Asked on Sep 30, 2015

Need ideas for paint color for open kitchen dining living room area

Rose Estep
by Rose Estep
We just bought this house and need ideas on what color I should paint walls of this open floor plan Kitchen-dining-living room area. I don't like the blue and am thinking of a more neutral color for the walls. The furniture does not stay. We will eventually update the floor.
  54 answers
  • Charlotte Charlotte on Sep 30, 2015
    My cabinets and counter tops are exactly like yours and open into the dining room and den area. I painted the walls with Glidden Mushroom Cap and absolutely love it.
  • Janet Janet on Sep 30, 2015
    Paint 3 or 4 shades darker than cabinets. Unify space with coordinating lights. Blinds/drapes in the same shade as walls (buy them first have paint mixed to match) find 1 bold color accent 75% with it, another color 25%... example walls dark cream, throws, canisters, pillows, lamp bases, bright green. Candles, picture frames, bright pink. (insert your color choice for the green and pink)
  • Rose Estep Rose Estep on Sep 30, 2015
    Good idea about unifying lights.. Still unsure about color of walls.. I have trouble seeing so I need lighter walls and good lighting. What about putting darker color above cabinets and backsplash just in kitchen area? Whole area is an upstairs part of house.
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Sep 30, 2015
    I would use a nice earthy tone for the large wall and contrast the other two walls with lighter versions of the big wall.Research behr.com for color inspiration. They have all the latest trends to give you ideas.
  • Marylou45 Marylou45 on Sep 30, 2015
    I would kept my wall colors light and airy and put my color in my furnishings.
  • Bertie Loftin Bertie Loftin on Sep 30, 2015
    I repainted my interior last year. The majority of the house is Valspar "Guilded Endive.' It is a pale yellow that changes with the angle of the light source. I love, love, love it. Be SURE to consider it. It is such a happy color!
  • Mickey Baron Mickey Baron on Oct 01, 2015
    NOT THAT BLUE!! LOL, I also, love the pale shades of yellow, & use different tones on different walls. But you really need to try swatches first. To check the fluctuating lighting in your home. From dawn to dusk. Good luck, I'm sure you'll do fine. Just do your homework ;) P.S. My FAVORITE paint is Benjamin Moore, their color wheels are AMAZING!
  • Pat Pat on Oct 01, 2015
    I would go with a light grey but a true grey, some of them look bluish and I know you're trying to get away from that. Also grey is a very popular color right now and we'll go with most decors. I would use Valspar you can get it with a primer in it but suggest using a primer first anyway, I think the walls look nicer. Also go with two tones.
  • Lesley Lesley on Oct 01, 2015
    I have just painted my kitchen diner area with a darkish sage green on the end wall and a light linen type neutral on the other walls. I'm really happy with it and even the builders apprentice has been commenting on how nice it looks. But I warn you, I did go through a lot of 'tester pots'! Its really important to try colours out in the light that comes in to your particular home, everyone's is different. Try painting the colour onto a piece of plain lining paper and then moving that around the room, its easier than painting the sample on the wall.
    • Cat Cat on Oct 03, 2019

      i hear that. i have different colors on most of the walls in my house. Every time i think i find the "one", when I throw it up on the wall, i'm like NOPE. LOL

  • Jonnie Hammon Jonnie Hammon on Oct 01, 2015
    To find the perfect color, for yourself, you need to ask yourself these questions. What is your favorite color, for this big o
  • Robin Robinson Stamm Robin Robinson Stamm on Oct 01, 2015
    If you want neutral (which is always a good choice IMO), I'd go for a "sandy" beige (brown undertones). It would compliment your kitchen cupboards, counter top, and the white trim. You could pick more "modern" colors (yellow, sage, etc.) but they'll eventually "date" the design.
  • Jonnie Hammon Jonnie Hammon on Oct 01, 2015
    Sorry, my Kindle is possessed by Murphy's Law. What type of flooring, and style of furniture are you considering? Are you aware that the color you choose, can make emotional impacts on you, your family, and friends. What colors do you enjoy being around.? You are going to see this color, or colors, on a daily basis, for years to come. I would say that neutrals are fine, but also boring. Making you want to avoid those rooms. To make it less boring, use a combination of colors. Decide if you want drama, if you want retro, romantic, etc... . You can separate the areas using color or make it all seem to be one huge space. They thing is it is your taste, your home, and you are the ones that will have to live with your decision. Got neutral, but don't stop there. Be brave, and add a bold accent color on the wall, where your cabinets, and sink are. On the dining room side of the island, paint another color, and on the same Side as the sink, but in the living room, paint it the neutral color, only a couple of shades darker. It will give you a slight separation, while keeping it al
  • Jonnie Hammon Jonnie Hammon on Oct 01, 2015
    Again!! All cohesive and open.
  • Quince_Cottage Quince_Cottage on Oct 01, 2015
    Congratulations on your new house! Agreeable Gray by Sherwin Williams is a warm neutral that reads as gray or beige depending on the lighting in the room. Either way it works well with just about every woodtone, solid surface, as well as other colors. It's not too dark and not too light. You've got nice bones in that space and improving the overall look by adding crown molding and a more up to date chandelier would be great (along with the paint and furniture updates). Personally I'd do away with the window treatments, especially the one over the French doors :) Good luck with your transformation!
    • See 1 previous
    • Quince_Cottage Quince_Cottage on Oct 01, 2015
      @Rose Estep I hope you'll show your "after" pix!
  • Sherry Sherry on Oct 01, 2015
    I would choose a color that will compliment the lovely wood color on your handrail. This color could be a cozy yellow tone like Beauti-tone's "CORK". Also, paint out all your trim with the color that is on your cabinets.This yellow color will also compliment your current flooring and the counter top in your kitchen. This will also lesson the amount of renovating by using just paint. Good Luck
  • MamaSita MamaSita on Oct 01, 2015
    Grey would be my choice. It's neutral but modern.
  • Tina Ungerank Tina Ungerank on Oct 01, 2015
    Color: half crescent moon by Benjamin Moore. Works with light and dark tones. Can dress it up or create an eclectic mix in design.
  • Jen R Jen R on Oct 01, 2015
    Congrats on your new home and good luck with decorating! If you love it, then I think it will look nice, so pick what speaks to you and your style will shine through. Now that being said, I am a fan of Joanna Gains on Fixer Upper and she has pinned colors she uses on her show and I trust the colors she has chosen. Her board: https://www.pinterest.com/joannagaines_/paint-colors-as-seen-on-fixer-upper/ has many neutrals to choose from. We went with SW Mindful Gray in our family room and I LOVE it. I often find that grays can have too red of an undertone, but not at all with this one. A very warm color. Good luck with what you decide and looking forward to your photos of the updated room.
  • Sylvia Sylvia on Oct 01, 2015
    To make this open area more cozy and warm, any darker shade of a complimentary color would work. I used Benjamin Moore Caribbean Teal in my home.
  • Rose Rose on Oct 01, 2015
    Very hard question looking at your furniture it is an array of styles. Valance? Chandelier? Think you have to decide on all your surroundings before you go with a color. Just a thought.
  • Kini Kini on Oct 01, 2015
    The first thing is do you have a favorite color? In my current house I have Vanilla Cream by Behr. It's a soft yellow that at times during the day appears as off white. I get the morning sun and it takes on a wonderful glow. I also have a custom color that is a soft dove gray. It's 360 drops of black paint in a 5 gal bucket with no other colors or tint. Depending on what color furniture I put next to then seems to reflect that color. In my family room I have blue furniture and the walls takes a on a blue hue.
    • Rose Estep Rose Estep on Oct 01, 2015
      @Cindy Platt Hanlon Morning sun comes in the living room window. I like the idea of light yellow walls and I will be checking out all the yellow color suggestions for sure.
  • Fab and Pretty Fab and Pretty on Oct 01, 2015
    Since you plan to keep the cabinets and counters of everything in the space I think they are key to find a colour that will harmonize. I can't really recommend a colour I think you have to try to find a tone in your counters. Then when you do decorate with soft coverings, wall accessories etch introduce poppy colours. I think a darker tone on the cabinet walls might look great too.
  • Mary Mary on Oct 01, 2015
    You can always paint it all an off the shelf white, walls, cabinets, and handrails. I agree about Sherwin Williams, they have fabulous colors as most do, but the best part about Sherwin is their customer service and support. They really are helpful in numerous ways, and always have coupons, deals etc especially for first timers ;) once you have the bright white everywhere, it will be easy to go whatever direction you choose with decor be it vintage, modern, mid century, etc all will work. I love colors and have found the all white leaves you with a trend surpassing classy canvas. It can always be changed. Once you have the white check out Emily Henderson, and vintage revivals, they both typically use white everywhere basic then are able to constantly redesign the room(s)! Everyone has great suggestions, but ultimately I agree with asking yourself what colors make you 😃! Also apartment therapy suggests looking to your wardrobe for inspiration of accessory colors..Best wishes, and pls share your afters (= Blessings
  • Carolyn V Carolyn V on Oct 01, 2015
    I love behr paint color selector; it allows you to pick a room and try out the colors. I'm looking at the woodwork and wondering about the newer color choices of 'sage' we like it and have light walnut cabinets and wood floors, then I added black gingham curtains. but, play around with this site: http://paintcolor.homedepot.com/colorbyroom/kitchen
  • Kathi Weber-Schaffeld Kathi Weber-Schaffeld on Oct 01, 2015
    I think shades of grey would look great this cream accents. Then you could add dolor with your new furnishings.
  • Ronnie Ronnie on Oct 01, 2015
    Hello, I am glad you posted this as I have a similar open floor plan, as it feels nice and spacious it is hard to know thee best color to choose. When we bought our home several years ago it was off white in kitchen with baby blue cheked counters and a dark sage green living room. I lived with it for several years. Then changed to a netural dark beige in all rooms. It was ok. Still hated the blue counters. Not room in budget for new counters. So just recently trying something new,stick on plank flooring on the counter tops ( not sure if they will work only time will tell) it opened up a world of possiblities! I wanted a clean minimal look. The other posters are correct, you need to look at your furniture and style and go with what you love! You can have any paint matched to fabric, however it is extreemly difficult to get the perfect fabrics to match the paint. I went with sherwin williams after the rain on the kitchen walls and sheer mist on the living room/dining. I also changed my furniture coverings and curtians from browns and reds to stark black white and greys. It is a good thing I can sew ;) and can find fabrics for 1.00 & 2.00 a yard. I would love to see the after when you decide on a color. Good luck.
  • Ann Brockman Ann Brockman on Oct 01, 2015
    We just moved this summer and have a large common wall for the kitchen and living room. I was wanting to go with a neutral grey color scheme and a friend suggested "Repose Grey" from Sherman Williams. I LOVE it! Goes with so many colors.
  • Kathy Bitzan Kathy Bitzan on Oct 01, 2015
    I would choose a warm yellow gold color my daughter did her home in it and I was amazed at how great a color it was I never would us imagined.
    • Laura Laura on Oct 01, 2015
      No offense meant, but it's not a good idea to choose a color because someone else likes it. Rather, help the person learn how to find their own color.
  • Snap Out Of It Snap Out Of It on Oct 01, 2015
    Anything but that baby blue and dont paint all the walls the same color. Dark denium/navy blue/gold tan/mustatd kind of shade and orange!
  • Snap Out Of It Snap Out Of It on Oct 01, 2015
    Also dont hug all your furniture up against the walls. Use diff wall color and furniture groupings to make small little spaces. The room is bug and allows for it. Congrats on the house!
  • Karen Reilly Karen Reilly on Oct 01, 2015
    Go shopping at a fabric store find a piece of material that you love and have the colour copied. If it has a pattern use the colours in the material to match things to it. This is much easier than finding a paint chip then adding to it.
  • Laura Laura on Oct 01, 2015
    Karen Reilly nailed it. Don't paint the walls first. Find your inspiration piece, fabric, pillow, curtains, whatever. Than pick a wall color from that. You'll be glad you did.
  • Kemberly Boston Kemberly Boston on Oct 01, 2015
    i have a newly built home and had to pick colors for every room and exterior and talk about decisions, what i did was got to various paint suppliers and got booklets and chips and online decorating sites and took my time to choose which colors suited each space best, don't rush, i changed my mind several times and still not finished painting good luck
  • Sherry Fram Sherry Fram on Oct 01, 2015
    Use different colors but keep them in the same tone on the color fan deck Say you pick a green from the middle then pick any other color from the same place across the deck. I hope this makes sense. This is how it was explained to me and the colors look great together.
  • Swan Road Designs Swan Road Designs on Oct 01, 2015
    Before you choose any colors, live in the house for several months. Why? Because you will see how the morning, mid-day and evening light plays in each part of the house. This will give you information as to how to choose color tones. With such an open floor plan, your best attack would be to choose a soothing neutral tone. A pale, pale mocha or a light grey. Accent with white or off-white woodwork. Once you've done that, then you can begin looking at patterned fabrics for windows, furniture pieces, cushions, etc. Anything/everything you do will require some amount of $$$. Before you spend money you might regret later, take a breath and take baby steps. Give yourself some time. As much as you want to have your new home "complete," it's more advisable to, as my maternal grandfather wisely would say, "Take it easy; make it nice."
  • Rose Estep Rose Estep on Oct 01, 2015
    Thanks everyone for your advice. I will post pictures when the living space is complete.
  • Pis2225486 Pis2225486 on Oct 02, 2015
    My process is this: I make a cup of tea, put a stool in one corner of the room and sit on it. I stare at one angle and imagine what color would look good just at that angle. Not just LOOK good though... what color FEELS good. Like what color will make you feel happy every time your in that room and inspire you to keep it clean (believe it or not, some colors in some rooms make me avoid the room and hence never clean it... so I have to repaint lol!) Then, I pick the stool up and put it in a different location. I will do this over weeks or months (depending on my budget limitations haha)... at some point, a color calls. If you don't get that feeling, pick up swatches and hang the same set on each wall of the room. Look at them every day and night at different times. Also, consider the trim color. I know a lot of people go white or do one trim color and one wall color. But one of my favorite looks is to get two colors, paint three walls one color and the trim the other. Then accent the 4th wall by switching the colors (the trim color becomes the wall color and visa versa). Call be crazy but it breaks up the monotony of large rooms and creates style in super tiny ones. Since you are also changing your floor, I would try to envision what the floor would look like so you at least have a direction... Hope that helps! Oh, and I second the motion of some neutrals... :-)
  • Cornelia Schott Cornelia Schott on Oct 02, 2015
    I paint a paper plate with the color I am thinking of painting for a room. This allows me to move the paper plate from one area of the room seeing how the light impacts my color. Good luck! This is a big project!
  • Delanie Delanie on Oct 02, 2015
    I, too, have an open kitchen, breakfast room, den combo in my home, and after living with boring "builder white" walls for 6 years, finally got around to painting! My hubs and I painted our space a beautiful, warm parchment color that is tan/gold/creamy yellow-y beige depending on the light. It is very neutral so it goes with everything! It seems incredible, but that color changed the entire feel of those spaces! Our den is two story and seemed cold and stark, no matter how much I decorated it. Now it is warm and welcoming. I almost cannot believe what a difference a coat of paint makes! It really is the most bang for your buck!
  • Pat whitmus Pat whitmus on Oct 02, 2015
    I surround myself with colors that I gravitate towards...that call me repeatedly. We've been in our current home 2 months and my color scheme evolved slowly. Final outcome for bdrm. Grays..kitchen/liv rm, taupe/yellow, dine rm-yellow/turqouise to go with my china. Master bath ocean themed-still deciding...
  • Sarah A. Victory Sarah A. Victory on Oct 02, 2015
    I favor colors that make wood work, trim pop. It is amazing how paint color can make a difference. I favor the neutrals and currently only have 2 colors in my bungalow. One is called Persian Fable which is closely akin to a caramel color and Elephant Gray which is a wonderful med gray. I had an open floor plan at a previous home and the contractor made the kitchen, great room and dining and 1 half bath a pale yellow as they were open to each other. The study which had doors had a different green color. The master bedroom and bath were a dark gray. The remainder was an off white contractor's paint. One Colonial Style house we owned was repainted throughout w/a navaho beige color that made the wood trim and white kitchen cabinets pop. That Colonial had an open stairway like yours.I liked the homes better that I chose the paint color for. Good luck!
    • Rose Estep Rose Estep on Oct 02, 2015
      I do have some wood antique furniture that I acquired when we lived in MS. that will be going in the dining room I can hardly wait for closing day so we can get busy making this our new home. Meantime I am sitting here reading all the comments.
  • Sarah A. Victory Sarah A. Victory on Oct 02, 2015
    I am a cat lover also. I have 2 rescue cats. One is orange and black and the other is smokey grey. Good luck!
  • Martha Hinkle Martha Hinkle on Oct 05, 2015
    After losing our house in a tornado, we rebuilt and now have a semi-open plan of living room-breakfast room-kitchen, and living room-dining room. We painted all the walls Sherwin-Williams "Relaxed Khaki". It is a beautiful light tan but still very neutral. I'm partial to SW paint because I used to work for them and have always loved the results when using their paints. I personally find most off-white/Navajo white-type colors to be just that - WHITE. The goal is to have the walls be the backdrop for your art or whatever you put on the wall but still be a pretty color. You can alter areas of your open rooms with your accent colors, pillows, knick=knacks, whatever.
  • CK CK on Oct 05, 2015
    Since you have very neutral flooring and white(light) kitchen cabinets, the color choices are limited only by your likes/dislikes. It's easier to go with neutrals and then add in any color(s) with accessories in the kitchen and adjoining room. I always tell my clients "Go with what you love and not necessarily what's trendy. That way you'll love it longer :-) "
  • Barbara McVay Barbara McVay on Oct 06, 2015
    I like soft green/grays for a quiet kitchen, like BM Quiet Moments (1563). Yellows/oranges for vibrantly alive rooms. Here's a link to the BM 1563. quiet moments
  • Susanpoole1711 Susanpoole1711 on Oct 08, 2015
    Your present wood furniture has red tones in it. Sage green (a grayed green-blue) always looks wonderful with those tones. Silver also compliment the red tones. So do creams and golds. My favorite thing to do, however, is go to the spice cabinet and select my colors from there. You'll be amazed how cinnamon, cumin, paprika, rosemary, sage, and even lemon can look with your kitchen cabinets. Select your favorite spice or herb, and go with lighter and darker shades of it throughout the whole area. More vibrant in kitchen; softer in dining, and a little deeper or dramatic in living room. (As your colors deepen, be sure to use more white or cream accents to prevent overpowering). Then, later, when you put your antique furniture in the room, it will be perfect, because you will have selected natural colors which always compliment antiques.
  • Erma Erma on Oct 11, 2015
    I used a Behr paint, Stone, and I love it. It was if my kitchen came to life.
  • Cheryl Cheryl on Oct 15, 2015
    I would stay with the white trim, use a Khaki or taupe. Then I would really put a lot of vibrant color in the draperies.
  • Rose Estep Rose Estep on Dec 14, 2015
    Painted the walls with Sherman Williams Sashey Sand SW 6051 and pillars dividing living and kitchen dining area Sherman Williams Plum Brown SW 6272
    • Jen R Jen R on Dec 16, 2015
      @Rose Estep Looks great! Much warmer feel to the room now.
  • Laura Laura on Dec 15, 2015
    Very nice. I like your choice.
  • Jan30606752 Jan30606752 on Oct 19, 2017

    This is what we did: I painted the kitchen walls white and put wallpaper trim at the top of my cabinets. Trim has a simple design: small bunch of flowers. I put a cream colored wallpaper w/tiny dots on top half of dark panelling. I left the dk panelling as is in the livingroom, but we added large mirrors to make the room brighter. I've been happy with it. Your beige idea sounds good to me. Janis


  • Laura Laura on Oct 19, 2017

    Pale sage green. Blue is not appetizing for kitchens and dining rooms.

  • I always like a soft yellow.