STALKING COLOR

PERFECT GREENS

Tuscany   someday...
courtesy of Mother Nature

I love green.  Mostly I like to look out at it - in nature - but it's nice in the home too.  Certain shades are calming, but it can be vibrant, or fresh, or muted, or deep.  The current trend is to mix them together in a room.  Muted greens with citrus.  Sage with deep forest.  Olive with emerald.  
Mother nature does, and we all know she is the consummate decorator.

MELODY WANTS GRAY

Hi there!!
I discovered your AMAZING blog today when I Pinned you from Pinterest. I am now following you. (Don't be scared, only following you on Pinterest, not in real life) lol lol ha ha.

I was HOPING that because I am AMAZED at your talent and TASTE and experience, that I could maybe ask your advice on my painting project?

I am planning (soon!) to paint my living/dining/kitchen (that are all ONE ROOM!) ugh! This is going to be difficult! I would LOVE to have the kitchen/dining one color and the living another color. But I don't know how to make the transition.
I would like the living room to be a slightly darker shade (of same color family, I'm planning on GRAYS).

I have attached some pictures of our home. You will see what I mean by one BIG room. You will also see in the photos that I have a separate FORMAL dining room that will be painted as well. I plan to paint that a light-ish gray shade. The room is ENTIRELY too dark with this deep red color currently.

I do NOT plan to paint the adjacent (beige) family/front room. Just attached it for reference.
My foyer will not be changed either, it is a very pale yellow-ish beige.

Do you have any advice on shades of gray that would compliment each other for the big room. And ANY advice on how/where to split/transition the colors in the big room?
One more thing to note: I am keeping all the dark/wood furniture... except I am changing the Sofa to the one I've attached OR a DARK GRAY sofa in a very similar style. The LOVE SEAT is being replaced by TWO hi-back chairs in some sort of print, with a small table between them. Plan to remove the MASSIVE armoir/tv cabinet in the living room, to expose the window behind it.
I'm going crazy trying to figure this out.
I'm sorry for attaching so many pictures, I just wanted you to have some what of a visual of the space.
ANY help/advice would be so greatly appreciated!
Most sincerely and respectfully,
Melody Slinn
West Chicago, IL

Dear Melody,
You are so cute!  Feel free to stalk anytime! I love repainting - and you have a beautiful home with lots of wonderful details that will look beautiful in a coat of new paint!  Thank you for the photos, they really help me visualize the space.  Below are 3 popular Benjamin Moore warm grays you can consider for your big room, one from Kwal Paint and one from Sherwin Williams.  The best way to split the room is to make the far wall a focal wall and paint it a darker gray as a feature. (The fireplace wall and bay window area?) There really is no other way to divide a room like this with color.

The wonderful thing about grays is that they go well together.  From gray greens, to blues to lavenders to beiges, all the grayed down tones of these colors are so easy on the eye and so neutral you really can use several different shades and still create flow in your home.   Because you already have beige on some of the walls in your home, a gray beige (or greige) may be a good choice. 

These colors (above) all have a gray base and they all look nice together.  Grant Beige is a very popular greige, and Revere Pewter is one of their most popular grays.  I personally love those two and Hazy Skies from Benjamin Moore.  The best way to find out what will work for you is to try some samples out on the walls or on poster board to move about the room.   Look for colors that are soothing to you, or that you love and don't make too many color changes in your rooms - although you can vary the lightness or depth of the color from room to room and it will still flow beautifully.

colors from Farrow and Ball, Dulux and Crown.

I love how all these hues look together.

A darker accent wall  will serve the purpose of creating a change and break up the color palette a little.   Just make sure the color you choose goes well with your oak cabinets and flooring.  You can use that same darker more dramatic hue or one like it in your formal dining room for all the walls - [formal dining rooms are meant to be a little dramatic.]  It will create ambiance and drama in a more neutral way than the red walls you now have.

fresh white always makes gray look its best in a traditional setting

 

Toast Gray by Dulux
Sara Richardson

Benjamin Moore Taos Taupe and Stone Harbor

So, I think you are on the right course.  I hope you find the perfect colors for your rooms - please keep in touch and let us know what you decide.