Absinthe. The white wainscoting will be fine.

I think I would go with the lighter shade, however make sure you go with a flat paint...these samples seem to have a sheen to them, and that will highlight any imperfection on the wall.

I like the absinthe and I would use an eggshell finish.

I'd go with a pale green or a kind of lime (green lemon) tone. This could freshen up the room IMO.

I like the lighter shade, also agree flat finish above the wainscoting. Happy painting!

I would never paint a dining room green: it makes food and people look sickly.

What about a terracotta leaning towards pink? It's a departure from the green idea but I did the adjoining kitchen and a dark dining room in my old apartment in a green similar to the hall here with a terracotta in the dining room. It made the dining room feel warm and cheerful even without much light. It would have great contrast with the white wainscotting and be a pleasant complement to the green.

i like the lighter color a lot - and i have an even paler green in a room in my house and it really pops against clean white trim. don't worry about that at all.

They are both gorgeous with that white bead board. Try the lighter one first. You can always add the darker shade over it.

Mild Evergreen

Like most others I'd go with the lighter one; the brighter one might become too much on all the walls. I made that mistake with similar greens in my dining room and kitchen when I moved into my house. It drove me crazy for a few months and then I just repainted it.

The lighter color will be calmer, happier and I think once it's up on all the wall will be plenty of contrast with the white.

Greens can be tricky to match together - especially from just an online photo - but I would go with the lighter one. The darker one has a lot more yellow and looks like it actually clashes with the existing blue-based green.

Lime chartreuse.

The dark green on the right... did you paint it? If so, I would URGE you to choose the lightest color b/c your edging skills are not so hot. There's a lot of color bleeding on to the trim. The darker the color, the more that messy edge will show up.

Sorry to be a meanie! :)

Whichever you decide on, I highly recommend painting the swatch all the way up to the ceiling. I recently painted my office a green similar to the absinthe color and while it looked nice on the bottom, near the ceiling it was a hideous yellow-green nausea party from the light and it needed to be repainted.

Personally I like the darker green (Mild Evergreen). It's a zesty refreshing shade, and with white wainscotting and trim, you can afford to go quite dark without overpowering the room.

Another vote for "lighter".

I don't like either color. I'd get some more samples and try again. I think you need a green with more grey in it to set off the kitchen. Check out SW's Contentment. Looks grey on the strip but is quite green once it's on the wall.

Hmmm, worried it might be too much green. Maybe try a buttercream.

Thanks, everyone, for your comments and help! After living with it for a while, I've decided to go with the lighter green - with a new lighting fixture (with CFL bulbs) it doesn't read nearly as yellow as it does in the above pictures. But I've also decided that I like the Evergreen too much to not use it, so my next project will be painting the kitchen (the mess in which was a gift from previous painters - @solop, I'll be sure to try and get some after pics posted so you can see my beautifully crisp lines). So, thanks again!

you say it's like a cave in there...

i read in Elle Decor advice from a renown designer (sorry, can't remember name) that painting a dark room in light colors does NOT make it lighter. i have to say that i totally agree. so, go with a darker color in your cave and maybe that pretty mild evergreen in your kitchen - assuming it gets more natural light.

here's the elle decor article:

http://www.elledecor.com/decorating/articles/mario-buatta-s-color-secrets