4/19/11

ASKED AND ANSWERED - COLOR HELP

Atlanta Homes
I've been in the middle of a client's renovation and I haven't had time to answer my wonderful readers' questions individually.  

So, with apologies to those who asked for help -
(and I hope this isn't too late) 
I will answer them here!

QUESTION #1: 

We're renovating our kitchen and are looking to achieve the look of so many of the beautiful, serene, silvery-blue rooms you've pictured .... We're thinking we want off white cabinets with silvery-blue walls, and chrome/nickel hardware. Any suggestions for what colors would work for the cabinets and walls, and

what color countertop would help us achieve this look? I love marble but don't think it would be a good material for our family. Some people have recommended a granite/quartzite called Super White (which is gray and white), but I'm worried it might be too monochromatic. Would love your thoughts! Thanks!

By Anonymous on EXPLORING WALL COLOR: GRAY on 3/22/11


I love the palette you have chosen - your concern about it being too monochromatic is a common one.  The trick is bringing in more texture to keep it interesting.  This palette can be truly beautiful if you take care with just a couple of selections:



House Beautiful
1.  Cabinets - choose a 'warm' white or 'off' white.  Swiss Coffee is a standby I use often - it is warm in the home and not cold or sterile feeling, while still being a definite white. Another is Benjamin Moore 'China White". 


2009 Showcase Home on Park Alley traditional kitchen


2.  Take into consideration your flooring.  I don't know what you have right now, but the kitchen above avoids being too sterile and too monochromatic by adding warm hardwood floors, barstools and a warm wood countertop on the island. 


Wm. F. Holland/Architect/projects traditional kitchen

3. Contrast and Texture: Your personal taste will dictate whether you go for bold contrasts or a more monochromatic look. The kitchen above uses a high contrast counter top to break up the expanse of white and add interest. (Its not the color that makes a room interesting - its the textures and contrasts.) 

Below a dark wood floor grounds a lighter than air feeling room.


San Jose Res 2 traditional


Another way to employ contrast is by painting the island a different color than the other cabinets (see above).  I especially like the backsplash in that soft blue grey subway tile in this photo and the one below.  They have effectively made the tile their wall color. 

You are correct in assuming that a well used kitchen does better with a harder counter top surface than the marble shown above. 


white blue kitchen traditional kitchen

4.  Wall color?:  Better to show examples than just give you names....  Remember, do a tester in your room - even it the photo looks amazing on the computer it could be entirely different in your house.



Farrow and Ball - Lamp Room Gray 


Left to Right:  Sherwin Williams Sea Salt   Restoration Hardware  Silver Sage  and Sherwin Williams Blue Hubbard
The Lettered Cottage


Sherwin Williams Sea Salt
Benjamin Moore Wedgewood Gray

Sherwin Williams Blue Hubbard


Benjamin Moore Smoke

Dulux Universal Gray
Sarah Richardson

Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray
The Nester
My personal favorite is Comfort Gray, but you may want a lighter or darker hue.  Some of these colors will be more gray than blue and some more blue than gray.  It's best to find a couple you think you may like and get tester pots to try them out.

5Countertop material:  the most durable and virtually impenetrable (no places for bacteria to hide) is the quartzite (man made) product.  This product can be solid color or speckled to resemble granite or marble.  As you can see in these photos, a lot of the white kitchens have light countertops.  If you are looking for a little more contemporary feel, grey would be a good choice, or black with a simple straight edge.  Granite is also an excellent choice and is a good buy right now.




Renovation Redux Kitchen contemporary kitchen





Traditional Kitchen traditional kitchen





Large White Kitchen traditional kitchen





Painted Kitchen Island Area traditional kitchen

AtticMag


Blue is another recent trend in painted kitchen cabinets.



House Beautiful
(paint color:  Benjamin Moore Great Barrington Green)


  
Oakley Home Builders traditional kitchen



As well as blue wall color



Oakley Home Builders traditional kitchen

I hope that helps!   Good luck on your kitchen remodel.





Question #2
I need some help and fast. My husband and I want to paint the living room a lighter color than the dark tan it is in now. I want a blue color and he wants more of a blue/green color. We have a brown couch and med color wood for everything else. Can Anyone recomend a color for us. I have been to lowes 6 times getting samples and they all look so bad. We have a good size living room with a big window. I just need to brighten up the place but not let the walls stand out over everything else. My kitchen in open to the living room and it's a soft grey (if this helps ?)

By Anonymous on EXPLORING WALL COLOR: GRAY on 4/8/11

Your soft gray in the kitchen will play nicely with a blue or blue/green provided the color is grayed down a bit. Adding gray to colors makes them more muted, more soothing and softer hued. It also neutralizes them a little, making it easier to add furnishings and accessories.   Too saturated a color blue will get old really fast as it can be overpowering or in the lighter colors, look completely juvenile.  Gray matures it and makes it more liveable.  Even though the paint has gray, it does not necessarily mean it will darken the room.


 Here are some examples of grayed down blues:
Autumn Fog by Valspar; Flint Smoke by Behr; Silver Gray by Benjamin Moore
(from Centsational Girl - she has a marvelous post on her own house colors in shades of blue and green)

Benjamin Moore Escarpment


 

Benjamin Moore Sea Haze

Benjamin Moore Winter Solstice
Emily A Clark
  


Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray

Cote de Texas


Kenneth Brown
Decorpad

 

Lamp Room Gray Farrow and Ball


  2:  Add lots of white for a fresh look and to keep the light in the room.


Berman House (color is similar to Aganthus Green by Benjamin Moore)


 
also from Centsational Girl
Benjamin Moore  Tranquility



 
Benjamin Moore 'Nightingale'  (Pottery Barn)
  


 
Valspar's Seafoam Storm (Centsational Girl)
 I hope you find these colors and suggestions helpful.


QUESTION #3
Really like the greys...I am struggling as most males do, with a remodel on my townhouse. I have new dark espresso floors with a light beige leather sectional in the family area. I also have darker cherry kitchen cabinets which adjoin the family room. Really want a grey, possibly stonington, for the main colors, but want a little darker color on the accent wall behing the very light almost tan leather sectional. I have dark entertainment center, beautiful antique Indian door made into table in dining room which I am doing picture frames in, which will also carry down hallway to family room. What would you recommend for a little darker accent color behind couch? Thanks so much for your help


By Anonymous on EXPLORING WALL COLOR: GRAY on 4/12/11

Your remodel has some wonderful elements.  I'm especially drooling over the antique Indian door/dining table!

I like Stonington Gray, and I'm posting some photos here of other grays you might consider, both for walls and accent wall.  It all depends on how bold you want to go.

 
Benjamin Moore Silver Fox would be a good accent to Stonington Gray
Apartment Therapy

 
More dramatic?  Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron or Trout Gray



Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray
This should help you visualize a darker wall behind your light tan couch.  
 


Benjamin Moore Shaker Gray
Remodelista


Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray


More Benjamin Moore grays

 Every hue has a grey. Some are warm and some cool. Some with a green undertone, others with blue or brown and even lavender.



Benjamin Moore Storm Gray

 Find the gray that you like best for the accent wall, and then follow that up the paint strip to a lighter hue for the rest of the walls for a perfect companion.



 
Benjamin Moore Pigeon Gray
The Goods Design




QUESTION #4
I need some help in picking out a color for a nursery. Creme/french white furniture and the bedding is restoration hardware cloud blue, dark brown and tan. The color I thought I was going to go with is Bleeker beige (BM) but having second thoughts.


Benjamin Moore Bleeker Beige



I think I'd rather have soothing Grey beige like you pictured above nursery. Help! I need to paint this weekend!


I can't think of a more soothing color for a nursery, and as baby gets older, a perfect neutral palette for bringing in more stimulating pops of color for playing and exploring!  Here are some paint suggestions for achieving this look.


Gray Beige colors from Benjamin Moore

 
Benjamin Moore Gray Cashmere
Southern Accents
 I'm a huge fan of this soft gray beige!

Rae and Johnny
 A nursery from Rae and Johnny blog - love the wide horizontal stripe on the wall.


 
another lovely choice
Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray


A great warm white - also from Benjamin Moore:
A truly lovely gray beige - and their most popular:


Best wishes to you and your little bundle of joy!  

To all of you:  I hope I was able to help.  Please send photos!   I'd love to see how it all turns out...

Best wishes!

Claudine









21 comments:

  1. Fabulous as usual, Claudine! Thanks for sharing all your wonderful ideas and talents! xoxox Julia

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  2. Great suggestions. Love the color options. Loving the grays. Wonderful post!

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  3. Thanks Julia, Renee and Angela. I hope it helps them!

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  4. From Sara W:
    What gray would you use with a red sofa in a room with golden oak trim? (Don't love the trim, but it's here and I have to work with it because I'm not motivated enough to change it)

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  5. Hi Sara W:
    Depending on how much color you want on your walls - for a darker wall - Storm Gray, a good medium tone is Edgecomb, lighter - try Stonington. (all Benjamin Moore paint colors)

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  6. You have beautiful ideas! I am going through a divorce and need to update my sad looking bedroom (literally and figuratively)! I have a very small budget. I like things simple and am drawn to cozy country atmospheres. I want a cheerful color but not something I will tire of quickly. I have dark hardwood floors, white quilt bedding and brown wood furniture. I am thinking restoration hardware atmosphere. What do you think? Would a grey be too drab? The trim is BM white dove and much of house is BM camouflage. Should I change trim to crisp white? Any suggestions would be welcome!

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  7. Awesome Post...Many homeowners consider their home to be their favorite place in the world. It is the place where your heart belongs, so you try to make your home as beautiful and comfortable as possible.

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  8. i have oak cabinets, black counters, black appliances, accents of brushed nickel....what color should my curtains and walls be.. i thought of a very light grey for the walls and silver curtains. any suggestions would be appreciated. thank you

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  9. Lovely visuals!

    Have no idea how to ask for your help, but here goes....
    I'm stuck with an exterior paint choice conundrum.

    I have an 1840's cape house with cedar shingles (newly replaced) on the south facade, which are weathering down to a lovely, soft, silver gray tone. The other facades have clapboards which are to be painted. I'm having great difficulty finding a grey paint which will not be jarring with the weathered shingles. Unfortunately one "viewplane" from the well traveled street allows passersby to see both the clapboards and a shingled rear wing. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for considering my request!

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  10. very sorry english very basic. first time at this site, good good
    post. ^_^ wishes from Ukraine
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    ReplyDelete
  11. Hello.

    Looking for some advice as to what color bed spread and curtains to put with my new Sea Haze colored walls in my master bedroom? I have brought home two sets and both were just way to dark silver. It is Benjamin Moore's Sea Haze. I just can not find a good color to match it up with??? Help!
    Sincerely,
    Tara at tararobertson@bellsouth.net

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  12. Great post! I am actually getting ready to across this information, is very helpful my friend. Also great blog here with all of the valuable information you have. Keep up the good work you are doing here. washer repair Los Angeles

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  13. Hi, Can you tell me about the curtains in the bathroom photo above that is labelled Farrow & Ball Lamp Room Gray?

    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unfortunately I cannot find any information on the curtains.

      Delete
  14. Good info. Lucky me I ran across your blog by chance
    (stumbleupon). I have saved as a favorite
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  15. This is an interesting and very informative topic. Thanks for sharing you thoughts on this issue. Keep it up, looking forward to read another one in the future

    andrew
    best kitchen remodelers in college station

    ReplyDelete
  16. The Swiss Coffee paint color you reference in the first kitchen photo looks lovely. I'm looking for just this sort of color for my kitchen cabinets and the trim throughout my house. Can you share the manufacturer? Is it Benjamin Moore? Thank you! Great blog!

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  17. I a repainting an older home that hasn't been updated in over 30 years. I originally felt that Revere Pewter would help the update. The house has an awkward layout, with lower ceilings in the entrance way that step down into a large living area (with dim light). There then is a step up coming out of living area into a long dining area. I wanted to paint the two shorter walls Revere Pewter and the longer walls a lighter version . I had it mixed to be lighter. I tested it on the walls today and the lighter one is coming across baby blue. I wanted to use that color as the main color on the entrance way as well...since it is a closed in feeling when you walk in. Is there a light grey that would work with the RP? I was thinking just a neutral light beige may work and use the RP as accent walls on both of the shorter walls. My head hurts!!! lol! Can you tell me if you know of a lighter color grey that will work with RP ( and not look blue) or a neutral beige?
    Also, I am choosing carpet and wood flooring.. what undertones should they be?

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  18. It looks beautiful! You have great taste!
    Thanks for sharing it.Princess Carriage Beds

    ReplyDelete

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