Modern country would be pale green such as a sage green or olive leaf green. You could go sage green and pale grey up top. It would work with your current decor. Lovely by the way, pity to change it.

Thanks, we just bought this house so the furniture is not ours. We feel like this is a bit dated, but can't decide what changes to make.

Apologies - so a more strategic move would be to work with the furniture you have (unless you are starting again)... then we can give you more targetted advice.

I would reduce the contrast. The chair rail is a bit high for your ceiling height, and with that strong contrast you are accentuating the low ceiling.

As AVSInteriors says, if your furniture has a particular shade, we have to consider that. Also, we have to consider the colors of the rest of the house.

If you want to go neutral, I would recommend you tone down the yellows in the room. Also, the dark charcoal in the island is being ignored. Finally, I would paint all one color and not paint under the chair rail a different shade.

I would suggest Benjamin Moore thunder AF-685. Here is a bathroom with similar wood tones against thunder.

houzz=]

It sort of depends on what colors you love. (For isntance, I am not a "yellow person," so I would never use that color.) So what do you like? Greens? Blues? Grays? Browns? "Modern" tends to go towards the grays all over with variations in light/dark from space to space. "Country" tends toward softer colors.

Therefore: suggestion: a blue-leaning-towards-gray for the walls, darker tone (almost a navy) for the island base, and (it can't be helped if you want the "country" look), white on the wainscoting. Or cream, since your backsplash tends toward "tan."

If you plan to change the backsplash in future, that might figure into your color considerations, but it's easier to paint than to replace that. If you were to change the backsplash, a white subway tile or penny tile would minimize the color limitations and give the kitchen a "vintage" air. This will go well with stainless, the countertops (beautiful) and cabinets, in case you plan not to paint those. If you were to do so, suggest white. Classic and beautiful.

Suggestion: it's easy to have the middle section of cabinets doors cut out and replaced with glass. More glass cabinet doors would "lighten" and add to the country vibe. You have a beautiful room with excellent proportions and good furniture. Almost anything will work when the basics are right.

For me the kitchen already has a sort of modern country feel. More country than modern perhaps, but well... different pendants, chandelier, decor can do a lot. And for the dining area a different colour for the walls, perhaps getting rid of the chair rail. A funky wallpaper on the back wall?

Hi carolina - is that last one a wallpaper? Who does it and what exactly is that name?

Hi Antoinette:
Blackened paint is Farrow&Ball paint.
The All of Us Together (I personally love that one) is by Pottok http://pottokprints.com/fabric.html
Twist Citrine: Dwell Studio http://www.dwellstudio.com/modern-decor-and-accessories/wall-decor-1/wallpaper/twist-citrine-wallpaper.html

Biggest bang for your buck in this room:

1) Get rid of chair railing
2) paint
3) New light fixtures
4) New window treatment. Suggest Roman Shade hung just under ceiling height.
5) Extend crown molding on cabinets to ceiling (looks odd just about 1 " from ceiling, not to mention a dusting nightmare)

a little more $-consider adding cabinets above the ones that are shorter. They could be glass with downlights, where you could display decorative pieces. The cabinets just look choppy at the top right now and it is making your ceiling height look short.

If you ever change countertops, enlarge the top of the island for bar seating: future buyers love that!

@carolins - I was intrigued by your F&B paint because I didn't recognize it. Just gone and checked it out on my colour deck and it is completely different! On my screen it looks a lovely ecru (hints of yellow and green undertones) On my card it looks like pale pale grey - and is, in fact, placed amongst the more greenish grey palette section...! A salutary lesson in what our monitors show us and what real life does!!!