it think it's the size problem....you need to be all the way across the room to see it...and then i think you should quilt in the deep teal to 'mute the contrasts between the white and gray and the white and teal.... i think the border comments were right on... i would do a tiny white, 2" gray (or whatever the width of your strips is), and then a generous teal...the teal thread would be tone on tone for the big border and blend the other two colors and borders together... i think it's lovely and you have just achieved some sort of burnout...it will be a whole different store when you get the borders in place...