Re: black granite------ I'm not a pro or anything, but we put a home depot grade black granite as our vanity top in a bathroom and the spots and finger prints do drive me crazy, and I'm the last person to call a neat freak. It never seems clean. I was recently at floor and decor looking at granite (dreaming of finishing a basement) and saw a honed black granite that looked really nice if your heart is set on black. I've seen that (honed black) in a kitchen in a luxury home and it looks extremely nice. It's a bit more expensive, but worth considering if choosing between black granites. Personally, I'm more of a marble fan and have marble in the kitchen. It's more high maintenance (meaning, you just have to use common sense and not treat it like you did in college). I've also owned a home with silestone and that is one durable and tough stone.

I think that better colors would be gray (more or less light, depending on how large is your room) or white. Other colors that match with a mix of black and white would be strong colors as red or green, but I think they are too colorfully to pain living walls. In my opinion the best one is white, although it sounds banal, but it would emphasize your wallpaper and wouldn't condicionate the rest of the decoration.

Hey all, I'm looking for a white wall paint for an airy contemporary feel that is not to cool yet doesn't have any yellow or red undertones in it. Any suggestions? Thanks Lital

If you painted the wood skirtings (removed in photos) and door frames, in the dusky blue from the tiles then did the walls in white to bounce light around the hallway as they can be a bit dark I don't think it would look clinical because the use of the blue would add a little drama and look very up to date. Alternatively you could use a deep grey. I haven't seen this done much but when I have it has looked well.