Hi Arren,

I'm hoping you have a few minutes to help me out here. We would like to paint our kitchen in some sort of a brown, preferably like a chocolate or mocha colour and wondering if you can suggest one. And the ceiling crown moulding is currently white but would like to change the colour of the ceiling to a darker colour and not keep it white. Can you suggest a colour that would go with the paint colour for the walls?

The rest of the house you can see from these rooms are painted in Benjan Moore's greenbrier beige.

We were thinking of maybe painting the family room which has a very high ceiling so you see a lot of walls, in a shade off. So the kitchen one colour and the family room maybe a shade darker or lighter. I know it's hard for you to suggest anything without seeing the rooms, but do you think the two rooms should be the same or can I go different colours without it looking too chopped up and as though it doesn't flow. The family room floor is going to be eventually changed to probably a dark hardwood or cork and it also gets a lot of sunlight. Large windows and it's open too to the kitchen. Kitchen floor is light (sort of a light taupe) and the cabinets are maple. Kitchen table is a dark oak. Countertops dark and appliances stainless steel .

Hopefully you can suggest a few colours. I like Benjamin Moore paint so if you can suggest a colour from them that would be great.

Many thanks and hope to see you soon on Cityline although I haven't watched it in a while.

Thanks Arren, that's okay, don't worry about it. I found a couple of colours in a different paint that I may try and get Benjamin Moore to match.

I know you're really busy, so I understand when it takes a while to reply.

Hi Arren,
I so appreciate your input and you taking the time to reply.
Here's what I think I'm going with: Not sure if you're familiar with the paint 'Devine". I think that's what you call it. I had my daughter's room painted in that paint which seems only to be available at some places. This was from a decorating place in the Durham region (Whitby). I had them do some flooring and order a couple of rugs and I went with their paint as I liked the colours they recommended for the bedroom. Anyway, for my kitchen I'm thinking from 'Devine" the colour Cocoa, Espresso Blends (that's what's on the back of the paint chip) and probably Mocha, Espresso Blends for the family room.

I was thinking of their paint colour Pecan, Pacific Trail Mix (again, that's what's on the back of the paint chip) for the ceiling in the kitchen (it's very similar to Benjamin Moore's Greenbrier beige which we have painted throughout the house.

What are your thoughts on the ceiling a different colour other than white? We have an electrician coming in soon to instal pot lights throughout the kitchen and are keeping the two chandeliers we currently have in there as well. They are a bronze colour with amber accents. I love them so I want them to stay. We also have crown moulding.

The kitchen is quite big but funny enough there isn't a whole lot of wall space. Windows, doors, entrances to other rooms, cupboards etc. We have white california shutters on the windows and doors throughout. I know it's hard for you when you can't see what I'm talking about, but the ceiling has me stumped. I would love to do something different and not keep it white. So if I paint it that colour mentioned above, what do you think? Currently the trim around the floor and windows is soft ivory along with two large pillars on walls between the kitchen and family room. So do you think maybe I should paint the crown moulding around the ceiling the soft ivory along with the trims everywhere else? Or do you think the different colour ceiling is not a good choice? If we go that route, what do you think about the pot lights? Should the trim around them that sit on the ceiling that you can see be painted the same colour as the ceiling?

Oh boy, I know you must be exhausted from reading this, but I would so love your input.

Many thanks as always!