Can I Repeat Paint Colors Throughout the House?

Question: I am repainting and redecorating my entire first floor, and I am totally overwhelmed by the paint colors (trying to match them to the carpet, etc).

But my biggest challenge right now is finding a paint color for the kitchen.

I love the Sherwin Williams paint color called Nomadic Desert, but when I put it on the wall in the kitchen (which does not have a window), it looks too dark! I have brown tile, brown cabinets and stone brown counter tops, so the wall color needs to be lighter.

I also really like the shade right above it (Kilim Beige) and it seems to work, but I already used it to paint my upstairs bathrooms. And I don't like the lightest shade on the strip called Divine White.

What are my options?

Answer: if you like Kilim Beige and it seems to be the right shade for the kitchen, go for it!

Just because you have the color somewhere in your home already, doesn't mean you can't use it again.

In other words, you don't have to use a new color in each room/area of the house; in fact, it's better to use fewer colors than more - because you will get better flow and continuity that way.

Your home color scheme will be easier to manage if you limit it to 3-5 "real" colors (maximum), and then use 1 neutral to "hold" them all (2 if you absolutely must).

And finally, don't worry too much about matching paint to your carpet. Instead, use something in your decor (a pillow, a vase, wall art, etc) to coordinate or match the wall color to.

If the room is empty, buy at least something to get you started (ideally paint color should be the last thing to choose, after all the accessories are selected - to tie it all together).