PAINT COLOR

NEW COLOR FOR A FAMILY ROOM

For a while, dark walls were all the rage.  Furniture looked amazing against them, as did artwork.

They were dramatic and fun.  A whole room could be dramatic - or just one wall. 

 I noticed lately, that there are less and less 'accent' walls, 

and that dark walls are giving way to lighter, fresher colors.

Sometimes how we feel is reflected in the smallest of ways.  Like paint color.  

Things have been a little tough - economy has been down - we want change, 

we want something new and fresh and we want our burdens to be lighter

Could that be why things are lightening up around the house?

Question:

"Can u help me pick a paint color for my family room. The floors are dark mahogany the leather sectional is chocolate/winey color. The furniture has black and wood accents. Room has 5 windows in
it so there is a ton of sunshine! All woodwork is white. Most rooms in my house are in the gold brown family. Open for any suggestions"

Answer:

Your room is just crying for a cool grey tone.  Grey will look amazing with the chocolate/wine and black furniture, the mahogany floors, and the white woodwork.  Greys come in an amazing assortment of hues and there are many that will flow nicely from the rest of the gold/brown  hues of your home.  Here are a few ideas for you to consider:



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soft grey blue - perfect with dark woods and white

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soft grey walls go nicely with browns, blacks and wines

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brave?  a light filled room can handle a deeper color - try charcoal

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soft grey green - will go well with all of your colors

Seafoam Storm   [Valspar (Lowe's)]
is a lovely color to try
a greyed down blue/green

Pale Smoke [Benjamin Moore]
a light and misty grey

Grant Beige and Bennington Gray  [Benjamin Moore]
are both well loved colors in the grey beige family
that go well with the colors you already have

Revere Pewter [Benjamin Moore]
one of the best ethereal greys

Grassland [Sherwin Williams]
grey with a soothing touch of green

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Kendall Charcoal [Benjamin Moore]

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Good luck on choosing a new wall color!  Best wishes...

WALL COLORS FOR OAK TRIM

Question:

"Love all the pics and ideas!! HOWEVER, I'm having a really hard time finding paint colors to go with light oak trim. It seems every paint sample is displayed against painted white trim. While it looks great with white trim, it doesn't look so good with oak trim. I've struggled with this in every house we have lived in, as we love the natural wood feeling, not the painted kind so we buy houses that have natural trim. Is there any help you could give me with my huge dilema?? It has kept me from ever painting the walls in any of our houses, as I don't know what color to use. We have black leather furniture and light oak trim and cabinets.. good color for the livingroom, which is connected to the kitchen?!?!? BTW, love your blog!!!!!"

Answer:

Thank you so much!  So happy you are enjoying the blog!  I answered a similar question  to yours a while back - go to http://yournestdesign.blogspot.com/2011/08/decorating-questions-from-readers.html for some suggestions - and here are a few more.  With light oak trim, it is important to remember that the oak is generally yellow or orange in tone - I would go to a cooler tone to compliment those tones - such as the gray-blue-green families.   I would stay away from reds, oranges, yellows - that is too warm  like the wood tone and just raises the heat in the color realm, brings your walls toward you and does not show off the wood that you so love.  The black furniture is neutral and will go well with just about any color you choose. 

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Grey is a lovely way to go.
It won't clash and it won't look like you are living in the 80's
it will be a calm compliment to the warm wood

  

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this particular shade is ashen green from Ellen Kennon paints
but it illustrates how a nice bluey-green color goes well with warm wood tones 

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and blues with a little less green in them also look nice against the woods
(but I would add some fresh whites to this to freshen it a little)

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another Ellen Kennon hue - Edgewood Green
nicely shows calm and cool against the oak

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this grey/beige tone called Mushroom (Ellen Kennon paint)
works because the grey keeps it on the 'cool' side

 

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want to really cozy up a room?  go deep and dark with grey
or navy - both will look amazing with your oak trim

  

Knoxville Gray - Benjamin Moore
a deep gray/blue will also work -
provided there is some 'fresh white' as well
otherwise it just looks too 80's
but the white doesn't have to be woodwork
it can be furnishings, fabrics, accessories



Slate (Restoration Hardware)
that goes for a deeper grey, too.  Bring in some fresh white in accessories,
bedding, or furnishings and it will say 'current' instead of 'out-dated'
and even though the 'trim' in this room isn't oak, the floor is and you can see how nicely this color goes with it.

Hope that helps you bring some color into your home!