I would consider something light with some other colors to mix in like this. http://t.homedepot.com/p/Silestone-2-in-Quartz-Countertop-Sample-in-Mont-Blanc-SS-Q0220/203674451/ I like the wood paneling and would paint it a white with a warm feel to it. A white will reflect a lot of light from your large window. I wouldn't paint the window casing as it might tie in better with the rest of the house. Good luck!!

All neutrals so far - you can add any colors. Depends on the look/feel/style you're going after.

Sorry for the delay....well I still haven't quite got to the floor yet. I have friends and family advising that black would show up every bit of dust etc and one friend who had a shiny black floor and felt that she was forever mopping, and if the light shone on the floor on the wrong angle you could see where the mop had been. I think this would frustrate me too much especially with young children and a cat so I think a whitewash look could be a good option, or reclaimed battered timber perhaps.......see why I haven't chosen the floor yet. Lol. You could always go a black but a weathered matt reclaimed timber that could look good too. Good luck!

My kitchen cabinets on the back wall are in Resene Rice Cake. I have wooden benches and an island that I was talked into painting grey. In my mind I wanted Black. It has arrived and looks okay but I should have stuck to my guns and gone with the Black. I am now thinking of having it repainted but what shade of Black? I want a soft dull black that isn't too harsh. Can anyone give me a Black colour shade that has worked for them?