Today’s decorating dilemma:
We live in a two story open floor design. We have a light beige carpet throughout most of the house, except for the foyer and kitchen area that divide the middle of the house which has wood flooring. Depending on the time of day the carpet has a slight pink hue.
We are having trouble finding the right wall color everything we see seems to clash, perhaps we are choosing the wrong hue? I am looking for a nice neutral color that can be used in several rooms (ie, two story great room, living room and adjoining dining rooms etc.) that won’t clash with the carpet. Any suggestions? Warm Regards, Cindy
Kate suggests:
Cindy, you are not alone when it comes to feeling frustrated when trying to find a wall color that matches beige carpet. The main reason people have difficulty is that they cannot determine the undertone of the carpet or the paint or both.
If you have a carpet with yellow undertones and a wall color with (more…)
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As my son turns eighteen today I’ve been enjoying the memories of his many past birthday celebrations and in my mind’s eye I can recall the warm colors of fall always in the background.
In honor of TJ I’ve created some autumn-inspired color schemes that remind me of him.
While fall colors are often very brilliant the more muted hues are (more…)
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Today’s color dilemma…
We have a rather large bedroom which includes a fireplace with standard, red/pinkish brick surrounded by a medium cherry/maple color mantle. There is also a bay window, also surrounded by cherry/maple trim. We have medium cherry stained furniture, dresser and panel bed, from Restoration Hardware more of an arts and crafts style.
The walls are currently a mauve color, probably to pick up the color in the brick. There is also a master bath (very small) off the bedroom, also in the mauve/pink paint. We plan to completely re-do the bathroom, but have not tackled that project yet.. Please suggest a paint color scheme for both the bath and bedroom, as I am stuck! Thanks,
Monique
Barbara suggests…
I understand your dilemma, and the desire to arrive at a decision for a color scheme for your bedroom and master bathroom.
Your description indicates a dominance of red-based colors, from the fireplace to the mantel, to the furniture. My thought is that rather than “pick up the color in the brick,” I’d recommend that you use colors that complement the brick and not try to replicate its color. (more…)
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Today’s color dilemma…
I have more of a question than a comment. I have an open floor plan with all white walls that are making me crazy. I NEED color!
I want the rooms to flow, but be distinct. The front room gets a lot of sun and has oak colored bookcases, and a little darker piano. I would like to do a sage(ish) green, pale yellowish and raspberry-reddish colors. It flows into the kitchen with one wall that connects via a vaulted ceiling. The kitchen has med. wood cabinets, black countertops, and stainless steel appliances.
The current decor is sort of country(ish) with black, red and goldish yellow. The living room shares the same wall as the front room and kitchen, and currently has a reddish leather couch that will have to stay and is sporting and “Americana theme” which could stay or go.
Most Pictures that will stay as part of the decor are framed in black. All rooms receive a good amount of natural light Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance! -Mindi
Barbara suggests…
Your preference is for sage green, pale yellow and raspberry-red colors, although you did not indicate where you would like these colors to be used. However, colors of the type you mention that could do well together, depending on their location, combination and proportion. I’m going to propose a couple of ways to do this:
From Benjamin Moore: (more…)
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11th Feb. '08
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Design & Decorating Resources
, Living Spaces
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Tags: blue, color-schemes, cream, full-spectrum-paint, green, interior, neutrals, orange, paint, purple, red, yellow
Authored by Ellen Kennon
The designers, architects and color consultants who have given me such support and inspiration over the years have inspired me to put together my new Full Spectrum “Designer’s Palette”.
I created these new colors with some of the countries most talented designers, architects and color consultants. The Designer’s Palette includes (more…)
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Today’s color dilemma…
I have a galley style kitchen with one large wall, a backsplash behind counter and bulkhead - these are all painted Mountain Haze by Behr. It is too drab. I want to brighten it up with some kind of red, but I don’t want it to make the kitchen look smaller.
I don’t know whether to just do the wall, just do the blacksplash, the bulkhead or all. I am thinking of keeping the Mountain Haze color probably on the bulkhead as an accent to the red I pick, but I am open to suggestions. – tre1kent
Kate suggests…
When working with accent colors in small spaces, it’s best to not go too bold to avoid creating the illusion of an even smaller space.
For your galley style kitchen I would suggest applying the accent color to the end wall. By painting this wall rather than the cabinet wall you are not narrowing the room even more but rather bringing the end closer which will also make the room appear wider.
Red could work well with your cabinets and flooring. I think a warm, rich hue will accent your existing color and allow you to bring the red you desire into the room without overpowering the space.
Some red paint color that could work well include Behr ‘Cajun Spice’, Ralph Lauren ‘Hunting Coat Red’, Valspar ‘Oatlands Upholstery Red’ and C2 ‘Tango’.
Resources:
- Behr and Ralph Lauren Paint is available at Home Depot.
- Valspar paint is available at Lowe’s. Type in your zip code to find your local Lowe’s
- For a list of C2 Paint dealers visit their website
- Do you have a color dilemma? Post it in the Makeover Gallery at RoomVues.com and you could be the next reader to have your color question answered on the Color For Your Home blog.
**Please note: Due to individual computer monitor limitations, colors seen here may not accurately reflect the paint colors. Please refer to an actual sample of the paint for an accurate rendition of the color.
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Today’s color dilemma…
“We are moving into a new apartment soon, and I am creating an office and work room for the family, which includes two boys.
I want to pick an accent color that will be stimulating, but mentally stimulating, not physically stimulating. At first I thought I would use orange (with grey/beige/white) but I think that may be a mistake because orange is thought to stimulate appetite. Yellow? Red?
Or, should I keep their work area in their bedroom, which is indigo and a mossy/celeryish not dull not bright medium green - that’s the furniture, bedding, and the rug - walls aren’t painted yet.What do you think for an accent color for the work room, and would the boys be better off working in the room that is green and blue?
Many thanks.
-Wendi
Kate suggests…
You are on the right track by beginning with thinking about the functionality of the room and the mood you want to create.
The main color in you decorating scheme sets the mood of the room. Other colors are added that enhance that mood. The gray, tan and white color scheme you mention is a good choice for a family workspace and would go nicely with red or orange accents.
A color scheme of grey/beige/white can work well for kids too as shown in these two workspaces from Pottery Barn Kids
Yellow might be another good choice because it instills optimism and sparks creative thought.
Since an accent color generally occupies less than 30% of what is seen in a room it would not cause your boys to be more hyper plus red, orange and yellow all have the positive effect of being mentally stimulating.
A shared workspace becomes “family central” with spaces to display kids latest school work and keep track of activities.
You could set up their work area in the bedroom however if you have the ability to create a workspace that is shared with your kids this is what I would recommend. It gives you the ability to each be working independently yet be together, and allows you to keep an eye that they are actually working without having it seem as though you are checking up on them.
This solution would also allow you to keep their room focused on rest and relaxation rather than work. The color scheme you have chosen already is ideal for this because cool colors like blue and green have been known in color psychology to promote relaxation, which is why they are often a popular choice for bedrooms.
Architecture for beginners wall decals
If you want to allow your boys to help decorate their space a fun option would be wall decals like the ones shown here.
I hope you find these thoughts helpful as you decorate your new apartment. I’d enjoy seeing pictures of how it all comes together.
Resources:
- Wall decals available at kidsmodern.com
- Furniture and wall organizers from potterybarnkids.com
- Do you have a color dilemma? Post it in the Makeover Gallery at RoomVues.com and you could be the next reader to have your color question answered on the Color For Your Home blog.
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RED is a sizzling color full of symbolic meanings and many hues. Whether you prefer scarlet, crimson, maroon, ruby, rose or tomato, there is a shade for everyone.
Shanghai wallpaper from Jaima Brown Home
Red creates the perfect accent for any space when paired with timeless neutrals like brown or cream.
In the 18th century red garlands and scarves were part of cultural wedding ceremonies. Chinese brides wore a traditional Kwa; a heavily embroidered formal wedding gown in red and Greek brides wore red veils, which is still customary today.
In ancient history, wearing a red painted amulet, ruby or garnet supposedly made one invincible. Red signifies love, fertility, strength, good fortune, and happiness. We often see red front doors on the outside of homes across America, instilling the influence of Feng Shui.
Persia wallpaper from Jaima Brown Home
RED demands attention, revitalize your home with the dramatic allure of color and pattern through the magic of wallpaper using a design like our lively Shanghai and Persia designs.
Find inspiRED wallpaper and home accessories at Jaima Brown Home online
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