so much potential as it has skylights and a big screen door that leads out to a sunporch. I’m hoping a light neutral might really help the light bounce around the space. I’m worried the Aloof Grey might look odd, as it would be the same color as the connecting living room which might make the oddity of the paneling more apparent. Can you or any readers who’d like to chime in recommend another light neutral that would coordinate well with the Aloof Grey in the adjoining living room, the Sea Salt in the adjoining kitchen (very beachy with white bead board half-walls and cabinets), and the future white brick of the fireplace? I would just try white, but then I’m stuck with what color to then paint the fireplace and beamed ceilings. Can I move toward a more warm neutral like a 50% lighter Revere Pewter or do I need to stick with the cool tones? Some kind of cream? Balboa mist … too similar to Aloof Grey? I’m totally stuck. Thanks for your insight!