…Other Color Questions
Thanks for visiting my blog. I would love to help you. I answer questions on any one room or a home’s exterior (siding, trim, accent color) for $30 per color dilemma (roof selection is a separate $30 payment). Click on the secure PayPal button below for your convenience. After receiving payment, I will answer your question directly on the blog. Working together, we can save you from costly mistakes and unnecessary trips to the paint store. Let me help you with your color challenges. -Barbara, Your Home & Color Coach
Thank you! Scroll to the bottom of this page and type your question in the box (include a photo link if you can or send a photo to yourcolorcoach@gmail.com). After I receive notification of payment, I will answer your question.
Your Home & Color Coach 
Long room layout –multipurpose. Hello, perhaps you or your readers could help. I can provide more details later. We have one long room on the bottom floor of a multi level home. The room is large and long and needs to serve two primary purposes. The first is a living/den/entertainment section and at the far end of the room a section for housing guests. We were thinking that on the nearest end there could be a gaming table etc. the middle section some couch/chair/type grouping facing a large wall unit with electronic entertainment and at the far end of the room — either a Murphy bed or a sofa bed arrangement. The dilemma is if there is a sofa bed and if we need another sofa type thing to watch entertainment from how would you do that. Also we thought there could be a rod across the room to hang luxurious curtains ala Schraeger which can be drawn across the sleeping area for privacy if one partner is sleeping and the other watching tv. No guests the room is for everyone to hang out. Guests present the entire room is theirs. Can anyone help? Thanks.
Hi Paula,
If your room is truly long enough, you can easily have three distinct zones, including two conversation areas with two different sofas. But I do like the Murphy bed idea if the end of the room is really only used when you have guests.
Just choose a palette and mix and match around the space so that although you have three different areas in the room, the space has flow.
I think you have a great plan!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Dear Barbara,
I have a painter coming to start painting my two story traditional brick home with partial wood siding on the first floor and all wood siding on the second floor. The brick color is an antique red with orange undertones. The roof is charcole gray. Currently the siding, garage door and front door are are all white. I would like to add some color and have thought about a sage green but worry this will be too much with the brick color. Can you suggest some color possibilities for the siding, garage door, trim and front door? My home is on a large lot in the country.
The bottom story has wood siding in the middle (surrounding the front door) and brick on each side.
Thanks,
Susan
Stella1701@Att.net
Hi Susan,
How about Ben Moore’s Tyler Taupe HC-43 for your siding and garage door color with Navajo White for the trim and Georgian Brick HC-50 for the front door (if that color is in your brick, that is). That color combination will really warm up your house.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Barbara,
Thanks for the suggestions. I really like the
Navajo White for the trim and the Georgian Brick for the door is beautiful. I am not so crazy about the Tyler Taupe ( I don’t like to orange/gold color. I can send some pictures of my house and the brick color to you (is there an email address? I don’t know how to attach a file here). Do you think I could use a nantucket gray (HC 111) or Sag Harbor Gray (HC 95) in place of the Tyler Taupe? If not, do you have any other suggestions?
Barbara,
I bought a sample of Nantucket Grey and found it to be more of a taupe (brown/yellow) color too, which I don’t like. Do you think Weekend Getaway (Benjaimn Moore 473) would work with my brick color?
I can send you pictures of the house if you would like. I have painters arriving at 10 am tomorrow and I do not have colors slected. Please help!
Susan
Hi Susan,
I like the Weekend Getaway (it’s a beautiful green) but if you really don’t like so much yellow , check out Kennebunkport Green (HC-123). I hope the painters have some prep work to do before painting starts — good luck!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi again Susan,
I wouldn’t worry about using green with your brick. It’s usually a very pleasing combination.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
I currently have blue shutters/garage color and would like a change. My house is light gray siding and the new roof is dark gray/with black. I have a fiberglass door with the top half is glass with gold trim. The door is “faux” wood look. I am tired of the blue shutters but with the wood looking door I don’t know what color to do the shutters and garage.
Thanks
Hi Susan,
Have a look at the sophisticated colors like Ben Moore’s Ashley gray (HC-87) and Kingsport gray (HC-86). They might help to bridge the warm/cold gap between the gray house color and the brown “wood” door.
Worth a try. See how it looks.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
I’m not sure where to go with my backsplash. I have baltic brown granite, ivory painted cocoa glazed cabinets and my paint color is SW Restrained Gold. Appliances are black. The granite is dark & a busy pattern. Should I go with a darker backsplash or lighter? I’m thinking mosaic tile would be too busy with this granite although I love the look of it.
I also love the subway tile look but again probably too busy. I would appreciate any advice you can give me! Thank you!
Hi Jackie,
Since your cabinets are light (both top and bottom), hava a look at either a glass or metalic-looking tile in one of the deeper tones from your granite. It sounds like that would add drama. I love the glazed cabinets but I think you’ll need large darker tiles along the backsplash. You can use grout in the same color to avoid a busy look. Subway size is fine. You’re right, mosaic would be busy with your granite.
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color coach
Barbra,
I like the advice I see you give in response to the questions posted so I would like your opinion on the house we are currently building. I would like to send a picture of it but am not sure how to post it on your site. The house is in the country on three acres with a white barn with a green roof and a white vinyl fence along the front property line. We have quite a few tree oak trees around the house. The house is 1 1/2 stories with a large porch and 5 dormers. The front and side of the garage will be drystack stone, the roof is forrest green, the windows will be white, we will be using hardi plank siding with hardi shake shingles in the gables. What do you suggest colorwise for the siding, trim, stone? If you send me your email, I will send a picture, it might help with any details I may have missed. Thanks for any help you can offer.
Hi Cliff,
You can email me at bmeglis@yahoo.com and I’ll be happy to take a look at your photo.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
All of our house walls are Pratt and Lambert Chamois with designer white trim. What color would be nice to accent a wall with? Thanks
Hi Pam,
With your Chamois walls, you have lots of options for accent colors: dark chocolate brown, rust, eggplant purple, and of course black. And don’t forget a rich red — it’s a classic combination with Chamois.
But honestly, all you need to do is find some really great art or a rug that you’d like to put into the room and take your accent colors from those pieces.
Good luck.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Before posting a comment,
+++PLEASE READ LATEST POST+++
AUGUST 29th, for changes to blog
Hi,
I have a question re paint. I have an open floor plan, so kitchen, living, dining rooms all flow into each other.
Right now I have taupe colored leather couch and chair.
I painted the walls when I first got the house a recommended Bleeker Beige. Now I feel it is too similar to the furnishings.
My other colors tend towards blues and greens. I have natural golden oak floors. I’d love to change color of walls. Anything that would get me away from straight beige that you can recommend?
Hi,
I have a one story brick house (The pictures were sent to bmeglis@yahoo.com a couple of days ago). The brick has brown, grey and red in it. I am wondering if you could help me to choose a roof color as well as the exterior paint color. I don’t like the color of the garage door we have right now (cream color). It draws all the attention to the garage for the curb. Do you have color suggestions for the roof as well as the house (garage and porch) and trim?
Thanks so much.
Jean
Hi Jean,
I love your sandy brick color. It’s beautiful! I suggest leaving the trim color cream as it’s in the brick and provides nice contrast. However, I agree that the cream garage is way too prominent. I suggest a color like Ben Moore’s Alexandria Beige (HC-77), which is in your brick but a much darker color than the cream. The darker shade on the garage door should blend it with the brick better and make the garage less prominent. As for a roof, I like either Heather Blend or Black Walnut (both Certainteed) as they bring out the warm tones in your brick and coordinate nicely. See what you think. The Alexandria Beige can also go on a porch or other painted area that is not trim color.
I cannot really see your front door in the photo but you can pick up the rust color from the brick– Mayflower Red (HC-49) should work great. You might also trim back some of the tree branches and other shrubbery (although lush) around the entry area so guests will have a clear shot to the front door.
Hope that helps. And thank you again.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
I have a living room (with White Dove Crown Molding) in Lenox Tan. I like that BUT
I am uncertain as to what color to paint the rest (which all is open to one another):
1.) the hallways
2.) the kitchen (I am thinking Audobon Russett but it IS very STRONG/Orange)
3.) the sunporch (it is presently Shaker Beige but seems too close to the Lenox Tax and is turning peachish)
4.) the dining room presently is a grey/blue purple like excalibur gray 2118-50, I am open to changing it if you can think of a better color. It has wainscotting in white dove along the bottom half. It is a rather smallish room with little windows.
The living room and sun porch open to one another and the sun porch gets alot of light. The sun porch has and orangish undertone (subtle) beige tile on the floor.
The kitchen has white cabinetry in White Dove with black granite countertop. It is a small gally kitchen with little wall space.
THere is a hallway between the kitchen in livinging/sunroom and another hallway off the kitchen on the other side (to the back door).
IT is a smallish colonial from the 50’s– the ceiling aren’t too high.
Can you help? I like a clean look– and don’t want the entire house to become dark — too beige– too drab. I like it livable– but with some style.
Hope you can help. Painter comes monday!
Thank you,
Nancy
Hi Nancy,
You have a wonderful start to your color palette. I love the Lenox Tan with White Dove and the purple-gray of Excalibur Gray. Now, since your house is a colonial with narrow hallways (I presume), I would paint them Bone White. It’s a nice neutral that will lighten up the hallways and connect well with the other rooms. Then for the kitchen, have a look at Papaya (957). It has a little bit of yellow without going too far and it will add some artificial “sunlight” to your galley kitchen. You might also take it over to the sunroom. Again, it’s a warm cheerful color without going too yellow in the sun.
Then once you have your neutral (plus purple) palette running through the public areas of your house, you can really add some color! Bring some purple shades into both the living room and the sunroom (that will tie in the dining room color). Then bring some of the russet color you mentioned and other warm shades into all the rooms. Keeping the palette relatively consistent throughout the downstairs area will make your colonial seem more open and yes, bigger. Also, you’ll find that you can move furniture from room to room and everything goes together. Great for adding extra seating from dining room to living room, etc.
Hope that makes sense and gets you ready for the painter who arrives tomorrow!
Thanks, Nancy.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Barbara,
I have a 3 story contemporary townhome My stairwell wall is a very bold color… Benjamin Moore Shadow (2117-30). I am looking for a contemporary, chic grey color for the hallway on the first level. It is currently painted Thundercloud (2124-40). It’s not bad, but it comes across way too blue with the minimal lighting I have (two one bulb globes) in the entry hall. What would be a better option as a complimentary color for the Shadow? I am looking for a color that you might see in a chic hotel lobby. Thanks for your help.
Hi Dale,
Have a look at Gray Owl (OC-52). It’s what I would consider a very sophisticated, hard-to-pin-down color. It’s gray with a little green in it (no blue) and it looks terrific with the deep purply Shadow color of your stairwell. It’s also light enough to keep the entry hall bright even with minimal lighting. Grays are very popular now and they serve as a wonderful backdrop for other colors, whites, dark woods, and silver-toned metals. Hope this one works for you. If we need to tweak it, just let me know.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Barbara — Thanks for you help with our exterior. Loved the Fireweed color for the door and the confidence you gave me in picking the color for the gutters and trim. Thanks.
I just sent a new donation because I want your help with the interior color selection, too. I’ll add some photo links at the end of this message to show you what we’ll be painting on the interior, but now it’s mostly drywall.
I want to go with a warm neutral scheme on the interior. I have a couple of accent colors in mind. We are using all Sherwin Williams colors because that’s what the painter uses and the shop is close by.
The accent colors I would like to use are tigereye (6362) and ryegrass (6423). I have some walls/rooms I’ve picked out for those. The rest I want to do in using one set of neutral colors — variations on the same theme. I have picked SW fan page #22 — using relaxed khaki, universal khaki, quiver tan, wool skein, superior bronze. I bought samples and painted them on the walls. But on some days these are looking rather gray to me (esp. relaxed khaki and universal khaki which I had planned to use the most of).
I am thinking about trying to warm it up just a little bit from here. I have also tried basket beige and favorite tan. I found the favorite tan too yellowish. I did not like the basket beige at first, and now I’m not sure what to think of it. I’ve also considered: whole wheat and latte — but haven’t tried those yet.
A few other points:
The floors will be minwax special walnut (on red oak — it will probably mellow-yellow over time)
The house is pretty shady. It has some sun tunnels in the main living space for extra light, but often light is indirect.
We will be using mostly compact fluorescent lighting.
All the cabinets are natural maple, save one piece that is expresso (a built in desk in the kitchen — not visible in the photos).
I like the bronze shade on the fan page 22 for the trim on the screened porch, so I’d like to be able to work that in (or something similar).
I could stick with the khaki hues — if you think that they will be fairly warm when they cover a whole wall.
The interior trim will be a white shade (not yet chosen — open to suggestions!).
We like earth tones and a casual feel.
Photos can be found here:
Overall, I want it to be warm neutral, but not too warm or too yellow. I like the khaki, but occasionally look at it and just see gray.
I look forward to hearing your suggestions!
Kristin
A couple of other colors I forgot:
Countertops will be a medium grey color very similar to Ceaserstone concrete.
Kitchen backsplash will be white frosted glass with green and light brown glass accent pieces mixed in.
Hi Kristin,
I like your accent colors. You might also consider adding teal as an accent, either with pillows or other accessories (a color similar to SW 0017 Calico). As for the walls connecting the accent-colored areas, I took a look at the khaki strip (#22) and I think it’s a little muddy to go with your crisp Ryegrass green. Plus with the compact fluorescent lights, there may be green overload (I know they’ve improved the technology but compared to incandescents, the fluorescents are still green to me — can’t wait for that to change!). Anyway, I do like strip #18 with Whole Wheat that you mentioned. I particularly like Believable Buff as it has enough yellow in it to lighten up hallways but not too much yellow or green. Should be good with both your cabinets and your floors since you have an open floorplan. The other choices you mentioned still had a lot of khaki/gray green.
After looking at your photos, I see why you picked the khaki palette — very sophisticated and goes well with both cabinets and hardware. But it is a bit gray for low-light areas and I’m just not crazy about mixing the khakis with the clearer greens. Swampy-looking. So in isolation with your cabinets and floor, the khakis might work (with enough lighting), but bumping up against your accents colors might be unpleasant.
As for whites, have a look at Alabaster. It has a touch of cream to warm it up but it’s white enough to make your vivid colors pop.
I think that covers it. See what you think.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Barbara — Thanks. Will go and try out the whole wheat and believeable buff this afternoon. You articulated what I couldn’t about what was bothering me with the khaki — very sophisticated, but it just wasn’t doing well with the lighting. Swampy — exactly. I still need a dark accent shade for the screened porch trim — we’ll be doing the beams (celing) and posts with this color and it needs to tie in with the exterior gray color of the siding (which it is close to). I haven’t finalized the siding color yet, but you had suggested a light to medium gray. And I was thinking about going with a khaki shade out there (so it tied with the beams), or cargo pants, or one of the beige shades that is on the gray side. That way the inside would tie to the outside at the screened porch. What do you think about picking the screened porch trim and tying it with the siding color? (for rest of exterior, you had suggested a grayish white for trim and fireweed for front door)
Kristin
Forgot to mention that I was thinking about superior bronze on the screen porch trim and really liked it. Maybe we should keep the porch in the khaki shades as a transition from interior (whole wheat shades) to exterior (more gray).
Hi Kristin,
I think that sounds like a really good idea. Should work.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Great. I like the alabaster you suggested. Would you use that for trim and ceilings — or just the trim and use a plain ceiling white on the ceilings?
Hi Kristin,
The finish will be different for trim and ceiling. I suggest a semi-gloss for the trim and then a flat ceiling paint. If you decide you’ll need extra light in the room, use a super white (or ultra white) ceiling paint for maximum reflection and light in the room. Or you can certainly use Alabaster in a flat finish.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
The photo link in my message above only linked to the exterior photo. This one should show the interior shots:
http://krowles.smugmug.com/Other/New-Roof/10199360_AyuFF/1/702616068_deGjb
HI Barbara–
I’m happy to donate for help with our color problem. We’re almost finished with the partial renovation of our kitchen in our 1913 Georgian style colonial in Swampscott, MA. We’ve painted our cabinets Benjamin Moore white dove, replaced flooring with four inch wide red oak in medium finish, added Giallo Napoleane granite (cream with black, brown and mahogany accents) on perimeter cabinets to contrast the existing black/green Ubatuba on the cooktop peninsula, will be adding white subway tile as backsplash and brass hardware and bin pulls. We also have added cherry butcher block countertop on a new area of cabinets, we have a cherry dining table, black chairs and a black painted hutch with blue interior to show off my collection of Droll Design. The kitchen was painted BM hawthorn yellow before but it now looks too green with the red tones of the floor. We’d like to stay with a yellow–windows over sink are west facing and glass door to deck is north facing–and we like the warm look in winter– We keep our temps in chilly range in winter (but no AC–just fans in summer). We like strong colors–think of New England woods in fall (red hall off kitchen leading to Salem Gray entry; TV room on other side of kitchen is Buckland Blue). Some appliances–sink, refrigerator, exhaust hood are stainless–dishwashers and wall oven are white. Not sure what other details would be helpful.
We’ve tried BM Country Comfort–seems to be a bit peach-y as opposed to yellow–but it picks up floor color and it has warmth. Any other suggestions? Should we go lighter? Darker? Do you need photo to judge?
Looking forward to your replay.
Thanks so much.
(After this, our next big job in spring is painting exterior!)
Best,
Laurie
Hi Laurie,
I understand why the Hawthorne Yellow seemed a bit green in your kitchen — it’s pretty lemony. Have a look at Traditional Yellow (170), a real favorite as it has just enough warmth to avoid that harsh lemony look, but it’s not all the way to peach. If you really like strong color, you can bump it up a notch to Sweet Butter (171). I used that color on a living room with big red sofas and white curtains and it was amazing. Very warm and cheerful. It is strong, though, and not a whole lot different from the Country Comfort — just a bit yellower.
Another option is to make your kitchen a bit of a break from the surrounding color by picking up the cream in the Giallo Napoleane and using something like San Mateo Beaches (924) for the wall color. There’s still contrast with the White Dove cabinets, but it’s a softer look. Then the darker tones in the granite and the other richer colors will stand out more. As will your surrounding rooms, the blue TV room and the red hallway. Without seeing the room, I might lean in that direction. But having said that, you can certainly use a strong color on the walls since you have white cabinets that will balance the strong color and be a real feature.
See if one of those works. If not, send a photo and we’ll have another look.
Thanks again Laurie.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
We are wanting to decorate girl nursery in pink and brown.
Chest and dresser/changer are shabby chic white. Crib is new and is expresso color. glider and ottomen wood is expresso, small table next to glider is shabby chic white
we were thinking of painting 3 walls some color of brown and having a white chair rail on all 3 walls. One wall will be painted a light pink, this is where the dark brown crib will be placed. Was thinking about putting a shabby chic white floor corner shelf in corner behind glider. What do you think of these ideas? Please guide us in the right way before we spend our budgeted money and then not like it.
The new mother to be is getting anxious over the dark and white furniture mixture. what do you think? I need your advice quick!!! Baby is due in April!!!! We are so excited!!
Maybe we are getting carried away. Thanks for your help!!
Hi Brenda,
If you paint three walls brown and one pink (the focal wall), I’m afraid the furniture will all blend into the walls except for the crib against the pink wall. Also, the room might feel a bit closed in. Another idea might be to paint the area beneath the chair rail (or white stripe) a dark chocolate all the way around the room and paint the upper area ice pink (or the pink from your bedding) all the way around the room. Then you could paint different-sized chocolate brown spots randomly on the pink walls. If even that much chocolate makes the furniture disappear, you could paint all the walls pink, top to bottom, and then paint a dark chocolate wide (18-inch) stripe around the room about two-thirds of the way up the wall. Again paint the spots randomly. Then all your dark brown furniture will stand out against the pink walls (nice) and the white furniture will serve as an accent and tie in the white chair rail and other bedding.
Hope that helps get you started. I love the brown and pink combo for girls. Very elegant.
Congratulations and best of luck on the birth of your baby!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
What color should I paint my living room walls,having all blue furniture and oak trim on fireplace with stone.
Hi Patricia,
If you want your furniture to blend and the oak trim on the fireplace to stand out, try a light grey-blue on your walls. Something like Ben Moore’s Gentle Gray. It should make the stonework and the mantle stand out as the focal point that it is.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
I am wondering what color we should paint our front door. We just built a new home and I greatly regret not choosing a brown. Based on what most websites say we made the wrong choice choosing a charcoal gray roof for our beige home. However, I can say that I think that our home matches our environment. We live in Rock City Falls. The name speaks for itself!
So our roof is charcoal gray, siding is tuscan clay (beige) and our trim is called natural linen (an off white, or very very very light tan). I have a picture to email to you but I am not quite sure how to do it. Computers aren’t my thing. I know how to attach it to an email but not a link. Also wondering when we paint our front door if we should paint on the sides of the door where the windows are.
Thanks for your time,
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
First of all, don’t fret about the charcoal gray roof. It’s classic and will go with anything. Not to worry.
Next, yes, you can send me a photo attached to an email at bmeglis@yahoo.com. I will have a look and give you an idea for your front door and sidelights. What brand of siding or paint did you use?
More soon.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
I sent you an email with the photo attched last night. I will send again just in case you didn’t get it. Our siding is Alside.
Thanks!
Hi Jennifer,
When I look at your house, I see a big beautiful pink-blossomed ornamental tree in your front yard and a coordinating front door, something like Ben Moore’s Ciao Bella (1187), a dusty grayed-down rose that would look absolutely stunning with your siding color and roof. The peach family would also work with associated landscaping colors and a front door of Ansonia Peach HC-52 or the darker Audubon Russet HC-51.
If those warm colors are not your taste and you want to keep a neutral, more contemporary house palette, there’s Kendall Charcoal HC-166, a gray with some brown in it — a nice complement to your color scheme. But you’ll need to put a colorful wreath on that front door (just like you would with a black door). It’s a classy, traditional look for people who prefer a splash of accessory color on a very neutral background.
Blue will also work, something like Philipsburg Blue HC-159, which has a lot of gray in it — a nod to the roof color — but is clearly a very pleasant New England blue.
You might consider planting some larger shrubs along your foundation. I see juniper and some other low-growing shrubs (and I know you just moved in…), but you’ll want to break up the horizontal line of plantings along the front with some various sizes, shapes and colors. And don’t forget about that tree in the front yard. You’ll love the look in the spring!
Hope that gets you started. And thanks again.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Thanks, I am looking forward to checking out the colors. There is actually a pink hydrangea tree planted off of the front corner of the house. Should we also paint the sides of the front door, the parts with the windows?
Thanks for the advice!
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
Oops, forgot to respond to that question about the “sidelights” on either side of the front door. No, keep those trim color (white). Sometimes you see wood doors with sidelights included (all wood color), but that’s really an exception at this point. The front door needs to be framed out in the trim color so that it stands out. Just paint the front door.
Hope that clarifies.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi:
I have a 2 story brick home. The brick is multi, brown, spash of black, tan color mortor. I need 2 new lights on either side of teh front door and 2 on either side of the garage. What color should I use. I do like the brass which I will be removing but would another color look better. The shutters and door are a burgandy color.
Thank you
Hi Pat,
Black is best — make sure the lights are big enough for your house/garage. I’ll be talking about scale soon in my post — thanks for the segue.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
I’m painting two bathrooms and I’m lost with colors.
Bathroom #1 is light travertine floor and shower, oil rubbed bronze fixtures and mirrors. I want green but i’m not sure of shade to use. Bathroom is 6′ x 14′, maple vanity which I’d like to glaze or something. Suggestions for greens? This is a well used bath and i don’t want it to be too dark.
Second bath is smaller, white porcelain w/grey vein tile, white vanity, no vanity top yet. Suggestions for color in here??? Both walls and vanity top suggestions appreciated.
Final question pertains to kitchen/great room combo. Kitchen has white cabinets, carmen red counters, stainless appliances. Table is black wood. Family room has large sage entertainment center, 10′ pale yellow sofa, red stripe sofa and different red stripe chair. Both rooms are completely white.
I would love to do an accent wall in both kitchen and greatroom but have no idea how i could add another color.
Any suggestions would be appreciate.
Thanks so much for you time and ideas.
Hi Trish,
For your first bathroom, how about Ben Moore’s Natures’ Essentials (1521)? It’s a light, soothing gray-green that should go beautifully with your travertine floor and contrast with the oil rubbed bronze. For bathroom #2, how about Gentle Gray (1626)? It too should go well with the grey vein tile and white fixtures. As for the vanity top, there are beautiful marbles that would coordinate well with the floor. Or there’s always granite in the blue family (or neutral). Sometimes granite dealers will charge less for small remnants from bigger jobs. Check it out. You could get a really great deal on a beautiful natural stone.
For the kitchen/great room, how about bringing the sage from the entertainment center into the kitchen for an accent wall? Then you could use the pale yellow from the sofa on the living room accent wall. As long as you use a color that’s already in the palette, you have several to choose from. Sounds like a happy house! I love those!
Hope that helps. And thank you again.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
We’re re-roofing and repainting the exterior of our brick house. The front of the house faces north, so not much light. The brick colours range from mostly medium/dark browns to some intense orange colours, and a few grey tones. (the house was built in Toronto in the 1930’s)
I would like to do something contemporary, but subdued. I like the idea of a blue/black front door. We have an open porch with square wood columns, and lots of wood trim around our windows. Our door has a sidelight on each side.
Some of the homes in our area are painted taupes/mortar colours. I’d prefer something a bit more unique and somewhat fresh, without being glaring or garish.
Catherinew
Hi Catherine,
Would it be possible to send a photo to my email bmeglis@yahoo.com so I can check your brick color? I can certainly give you some ideas for making your house a little more contemporary but I’d love to see a photo first. I’ll check back in a little while —
If you don’t have a photo available, I’ll give you a couple of options to try.
More soon.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Catherine,
You have a classic four-square house with lots of interesting mouldings and trims. What I’m going to suggest is a palette that you can then use to accentuate your detail around the fascia and porch. Before painting, you might want to wrap the porch columns to make them one solid column on either side of the steps. Although the historical version of the four-square does have two small columns side-by-side, the single larger columns will make your house look a little more contemporary and updated and I think that’s what you want. In terms of a palette, have a look at Ben Moore’s China white (for contrasting trim), Richmond Gold HC-41 (for the front door and possibly other trim), and Townsend Harbor Brown HC-64 (a burgundy accent color for detail against either the white or the gold). You mentioned blue/black for your door, but since it’s on the porch, you really need a warm lighter color to show up.
As for the roof, I suggest either Weathered Wood or Barkwood, whichever works with your color decisions.
Those changes should warm up your house and make it look fresh. Hope you like the result.
Thanks again.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
I have a large room that is painted antique white. My wall to wall carpeting is burgandy rose. I’m thinking about painting the accesnt wall a pale blue-gray. What do you think of that color choice? P.S. My style is victorian, and the furniture is darker shade.
Hi Sandy,
The key here is your Victorian style. With the burgundy rose carpet and antique white walls, a pale blue-gray accent wall seems quite appropriate.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi there,
My master bedroom has just been painted in Behr’s Teepee brown with white baseboards/trim. I’d like to get a nice white or cream comforter from West Elm (organic pin-tucked duvet) and accent it with various colored pillows. I have a gorgeous orangey-pink poppy print with a black frame, so i’m thinking maybe some pillows in that color. Any thoughts on cream or white and which would blend better with the mocha walls and white trim? They also have a nice “seaspray” color for the duvets and shams. My bedskirt is white.
My instinct is to buy the white duvet with two seaspray colored shams and seaspray sheets. Any thoughts on furniture and window treatments?
Thanks so much for your input!
🙂
Hi Rebecca,
Nice palette! I like the Teepee brown with white trim, and I suggest the white comforter instead of cream. The seaspray shams and sheets will add a soothing, cool tint to the bed and the orangey-pink pillows will pop against the seaspray shams. Then I suggest simple white panels or white Roman shades on the windows (you can install white privacy shades if necessary and just raise them during the daytime).
As for furniture, I’m not sure what you already have, but dark espresso wood will look great behind the light bedding and coordinate with the black picture frame. White lamp shades on either black or brushed nickel lamps will add a nice touch on the bedside tables. Then if you have any orangey-pink pottery, large shells, or other accessories to scatter the accent colors around the room (the seaspray and orange), that will help to round out the room. And don’t forget about an area rug for the floor — either one of the accent colors or a neutral (mocha) will top it off.
Hope that helps. And thanks again.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara:
We just replaced our windows.
Our house has white siding, rust/salmon brick, teal shutters, and a white garage. The roof is brown.
I am tired of the teal shutters. And below the bay window there are teal accents (to coordinate with the shutters), which I plan to change to plain slats. I would like to keep the garage white, but am open to changing that too.
I will be forwarding pictures of the house to your email at bmeglis@yahoo.com, and have provided a close-up of the entrance, so you could view the brick colour better. (The front yard is very small, and includes a Japanese lilac, which I did not capture in the pictures.)
I look forward to your suggestions on what colour to paint the shutters, front door (which currently has primer only), below the bay window, and the garage door.
Thank you,
–Janie
Hi Janie,
I definitely think you should paint your garage door because the white of your siding is creamier than the white of the garage door making the garage look a bit unfinished. Just warming it up will make a huge difference. Try Sail Cloth (Ben Moore Ext Rm) for both the garage and the panels beneath the bay. The color should be a bit richer than your siding without introducing another color.
As for shutters, black will dress up the house, go with your nice big house number (thank you!) and your roof. Then for the front door, since there’s not a lot to paint, try either Mayflower Red (HC-49) or Georgian Brick (HC-50). Blog readers know how partial I am to brick colors on brick houses. With white trim around the door, you’ll be shocked at how neat it looks!
See what you think.
And thank you again.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Dear Barbara,
We are a young freshly married couple in our 30’s and loving life! We love dark colors and very cozy spaces. We have an end unit townhouse with vaulted ceilings in the foyer and living room (18 feet). It’s an open concept (small living-dining room) but dining room’s ceiling is only 8 ft (has another window). Two big sets of floor to ceiling windows in the living room on either side of the fireplace. We get all the sun in the morning through the fireplace windows. We cannot watch TV comfortably. We are very excited but this space is a huge challenge for us. We love the color gray in different shades (dark and light) and green. I (Carolina “wife) painted one wall from the dinning room dark gray (Custom color I picked using Behr paint). I have these grays from behr (Carolina Grey and classic silver) and Benjamin Moor & Co (cinder ). Not sure about a green maybe Wasabi Powdre UL200-16m from Behr. No idea which colors to use for the living/foyer (same walls) area and dinning. We have dark finished Hardwood floors and white trim. We are looking for a more modern look (like our ceiling fan). We will replace light fixtures for stainless steel ones.
My questions are:
1). Should we paint the ceiling (18 ft) dark gray (cinder from Benjamin Moore & Co) to bring it down a little bit?
2). Could we paint one big wall (18 feet)dark gray (anonymous from Behr ultra) to get a nice contrast with our green sofa?
3). If we paint one wall dark, should I pain the other walls light gray or green or a mix?
4). We get tons of natural light, too much for us. We use this living room to watch TV and relax. More like a passive space. I want to get window treatments but I’m not sure if I have to get the same type for living and dinning room. Drapes or shades, gray, green or beige? Silk, cotton or linen? I’m totally lost (this is my first place!)
Thanks in advance for your time and help. I really appreciate it and of course if you have a completely different vision let us know.
Carolina (The asker) and Josh (the one with the paypal and money for paint and supplies)
Hi Carolina and Josh,
Congratulations on your new place! It sounds like you’re anxious to control some of that sunshine coming in through the windows and throwing glare up on the TV screens and computers. Part of that light, of course, is bouncing off your white ceiling so painting that will help. Before launching into dark gray, paint up a large poster board and stick it up on the ceiling so you can see the effect of a dark ceiling. Going half-way (you tell the paint store person you want 1/2 value) on the Cinder will definitely take away a lot of that glare without darkening the room completely. I think I’d start with that — you can always go darker!
As for the walls, I like your idea of starting with accent walls in the rich dark gray colors and then easing around the room with lighter gray. The fireplace wall in the living room should be your focal wall so a dark gray there will work. Without seeing your townhouse, I hesitate to give you specific color placement suggestions for the rest, but the best advice I can say is get a bunch of poster boards and start painting them the sample colors you mentioned. Then move them around the space until you get the effect you want.
You mentioned green on the sofa. You’ll want to add some more of that around the space. Maybe on the curtains. Tall lined panels hanging from brushed nickel or chrome rods will let you cancel out that sunlight easily. You can insert sheer shades underneath for daytime sun filtering (when you don’t want to darken the room completely).
I would also bring in lots of white and shiny silver to counterbalance the dark shades in the rooms. And maybe a cozy rug for the conversation area to bring in some additional colors.
Hope that helps. You’re off to a great start. And thank you again.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Sorry… Annonimous is the name of the color not “carolina’s gray”.
Hi Barbara –
You helped so much with the exterior for this project and now I am back to ask about the interior! So we “bumped” out the master bedroom and our daughter’s bedroom. This leaves interesting angled ceilings (which I love) with varying heights – in some places over 9 ft and much smaller height in others. Wondering what to do with the ceiling/trim colors?
On our first floor, all of our trim is Linen White and all of the ceilings are Abingdon Putty (which reads greenish on walls but not at all on ceilings). In the upstairs hallway, did Abingdon Putty on the walls and Linen White on the ceilings. My daughter wants to do Sweet Caroline (BM) – a light spring green – on her walls (bedding will be various shades of pink/green/white). For the master, I want to do something neutral but still a color with some presence and a relaxing, spa feel. I have been considering BM Edgecomb Gray, Revere Pewter, Grant Beige, Elmira White – want something a bit warm that will go with anything. My present bedding is tiffany blue and dark brown – may keep it or may go with something amethyst or dark gray.
So would you do the tint idea on the ceilings (10% of whatever color I pick) or would you do a white or Linen White? There is no ceiling moulding but I also have to choose a color for baseboard and window trim that will coordinate.
I will email you pictures separately – will also send exterior photos so you can see how well your advice turned out there! Thanks so much ~
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
Your exterior is really coming along! What a difference? Is it okay if I post your before and after pictures here on the blog? (I’ll wait ’til you’re done.) It will give inspiration to lots of people considering a major re-do.
Anyway, on to the bedrooms. When the sloped ceiling stays white, as in your before shot, your eye goes to the edge where the colored wall meets the sloped white ceiling (in some cases about 3 feet off the floor) and makes the room look like there’s a sheet thrown over it. To avoid that effect, yes, it’s best to paint the ceilings. For the master bedroom’s spa-like feel, I suggest tinting the ceiling with the wall color. The angles will still show up with the lights and shadows in the room, but the overall room will feel spacious. As for baseboard and window trim color, if you want a blended, calm effect, try China White (since these are bedrooms, you can vary the trim color from the public spaces in the rest of the house). For a crisp, white spa towel look, pick a brighter white for the trim.
For your daughter’s room, she may want a different effect. One option is to paint the walls Sweet Caroline and then pick one or two different greens from her comforter (using the same “value” or position on the row of paint chips or lighter — not darker) and paint the ceiling with those colors. The effect will be much more dramatic than in your calm restful room, but kids usually go for the wow factor! Then for the window trim, I would use crisp white to make those colors pop!
Bottom line: For your type of architecture with the dramatically sloped ceilings, anything but white up there.
Thanks again, Elizabeth, for returning and for your payment. Let me know how everything turns out.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi again Barbara –
Thanks so much for the quick reply – much appreciated! Absolutely you can post the before/afters. When I was researching, I found there are not a whole lot of great exterior before/afters on the internet and I think they are so helpful. We should be done June/July – waiting for new front door and zoning code change(!) so we can build the front door overhang. Will send photos when completely done. Ended up going with Hardie Timber Bark on the shingles and Khaki Brown on the trim. Would have never considered going that dark w/out your advice and we love it!
As for the interiors, just wondering – do you recommend eggshell on the walls and flat on the ceilings with all the slopes and angles? Also – do you have any personal experience with the BM colors I am considering for the Master – Revere Pewter, Edgecomb Gray, Grant Beige, Elmira White – or any thoughts on which of those you would pick in general (based on the look I am striving for)? Or should I also look at other neutrals? Finally, what do I tell the painter about the ceiling tint – get the wall color mixed at 10%? Not sure he has done that before?
Thanks again!
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
Yes, use eggshell on the walls and flat on the ceiling unless you prefer the velvety look of flat. If that’s the case, use Regal Matte, a washable (or at least that’s what they say) flat paint. It’s very nice but offers no relectance in the room. As for colors, the Revere Pewter is a very soft gray. Edgecomb Gray is a warmer version of a gray/tan. Grant Beige is essentially a gray green. The Elmira White is a very light version of the Grant Beige — off white with a green undertone. I suggest deciding on your bedding first and then picking a color that complements it. They’re all pretty but it depends on the rest of the room. Paint should really come last after you have the master plan in mind. Let me know if I can help you with that.
Yes, just tell the painter to ask for a tint of the wall color — which is 10% of the value of the wall color.
If you decide you want more color you can go with half value. This really applies to your daughter’s room more than yours. With your very light colors, you can just go right up over the ceiling with your wall color.
Hope that helps a little more.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
HI again –
Thanks so much for the great advice as usual. The painter comes tomorrow and I’m a little stressed! Here’s the thing – went to 2 different paint stores – they will NOT do the 10% tint! They will only do 25 – 50- 75%. So we tried the 25% and it is too much for the ceilings in the Master. The color we chose for the Master walls is BM Rodeo and doing BM Simply White for the trim. I am asking my painter to see if he can get them to do 10% for him, but if not – want a “grayish white” and am looking at BM Lacey Pearl (2108-70) for the ceiling. Unless you have another idea for a ceiling paint to go with Rodeo?
Then for my daughter’s room – tried both 25% (too yellow) and 50% (too dark) of the BM Sweet Caroline (478) for the ceilings. So looking for a “greenish white” for her ceilings since we cannot go up the color chart like we want(Sweet Caroline is 2nd on the chart). So we are looking at BM Minced Onion (2145-60) or BM Cloud Nine (2144-50). Again, any ideas are appreciated as I think we will have to go with an existing color?
Again – thanks!
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
Oh, so sorry I missed your post — I was travelling and answered emails but did not go back through the blog until now. Do you still need help with the colors or are you all set by now??
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
30 May 2010
Barb,
I have already donated. I’ll send pictures and my receipt number to your email. I need color help!
I will be getting a new roof, new gutters, and new downspouts I’ve thought about painting the exterior of my little home, but feel paralyzed when it comes to making a decision. I want to avoid getting into a high-maintenance situation that I can’t afford. However, I think my house needs some unity. The overall effect looks choppy to me, as though there are too many colors or contrasts.
Perhaps some surrounding details would help you give me better color advice. I live in a cute neighborhood of small homes where most of the houses have a sort of cottage look. Some are two story saltboxes, some are cape cods or pseudo Victorian types. Mine is a ranch situated on a lot with several mature trees. My cul de sac neighbors tend to stick with white or gray siding or red brick exteriors. Their accent colors are plum or barn red on gray and a lovely navy on the red brick. Thus, their houses look safe and traditional to me.
Somehow the patchwork look of brick and siding on my house bothers me. The brick has some beautiful colors in it, though! You probably won’t be able to see the actual colors from photos, but I see a taupe/gray, a small bit of dark plum color, and the stronger brick red color. Currently, the siding is white with the brick used as an accent only on the front. The roof is gray, and the shutters and door are hunter green. Green is my favorite color, but it feels all wrong as an accent, even with the great deciduous trees on the property.
Would a textured roof look overwhelming on my house? What colors should I select to give my home a more unified look? Do I need to harmonize exterior and interior color? Would painting the brick and siding help? What about the shutters? I’m not really a red type of person, but I DO want my front door to stand out without being shocking or boring. Finally, I’ve always wanted an English cottage look with flowers climbing over the door, so I’ll be adding plants and shrubs next. I’m going to have to make decisions soon. Will you look at my pictures via email and help?
Best,
Lou Ann
Hi Lou Ann,
Sorry for the delay. I wrote this yesterday but got called away before hitting the submit button. My apologies…
Keep your white trim, but consider painting the white siding, both on the house and the garage door, a color from your brick. Have a look at Ben Moore Affinity Collection’s Pashmina AF-100 and Truffle AF-130. One of those will work perfectly. Then for your front door and shutters, I have the perfect color for you! Chambourd AF-645 — it even SOUNDS rich! It’s a very dark grape and it’s in your brick! That will give your house a little bit of the unexpected yet still look nice in the neighborhood.
The roof color is fine. Let me know when you’re ready to change it and we can pick a new color but it looks fine now.
Yes, you need some landscaping. But think about a dark purple lilac or other dark purple flowers and shrubs when you’re planning your garden. The accent color is just what you need to give your house some pizzazz.
Hope that helps. And thank you again.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Thanks soooo much! I tried those colors out on the Benjamin Moore paint viewer, and they looked great on the photo of my home. I also liked rustique and may use that whenever I’m ready to change the chambourd. I even found a green (boreal forrest) that looked rather nice and lent the house a quiet, natural feel. In fact, every color looks nicer against truffle! However, I’ll start with chambourd, my favorite. I’m on the lookout for those purple flowers and plants. I feel that once you helped me with the siding color, everything else started to fall into place. I bought my color samples today, and as soon as the hail damage is repaired, I’m having the place painted. I can hardly wait! I’ll donate/write again soon about the roof and, after that, a color scheme for the inside. You’re fabulous!
Lou Ann
Thanks, Lou Ann! I’ll get right on your roof question today — I see it!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Dear Barb,
I’ve made another donation (3HB296359C254180X. ) because I’m ready to talk about the roof and a stain color for the deck.
Previously, you suggested some exterior colors, and from those I selected Truffle for the siding/garage door and Chambourde for the shutters and front door. I went to the trouble of loading my own house photo into the BM color viewer to try out those shades, but ended up playing with some others as well. Rustique matches the brightest color in my brick, but then I like everything better against Truffle! I bought samples, but haven’t gotten them painted on just yet, so I hope I still like the colors once I see them on the house.
I also used the Owens Corning and GAF/ELK viewers to try both textured and non-textured roofing on my house picture. Turns out I prefer a low-contrast, textured shingle (GAF/ELK TP 30 HD in Birchwood or the Timberline Cool Series in Cool Antique Slate, for example.) I dislike gray as a general rule, but in this case it might be best because the tan shingles flexed their muscles and bossed every other color around with their sheer mass.
I’m exhausted from all this online color shopping. Although a tan roof ought to seem appealing with Truffle siding, I couldn’t find an affordable, soft-spoken value of tan shingles anywhere online. Sometimes I wish I could push an “easy” button and make the house colors sing harmony. What’s your advice for my roof color and shingle type? One more exterior question: my deck needs staining, and I was thinking of a stain color close to Rustique. The deck is in back where the only brick is at foundation level, so a red color stain will really pop off the Truffle siding. Should I go for that color on the deck and paint my French doors Chambourde with white dividers? I’ll email this letter along with some pictures.
Best,
Lou Ann
Hi Lou Ann,
Have you looked at Weathered Wood? It’s a sophisticated color that seems to go with almost everything. And there’s also charcoal. The light gray roof colors looked too light for your brick house. I liked the medium-darker shades that balanced the brick better. See what you think — get samples and try them right next to the brick and see what you like.
As for the deck, as long as you pick a color out of the brick, you’ll be fine. It’s okay to jazz up the back of the house a bit since there’s not much going on back there (less brick). As long as the stain comes right from the brick, it will look terrific. I would not pick any contrasting colors or the deck will look add-on. I don’t have the stain fandeck at my fingertips or I’d check the Rustique. Sounds dramatic and the Chamoud doors will be stunning!
Hope I’ve helped a little — my son’s graduating from high school this afternoon so I’m just a touch distracted. Write back if I can help you further. And thanks again!!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Barb,
I’m rather sad! I finally found the courage to paint a sample of Truffle on my siding and Chambourd on my front door. I LOVE the Chambourd! It looks so rich and lovely! Even my mother (who loves red and would never’ve picked purple) said it looked good. It really brings out the purple in the brick! But the Truffle isn’t working. It’s too dark, and I don’t think I’ll like the Pashmina–too gray. I’ll try Pashmina because sometimes color surprises me, but could you please suggest a shade lighter than Truffle that might work–something that’s not gray? Do you think that maybe I should take a spare brick to the paint store to see if they could make a match for me that way? I’m still sad that the Truffle didn’t work. Maybe it has too much yellow in it or something. Not really sure, just know it’s too dark.
Lou Ann
Hi Lou Ann,
Don’t be sad… it’s just paint. We can fix it.
If Truffle is too dark, take a look at Natural Linen 966. Definitely not too dark. If Pashmina is too gray, take a look at Ice Formations 973 (or Revere Pewter HC-172). Although they are both a little gray, they are a warm gray and I think they’ll be very nice with your brick.
Sometimes there’s a back-and-forth to really zero in on the color. Hope one of those works perfectly!! And so glad you like Chambourd! I love it too!!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Okay Barb, I’m still in love with rich and classy Mr. Truffle, but he just isn’t the right match for me. Pashmina turned out to be much more harmonious, but after seeing him next to one of the Sherwin Williams men (Amazing Gray), I realized the two looked a lot alike. Pashmina sounds exotic, but Amazing Gray feels as though he’ll be like Emma’s Mr. Knightly: “an easy and natural member of the family.” Besides, Amazing Gray was already living with me. I just needed to let him come out of the garage and be seen.
It took me a few days after you and I started corresponding, but I finally accepted Lady Macbeth’s advice and “screwed my courage to the sticking point” enough to sample each of these fellas. It’s still just 3 PM, so I haven’t seen them all at various times of the day, but so far, Amazing Gray is my main squeeze, and Chambourd is my excitement on the side. All joking aside, I really have started to enjoy myself a little more. Thank you for all your help!
Best,
Lou Ann
Clever Lou Ann! Glad you’ve found your true love!! Enjoy!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
I would like to come up with a color palette for our new house. I’m looking for something somewhat light and neutral, but doesn’t look like apartment beige. I love Benjamin Moore’s Manchester tan, but am not sure whether it will be too washed out since I have several large rooms, 10 ft ceilings, and a 2 story foyer. I need colors for my foyer (and up/down hallways), dining room, kitchen, kitchen cabinets, and family room/eating area. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Hello,
My question is regarding what color to paint shutters and front door on house that has white siding, gray metal roof, white trim and the foundation is red with brown tones brick but that doesn’t show so much. This is a one level ranch-cottage style house with porches on two sides with columns, nothing elaborate, smallish set off on it’s own on acreage with woods behind it and it sits slightly off the road with a hill in front so it is hardly noticed from the road. It is very hot here in the summer so perhaps that is to be considered.
Perhaps you can suggest something that will give the house the ‘wow’ factor it deserves.
Thanks,
Elle
Hi Elle,
How about shutters in Ben Moore’s Coldwell Green HC-124 and a front door in Kennebunkport Green HC-123? It’s okay to mix greens — nature certainly does — and since you said it gets very hot in the summer, the greens will keep the house cool. You could paint the door a brick red but that will look hot.
Another idea for shutters is Philipsburg Blue HC-159. That’s a steel blue that will tie in your gray roof nicely. Then you might consider Buxton Blue HC-149 for your front door. I’m keeping the front door in the same “hue” family as the shutters since you have a red brick foundation so there’s some color already on the house. If you’d like the door to stand out even more, then go ahead and bring in another accent color. But you might want to keep the choices narrowed to something warm from the reds/browns/oranges. Otherwise you’ll have a rainbow house and that doesn’t work.
Hope that gets you started. Thanks again.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara, I liked your advice about my exterior so much that I thought I would get your opinion about my interior color. My kitchen will be repainted next week and I am wondering what color to go with . Currently it is a green color that I like ok. However, I am thinking it could be dated. I have lived in this house one year. I do not intend to change the cabinets or paneling in the kitchen, so I need something that would work wiht that. I do intend to change the countertops sometime in the next year, perhaps to a black or charcoal since there is so much light wood on the cabinets and floor (agree?).
I am linking to the color now. I have included adjacent rooms and the strange carpet color going out of the kitchen. Looks like they went with green to unify. The entry way is the same green and is two stories tall. The half bath on main floor is also that color.
Mainly I want a couple of colors I could try out before I pick that would complement the wood. Both contrasting and perhaps neutral. We do tend to move every 5 years but who knows if that will continue. Currently counters are white but I don’t want to stay with white.
I have paid through paypal. Thanks! Patti
Hi Patti,
Thanks for stopping back at the blog!
Since you have a lot of color in your kitchen already with the orange in the wood tone, I suggest an updated Edgecomb Gray HC-173 (Ben Moore), a terrific neutral that will complement your wood without competing with it and will highlight your stainless steel appliances! And yes, a dark countertop will be a great addition at some point to contrast with walls/floor/cabinets.
Another option, less gray, is Manchester Tan HC-81, a color that could easily go up the stairs and down the hall. It’s tan, yes I know, but if you DO move, you will not have to repaint. Plus it will give you the option of adding more color in terms of art and furniture. And don’t forget that you already have a green carpet so a neutral will bring everything back to center.
You can add a bit more color to your dining room and living room at some point. Revere Pewter HC-172 would be lovely in both rooms with your gold settee and your orange/gold dining room chairs. The contrast would be terrific. Add silver-toned metal accessories and you’re all updated.
See what you think.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Oh, and I do get a ton of light in that kitchen through the bay window, especially afternoon.
HI,WELL IM MOVING IN TWO WEEKS THE HOUSE COMES WITH A CHOCOLATE BROWN CARPET IN THE LIVINGROOM WOOD SHUTTERS, MY FURNITURE IS BLACK, I GOT MY LEATHER SOFAS N BLACK ENTERTAINMENT CENTER I WOULD LIKE SOME ADVICE AS FAR AS WHAT COLOR CAN I THROW IN THERE TO ADD MORE LIGTH,CAN I WORK WITH ONE MORE? I LIKE WHITE, GREEN BUT WHAT IF I BUY A RUG? WHAT COLOR SHOULD IT BE? OR WOULD A RUG EVEN LOOK RIGHT? CAN I ADD PILLOWS OR A TROW TO MY SOFAS? ALSO MY DININGROOM IS NEXT TO THE LIVINGROOM, THE LIVINGROOM IS OPEN TO THE DININGROOM MY FURNITURE THERE IS BLACK TOO, THE CHANDELEIR IN THE DININGROOM AREA IS BROWN I SEEN A WHITE ONE I LIKED AT IKEA? WELL THE HOUSE IS JUST PAINTED NOT SURE EXACLY WHAT COLOR BUT ITS A LIGHT BEIGE I THINK .CAN U HELP ME WITH WHAT COLORS TO GO WITH?
Hi Grettel,
With a chocolate brown carpet and black furniture, I suggest a large area rug to go over the carpet in your conversation area (where the sofa and chairs are) — maybe even an 8X10 rug. In terms of color and design, it is totally up to you. But sticking with neutral earth tones in the rug — you might even find a rug with both brown and black in it — will allow you to add color elsewhere in the room. Yes, you can add pillows and a throw on the sofa, curtain panels to the windows, lamps, and other accessories. For color, if you like green, go with a light grassy green for contrast with the black. And you might add cream as well. That will lighten up the room — cream would go well on the windows. The light beige on the wall should still work or you can pick a light tone out of your new rug. But there’s no need to repaint right away.
For accent you can pick a warm color like orange to warm up the room. Don’t hesitate to add some pattern into the room as well, not just in the rug. Floral or graphic, whatever you find that you like. Pulling some of that palette (brown/beige/black and then light green, orange, and cream) into the dining room (curtain panels, placemats, etc) and kitchen will help to pull the whole house together.
As for the chandelier in the dining room being brown with your black furniture, don’t worry too much about that. You’ll have brown and black in the living room, no matter what, so both dark neutrals are part of your overall palette. It will all work. Just add your color now.
Hope that makes some sense.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
I’m redoing a small powder room and going for a kind of funky look. There is a small cabinet in light oak and I’m putting in a blueberry colored Silestone top with a clear bowl vessel sink and chrome faucet. The floors are light oak. What color should I do the walls?
Hi Cindy,
Well, one idea is to blend the light oak and make the blueberry Silestone and sink pop with a rich warm gold like Beverly Hills (Ben Moore 180). It’s intense and wonderful in a small bathroom. I’ve used it before with great success. Crisp white towels and you’re all set.
See what you think of that combo!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi- I picked up the sample and am not totally sure about the gold- do you have a second suggestion?
Thanks.
Hi Cindy,
A really light lavendar, like Ben Moore’s Whispering Wind 1416, would look terrific with your light oak and might make a quiet backdrop for your blueberry countertop. See what you think of that idea.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
We have moved to Plan B. The blueberry Silestone is out and we are making our own cement countertop. It should turn out to be in the mid-to-dark gray range and topped with the glass vessel sink and the chrome faucet on top of the light wood cabinet. Will this look harsh and industrial and need a softer wall color or should we still be thinking bold?
Hi Cindy,
I suggest waiting for the counter top and sink to be installed. Then you’ll have the overall look of the bathroom when you choose a wall color. I can envision going either direction with the wall color — bold with white towels or icy with bold towels. Send a photo when you’re done and we’ll go from there.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
I just made a donation through paypal, and have a color question.
My son would like to have our basement redone with him in mind.
We remodeled the basement a few years ago.
We have two finished rooms with a neutral wall and carpet – think beige.
My son would like the rooms to be color saturated and feel like night. He wants to make a movie room out of one room and a computer/music room out of the other.
There are two small basement windows facing east.
Lots of overhead lighting, which he rarely uses.
Do you have any suggestions that would give the feeling he wants, without feeling like a cave for the rest of us?
I thought this wall color was interesting.
http://www.reallifedecorating.com/homedecor/happy_home.html
Thank you for your time.
Hi Toni,
Sounds like a project! Since you have beige carpet, your basement rooms will not be totally cave-like regardless of how dark the walls are. That’s the good news. Plus any light furniture/accessories will stand out against the dark walls, again making the space feel cozy and not completely cavernous. How about Trout Gray 2124-20 (Ben Moore) for the media room — your son will love that color as it will darken the room perfectly for movie viewing. Then warm up the computer/music room with Evening Dove 2128-30, a navy blue that will look terrific with the beige carpet and any red accents you can convince him to throw in there. The color you referenced gave me the navy idea but the one on the link is a tad purple (your son might find it a bit girlie). A variety of light sources would be ideal, not just customary fluorescent (avoid if you can).
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Barbara,
I love the colors and will go purchase them right now!
Here’s hoping my son loves them too.
Thank you
Barbara,
The rooms are open in design; each room is visible from the other room.
Would the room colors look good next to each other?
One more question – What color should I paint the ceilings?
They are white now, and I do hate painting ceilings, but sometimes colors other than white are so effective…
Thank you for your help.
-Toni
Hi Toni,
Yes the colors will look fine next to each other — just bring some navy into the media room and some gray into the music room (nickel lamps, other silver tones). As for the ceiling, try beige from the carpet if you’re concerned about light in the room or try a lighter version of each color for continuity up over the ceiling. Either will work. White will be a bit too stark with this color scheme.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Would a light gray work? I have overloaded my beige.
Every room in the house is beige.
Once, I finish the basement, I will need your help with the rest of the interior.
My son loved the colors and thought they would look great.
Could you please suggest a specific color for the ceiling?
I agree white would be too stark.
I think the ceilings should be the same color – do you agree?
Do you have any suggestions for the windows, or should I keep them open?
Thank you.
-Toni
Hi again Toni,
Take a look at Thundercloud Gray 2124-40 for both rooms. It will be perfect for the dark media room and it will bring some gray into the music room tying the two rooms together.
What is on the windows currently? You might want a woven Roman shade which would add some warmth and texture and provide the light blockage needed for afternoon movie viewing. Get them lined. They have them at Country Curtains — very reasonably priced.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
I would like some help deciding what color to paint my kitchen. It adjoins our living room, entry way and family room. The living room is a golden yellow color and the entry way is russet, Currently, the family room is artichoke green above the chair rail with a leaf pattern of gold and cream wallpaper below the chair rail. (photos have been sent to your email.)
My plan is to repaint the kitchen, entry way and the wall above the chair rail in the fam. rm. as well as the chair rail. I want to veer away from the earth tones by using a slate blue above the chair rail and a green shade of gray in the kitchen.
I tried a sample of BM clarksville gray in the kitchen, but I am not thrilled with the color. It doesn’t do much for the cherry cabinets which look a little “orangey” in color. The kitchen has a southern exposure but it doesn’t get much natural light because of the screened-in porch off of the main window.
Do you have any suggestions for a BM or SW shade of gray for the kitchen or would another color choice be better? The window valance will be changed to coordinate with the new paint color.
What about a specific shade of blue for the fam. rm. and finally, do you have any color ideas for the entry way?
Thanks so much for your help! Your site is great!
Susan
Hi Susan,
I know you want to repaint and you mentioned that you had artichoke green in the family room already, but I’m looking at your kitchen with the dark cabinets and cream countertops and I see a green something like Ben Moore’s Folk Art 528. It’s not a gray-green like you requested but it would look smashing with your dark cabinets and very nice next to the adjoining yellow living room. Folk Art is fresh and updated — the gray-green in your kitchen might look a little tired. I think that’s what you’re seeing with the Clarksville Gray — truly one of my favorites but maybe not for your particular kitchen.
See what you think. I’ll look for your family room photo to check out the blues you would like to introduce in that room.
As for the entry, I do like the russet red but it’s probably kind of dark? Do you have a lot of light in that entry area? Start with the kitchen and then see if you want to re-do the entry after that. Maybe bringing the yellow (or the green) into that area would create better flow from room to room. Leave the red for an accent color in the kitchen/LR/entry areas.
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
I am hoping you can help me! Below is a link to a picture of the house we recently bought. I feel like this house has an identity crisis. I am finding the stone and brick combination difficult to work with in terms of color to try to make it more charming and soften it up. It was built in 1920. The real estate listing described it as a “colonial with tudor accents”. The Landscaping will be professionally done eventually but in the very near term we are replacing all the windows. so deciding on that color matters right now.
Here’s what i need:
1. The black casement windows will be replaced with similar casement. But what color? Keep the black? Or go more in the tudor direction and do brown? Or another possibility I like is a color called “iron ore”…a very dark steel grey. (seems it would be a little softer than the black).
2. We plan on putting up shutters on the brick and upper stone windows and maybe window boxes on stone windows on the bottom since not much room for shutters. The shutter color depends on the windows. what combination do you think would work here? oh one more thing, we are having stone power washed when weather permits. hopefully that will clean things up a bit.
I have been doing a ton of research on colors and can’t figure this house out!
Regards, Jennifer
P.S. If you cant access picture send me an email address and Iwill forward it there.
http://www.shutterfly.com/lightbox/view.sfly?fid=d95557b4b9c80aee6cdd16a80fdf8c46
Hi Jennifer,
Since the stone and brick combination provides a lot of contrast both color-wise and pattern-wise, the dark contrast of the paned casement windows just takes the house over the top. To remedy that, I suggest a lighter window that will at least blend with the stone and contrast nicely with the brick. Take a look at both Putty (Pella) and Almond. I would pick a color that approximates the grout of the brick and one of the stone colors. That should tie the two materials together and unite the house. (I wouldn’t worry about keeping to the Tudor style dark window color since the house has elements from many styles already, including French — and they do like a lighter window color!).
Then for the shutters you could pick a gray green that will again coordinate nicely with the stone and contrast with the brick. The gray-green will also tie in the slate roof. Have a look at Kendall Charcoal HC-166 (Ben Moore) — nice with the Putty window color — and Chelsea Gray HC-168 — a lighter gray-green that would go with the almond windows.
See what you think of that idea. If the lighter windows are too much of a stretch for your house (and neighborhood), then I would opt for brown windows, again to blend and tie the two materials together. The Iron Ore is nice but a little bit cold. The browns are warm and go well with your front door.
Hope that helps. The best thing to do is grab some actual samples, prop them on the window sills and stand back at the road to check out the options.
Good luck!!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
We have forwarded the $20 donation for consultation. We are interested in color and lighting recommendations for painting the dining/kitchen area. Pictures of the dining and kitchen area have been posted on my facebook page in the Kitchen Layout album.
The dining area is 13 1/2 feet long by 11 1/2 feet wide with an espresso finish dining set. Overall the combined area is 22 feet wide. We plan to add a chair rail to replace the border in the dining area and need your recommendations for upper and lower colors. Would you even recommend adding a chair rail?
The countertops are granite and the cabinetry is maple. The backsplash in the kitchen area continues the wall paint color from the dining area. Would you recommend continuing with the new paint color here or do you have other recommendations.
Also looking for recommendations on lighting fixtures over the island and dining area. Would indirect light still work with the dark finish of the dining set versus the direct lighting currently there?
Thank you.
Susan Coletta
Hi Susan,
Since you have contemporary furniture, I would not bother installing a chair rail in the dining area. Your buffet piece and some artwork on that focal wall should be plenty. As for color, pick a shade right out of the granite: take a look at Bennington Gray (Ben Moore’s HC-82) or one of the sagey greens like Saybrook Sage HC-114. You can certainly run that color along the kitchen backsplash, but at some point it might be nice to put in tile. Again use your granite and floor tile for color inspiration.
For lighting, I would recommend hanging fixtures at least over the dining table. A pendant over the island is nice too unless you really don’t want something hanging there, in which case, a recessed can will work. Here are a couple of thoughts on pendants/chandeliers. Go with the dark metal to go with your knobs, either bronze or wrought iron.
http://www.lampsplus.com/products/Peri-Collection-Amber-Mini-Pendant-Chandelier__67845.html
http://www.lampsplus.com/products/Franklin-Iron-Works-Bennington-Collection-5-Light-Chandelier__05956.html
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Painting a waterfront condo in Chatham, MA. Total renovation. Have selected BM colors: 197/Master Bedroom — 1584/Master Bath — 1661/Son’s Room — 1521/Office –2070-50/Sleeping Loft — 680/Guest Bath — 1478/Living Room — 2123-60/2 walls kitchen — 1632/All hallways, up&downstairs — ?white powder room beadboard/wallpapered mid-blue gingham check. Very open house so first floor rooms can all be seen from other places in house. Ceiling is my first question. Ceilings are low. Also stucco’d. Very unsure of what paint to use [only one for whole house] which will give illusion of ceilings being taller without confusing painter. Home is 8 hours away, can’t go there to see it, so I am trying to choose safely. Have a wallpaper which I’m going to color match all trim to that specific color, it resembles ‘OC-65’ but it is NOT exactly that, and I will have to match exactly bc trim is right next to wallpaper. The other color of the wallpaper is similar to 2135-60, and it is striped with a tiny thin line of green in it. The paper is in the Blonder Home Accents BH 7964 Beach House 3 book. Two Questions:
1. Am I on the right track with regard to getting the white custom matched to the white in the paper for the trim/semi-gloss for all the rooms? If not, what color would work without clashing against the white of the Wallpaper?
2. What ceiling COLOR can I use [BM preferably] to provide/create the illusion of a higher ceiling? Thank you for your time and patience! No one wants to help me in any paint store I venture into and I’m desperate-need to give colors to painter end of this week! All the best!
Hi Georgia,
Thank you for your patience. I’m back working now!
To answer your questions,
1. Yes, I think it’s a good idea to have the white trim custom-matched to the wallpaper so that the two blend well together. Then you can use that white for the rest of the condo.
2. The answer to this question is a bit tougher since you want to use the same ceiling paint throughout and want to create an illusion of a higher ceiling.
Generally, I like to call the least amount of attention to the stucco ceiling as possible. If the ceiling were plaster, then it would lend itself to color — a tint of the wall color helps to make the room feel bigger since there’s no sharp line between the wall color and ceiling to attract the eye. However, painting the stucco a color tends to draw attention to it. So, to be safe and to make it easy on the painter (and also maximize light bouncing off the ceiling which will raise it as much as possible), I suggest a BRIGHT white ceiling color throughout. The painter can spray it on the stucco — much easier application on the texture — and the condo will appear clean and bright.
I will make one comment about your paint color choices — just make sure that the colors in the public areas (what you can see from the main part of the condo) are all the same “value” so they blend from area to area and room to room. It’s okay to use an accent color (or just a deeper shade) in a bathroom or in a bedroom that is not visible from the main living area. You can also use an accent color on a focal wall if you’d like to, but you’ll avoid “chopping up” the condo if you keep all the paint colors at the same paint chip level in the fan deck. Doing that will create “flow” throughout the condo.
Let me know if I can help you with whatever color choices you are currently considering (you mentioned that you’ve made some modifications).
Hopefully my comments will be helpful. Best of luck with the condo renovation.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
What does ‘awaiting moderation’ mean?
Hi Georgia,
“Awaiting Moderation” on the blog means I haven’t read your post yet. WordPress has us “approve” the posts in case there’s some spam that leaks through. Sorry for the delay…
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
just found your website one day after siding, windows and shutters installation has been completed. Realize mistakes on color have already been made. Please do advise on a door color. Roof is Certain Teed Black Pepper; Siding -Certain Teed Woodland Mist, Windows, window casings and sills -white; Door casing-white; Gutters and downspouts – white; Corners – Woodland Mist; Shutters- Midnight Blue. Realize after reading your site that we most likely did not choose the best color for shutters. Please do advise as to what color front door might be best in light of the color choices.
Thank you.
Beverly
Hi Beverly,
Sorry for the delay! I’m back!
As for your color scheme, I don’t really see anything wrong with it. Personally, I have always liked blue and green together — it’s a classic combination — and although I may not have mentioned using a navy for a shutter color on a green house, I think it will work out fine! As for the door, I suggest that you keep going with the Midnight Blue. That will complete the scheme and not introduce another color into the overall palette. (The black roof should go with everything.) Having said THAT, I suggest you add an accent color (something warm) in your plantings, wreath, pots, but you can certainly add more blues as well. Adding different shades of blue to the color scheme will make the whole thing look truly inspired!
Send a photo if you continue to be concerned, but I think you’re off to a great start!! No problem here!
Thanks again.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Barbara,
Thanks for answering my questions about the exterior. Now I have questions about my master bath. I have chosen a golden toned travertine tile for the floor, shower, and tub surround, and am now stuck in trying to choose a granite and wall color. I thought a golden toned paint would look good with the tile, but can’t seem to find one that looks as good on the wall as it does on the chip. I saw a bathroom in Northern California last weekend that used a whiter shade on the walls and liked how it looked, but I can’t seem to replicate it. I will email you pictures of the tile and granite board. Can you please advise me on granite and paint color? Thanks!
Barbara,
You’ve been so helpful so far, and I have one more question. I just selected my dining room chairs, and have realized that Soft Marigold by Benjamin Moore, the color I love, is just not going to cut it anymore for the first floor living area. The host and hostess chairs have a lot of red orange and Soft Marigold just isn’t quite right. You can see the fabric selection here: http://www.ethanallen.com/fabric?fabricId=3780571. The side chairs are this fabric (dots in the center are the red orange and green in the host and hostess chairs; both fabrics are a little more golden than the picture shows): http://www.ethanallen.com/fabric?fabricId=10913. I really would like to go with a yellow-orange for the walls because the area can be dark at different times of the day and this color really brightens up the space (remember that the house surrounds the courtyard, and all light comes from the courtyard windows; it’s only bright midday). However, if you think another choice would be better, keeping in mind that I am opposed to a neutral on the walls, I welcome your suggestions! Thanks.
Hi Katie,
How about more of a gold since that seems to be the field color on your chair fabric. ?? Take a look at both Chestertown Buff HC-9 and Dorset Gold HC-8 (Ben Moore). Both are warm but have an aged quality that might go well with the fabric and still give you that cheerfulness that you’re craving for the room. See what you think!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hello! I will be sending you pictures to help visualize, but in a nutshell:
My boyfriend inherited a home from his mother. I am not sure how to explain this house! It is a sideways ranch with a breezeway between the house and one car garage. (The breezeway is covered). Built in the 50’s. His mother had updated the roof and siding 10 years ago, so it is too early for us to change (out of our budget right now). The siding is mint green, roof is green, trim is hunter green, shutters are hunter green, and even the outside trim around the windows is hunter green. I wanted to paint the trim white to break up all that green, but sadly it is not wood, but aluminum. I had also wanted to get black shutters, but that will be expensive. Sooo..it seems I can only change the lighting fixtures at this time. Can you tell me if I should use brushed nickel, bronze or black–coach light, square etc.? The mail slot in the garage will match whatever the lights will be, and the entry door (can’t see from front) is white, with a decorative glass camber top and satin nickel knobs and hinges, but I can have that changed. Storm door is satin nickel kicklplate and handle, but we can exchange. (There are two doors off the breezeway, these are white) Knobs inside house are satin nickel (don’t know if it is ok to have a different color knob on the entry door than the rest of the inside of the house) We will be doing some landscaping. And can you also give me feedback for my original plan if somehow I can change the trim and shutters? (Trim white, shutters black, doors white or black) Thank you so much!
Veronica again!!
Managed to get the pics online for you. In the side pic, the front door is the second door you see on the left. (the first goes into a shed) There will be a light fixture above the front door. Thank you!
https://picasaweb.google.com/112471388879028154076/Apr222011?authkey=Gv1sRgCL2sjen2qrvcAw&feat=directlink
I just made a donation for $20.00 through Paypal, but I believe I will need to send more. Let me know how much. I couldn’t attach more funds – do I just donate in $20 amt? Let me know.
Anyway…
I have an open floor plan, and the time has come to repaint.
Currently, the color throughout is Sienna Sand – it is very close to Benjamin Moore’s wheeling neutral. My carpet is almost the same color. We have alot of natural cherry furniture and oak that has some of the same tones as the cherry furniture.
We have a chair rail in the dining room and could paint the lower half a different color. Right now it is the same sienna sand. All of the rooms are visible from each other: The kitchen, family room, dining room and living room, hallway leading upstairs, etc. So the colors need to work together, which is why I used the same color throughout.
Any suggestions?
How do I send photos?
Thank you,
Antoinette Olson
Hi Toni,
Thanks for the additional payments — you found the “Other Payment Options” button for lots of rooms/questions. Thank you!!
I would love to see photos of your rooms and how they see each other. That will help us pick colors for each that will coordinate and blend and allow you to have more colors than just one. You can attach a link to a photo album site here in this blog or attach photos to an email and send them to me at
bmeglis@yahoo.com
That particular mail site has unlimited space so it will not get bogged down by lots of large photos.
I will look for them! And can’t wait to help you with your new color palette!!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Toni,
Thank you for the photos of the granite and the upholstery in the family room. Using those (particularly the granite which won’t change) as an inspiration for the color palette, here are a few ideas. I’ve used the Ben Moore Affinity paint line, but if you’re more comfortable with the historical colors or a completely different paint line, let me know. Take a look at possibly a green for the lower wall in your dining room. A green would tie the dining room to the kitchen and even the family room and would add a little drama without leaving the natural palette. Jojoba AF-460 and Boreal Forest AF-480 are possibilities. See what you think. Then pulling the golden tones out of the granite, you might consider a sunnier kitchen color — look at Safari AF-335. It’s a really cheerful, yet tasteful, yellow that will look great with all the dark oak. Both the greens and the golds are very appropriate for pairing with all the wood throughout your house.
To spice things up a bit in the family room, you might consider pulling a dusty violet color out of that chair fabric for the wall space on either side of the wood fireplace. Look at Luxe AF-480. Definitely a contrast against the orange of the wood but grayed down a tad so there’s not too much energy in the room. I like the wall color on the slanted ceiling. Excellent.
There may be other areas to add color in your public space. But just adding that much in selected accent areas will add some pizzazz to the beige that’s elsewhere. There’s nothing wrong with your current wall color — there’s just a little too much of it.
If you’d like to refresh the hallways, try Mascarpone AF-20. It’s creamy and light and would provide more contrast with the wood than your current Wheeling Neutral equivalent. A greener option is Camouflage 2143-40, a wonderful khaki green that is in your granite. It’s light and neutral enough to be used almost anywhere and it’s a nice alternative to beige. Also terrific against the oak!!
I think I’ve lost count of the rooms — did I see the living room? The hallway neutral might flow into the living room and if you have a fireplace in there, we might put an accent color there. Otherwise, you might have enough colors in the palette already.
See what you think. Let me know… we’ll tweak the colors as you decide what goes where.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Barbara,
I just figured out how to add additional funds.
Let me know if I need to add more.
Thank you in advance for your help.
A question about colors you selected a while back for our basement – which I still have not painted!
You suggested BM Evening Dove for the movie room, trout gray for the adjoining office and thundercloud gray for the ceilings.
I saw BM hale navy in a friend’s living room, and loved it.
Do you think hale navy would work in the movie room, instead of evening dove? Or, do you think hale navy would be too dark?
Would the other colors still work, if I traded out the hale navy for the evening dove?
Thank you for your assistance.
Respectfully,
Toni Olson
Hi Toni,
I remember your basement. We did talk about the fact that, being a basement, there is no natural light (or very little) so the dark colors will make it feel a little cave-like down there. Having said that, you want a dark movie room so that’s okay. But I did want to warn you about the dark colors ahead of time. There will be a shock-and-awe period.
As for the two navy colors: The Hale Navy is a rich dark almost midnight blue — it is darker than the Evening Dove, which has a lighter, grayer, softer feel to it. Both are dark. And both will accomplish the dark, rich movie theater effect. And both will work with the other grays. The best thing to do is to try both of them on a patch of wall (or a piece of foam core) and stand way back in the room and have a look. Your friend’s living room probably has more natural light so the color is going to look different over there. Check it out in your basement to be absolutely sure.
Does that help? Thanks Toni. Let me know if you still have questions about the color palette down there.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hello! I have a timber home (quite typically Australian) which is warm beige with white trims and a vivid, deep blue door. I need an awning and have no idea what colour to go. I would really appreciate your advice. You can see the house at http://suziebrown.wordpress.com/2011/05/23/help-me-choose-an-awning-colour-please/
Many thanks
Suzie
Hi Suzie,
Great house! I like the camel-colored awning (A1010) on the following site:
The gray (A1012) and the cream (A1014) will also work. But I would not introduce another accent color. Your rich blue is accent enough.
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
We bought a just built house. Every wall in the house is painted a color called latte cashmere. I like the color but I need some accent walls. Our living, dining, and kitchen all run together. We have cherry wood funiture and floor in the kitchen and dining area. Cream color carpet in living, sage green couches, and touches of burgandy and mocha mixed in either in pictures or pillows. We tried a burgandy wall and I liked it but it blended with the cherry wood. I also tried a couple shades darker brown then the latte and they came out having a tint of pink or purple. I want something to stand out but still see my funiture. If you need pics let me know.
Donation conf#93G358886W823794S
Hi Scott & Kari,
Since the floor in the kitchen and dining areas and the furniture in those areas are all dark wood, a dark accent wall will not work there. BUT, since you have cream carpet in the living room and sage green couches, how about pulling some of that brown from the dining room area into the living room with an accent wall of a rich dark brown like either Branchport Brown HC-72 (Ben Moore) or Hasbrouck Brown HC-71? The sage couches should show up nicely in front of the wall and the darker brown will pull out the colors in your art/pillows. Then pull some greens into the kitchen/dining areas (art/linens/dishes/cushions) and your whole space should have flow.
See what you think.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
I am painting my front door red but want the inside of the door to be white. Should the door edges be red or white?
Hi Nancy,
Red will work so the door is all the same color from the OUTside.
Thanks for asking.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Greetings,
We need help choosing colors for our home’s exterior. We currently have a 1970’s neo-colonial and are attempting to visually unite the top and bottom halves of the home. We have white siding on the top of the house, a black roof, and brown brick.
We are just about to start ordering things. We’ve booked the painter and roofer… we thought we had it all figured out, but we put the colors we’d chosen together and were afraid it looked a little dull.
We’d like a transitional, traditional-leaning exterior to match our interior.
These are the remodeling projects that we will begin within the next two weeks.
1. Order new front door and sidelights
2. Carpenter boxing in the iron supports on the entry with columns.
3. New roof and gutters.
4. Paint siding and trim.
5. Install new garage door.
We would appreciate color suggestions for the siding, trim, garage door, sshutters and roof. We are leaning toward puchasing a walnut-stained wood door, but haven’t ruled out a paintable door.
I have photos of the brick and the house that I would like to email to you. Please let me know the most convienient way to get the photos to you.
Best regards,
Sheri and John
Hi Sheri,
You can send photos to my email account — it has a big mailbox for large files. Send to bmeglis@yahoo.com.
I’ll check later.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Sheri and John,
Take a look at GAF’s Barkwood and Hickory as possible roof choices. With white trim, Ben Moore’s Briarwood will cool the brick and bring out the depth in it as well. You can use the same color for your garage door, but if you’d like a solid wood door, that will be stunning. I would still use white for the sidelights — it’s a classic look — but I know that many new wooden doors come with matching sidelights. Whatever you prefer…
Here’s a link to the color. It’s a very rich taupe that goes very well with wood tones as well as white and all that brick. It’s in there…
http://www.benjaminmooreonline.com/2596.html
See what you think!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
We are in the process of repainting our house and could use your help choosing colors. The house is single story home with brick on 3 sides and lap siding on the back and end gables. We’ve chose Behr Anonymous Color Number 780F-5 which is a light grey for the siding. For the moment, we’ve chosen Behr Evening Hush, Color Number 770F6-6 which is a dark grey, but we are also open to suggestions for shudder colors. All the trim on the house is White/White and we plan to stick with that. Where we need help is with the Front Door color, the shutters if you have a better suggestion and finally, a solid color stain color for the back deck. The deck is currently stained with a semi-transparent stain that is grey like the house, but blue undertones.
Click Here: http://www.georgiahousepublishing.com/home-pictures.htm to view images of the house and the brick as it looks now.
Thank you… Michelle
Hi Michelle,
Since your roof has a lot of green in it (and it looks like the brick does too), your decision to go with a green-gray instead of a blue-gray for the siding and shutters is a good one. I also like Ben Moore’s Chelsea Gray HC-168 for the siding color and Kendall Charcoal HC-167 for the shutters. You can use the shutter color for the front door (or you could go with a brick red like Spanish Red 1301.
I do like the white trim. And for the deck I think I would go a shade darker than the siding — Dark Granite 780F-6 — or the equivalent in a medium gray-green (if you use an opaque stain — for a semi-transparent stain, you can just stay gray but use a green undertone instead of blue). That way the deck will go away visually and leave you with your accents: porch furniture, colorful umbrella, etc.
Does that sound okay?
You are off to a great start!
Thanks for posting!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for the recommendations. I think you might be seeing more green in the roof and bricks than what’s actually there. When we had a new roof installed several years ago, I kept an extra bundle for future repairs. I just took one of the shingles out of that bundle looked closely at it in the sunlight and it is a true Gray/Black. Oddly, there is green in the portion of it that gets covered up by the shingle above it, but none in the parts that show. I’ve added a close up image of the shingles to the webpage we sent you.
That said, I’m good with the Chelsea Gray for the siding and Kendal Charcoal for the shutters… They’re both very close to what we chosen. But, I’d like to get away from the Greys and Reds for the front door. I saw a front door on a house similar to ours (similar brick color too) the other day that was blue and was wondering how that would look with my colors. I’m open to any other colors you might suggest other than grays or reds.
Thanks again! Michelle
Hi Michelle,
Ah, the nature of the internet…
Take a look at Ben Moore’s Lucerne AF-530 and Schooner AF-520. One of those rich teals might be just right for your door. The orange in the brick and the blue are complementary colors so there’s lots of “energy” with that combo. Wonderful for an entryway!
See what you think.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
I am paint my living room that is 25 x 12. New carpet is multi color tan, beige and dr brown. We have 1 large window. My curtains are white with a light blue thin stripe with white sheers. Our new furniture is blue denim microfiber. The colors I picked out are: Olympic Snowy Mount ceiling, Olympic Satin Weave for the walls. I have one wall that is now dark paneling but would like to paint it Olympic Stratosphere or white wash it. The accent colors for pillows, etc are pastel yellow, antique barn red. Not real happy with colors. Can you suggest anything else or is this OK. Living room opens to kitchen and it is white and darker blue. Both rooms will be “nautical” themed. Thank you.
Hi Linda,
If you go ahead with the Olympic Stratosphere for the accent wall, you might want to change the Satin Weave to more of a cream than a light yellow. What happens when you mix yellow and blue… as you know… you get green. So sometimes there’s kind of a green haze as the colors bounce off of each other in the room. I suggest picking one of the beiges in your carpet and using a lighter version of that on the walls. You can still use pastel yellow, reds, and blues as accents in the room. But the walls will be more neutral so that the color in the room will pop. And because creamy beige is the color of sand, the nautical theme still works great!!
See what you think about that.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Dear Barbara,
We have a cape cod built in 1961 in need of some TLC. We’re doing a new roof, windows & painting on the exterior. I was thinking of a charcoal roof, white window frames, gray-blue exterior & navy shutters. Can we do a stained wood door or would you recommend matching the shutters? Also, would the trim be white also? I can send you a picture.
Thank you in advance for your advice.
PS. I sent a payment via paypal
Hi! I have a question about the house we just bought. The exterior needs help, but I’m not sure what colors to put with the very orange brick. I feel that the gray trim looks awful with the orange. Also, the current owners even have the gutters painted gray….I don’t like that either. Also, should we add shutters……if so, what color? The front door is a dark expresso color. I’m sending a picture to your email address so you can get a better idea of the house I call “Tangerine.” We don’t close on the house for a few days so I can’t wait to see what your advice is. At first I even thought about painting the brick, but that seems to be too much of a project. Thanks for helping! Heather
Hi Heather,
It’s amazing how different the trim between the back of the house and the front. The back looks gray and the front looks quite blue. I’m assuming from your description that the back photo is more accurate and that you really do not have blue trim on the front of the house. Regardless, you can continue the white window trim up onto the fascia and soffits and gutters for a traditional look. The white will temper the orange (right now the “blue” trim is complementary to the orange — opposites on the color wheel make each other more intense). Then for the siding color, have you considered the historic greens like Ben Moore’s Gettysburg Gray HC-107 or Rockport Gray HC-105? Either of those will look good with both brick and roof colors and will warm up the house.
Another option for siding is a neutral like Lenox Tan HC-44. Although the dormers will pop off the roof in the front, the back of the house will blend nicely with the brick. As for the deck, you can paint that a lighter or darker version of the siding color to blend and incorporate into the house. If you want the deck to stand out as a feature, then paint it dark brown to match the front door.
The only windows that might need shutters are the ones on the porch. If you’d like to add shutters to all the lower windows on the front, then I would go with either a dark charcoal (from the roof) or a darker version of the siding color you choose (Chelsea Gray HC-168 or Tudor Brown).
Does that get you started? It’s a great house!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara……I need to correct some decorating errors I’ve made in my kitchen!! I started with a pretty blank slate a couple of years ago with some granite and paint samples. My painter does a lot of color consultation and though I was not as sold on this granite choice as both he and my husband were, we selected it and went forward and selected some paint colors before the granite installation. I was not overly keen on the brightness of the paint color but trusted the painter. So, I painted my cabinets C2 Rice Paper along with C2 Brunette for accent. I picked out a subway tile with a crackle finish to look somewhat seamless with the cabinets. When it came time last year to finally pick out the floor (another compromise!) I went with a porcelain tile that complemented the granite. I plan to send you pictures of the kitchen. The granite has loads of movement and consists of copper, charcoal, brown and cream (almost yellow). It is called Zeus. The floor is a golden slate color with some light gray veining running through it. Now, the cabinets seem to be fighting with the floor choice!! They are a screaming white color now that everything is done and as you can see the Brown provides even more contrast. So, my thought was to paint the bottom cabinets a gray that would complement the stainless and not fight with the floor. But……….in going on the Ben Moore Facebook Page with the experts exchange I did not get any real good feedback about this direction. In fact, it was suggested I paint all the cabinets a gray tone (Pashmina). They need to be done, I just don’t know what to do. Can you suggest a white for the cabinets that will coordinate and warm things up? and also suggest another accent color for the room? On the other side of the kitchen there is a small desk and a plate rack/display rack. I’d like some suggestions about color for that as well. Please let me know your thoughts about all of this. I have seen kitchens with the white uppers and gray lowers on the internet and they look sharp. Hope you can help as my husband is so sick of my obsession!!!!!!!! I have loads of other information I can provide but I am really trying to reel it in. Thanks, Vicky
Hi Vicky,
Okay, the first thought is that the richness of the dark wall color is making the kitchen feel small and the white cabinets pop. And since you painted your existing cabinets (it’s okay, I did too), you really don’t want to highlight them. They’re on the old side. What you really want to accent is your granite and your appliances and even the floor. So I suggest painting the cabinets (AND the wall) Ben Moore’s Edgecomb Gray HC-173. Obviously the finishes would be different. Doing that will blend cabinet and wall color, making the cabinets less obvious, and will bring out the other color in the room. You could go a little darker with the wall color to Revere Pewter HC-172 — same overall effect though. These gray-tans look great with stainless steel and will contrast nicely with the oranges/reds in your granite/floor.
You could paint the lower cabinets the current wall color if you want the two-toned look (I did that in my kitchen). The dark red-brown on the lower cabinets would blend with both floor and granite making the cabinets go away. It looks great when the lights are on, but a dark lower cabinet still darkens the room. (That’s what I don’t like about my kitchen — it’s great at night!).
If you go with gray on both cabinets to keep the kitchen light, then you can pull the current wall color over to the back of the plate rack. The white woodwork will stay white (same as the plate rack).
Does that give you a different perspective? The goal is to camouflage the older cabinets and bring out the high-end additions you’ve made. That’s that goal. With that in mind, see what you think…
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hey Barbara……..the color you suggested is actually what one of the color experts on the Ben Moore site suggested. Of all the colors in all the world, you both came up with that one! Too funny. So, I guess my white kitchen is nix. Edgecomb Gray is very pretty. So…if I understand correctly: the cabinets and the wall above the cabinets and the accent wall near the back door, are both Edgecomb Gray (or I can go a bit darker on the walls). What about the painted wood below the mirror? does that stay white or gray? (and also the trim around the windows and back door? ); the “desk area” is also to be painted gray below its granite countertop but the plate rack stays white with possibly the brown as the inside color accent?………..such a tiny kitchen with so many issues. I wanted to gut it and start over but that pesky husband of mine said……..”these are maple cabinets, we can paint them”……The reason I was thinking white uppers and gray lowers was because I thought the uppers looked good with the backsplash but it did need a different color white or different type of paint. Right now, they are a semi-gloss finish. Thought the right gray might look sharp but now I see where you are coming from with the dated look of the cabinets. It would call too much attention to that. By the way, I had a note from one of the painters from the past who indicated he would use Satin Impervo for the cabinets. What do you think about that or what would you use. Thanks so much for your help. I am truly sick of thinking about it……….. Let me know what you think about the other stuff I mentioned in this post……..Have a nice weekend. Chilly start this a.m. in RI! Thanks, Vicky
Hi Vicky,
Wow, that is amazing that we came up with the same color. (I’ll take that as a positive!) Anyway, yes the Edgecomb Gray would go on the cabinets. Yes, you can go a bit darker on the walls. I think I mentioned Revere Pewter (a little darker than Edgecomb but not that specific hue — all the Historic Colors stand alone in the fandeck). But yes a little darker is fine on the walls. You can keep the trim white at least around the windows/doors. Whatever you keep white will stand out just like the cabinets do now. A little white around the windows/mouldings is fine. It’s just the cabinets we want to camouflage. Desk area should be cabinet color. Plate rack can be white since it’s an accent piece. If it bothers you white, then paint it cabinet color but with the accent color on the back. That’s fine.
As far as the paint is concerned, use the most durable you can get. I used an enamel on my cabinets and I’ve been pretty happy with them. So the Satin Impervo may be the way to go. I have never used it but since it’s enamel, I would go that route. Double check with your paint store. The durability is key. And yes the satin is less glossy — so imperfections will not stand out as much.
I think that’s it. Get a little pot of Edgecomb first just to make sure you like it though. No surprises. But you’re on the right track. Getting rid of some of the contrast in your kitchen will make it look and feel bigger too. A bonus.
Good luck!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Sorry to be a pest, but is there a nice white or off white you could recommend for the trim to go with this paint color? One that will not scream back at me! Thank you
Hi Vicky,
No problem. Try Sebring White OC-137 and see if that works for you.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
I love your website and really need your help. I’ve uploaded some pictures of the vintage 1959 house I just purchased, which is now being renovated as the little old lady who owned it, had A LOT of deferred maintenance. Anyway, I’m planning on painting the living room in BM Clay Beige with Swiss Coffee for the trim on the advice of my general contractor. I am hoping we can restore the fireplace to its original brick self, but I won’t know until a little later if the funds will cover it. We will be flooring the entire house in Teragren wide plank wheat bamboo flooring (I’ve put in a couple sample pictures of this in the Picasa album link below.
https://picasaweb.google.com/schwabery/ColorConundrumHELP?authuser=0&feat=directlink
My question is about the Master Bedroom/Bath. All rooms upstairs (including these) seem to get plenty of light. The current bathroom color is this terrible peach with a blue/green stone vanity top and slate tiles. I really like gray shades and wondered if it would be too much to paint the brick in the bathroom BM Gray Horse and the rest of the bathroom in a complementary but lighter color? Or vice versa? I wanted to continue more or less with the same paint scheme into the bedroom (as it’s all in the same area). An accent wall (near the door) across from where the bed will be facing so I can look at it all the time. Would Gray horse work here as well? Don’t want a gray blue and it needs to be warm enough to go with the wood floors.
Also, for your consideration: all the furniture in the house will be Danish modern (think Eames lounge chair in walnut)/ IKEA and the like. Most furniture has not yet been purchased…please help me with the perfect gray that will go with this mid-century modern house. If we can nail these colors, I’ll be back for advice for a room downstairs as well. Thanks so much for your service!
Hi Charlene,
Have you considered Revere Pewter HC-172 for your bathroom and perhaps even the bedroom? I would recommend painting all the walls in the bathroom the same color so as not to accent the brick. All one color will open up the bathroom and make it feel bigger in there. And actually the same in the bedroom. Since the ceiling (the fifth wall) is such a focal area, that really takes care of the “accent wall” in there. The ceiling is your accent wall. For viewing purposes, you can put a large piece of art on that inside wall so you can see it from the bed. I think painting that wall a different color will only chop up the already rather small room.
The Gray Horse is a great color but it’s quite green. Check out Revere Pewter — it’s very complex. A warm gray. And it’s a fabulous backdrop to slate, silver/nickel hardware and accessories, and dark/warm woods.
See what you think.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
New exterior of a small 1 story house in rural Nor.Cal. wine country: Roof will be Charcoal Gray (Presidential TL). House body, door trim, soffits – BM 979 (Stampede). Window trim/porch ceiling – BM OC-45 (swiss coffee). Accent (front door, one back door and inset rectangles on garage door) – BM 2145-20 (terrapin green).
Here is my question: should gutters be painted house color OR dark gray/black (BM 2120-30) to match roof shingles?
As you can see in the photo, there is barely any house color above the bay windows on the front of the house. If the gutters were house color would it lighten up the roof and perhaps give the house a little height? You can also see in the photo that the existing gutters are painted to match the roof shingles and it looks very clean.
This question is the last piece of a 6-month project of choosing colors so I look forward to getting your advice./Users/user/Desktop/janssen.JPG
Hi Becky,
Thanks for sending the photo to my email. Glad to have it. You’re right about the current roof looking clean with the gutter painted the same roof color, but the roof is a bit imposing on the rest of the ranch that way. The old terracotta-colored roof served as a fifth wall so the fact that it was so prominent was okay. But with the new more conventional-colored charcoal roof, you won’t want it to look heavy. So two choices: either paint the gutter the siding color (which will add a little height to the facade) or paint the trim color (which will lighten up the roof so that it will not be quite as heavy). From your paint scheme, it seems that you don’t want to have too much Swiss Coffee on the house (just window trim and porch ceiling). I might encourage you to add MORE Swiss Coffee since the siding color and roof color are the same hue value (on the dark side). The light trim will provide contrast between roof and siding and perk up the house even more.
So, although it may sound conventional, I suggest painting the window trim, porche ceiling, as well las the soffits and gutters Swiss Coffee. You can keep the rest of the trim and house color the same. If that turns out to be just too much “white” then go back to the siding color for the gutters. But I would still paint the soffits Swiss Coffee. You’ll need more light reflection onto the Stampede — it’s dark.
Now one comment about the garage door: maybe it’s my own personal taste, but I’m not a big fan of painting the box trim or the inset rectangles on the garage. I think it calls too much attention to the garage door and yours is quite prominent anyway since it sits forward in the driveway. Just a thought on that.
My other concern is the accent color. Since your front door is in the shadows, how about a lighter shade of green with a touch more yellow in it. Check out Timothy Straw 2149-40 or Pale Avocado 2146-40. See what you think.
Hope that helps with your final decisions.
Thanks again.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Best $20 I have spent! However, I have fallen back into the BM color previewer addiction that I thought I had kicked. “Oh, I’ll just check out Barbara’s accent paint suggestions…” And then there I am, hiding with my laptop…surfing the exteriors section and visiting all of my old haunts.Then, falling deeper, I went to the paint store this morning. They don’t even ask if I need anything anymore…they know I only want the chips…the big chips…and then maybe a pint…just a little pint. I can quit whenever I want to.
So, based on your feedback, here is a revised exterior plan. Please weigh in again, I am listening.
We completely remodeled the interior of our house last year so I do have to cut somewhere, therefore…
Body, soffit, gutters and door trim – Raccoon Hollow
Window trim on bedrooms (on the right of photo) and porch to be 4-4.5″ to be more in scale with the bay windows (4 sizes of trim!) in swiss coffee.
(Someday we will be able to keep that hedge down, but right now my 7 year old feels that it keeps the “stealers” away from his room.)
Porch ceiling and the beams at porch step and garage side (not visible) to be swiss coffee. There is a tan commercial grade backless bench that runs the length of the porch and will pop with a new body color. Also there will be 2 new wall sconces near the door that catch light
Front door AND garage door – Timothy Straw. Swiss coffee trim around little garage windows. I just can’t spend the next 20 years driving in to and away from a brown garage door…we are commercial printers! If it looks wacky we’ll paint over it.
Let me know what you think! Becky Janssen
Hi Becky,
My sympathies for your addiction. (Welcome to the club!! lol!)
I think your color scheme will be perfect. Fresh, modern, and a departure from the rest of the neighborhood. Although I usually do not paint the little window trim as it tends to emphasize the “smallness” of the windows, I think a little splash of Swiss Coffee on the garage door windows will only make the garage door color pop even more. Go for it!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
I have sent numerous kitchen photos and my payment – now my question… Two and a half years ago I bought a home that was 35 years old. The previous builder/owner died 7 years after he completed the home and the window lived in the house alone for the next 28 years unable to afford any upkeep or modernizing to the home. I have put about $25,000 in the house (purchase price was $90,000) since buying it auch as floring, insulating both the attic and the floor, new metal roof, electrical, plumbing, new heating and cooling system and other moderizations. I was leaving the painting to be one of the final updates – but 2 weeks ago I lost my job. Realizing I may have to sell the house without completing all the plans I had for updating it, I believe updating the kitchen with paint, some type of new blackspash and countertops would help sell the home. I have put in a new white sink, white faucet and white slide in flat top stove. I cannot afford granite countertop but I have seen and believe I can do the countertops in a Giani Granite finish. Here is their website in the event you are not familiar with this product. http://gianigranite.com/photogallerycountertoppaint.html I am contemplating using either the silican sand or the chocolate brown color or variations there of –
For quickness and convenience sake, I would prefer to keep the cabinets in their present 2-color scheme. However I don’t know if the 2-color scheme needs to be changed in order to help sell the home as quickly as possible. Can we choose a Giani color schedule that works with the cabinets as they are….or is this 2-color scheme just plain outdated and needs to be changed?
I cannot afford to hire anyone to help me. Whatever I do it has to be a project that I can do myself (I am quite handy about the house). I cannot afford to put in new cabinets or renovate the cabinets but I can paint and apply the Giani Granite product.
The present formica countertop is a medium yellow pattern and the back spash is a lighter yellow pattern of formica. Can you give me a color scheme? The flooring in adjacent rooms is sage green carpet and pecan colored laminet. The flooring in the kitchen is brownish/beige with some green tones. All walls throughout the house are a yellow cream. I have contemplated a cream and baked scone (Behr) color scheme. http://www.behr.com/colorsmart4/colorsmart/main.jsp
I could use the Giani Granite for both the countertop and the backsplash (I have seen that done and it looks great). Or I could use Giani for the counterstops and put up 1″ glass tiles on the backsplash.
This scholor scheme seems workable – http://www.marthastewart.com/274423/superneutral-decorating-palettes-and-pro/@center/276997/decorating-color but if you have other advice, I would be happy to have it. I have contemplated all these things for the last 2 years – now I have an urgent reason to get it done and need the advice of a professional as I have not been able to answer my own questions releative to colors, countertops and a 2-color cabinet scheme.
Thank you for your time and advice.
Clayetta
Hi Clayetta,
First of all, I’m really sorry for your situation. And I appreciate that you want to make minimal changes in case you need to sell quickly. Here is what I suggest:
The two-tone effect on the cabinets (although nicely done) makes the cabinets appear smaller as the doors are now outlined by dark brown and the contrast is a bit distracting. If possible… I suggest painting the brown cabinet boxes the same color as the cabinet doors. (Remember the quarter round trim on the floor as well.) That will make your kitchen appear bigger (a good selling feature). Then investigate a white backsplash to tie in the white appliances and lighten up the under-cabinet area. There’s a sticky tape that you can apply directly to the yellow backsplash and tile right onto that sticky surface. White subway tiles are ideal for your house, they do require some tile cuts. Mosaic sheets will work too. They’re easier to apply (no cuts) and go up quicker.
As for the countertop, I’ve seen mixed reviews on how easy the granite paint is to use. I would work with a friend, for sure. The darker chocolate would provide some contrast with the cabinets and tie in the floor. Just practice on something first before you get into the big project. Unless your countertops are damaged, they’re really not that bad looking and they are the same color as the cabinets (the countertop goes away visually). I would focus on the new backsplash. It will make a huge difference!
As for paint in the room, you’ll want to blend the cabinets with the walls. That too will enlarge the room and take some of the focus off the older cabinets. (I do like the new hardware!) So a couple shades lighter than the cabinets will be fine for the walls (or you can leave as is — again they’re very neutral!).
You’ve made great decisions so far. I hope this isn’t too much work. But find a friend and make a trade. Works great!
And all the best to you!!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Oops – Correction: That was to say the “widow” (not window) lived in the house for the next 28 years.
I see more typos and I apologize for them. Thank you.
Clayetta Montee
Barbara, Thank you for your response. Let me make say that the yellow paint is oil and is the original paint from 35 years ago. The countertop does need to be covered – it is just too dated – being a slick yellow formica a shade darker than the yellow in the cabinets. All surfaces are going to have to be sanded for paint adhesion. Please allow me to add these questions and comments for your response.
I’ve kind of been fiddling around with painting the cabinets all brown or all white. The kicker is that when you open the cabinets it is the present light yellow inside them I wonder if I could tie in the yellow inside the cabinets with a tile backspash with some yellow in it. If I paint the cabinets all white, then would need the backsplash to be a tile of white and yellow and the countertop being brown giani granite.
If I painted all the cabinets the solid brown, I could do the backsplash in a backsplash of white and yellow or white, yellow and brown with the countertop in a lighter Giani countertop of mainly white with some brown in it.
What do you think of those possibilities? That is leaving the cabinets’ insides yellow but tying that yellow in with yellow in a backsplash? Or do you feel your original response of all yellow cabinets with white backsplash (I’ve found some 12 x 12″ sheets of 3/4″ tiles with peel-off adhesive on the back that seem easy to apply) and Giani brown countertops still the better paint scheme. I wonder if we should shy away from the all brown cabinets because it might make the kitchen appear smaller?
Thank you for your thoughts on this.
Clayetta
Hi Clayetta,
I would stay away from all brown (you can do brown lower cabinets but not upper). I do like the two-color cabinet look. Very popular now. So you could do brown on the bottom to blend with the new countertop and a cream on the top to lighten the room. And use a slightly darker shade for the walls. That would look great with the floor and lighten the room.
If you want all one color, go with an off white/cream — not too white. Don’t worry too much about the cabinet interior color. You can tie that in with accessories or maybe some accent tiles on the backsplash. But don’t go overboard. A solid white backsplash and some yellow towels will work great to tie everything together.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I was hoping you could help us with an interior color scheme. Our family room just does not work.. We have a red brick fireplace, olive couches and oak floors. The walls are a beige color and we want to paint the brick on the fireplace a white color and perhaps paint either an accent wall or paint the entire room to enhance the look of the furniture… can you help???
https://picasaweb.google.com/103372823770021101578/FamilyRoom#
Thank you,
Gabby
Hi Gabby,
I would start with a warmer wall color — something like Ben Moore’s Powell Buff HC-35 — for all walls. Then for the brick fireplace, you can paint it although the brick itself is not terrible (the style of the fireplace is a bit outdated and there’s no mantel). The issue with painting it white (either your trim color or something a little less white — like Linen) is that the fireplace will still be quite prominent in the room. It will just be one color instead of brick. You will want to upgrade your fireplace box screen (no shiny brass) and perhaps add a mantel to balance the white and give your TV a visual “ledge” to sit on (even though it’s floating on the wall — that’s okay). A mantel (oak) would give you a little more depth so you could add a couple of large candlesticks or other accessories on either side of the TV and kind of camouflage it.
I like your curtains and furniture. I suggest pulling the chair onto the rug from the corner so it’s part of the conversation area with the two sofas. Kind of lonely way over there. Speaking of the rug, once you paint the fireplace, it will be completely neutral so you might consider getting a new rug with more color (either plain or patterned with earth tones — olives, bricks, teal). Then pull out some of those rug colors to use as pillows on the chair/sofas and accessories for the room.
Since the TV is occupying your focal point in the room, you can further camouflage it by adding some art to that wall — a tall vertical piece above the bookshelf and a pair of vertical pieces, one on top of the other, on the right side of the fireplace. Adding art to that fireplace wall will create more interest there — not just the TV — I think you’ll appreciate the added color.
The palette is olive (furniture), oak/orange, taupey-tan (curtains), and black (metals/ottoman). You can add brick reds and even eggplant purples to the room. Any art should be framed in black to go along with the TV/metal colors in the room.
Option 2: If you decide to keep the fireplace as is. I suggest painting the room a darker shade (Wilmington Tan HC-34) to further blend the fireplace/TV into the wall. I would really suggest an oak mantel at that point. You’ll be amazed at how much better the fireplace will look. You’ll need a couple of corbels to hold up the mantel (ask your contractor or a handyman). You can still add art and accessories and even a warmer rug. You might add a standing lamp to the right of the fireplace instead of art. That will help with evening light since I don’t see many lamps.
See what you think of those ideas. Relatively easy fixes overall.
Thanks for sending the photos. Hope I’ve helped.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi
I posted a question but don’t see it so I think it didn’t go through.
I am still looking for a grey paint for my powder room. It has yellow tiles (like HC5 Weston Flax)
I have tried several colors:
1460 too purple
AC26 too taupe (I like this but it looks muddy)
2133-50 way too blue
I like HC 169 on the fan . Do you think it would work? I would prefer something a tad deeper.
HELP! My painter is losing patience with me. There is a color called Platinum Gray on a card I have that says RM but I don’t have color code.
I only want grays so I need to find one that works. I though this would be easy.
Many thanks.
One more color….AC29 San Antonio Grey????
I have a picture of my house, that will help, but am not sure how to get it to you. We re-sided our two story house this summer and it turned out darker than I hoped. It is a very dark brown/grey. The trim is off-white. My garage door faces the front of the house. I painted it to match the trim because I thought if I painted it the same color of the house, it would only darken it more. Also ,my garage entryway door faces the front of the house just next to the garage door. This is also painted off-white. I know the colors are wrong as the focal point is my garage door and I want it to be my front porch. Should I consider a third color that is in-between the two colors? (once again, I think you need to see the picture)
We also have a huge front porch that goes all the way across the front of the house. It is not completed yet. I am thinking of pillars with stone on the bottom with wood on top and am unsure what color to paint the pillars or what stone to use?
I am not willing to paint the whole house, but would consider painting the shakes and of course the doors. I really need your advice! I want to love this house, but something is not pulling it all together. Thank you!
Hi Stacy,
You can send photos to my email (bmeglis@yahoo.com), but I can tell you without looking that you do need a third color on the front door to draw the focal point away from the garage and over to the entry area. Since your house is a dark neutral with off-white trim, your front door should either be a warm color in the red/orange family or a contrasting cool color like a teal blue.
When I see your photos, I can help you nail down a color.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Stacy,
I suggest painting the gable shingles a warm neutral, something like SW6142 Macadamia or SW6149 Relaxed Khaki. That will highlight the gables and brighten up the house. Then because you don’t want to highlight your garage/entry area, I suggest painting them a couple of shades lighter than your siding color. That will blend the doors in, call attention to the gable peak (both of them), and allow you to draw the eye to the front door. Yes, the mahogany stain is perfect.
For your stonework, pick a variety of gray, brown, and beige stones with some rust thrown in to tie the whole house together.
Beautiful!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi,
It’s me again. (new question, new payment)
So now we are dealing with the master bedroom. Stonington gray (bathroom) and camouflage (guest bedroom)w ere perfect! I have not found the right towels yet but my old pewter ones seem to be ok for now.
Anyway, we have been trying colors with no success and I will have to make this decision on my own (with your help) since hubby is traveling
:
-(
We are looking for a neutral beige. The room faces northwest so not a ton of light but has 3 windows.
We tried BM november rain OC 50 (pale with a bluish tone) and pale oak OC 20 which looks ashy on the walls. So that was a failed experiment.
We tried Cedar key (982) but it has too much lavender. I am trying Carlisle cream now (1031) but it looks a bit pink (?) although it is not quite dry. The pink would not please my husband for sure.
The current furniture which will be changed eventually(!) is a medium brown , the area rug is medium taupe (that too can be changed) and the floor is light (slightly gold) oak. But I have no idea what tone I would get…..probably expresso???? but not sure.
So I am now considering everlasting 1038. (lots of good comments on the web)
Other possibilities: natural wicker 95 or pale almond 951. (probably too light for hubby)
barely beige 1066 and blonde wood 1067
But would love to have your suggestions. would love to hear back soon,
Thanks again,
Gail
Hi Gail,
I think your neutral needs a yellow undertone instead of pink or gray since your floors are golden and your room faces Northwest. The taupey beiges will go gray in that light. So take a look at Lady Finger 1045. I’ve used both the lighter Lighthouse Landing 1044 and Deer Path 1047 and both have worked great as a neutral base for layers of added color in the room. I’ve also had great success with Ocean Beach 958. Blond Wood will also work for you — it’s a tad warmer than the Lady Finger but it might read pink in your room. It’s between those two: Lady Finger and Blond Wood.
You’re getting closer! (Forget Carlisle Cream — it is pink.)
Hope one of the above will pass the light test (and get the hubby okay) for your room.
Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Can you comment on why you think Everlasting is not a choice?
Also can you comment on Barely beige 1066?
I wouldn’t want too much yellow and everlasting seems a bit less so (?)
Would White Dove be ok for the trim and ceiling with these chocies ?
I think Linen white (current trim and walls) looks a bit too creamy in that space.
Many thanks. I will let you know the followup and will be bakc when I move downstairs!
Hi Gail,
If the Lady Finger is too yellow for you, then Everlasting may be the best one. It’s warm without being too gold. I think, from what you said about your husband’s likes, the Barely Beige will be too light. White Dove is perfect. If you want to use a Super White ceiling paint (flat), that will give you maximum reflection into the room. (Linen White will not give you as much contrast between walls and trim as White Dove will. I’d go with White Dove.)
Looking forward to downstairs too!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Follow-up .I went with Lady Finger. Everlasting had a touch of red in it (I could even see it!) and when it was not sunny , I thought it looked a bit too taupey in the room (although I prefer the color as a freestanding color)
It looks really nice (warm) – kind of a pale sandy tone – although I will need to get used to the yellow undertone. My husband hasn’t seen it yet (he is away this week) so I will keep my fingers crossed.
But as always, you picked the perfect color for the room. Thank you!
I continue to be amazed.
I am going to try to take some pictures for you for downstairs since the whole thing has to flow. I will post sometime this week.
Thanks again . your help has been invaluable.
Back soon,
Gail
Hi Gail,
Thanks again! Let’s hope your husband loves it too.
I look forward to working with you on the downstairs rooms. I’ve emailed you the specifics of how we can work together on the bigger project.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hello: I am new to this blog but I am in dire need of a knowledgable opinion. We are building a small house in the woods on the Chesapeake Bay. Very natural looking, lots of windows overlooking the water side, kind of a cabin feel. My husband is the builder (he’s in the business) so we have been choosing everything ourselves. The siding we chose is called Timberstone and when we chose it we did not think it was quite as dark as it has turned out to be. The roof blends in well (a little too well!) with the siding and the windows we put in are Anderson – color – terra tone. So, needless to say, everything is starting to look the same color……brown. We picked musket brown for the trim and now I am at a loss. My husband is getting distressed that he has worked so hard and the outside is not what he had envisioned. My thought was that perhaps we should add shutters to the windows (casement) and paint the front door something special to bring out the natural beauty of the color and the setting. I was thinking in the gold tones or rusty red. We are not dark green fans and I think the dark green against the wood color siding wouldn’t thrill me anyway. I can’t seem to find shutters that are in the darker gold tones (or the rusty red for that matter but I haven’t looked that hard yet). We will be building a front porch and back deck as well and would like suggestions for stain colors that would enhance the house but not stand out like a sore thumb. As the house is built into a hill, the concrete foundation shows in the back but not in the front. Any color suggestions to paint the concrete? Can you make any suggestions that may help our beautiful house? I know that landscaping will also help but we’re not at that point yet. Appreciate your time & thoughts. Missy
Hello! Just made my donation! I have a dilema with the redo of my master bedroom and bath. I was all set on gray, but now am unable to choose a shade. What is causing me the most trouble is the oak trim in my house. Can I still do gray with the oak? I started out not wanting any blue tones in my gray. So, after much narrowing down, my first choice thus far is BM’s Rockport Gray. Can it work?
More details:
— Bedroom gets little natural light — one west facing window
— Bedroom is large with a vaulted ceiling
— Furniture is darker than the oak trim with soft black drawer fronts and brushed nickel hardware.. I am in the process of painting all the drawer fronts and swapping out the hardware. If I have to, I will paint it all (not just the fronts), but I wanted to see how I liked that first — the mix of the wood with some black.
— Chandelier will hang from the vaulted ceiling over the bed
— Attached master bath has ivory tile with ivory garden tub (trimmed in oak), ivory toilet, ivory shower stall with glass door. Oak cabinets, double sink with ivory counter. Oak trimmed mirror above counter.
My original thought was to do white bedding, with gray and black pillows/accents/throws/bedskirt and then choose a “pop” color as well — not sure what color here? Change out the lampshades for white, and add a big rug under/at the foot of my king-size bed. And, of course, pictures and other decor as the room comes together. In the bath, I was going to carry thru the same colors with towels, pictures, etc, and add brushed nickel hardware to the vanity in there. Maybe the Rockport Gray isn’t the problem and maybe it’s my “vision” of all the other stuff.
Right now, though, I am just paralyzed with choices and wondering if I should go to a whole new palette. The oak has me all confused. The house is an open-floor plan ranch and the great room and the hallway leading to the master is in BM Manchester Tan.
Hi Jane,
I have no problem with your palette. In fact, I really like the gray/oak combination. The yellow in the oak gives the gray a French feel. A classic look. But the Rockport Gray is really a gray-Green. It’s quite green on the wall. I suggest trying a sample on your wall before committing. Nothing wrong with the color, of course, it’s just not as gray as you might like.
Take a look at Coventry Gray HC-169. It’s a wonderful warm gray that might be just what you’re looking for. Another gray with a green undertone is Revere Pewter HC-172. Ond of my favorites for bathrooms where there’s a lot of cream and chrome or nickel.
See what you think. But you’re on the right track!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Thanks, Barbara, for your quick reply! I do have a sample of the Rockport on the walls (along with 5 others!!). And, what you are saying is happening…I am seeing the green. Coincidentally, Revere Pewter is also one of the colors I was testing. It seems so very light to me, though, that I almost wonder if that sample was done wrong. I will stop and get a sample of the Coventry Gray and try that one, too!
Thanks!
Hi Jane,
Yes, the Revere Pewter is a couple of shades lighter than the Rockport. Probably not a mistake. The Coventry, though, is darker.
Hope you like it.
-Barbara Your Home & Color Coach
Hello Barbara,
I need help with deciding on what color of Novabrik (bricks) to use on the front of our house. We plan on going 4 feet up from the bottom on the porch, house and attached garage. The shingles are a dark brown with some tan specks in it. We have purchased new siding that needs to be done yet and that is khaki color. There are 2 colors I would consider to use for Novabrik and that is either walnut or charcoal. I’m wondering if it would be too many tones of brown if we go with the walnut. We have white trim on all the windows and doors. If I go with charcoal, it would give a contrast, but I’m kind of chicken to go with it as I will be stuck with it whether I like it or not. I’m just concerned that since my shingles are a dark brown, should the bricks also be in a brown tone? If I had charcoal or black colored shingles, I definitely would not hesitate to go with the charcoal bricks. I like tans and charcoal colors together, just not sure how this would look. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I have photos of the house and photos of the brick colors also that I can e-mail you. Thanks much!
Hi Janel,
I like the Harvest Blend a little better than the Walnut (I think the charcoal is just too much contrast — it will make your house look smaller). The Walnut seems to have a slight pink undertone, which is not as good with your house. Although the Harvest Blend does not contrast with the khaki siding, I think you’re looking for texture more than color.
See what you think.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Thanks Barbara! You have confirmed what I have felt all along! I have been drawn to the Harvest Blend ever since we started looking at the bricks because I like the tones in it the best. I just wasn’t really sure if it was dark enough. And yes, I have to agree that the charcoal is a bit much. I just needed someone to tell me these things! We will be going with the Harvest Blend….thank you so much…you saved me from a lot of headaches and regret!! The $20 was definitely worth the advice!
Janel
Thanks, Janel!
Good luck with your project!
-Barbara Your Home & Color Coach
i would like a color for the vinyl siding on my coffee shop and the garage thats beside it which i ‘m making in 2 rooms for overnight stay the cafe as black shingles the garage has brown but will change eventually to black needs a color to attract customers i will email you a picture,thanks sandra
Sandra,
Great project! Can’t wait to see the photos!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi again Sandra,
Since you are in a part of the continent that sees quite a bit of cold weather, I suggest painting your two buildings the same color as the interior’s warm coffee/cognac color. It will make the shot and the inn look cozy and inviting in the snow. The blue is a little cold for up there. Then add greenery around the two buildings to tie in the other interior color. Evergreens, of course. As foundation plantings or pots of them if necessary. That should work great.
Try a swatch on the shop and see what you think. Coordinating the inside with the outside is really important.
Hope that helps. And good luck with your new venture!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
Our family lives in a manufactured home in California. I just finished painting our large kitchen BM-Bird’s Egg and I’m feeling it’s “too much blue”. My 9 1/2 yo daughter and I are very sensitive to colors, which is why I changed the kitchen from yellow to blue and the dining room from orange to BM Franklin Lakes. Our living room, which is connected to the dining room and kitchen is painted in Dutch Boy Pawtucket Peach which looks nice with our light cherry laminate flooring and an accent wall of BM Franklin Lakes.
Our kitchen cabinets are light oak. I emailed you some photos, one of which is a close-up of our marble table. What would you suggest for the kitchen wall colors and the trim? I have either BM-Swiss Coffee or BM-White Dove for the trim at home. Or if you have another trim color in mind? I don’t mind repainting if I need to, since I’m more interested in my daughter and I being comfortable in our environment. Should I leave part of the kitchen the Bird’s Egg color and paint another wall another neutral color? I was trying for the calming, airy, bright, uplifting feeling. 😉
I’m trying to avoid any reds, oranges, yellows, whites or any colors that can look “white”. I know that is limiting. Thank you so much for your help. Can you give me a couple of color suggestions?
Thanks, Janet
Hi Janet,
Blues are tough because some of them can either a) look a little too “kid’s room” or b) vibrate when you walk in the room — or so it seems anyway. I think the kitchen blue might fall into one of those categories and that’s why you don’t like it.
Take a look at the Historical Blues in the Ben Moore collection, particularly Woodlawn Blue HC-147 or Palladian Blue HC-144. Either of those will give you the soft, airy, comfortable feeling that you want in your kitchen and either should transition well between the other colors in your palette.
Stick with the trim color you’re using elsewhere. Either of those whites will work with the blue.
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
Thank you very much for your suggestions! I think my kitchen color blue fell into “both” of the categories you mentioned. 😉
I’m excited about picking out one of the colors you suggested this weekend at the paint store!
I appreciate your help!
Thanks, Janet
Hi Barbara,
I chose the Woodlawn Blue for the kitchen and it looks wonderful! I am now experiencing that soft, airy, comfortable feeling that I was trying to achieve. Thanks so much for your help!
Now, I’m looking for a color for the guest bathroom. Anything but yellows, reds, whites and oranges, again. And in keeping with my pallete:
kitchen-Woodlawn Blue
Dining Room-Franklin Lakes
Living room & hallway leading to guest bath-Dutch Boy Pawtucket Peach
I’ll email you a photo of the guest bath.
Thanks again for your help, Janet
Hi Janet,
How about Hollingsworth Green HC-141 (Ben Moore)? It is the same hue value as the Woodlawn Blue so the two colors will blend beautifully. And light greens in the bathroom make it feel fresh.
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/hollingsworthgreen
The Violet Mist I emailed you is another possibility as it is the complementary color to the yellow/orange (your cabinet wood tone) so there will be lots of youthful energy in the bathroom.
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/violetmist
Silvery Blue 1647 heads you in the blue direction. Also works.
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/silveryblue
See what you think.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
My daughter loved the Violet Mist and we picked up a can of paint this afternoon!
Thank you so much for your help!
Janet
Oh Yay!!
Barbara,
I have a New Orleans style townhome, and am not totally pleased with the color that I painted my living and dining rooms. I was in search of an orangey yellow, sort of apricot but more Tuscan than pastel, and chose Dahlia in Valspar. It just appears too bright for the house style. I remember I had looked at HC-8, 10 and 12 in Benjamin Moore when I was choosing colors before because one of these had the muted look I wanted when I painted the living room in my prior house. However, in this space, the lighting is strange and these colors take on a greenish cast. The house is U-shaped and surrounds a small courtyard, so the light coming in comes from that courtyard (the windows face east). Can you make some recommendations? I sent payment via paypal, but it will show up under my first name, same last name. Thanks.
Hi Katie,
Here are a couple of colors that might work. I’ve used both of them before and they’re striking on the wall. The first one, Roasted Sesame Seed, appears quite muted on the paint chip, but if you have adequate light in the room, it really warms up. The second one, Beverly Hills, is a clearer, brighter color. Here are the links:
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/for-your-home/rooms-by-color/farm-fresh-yellow-kitchen
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/beverlyhills
Let me know if I’m on the right track. Send a photo to my email (bmeglis@yahoo.com) if you need more help. Seeing the furnishings helps with color selection. But check these two colors out first.
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Thanks, Barbara. The only furniture in the living room right now has a fabric that is not exactly like this one, but similar, and the color is the same. http://www.ethanallen.com/fabric?fabricId=3780255 In the dining room, the side chairs have this fabric http://www.ethanallen.com/fabric?fabricId=10913 and the host and hostess chairs have this fabric http://www.ethanallen.com/fabric?fabricId=3780571. I will definitely take a look at your two recommendations in the space. On the internet, those colors look very close to my couch color, but they might actually provide enough contrast when I see them in the room.
Katie,
I am thinking that the Roasted Sesame Seed might actually work. See what you think.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
I’d like to change our living room and hallway present color of Dutch Boy Pawtucket Peach. I’m emailing you photos. Could you give me 2-3 color suggestions that would compliment our color scheme/palette and flow.
light cherry flooring
dark cherry furniture
light oak shelves
Trim throughout home-BM Swiss Coffee
DR-?
Kitchen-BM Woodlawn Blue
MBR is visible at end of hallway connecting living room-Martha Stewart Magnolia
Guest Bath-BM Violet Mist
Also, what color should I then paint the coffer ceiling? Do you think I should paint the fireplace wall above an accent color? And if so, what color? Or paint it the same color as the rest of the living room? Should I paint the ledge above the light oak shelving and the ledge at the opening of the dining room a different color?
Thanks again for your help! It has saved me so much time (all the hours and hours of painting the wrong colors 😉 and money for supplies and paint I end up not liking!
Janet
Hi Janet,
Since your rooms are quite dark even in the daytime, how about a couple of contemporary neutrals for the living and dining rooms using blue as the accent color?
Check out Revere Pewter HC-172 for the dining room. http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/reverepewter
It is a very warm gray-beige that makes woods “pop” against it. Your dining room furniture would look spectacular. Then the blue chairs and other blue accents will stand out better than if you paint the dining room blue. You could use Wedgewood Gray HC- 146 for that ledge above the dining room. http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/wedgewoodgray
For the living room, I would blend. Look at Edgecomb Gray HC-173 http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/edgecombgray
But using a light neutral (with no yellow in it), you will make the room look more contemporary and will provide a neutral backdrop for your art and furniture. Plus the lighter tone will add light to the room.
For the accent wall over the fireplace, you could pull in the Revere Pewter from the dining room. OR the Wedgewood Gray from over the entry. Either would work and would pull the rooms together.
The neutrals with gray undertone would give you a unified cool palette to accentuate your woods, metals, artwork, and rugs and tie in with the kitchen metals/wall color.
(I would keep the trim above the oak bookshelf the wall color so it doesn’t stick out too much since there is no counterpart on the other side of the fireplace.)
If you find those neutrals too blah, you could move to greens. Look at Soft Fern 2144-40 for both rooms. You could still use the Wedgewood Gray for the accent color on the fireplace and over the doorway. OR a darker blue Jamestown Blue HC-148 for the accent areas. http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/softfern http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/jamestownblue
You have a couple of really nice palettes. See what you think.
-Barbara Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
I am also changing the color of our dining room from BM Franklin Lakes to BM Wedgewood Grey, since the Franklin Lakes felt too “vibrating” and a little dark with the lighting. Love that description you used in response to my previous post. Before I continue–I should have checked with you first ;)–do you think it’s too much “blue” or the “right blue”, since the DR connects with the kitchen, which is BM Woodlawn Blue (your wonderful color suggestion, which I love!)?
Do you have a suggestion(s) for a better color(s), that would compliment our color scheme/palette and flow? I don’t know if you can tell from the photos/lighting, but the dining room table and china hutch are pecan, the flooring is light cherry and side table is dark cherry. I’m open to suggestions for a completely different wall color, except oranges or reds. 🙂 I’m emailing you photos.
The previous post lists our color palette for the rooms in our home.
Thanks so much for your help again!
Janet
Hi Janet,
Since your rooms are quite dark even in the daytime, how about
a couple of contemporary neutrals for the living and dining rooms
using blue as the accent color?
Check out Revere Pewter HC-172 for the dining room.
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/reverepewter
It is a very warm gray-beige that makes woods “pop” against it.
Your dining room furniture would look spectacular. Then the blue
chairs and other blue accents will stand out better than if you
paint the dining room blue. You could use Wedgewood Gray HC- 146
for that ledge above the dining room.
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/wedgewoodgray
For the living room, I would blend. Look at Edgecomb Gray HC-173
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/edgecombgray
But using a light neutral (with no yellow in it), you will make the
room look more contemporary and will provide a neutral backdrop for
your art and furniture. Plus the lighter tone will add light to the
room.
For the accent wall over the fireplace, you could pull in the
Revere Pewter from the dining room. OR the Wedgewood Gray from
over the entry. Either would work and would pull the rooms together.
The neutrals with gray undertone would give you a unified cool palette
to accentuate your woods, metals, artwork, and rugs and tie in with
the kitchen metals/wall color.
(I would keep the trim above the oak bookshelf the wall color so it doesn’t
stick out too much since there is no counterpart on the other side of the
fireplace.)
If you find those neutrals too blah, you could move to greens.
Look at Soft Fern 2144-40 for both rooms. You could still use the Wedgewood Gray
for the accent color on the fireplace and over the doorway. OR a darker blue
Jamestown Blue HC-148 for the accent areas.
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/softfern
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/jamestownblue
You have a couple of really nice palettes. See what you think.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Babara,
I LOVE the Revere Pewter for the DR and the Edgecomb Gray for the LR and using the Wedgewood Gray as an accent color!
I just finished painting one wall in both rooms and it looks fantastic! Wow, what a difference! I’m so excited and appreciate your help very much! This is such a wonderful service you provide!
BTW, my husband really liked your suggestion of painting our front door, BM Colonial Brick!
Just one more question: How should I paint the coffer ceiling in the LR?
Thanks, Janet
Hi Janet,
Glad you like the colors!
One idea for your coffered ceiling is to paint the “steps” all white ceiling paint ( I like super white for best reflectance) and then paint the innermost ceiling either Woodlawn Blue or a “tint” of it (the blue paint with white added to make a lesser value). That would tie the living room in with both DR chairs and kitchen. Also blue ceilings recede, making the ceiling and room seem taller.
Just a thought.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Thanks Barbara! Off to more painting….:)
Janet
I would like help with paint color selection. I have recently bought a new home that is going to be built. It is the top unit of a townhouse condo – 2 bedrooms, on one floor approximately 1400 square feet. This is only my second home and I haven’t utilized colors in the past. I want a warm, cozy environment that will eventually be appropriate for resale. I have gotten the upgraded crown molding package and plan to have crown molding in the two bedrooms. There is a tray ceiling in the MB with crown molding. I have a brass bed and cherry bedroom furniture (more traditional with brass handles).
I have some concerns that my selections will make the home too dark. I have chosen the maple espresso timberlake cabinets. You can see a picture of the cabinets and the hardwood floors in the picture below. I am using the same color cabinets in the two bathrooms as well. The granite will be Venetian Gold for the kitchen (lighter than what is below). The granite in the master bathroom is soapstone. The picture shows carpeting in the LR/FAM but I am carrying the wood floors throughout this area.
I have also chosen the bronze finish lighting package and the hardware and plumbing fixtures are bronze finish as well.
I don’t like the green contrast in the above picture. I do like the tan. A friend of mine has suggested a dark brown for the green wall or something that will match the wallpaper in my master bathroom (Pattern # 441-5533 by Brewster for Sherwin Williams collection). I’m not sure about this. I was thinking Bennington Gray (Benjamin Moore) for the Kitchen, Fam Room and the area of green wall. You don’t see crown molding in this picture but I think the Bennington Gray should provide a nice contract to white crown molding. Do you think this would be too dark with the kitchen cabinets and the dark wood floors?
As a contrast to the bennington gray I was thinking of SW6601 (tanager) on the wall in front of the stools – sorry to be confusing but this is from the actual model at the construction site. The above picture is from the Ryan Home web site for the Reuben.
The lighting is the same with what I have selected in this model. The problem with these types of units is that you have a big staircase. I love what they did in the model with having four mirrors with white frames to generate a lot of light. I am going to have my painter recreate this effect in my home and was going to use the SW6601 on that particular wall. When you are looking at this wall you are looking back toward the kitchen. I have two large Karastan rugs (the Multicolor Panel Kirman style) and I think the SW6601 will match the red in the rug. In the below picture you get a better sense of the crown molding. The light fixture is the same that I will have both in the stairwell and the pendants above.
So my thought is Bennington Gray for the kitchen, family room, Liv room (all the same room) and the hallway back to the bedroom. The SW6601 for the wall with the mirrors and the wall on the kitchen island facing the family room.
I’m not keen on curtians and am planning on white casings around the windows and white wood blinds.
For both bedrooms I was thinking SW6184 (Austere Gray). With the tray ceiling my friend suggested SW6167 (Garden Gate) but I was thinking something lighter like SW6186 (dried thyme). I was going to use Wallpaper #441-5556 (Brewster Home Fashions by Sherwin Williams in the second full bathroom with gray tile (12 x 12) and a tan tile in the Master Bathroom. See below for an example of the gray tile.
An example of the masterbath tile and bronze shower fixture and door are above. I was thinking of going a little lighter with the tile but still in the tan family.
What are your thoughts? Too dark? Too much color?
I see the pictures haven’t come through. How do I show those if they would be helpful?
Hi Christine,
You can send your photos to my email for convenience.
bmeglis@yahoo.com
I’ll be sure to see them there.
More soon.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Christine,
I love the Bennington Gray and I think it will be fine in your public spaces. It goes well with the granite and your cabinets and it is not too dark. The Tanager is a bold accent color. I think that will work as well as long as you have other reds going in (you mentioned the carpet — perfect) and you’re not adverse to painting the big wall out when you go to sell. That will be up to you and your realtor at the time. But usually we paint out the bold accent walls to make the space feel as big as possible and we avoid the “distraction” of red accent walls. But I love the idea of using the bold color in those two areas now. And the mirrors will be perfect on top of the red.
For the Master, I like the Austere Gray and the slightly darker accent for the ceiling. You could also pick a completely different color for up there — based on your furnishings. But I would avoid anything too dark unless you have a really high ceiling already.
I had trouble pulling up your two wallpaper samples for the bathrooms. Just be advised that steamy showers and wallpaper don’t mix well. Make sure to leave the fan on when showing so the wallpaper does not peal off. I do like the gray tile. Nice and neutral.
You mentioned resale, so just keep in mind that classic, neutral (but not boring) decisions will be the easiest to face when it comes time to put the condo on the market. Anything too personalized will be more of a hard-sell. Think classic and timeless. But your red walls are fine for now.
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi, again, Barbara. The roof is done and the charcoal looks great! Now I’ve got an interior color question. As part of the roof work, I had a couple of skylights removed that appeared in an upstairs loft over the family room that I am having closed in to use it as a combination office and music room.
Once the loft wall is closed in, both rooms will be painted by the contractor. I’m asking for help with the family room since it is open to the breakfast nook and kitchen and two stories tall (i.e., I hope to not repaint it after the pro). I sent you mail with details and a flickr guest pass to some pictures and payment via PayPal.
Hi Steve,
Here are my thoughts. The pink of the old brick is a bit at odds with the yellow in the oak flooring. We see this all the time. Since you’d prefer to keep it (and that’s okay), I suggest you get a neutral rug to cover part of that expanse of floor. (It will be cozy too.)
One note about the fireplace: it is modern with little moulding, and the shelf above is a bit too short to serve as a modern “mantel.” If you paint the wall a dark accent color, the slightly skimpy shelf will pop off the wall. One solution is to add more shelves to the wall so that the one above the fireplace is not such a focal point. (Another, more costly solution is to add moulding to your fireplace and an actual box mantel. But it’s not critical if you add more white shelves.)
As for the color scheme, you are right about the orange accent wall — it will fight with the brick. But I do like the Canyon color. It looks great with the brick and adds a rustic element to the room. The Gabardine blue is also nice but it will accentuate the small fireplace. I think if you want to have an accent wall there, it’s best to pick a dark color out of the actual brick.
As for the walls, the current yellow also accentuates the “pink” brick. Try something with less yellow in it. I’ll give you Ben Moore colors and they can be matched if necessary. Here are two to look at:
Edgecomb Gray HC-173
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/edgecombgray
Abalone 2108-60
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/abalone
Both are on the gray side of neutral and both will coordinate beautifully with the brick, contrast nicely with the floor (I would still add a rug with earth tones), and work with the navy sofa.
See what you think.
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hello again, Barbara. I would once again appreciate your expertise on suggesting some changes to my kitchen. I have decided to paint out the cabinets (how do you feel about a putty color?) and would like some suggestions regarding paint color for the cabinets/walls as well as complementary granite countertop and backsplash ideas.
We are planning to sell our house in a couple of years and would appreciate something that would appeal to potential buyers. I have sent my pictures to your email.
Thanks so much!! Holly Q.
Hi Holly,
Putty will definitely work. And here’s an additional idea.
Walls:
Palace White 956/Papaya 957 — carry from kitchen into family room.
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/palacewhite
Cabinet color:
Bennington Gray HC-82
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/benningtongray
Counter Top:
Granite is losing favor to solid surfaces like Quartz but if you like the traditional look of granite, here’s one.
Santa Cecilia (has tones of cream, taupe, gold, with some red dots)
OR
Silestone’s Vortium
http://www.silestoneusa.com/colors/color/vortium/
Subway tiles are nice for a traditional home, but here’s an updated twist.
http://www.modwalls.com/lush3x6cameo.aspx?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=products&gclid=CPCD3dnP0LoCFc-Y4Aod3w0AkQ
The neutral color palette goes with your existing window treatment (I love that!) and the rest of your house.
BUT, having said all that…
The best bang for your buck in kitchens that you are preparing to sell is to:
a) Update the appliances so that all match (at least) or are stainless steel (still quite popular except in all-white kitchens where the color white is trumping the stainless finish.)
b) Update the flooring. If you have old linoleum, a new kitchen will look awful on top of it. Wood or tile is the best. If wood, carry into the family room — throughout the public spaces, for that matter. Everybody wants hardwood floors!!
If you were planning to stay in the house for 5+ years, a kitchen re-do would be worth it because you could enjoy it for awhile before selling. But if you want to cut costs while preparing your home for resale:
a) Switch metal to brushed nickel (lighting, knobs and pulls)
b) Keep the white counter top (the color is great)
c) Orange oil your cabinets to enhance the wood
d) Paint the walls Papaya 957 (kitchen and family room)
e) Focus on flooring upgrade.
There. Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Amazing advice as always, Barbara. Your ideas and suggestions are so much more than anything I could ever envision, and no doubt I will be back again in the future to seek more design/color wisdom!!
Thank you so much 🙂
Holly
You are very welcome!!
🙂
Hi Barbara,
I have seen many pictures online of rooms painted in Sherwin William’s mindful gray, analytical gray, and tony taupe that I love. I have also admired the look of BM revere pewter (which I thought would be the answer I was looking for, but looks much too cool) and Windsor greige. However, I have painted samples of the aforementioned colors on my family room walls and don’t like any of them. I don’t know if it’s the lack of natural light in the room or the existing paint color making it difficult to read the color of the samples but all of the mentioned colors just look drab.
I have included several photos showing the curtain fabric, sofa (which will be replaced with something more neutral in the next year) leather chair color and the TV stand to help you narrow down the paint color recommendation.
I thought I wanted to go with something in the middle range of the paint strip as far as color value goes but now I am wondering if I should go light and consider something like S W natural choice or useful gray? I prefer Sherwin Williams colors as the store is close by.
I can’t wait to see what you suggest! I am going broke buying paint samples!
Susan
Hi Susan,
You’re right. I think the grays are too drab for your fabric and carpet. Perhaps it’s the light or the undertone or both, but I think you want something with a little more yellow in it to coordinate with the fabric (bring out the blue) and go with both the warm leather brown and your carpet color.
Take a look at both Kilim Beige SW 6106 and Nomadic Desert SW 6107 and see if one of those pulls the whole room together. It is warmer than the grays and greiges you were looking at and richer than the whites.
http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW6106-kilim-beige/
The Useful Gray looks like a light, cool, gray-green — it will work but it’s still cool. But it you really don’t want too much warmth in the wall color and want to rely on the fabrics to warm up the room, then this is a good choice.
The Natural Choice will also work as it is basically white with a slight green tint. It will also rely on the furnishings for warmth, but it will go with everything in the room.
Check out the Kilim Beige and see if you like it with your fabric etc.
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Thanks for your help, Barbara. Do you think shoji white or alabaster would be good choices for the trim color? I will buy a sample of kilim beige and try it out this weekend. I’ve read that it can give off a pinkish tint in some rooms. If it has this effect in my fam room, do you think softer tan would be a good choice for a neutral beige?
Susan
Hi Susan,
Yes– we don’t want a pink undertone. Hope that works for you.
I will check the trim color when I get to my office.
More soon.
Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi again Susan,
Personally, I love a crisp interior white so Alabaster would be my first choice. For a softer blend with less contrast, however, the Shoji will work.
Let me know if the Kilim turns pink during your test.
Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
We’re getting a new front door and storm door, and my question concerns the color of the storm door (we live in Syracuse, New York, one of the snowiest places in the U.S., so a storm door is a necessity). Our house is small, raised ranch style, with a full flight of steps up to the front door. There is a landing at the top but nothing like a porch–only the deep eaves that go all around the house. The siding is a clear, pale yellow; trim is white; steps are whitewashed brick topped with limestone slabs; railing is dark grey; roof is gray. The new front door will be a dark blue called “naval” with glass in the top quarter of the door in a simple prairie style with wrought iron. The door has no sidelights–the siding basically comes right up to it.
We’re getting an Andersen storm door with a self-storing screen, so a narrow bar across the middle. (I’d love a full view door, but my husband and I are getting older, and changing out the glass and screen twice a year may eventually become difficult.) I know the standard advice is to match your storm door to your trim, but white against the dark blue of the door seems all wrong to me. It also looks wrong in pictures I see of dark doors with white storm doors. My inclination is to go with black–what do you think?
BTW, I hope my description gives you a mental picture of the house. The weather here is terrible–no good for taking photos.
Kay
Hi Kay,
I’m from Watertown originally so I understand your weather issues.
As for the storm door, since you have the bar across the middle it’s best to come as close to the inner door color as possible to avoid breaking up the color. So with a navy door, a black door does make some sense. I would love to see some other black — lights, mailbox, etc. Gray (if it’s available, or perhaps bronze) is also a possibility since you have a gray railing and roof.There would be less contrast between white trim and storm door.
But I agree in this case that white is not your best option.
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Thanks so much–that does help.
I’d considered bronze, but it can have a brown cast that wouldn’t relate to anything else. Our porch light is black, but the mailbox is light gray and white. Unfortunately, gray is not one of the available options.
Sounds like black is the best, Kay. It will be fine.
Hi Barbara,
I finally got a chance to try a sample of kilim beige and find it to be too flesh-colored for my liking. Do you think 6120 believable buff, 6127 ivoire or 6141 softer tan would work? If any of those would be good substitutes for kilim, do you think either 7008 alabaster or 6385 dover white would be a good trim color?
It’s been a few days since my last post. To help you remember my room and fabric, I posted 3 pics on your facebook page last week.
Susan
Hi Susan,
I like all the colors mentioned as they really do pick up on the fabric and warm up the room. The furniture/carpet should work well too. As for trim, using the Dover will keep the walls/trim in the same warm family without introducing too much contrast. Although Alabaster is supposed to go with everything, you may not want any gray or blue undertone that may pop out.
I am most familiar with Ben Moore so from that vantage point, I would recommend White Dove as your trim color. Maybe that can be a reference point for you.
Hope that helps.
I am traveling this week and next but will be checking the blog/email every day.
I think you’ll be happier with the yellower tone on the walls.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for giving me some direction and for answering my email while you’re on the road! I will try samples of the yellow toned paints and see which one warms up the room best. It sounds like I can’t go wrong with either trim color. It just depends on how much contrast I want. Once I narrow down the paint color, I’ll head over to the BM store and take a look at White Dove. I’m excited to get started and will let you know the outcome.
Thanks again!
Susan
Perfect. Let me know if you need anything. But I feel you are on the right track.
I am looking to add some curb appeal to my house. I just bought it last fall and have been renovating the interior since then. I’d like to boost the exterior appeal. I don’t care for the yellow brick but I don’t want the maintenance of painting it. I’m hoping that new shutters and some color on the front door will help. Any suggestions? Black shutters and a red door? Burgundy shutters? I don’t like the yellow brick so I’m thrown for what will work. Any help would be appreciated! I’ll email you some pictures. Thanks, Teresa
Hi Teresa,
Have you considered Ben Moore’s Kendall Charcoal for shutters and a high-gloss version of the same for the front door? It’s a softer look than the sharp contrasting color you have now.
Benjamin Moore kendall charcoal HC-166
“Rich, deep, and luxurious, kendall charcoal pops beautifully when paired with crisp white room accents and trim. A versatile neutral.”
If you would like more color and like the high contrast, consider switching out the green for Ben Moore’s Hale Navy. (Or even Van Deusen Blue — both very pretty).
Benjamin Moore hale navy HC-154
“A timeless classic, this deeply saturated shade of navy blue evokes rich maritime traditions and storied exploits at sea.”
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/vandeusenblue
I hope one of them works for you.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Thank you Barbara.
My home is a 40 yo stucco
6500sq ft outside are 4 huge white pillars … Double doors that were white with gold trim I am stripping them now and need help choosing a color. Roof is dark grey and front porch needs replacing and was also a dark grey.
I have a pale cream trim color think the whole thing is starting to look a little mismatched Don’t know how to describe stucco color. Depending on light. Cream pink just don’t know.
Please help.
Thanks ,
Connie
Hi Connie,
Can you please send me a photo to my email at bmeglis@yahoo.com or insert a photo site URL here in this Comment Reply box? I should really see your house first but I am happy to help out. Thank you for the payment.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
I got your photo, Connie. Back in a few.
Hi Connie,
Take a look at these possibilities:
White for all your trim and windows. The same color as the columns out front. That change alone will be HUGE for your house. There will be contrast with the stucco and no conflict between the pink undertone and the yellow in the cream trim. Right now they’re fighting.
Then for the porch, choose a neutral like Shenandoah Taupe AC-36
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/shenandoahtaupe
And as an accent color, perhaps for the doors, you might consider Amazon Soil 2115-30.
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/amazonsoil
See what you think of that palette.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Barbara,
I am trying to choose a paint color for my living room. My couch is a gold color (I will email you a picture) and the marble around my fireplace is cream with some subtle pinkish tones. I currently have Stuart Gold from Benjamin Moore on the walls, but there is not much contrast with the couch and it doesn’t go well with the marble on the fireplace. I am thinking I would like to go with a greige color. I love a grey/gold combo, but the colors I have chosen so far look too bluish in the lighting of my living room, even colors that are considered a lighter greige. I am not afraid of color at all, but am thinking that a more neutral background will give me more opportunity to play with color in furnishings and accessories. Also, the living room is completely open to the stairs and so the color will need to continue up both flights of stairs. My look is traditional, not modern. Thanks for your help!
Katie
Hi Katie,
Well do I have the color for you! Take a look at Ben Moore’s Revere Pewter HC-172. It’s a wonderful light-medium griege that goes with just about everything. And you are right — going with a neutral wall color will give you all kinds of opportunities to bring in other color and even switch things up through the seasons.
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/reverepewter
If you decide there’s too much green in the Revere Pewter, check out Coventry Gray HC- 169. Another gorgeous warm gray, particularly nice with gold accents.
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/coventrygray
One of those should work perfectly. Hope so.
Thanks for posting!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
I need help on what color to paint my shutters and door (or is the current black the best option?). Although I do not like the trim color at all, I do not want to have to paint all the trim and soffets a different color. Another thing Ibam stuck with is the green metal roof. My options are severely limited. Also, painting the door and shutters hunter green is out of the question. I painted them black the day after we moved in becasue I hated the hunter green so much. I will email you the pictures.
Hi Ashley,
How about blending the shutters a bit with a nice rich Tudor Brown (Ben Moore)? The black, since it is not in the brick, seems to highlight the green roof even more. Brown would “dress” the house without making the shutters too prominent and thereby competing with the roof color. On those same lines, I recommend the trim color (perfectly fine in my view) for the front door. Yes, it is the trim color and not an accent color, but with so many colors in the brick/roof, I think a nice calm cream front door will be very welcoming and quite lovely. You can always put a wreath on the door if it seems too plain around the holidays.
See what you think. I hope you like those suggestions — I think they will help to pull your total house look together.
Thanks for posting.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Could you please do color recommendations for a cream city brick 1870’s home with new addition? Our siding company is tied into Sherwin Williams paint, so would appreciate color recommendations in that brand.. We have chosen CertainTeed/ Landmark “cottage red” for the roof. Our windows are white with 6 over 6 double hung windows. Our home is very near Lake Michigan in Port Washington–the city has a historical as well as a “port” feel to it. I would need colors for the trim, front door, garage door and for the siding on the addition. Thanks a million! Kathy
Hi Kathryn,
Did you send a photo? I pulled up city brick (cream) online but a photo of your house would really help.
But here’s an idea:
Since you have a red roof, how about keeping a neutral siding color. Adding darker trim — a color pulled from the brick/mortar and then an even darker accent color for doors.
These are Ben Moore colors that can be matched — or I can give you SW on Tue when I’m back at the office.
Siding:
Benjamin Moore oat straw AF-340
Trim from brick:
Benjamin Moore sparrow AF-720
Accent:
Benjamin Moore silhouette AF-655
See what you think.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Barbara,
I have recently purchased a little home that reminds me of Roosevelt’s Little White House in Warms Springs, GA. My house sits on a hill facing the newly renovated City park (early Greek revival theme with many white round columned areas–waterfall, dog park ,recreation, etc.) Importantly, this is where President Roosevelt announced the beginning of rural electricity in the U.S. in 1938…he drew a crowd of more than 50,000.
Anyway, I want this little house to resemble the house he helped design where he would go to treat his polio.
My question is: what can I do to make my little white house similar to his Little White House?
My interest here lies in my many years in public service: city councilwoman, county commissioner, and Georgia State Senator.
Thank you for your help.
Janice Horton
PS Since my front yard is long and narrow (100′ X 135′), I don’t think a semi-circular drive will work? I do have pictures…I will try emailing them to you at bmeglis@yahoo.com
Hi Janice,
What a striking resemblance to Roosevelt’s Little White House. Congratulations on landing that piece of property.
In terms of making your home look even more like the other, here are some suggestions (without the budget constraints — you can apply those):
-Remove the front door shutters, and replace the entire front door with one that has sidelights on either side with transom windows at the top. This change alone will make a huge difference.
-Add black shutters to the two inner windows. (Note: Roosevelt’s house had lush windows that went to the floor — another wonderful upgrade if budget allows. Then adjust shutter length accordingly.)
-Beef up the size/scale of the columns on the porch. Enlarge the capitals to be more substantial. Another easy upgrade that will make a Huge difference.
-Another important (read: pricey) upgrade is to convert the vertical siding to lap siding.
-Roof color? I actually like yours better.
-Even if you don’t have room for a circular driveway, deepen the walkway to the front step area.Go all the way to the far left column and adjust landscaping so you can enter the porch at any point along the walkway. You can put potted bushes in front of each column. (I do realize there’s a small step up. If the step into the house is not too high, you might even take out the porch floor and replace with a brick patio.)
-Plant taller bushes on either end of the house instead of the low-lying bushes along the whole length.
I hope that will get you started. Sounds like a wonderful project!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Thank you, Barbara…what if I leave the transom windows off since the windows on each side are shorter? Also, I’m not quite understanding about the sidewalk…. will “simply white” do for the outside and Charleston green for shutters?
Front porch view of the newly renovated city park…
—————————————–From: “Your Home & Color Coach” To: Cc: Sent: Sat, 31 Oct 2015 20:28:11 +0000 Subject: [New comment] …Other Color Questions
WordPress.com Barbara Meglis commented: “Hi Janice, What a striking resemblance to Roosevelt’s Little White House. Congratulations on landing that piece of property. In terms of making your home look even more like the other, here are some suggestions (without the budget constraints — you can”
Hi Janice, Yes to the colors! And that’s okay about the transom window. As for the sidewalk, I wasn’t clear from the photo just what kind of walkway you have up to the front porch. Broadening that walkway and extending it to the end of the porch will give a look similar to the circular drive of crushed red stone at Roosevelt’s home. Hope that clarifies.
Thank you, Barbara…I meant Whisper White instead of Simply White for the outside. I’m debating on White Dove for the entire inside—kitchen counters will be black or white. The floors are hardwood. So, my questions here are: Will Whisper White do for the outside and White Dove for the inside? Also, should the extended walkway be concrete like the present one (it is narrow) or should it be taken up and replaced with crushed stone? If it were 30′-40′ wide, it would still be 100′ from the street.
Whisper White is gray but I think that will look very nice on the house and will help to accent the white trim and enlarged columns (you can use White Dove for the exterior trim). White Dove is fine for the inside. As for the walkway, crushed stone would be more authentic (and more upkeep). It is vastly more interesting than concrete. But you can make the call. Properly installed, you shouldn’t have too many weeds poking up through there.
Hope that helps.
You have confirmed some of my own thoughts and given me other ideas on how to make this little white house more interesting. I’ll keep you posted on the progress of this project.
You’ve been very helpful. Thank you, Barbara.
You are most welcome~ I would love a photo of the finished project! Thanks for posting. -Barbara
We have an office and would like to paint a few of the walls to include the colors of our logo. I would like to get your take on the colors and the placement of the colors. I will send you pictures of the space. Thank you
Thanks for your help. We have a small lake style home in NJ. Stain color creamy yellow has to stay the same. Wondering about ideas for shutter colors and front door and trim. Fascia is PVC and is white. Old shutter color is gray as seen in photos and we wanted something a little more welcoming. Love the houses with great color on the front doors. Sending photos to your email.
Hi Diane,
The yellow is quite prominent on your house so it plays a big role in the accent color selection. I agree about that other blue — too bright.
One possibility:
Front door:
Benjamin Moore Colorado Gray 2136-50
With these Shutters:
Benjamin Moore Province Blue 2135-40
Another idea for the front door is actually glossy white. Increasingly popular as pastels take their turn for front door colors.
For more contrast, here are a couple of other alternatives for shutters/door:
Benjamin Moore Van Deusen Blue HC-156
OR
Benjamin Moore Lafayette Green HC-135
Oh, and keep ALL the trim white like the fascia. The warmer accents will come from your garden perennials (pinks and reds).
See what you think.
And thank you.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
My house is beige, the trim is dark chocolate brown, and the roof is forest green. What color should I paint the front door? (My house is sort of ranch style surrounded by big evergreens. We are out in country so “curb appeal” doesn’t influence here. I just love color and want to feel happy when I look at the front of my house.
Hi Bonnie,
Pull in the green roof color for the front door. Take a look at Webster Green (Ben Moore HC-130) in a semi-gloss finish. I think you will love how it ties in the roof and calls out to your surrounding evergreens.
Hope you like it.
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/webstergreen
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi I just got a new brown roof and would like help picking out new shutter color and front door
Hi Julie,
I would go with black for your shutters. You have a black mail box and black in your brick and black shutters will dress up the house beautifully — even with a brown roof.
For the door, this color will go really nicely with the barberry on the front corner of the house.
Benjamin Moore Ruby Dusk 1267
See what you think.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Barberry might go getting new landscaping. I am a little scared with brown and black.
Okay, Julie. How about Super Nova (Ben Moore 1414) for your shutters? Or Caponata Ben Moore AF-650? Both colors will go very well with the colors already there on the house as well as the brick. http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/supernova
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/caponata
Then you can use the same color for the front door OR paint it white and use a holiday wreath on it. Very light, bright and contemporary.
See if that idea is better.
Barbara,
Back again–this time, for interior advice. (By the way, we love the Philadelphia Cream exterior color that you suggested. Have received many positive comments on it.)
We are ready to paint the ceilings in our traditional house, and are unsure how to proceed. I’ve read here and there that basic ceiling white (Muresco) may not be the best choice. I’m concerned about it being too white, and that something softer might blend in better with the overall look of the rooms.
We are now working with a designer, but have not finalized color choices and flooring. She says that we can’t go wrong with ceiling white, that it would be hard for her to suggest something else, given that we haven’t finalized the above choices. We have, however, pretty much settled on Ivory White for areas such as hallways, with Cotton Balls for trim. (Questioning the intensity of Cotton Balls–haven’t tried it out.) The rest of the house will be done in soft colors. The flooring, which I’m still trying to choose, will be a medium brown hardwood, no red in it.
So, basically I’m seeking a second opinion here. What are your thoughts please? And should one coat of paint be enough here?
Thank you.
Barbara
Hi Barbara,
Unless you have really high ceilings and they are smooth as silk, I think bright white will allow the true wall color to show. Tinting the ceiling with a 10%-30% wall color (mixed with white) is another option. It blends with walls better than bright white, but it does not reflect light back into the room quite as well as white.
You will love Cotton Balls– it’s a great trim color.
That’s it for me. Glad you love the exterior!
Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Since light might be an issue in certain rooms/parts of the house, it does sound like ceiling white is the way to go. As always, I appreciate your input. Thanks, also, for validating the trim color.
Barbara
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for your advice on several previous projects – I am back again with the latest challenge – the kitchen!
After 35 years of dark cabinets, we had them updated – new cabinet faces and drawer fronts and it changed the entire look of the room – leading to a need to change the wall paint color.
Five years earlier,we had already updated the rest of the kitchen: countertop – New Venetian Gold granite, a light travertine backsplash with bronze medallions, and a light (beige with some brown) porcelain tile.
We left the cabinets dark at the time, so we went LIGHT with everything else to achieve balance and not accentuate the darkness of the room (Northeast exposure).
Paint color currently Abingdon Putty. Adjoining open family room is Crown Point Sand. Entry foyer that leads to kitchen is Everlasting.
Island with cabinets basically separates the appliance area (recessed lighting) from eat in kitchen (chandelier only). So lighting is different in both halves, but basically, the new raised panel cabinets, which are a custom color – (we chose BM White Dove with a little burnt umber added, and coffee glaze in all the lines –to add depth alongside the light appliances), light floor, etc, provides little contrast and just too much to take in for my eyes. I am not a fan of an all white kitchen (it would have looked better if we had a dark wood floor).
All existing trim is Simply White, as are ceilings. There is one window over sink which is trimmed in Simply White, with new cabinet color adjoining – it looks a little strange – do we treat the window separately and change to the cabinet color, or keep the Simply White. I’ve heard opinions on both side – what is your perspective. Then do I change the trim in the entire room? It opens up a whole can of worms since trim continues into the next room. Do I change the ceiling color to something warmer to also tone things down?
The family room adjoining is dark floor, traditional red brick fireplace, warm colors, and I feel the kitchen wall color needs to be deepened to provide balance. I also think the Abingdon Putty (greenish tone) is just not right for the room anymore. I’d like to pickup the countertop, floors and coordinate with the cabinets so it looks like everything goes together, keeping in mind the adjoining room colors so it does not clash or become too dark. In my attempt to bring balance, I already replaced valances with a black and gold check and darker kitchen rug (my eye just couldn’t take more light!) I have many trivets on the soffit which I am now thinking should be removed – it seems busy. Would like your opinion on that too.
Just maybe a few decorations.
I will send photos so you can see all the elements and parts of the room – at night, everything looks more intense, and the backsplash actually takes on a more pinky tone, which I do not like and didn’t notice when the cabinets were dark – I guess everything changes when you change the dominant element in the room, the cabinets, right?
I really want to make the right choice this time, so appreciate your thoughts and some color options, as I know in different lights, things can really change. IS it best to go by day or evening lighting? Again, the recessed lit area really washes out the wall color now so that is where it is most – blah.
Looking forward to your take on this project and help in heading me in the right direction here.
Thanks as always,
Barbara
We are in the process of siding our cape with CertainTeed Cedar Impressions siding in charcoal gray. Since we have a brown roof, an almond garage door and oak-colored fiberglass doors with the leaded glass, we kept the trim almond. Now we are having a difficult time finding vinyl shutters to dress up the windows. I love the closed board & batten shutters and also the three-raised-panel shutters. Any suggestions for us on color?
Karline,
I would love to see a photo. Send to bmeglis@yahoo.com and I will be sure to see it. But if you do not have a photo, I will give you a suggestion. Back in a bit.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Karline,
You might want to try a dark brown (wood-look) shutter that ties in your brown roof. It would be wonderful to use actual wood shutters (board & batten) for a truly cottage look, but if you can find a vinyl that looks similar to actual wood, that would work too. For the real deal, check out Timberlane.com.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
We just bought a tan brick colonial. Built in 1927. The roof is brown, although it is not a highly pitched, prominent roof. The home is virtually devoid of any color and is currently bland. Just tan brick and white windows, white trim, white front door, a very thick prominent decorative white soffit and large white front columns. Our options seem to be either the safe, traditional colonial route of keeping the white windows, trim and soffit, while adding brown shutters (or black shutters provided we painted the roof black) and a brown (or black) front door. Or, alternatively, the more adventurous/modern route of doing brown or bronze windows and painting some of the trim, soffit, columns a a shade of tan/taupe that is darker than the exterior brick, but lighter than the brown or bronze windows. Thanks so much in advance for your insight and advice.
Hi Jeff,
Here is one idea (and I am emailing a photo to you).
The white trim on the house matches the snow in the photo, but the white is just TOO white. With your brick the trim would look so much better as a light cream that will blend a bit better with the brick and not look quite so stark since there is a lot of trim anyway. Here’s one color to check out:
Swiss Coffee (Ben Moore OC-45)
https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/color-overview/find-your-color/color/oc-45/swiss-coffee?color=OC-45
Another might be Alabaster (SW 7008)
https://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/products/SW7008-alabaster#/7008/?s=coordinatingColors&p=PS0
Either of those or something similar will soften your trim and coordinate with the “belly band” and “keys” above the windows.
Other ideas:
Install a bronze metal roof over your portico (if it shows from the street at all).
Redo the portico ceiling in dark varnished bead board (photo example emailed). That will add contrast and depth to that large architectural element.
Then opt for (at least) a mahogany (or wood-like) front door and possibly associated sidelights. That might not be possible but the brown door will help a lot.
As for shutters, I would hold off until the rest of these changes are made and then re-evaluate. You may not need them. They would be on the second-story windows only though given the ornamental window trim on the first floor.
Extra detail: go with dark bronze for the downspouts instead of copper (green).
Hope that helps. Pretty house! And thanks for posting!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
You’ve helped me before. Still loving the Philadephia Cream exterior color.
Today I’m emailing with door questions for our new traditional home: Before ordering the interior doors, I need to know what color door hinges to specify. One designer I worked briefly with thought black was fine, but I may not be repeating black anywhere else in the home, except for a stove or an appliance handle–and possibly some door hardware if you think that’s appropriate–so I’m hesitant.
My style leans toward French Country, Cottage/Traditional, with light colors throughout and some painted white pieces mixed in with wood. The flooring is a pretty, medium-tone hickory.
If it helps, the front door has antique brass hardware: hinges and door handle. On the other hand, one company sent the exterior French doors with satin nickel hinges and antique brass latches. Go figure! (They don’t show very often.)
And would you mind weighing in on whether we should order the door casing with the door? Above designer had never heard of this. Husband thinks we could save money, but I’m skeptical and wonder if all the casing and trim should be done at the same time by whomever we hire.
What do you think? Thanks so much.
Barbara
Barbara, I would love to see some photos. Especially of the front of the house. You can send them to my email: yourcolorcoach@gmail.com
If not possible, I will address your questions a little later today. Thank you!
Hi Barbara, Thanks for the photos. I remember now!
Satin nickel is on its way out with brass in various forms coming back in a big way! But as you say… the hinges don’t show very often (referring to your glass doors).
When you asked about doors with casings, I thought you meant the exterior. I have never heard of interior doors coming with the casings. Usually the case opening is created by the contractor with the door ordered to fit into it. Sometimes the door (old wood) is different from the casing (white). As for glass doorknobs upstairs? YES!!!!!
The hinges should match the doorknobs elsewhere. I would get antique brass for your style of house. I think black might be too trendy and it stands out a lot! Just my opinion.
Hope that helps. Can’t wait to see photos of the interior. You have a beautiful home in the making!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Thank you so much, Barbara, for the detailed reply. Believe me, this helps a lot, and I feel more confident with my choices. Grateful for your expertise!
My pleasure!! Thanks for coming back!
Hi,
I used your expert advice several years ago and am now moving to a new home. My contractor is chomping at the bit so I need help soon.
I am looking for several Benjamin Moore options for 2 bedrooms
The west facing bedroom will have light oak furniture. When I had this in my south and east facing bedroom you had recommended Camouflage and it looked amazing but wouldn’t work here
The north facing bedroom will have ebony furniture.
I am using BM Calm in my hallways and living areas and Balboa Mist in my south facing bedroom.
I prefer to keep things neutral and I have an aversion to beige. We tried Collingwood, Balboa Mist and Barren Plain and they were colossal failures.
I would definitely be ok with staying in the “ whites” or go with a light color. Would Pale Oak work in either of these?
I would appreciate a few options for each space.
Thank you
Barbara,
One more thing….
The floors are stained Bona Ebony.
I assume Deciratirs white for trim can be used throughout as well
Thx
Hi Gail,
I got your phone message and I see your color situation here. I will get right to it this afternoon. More a bit later.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi again Gail,
Here are some ideas:
Since the north-facing bedroom will be the darkest with cool light coming in the window, I assume, check out these options:
Ballet White OC-9 (it’s a griege but not too much of either the gray or the beige — I know you don’t like beige, but check it out).
https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/color-overview/find-your-color/color/oc-9/ballet-white?color=OC-9
Soft Chamois OC-13 (another option)
https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/color-overview/find-your-color/color/oc-13/soft-chamois?color=OC-13
Maritime White OC-5 (a warm white that will look spectacular with your dark floors and it’s not too yellow)
https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/color-overview/find-your-color/color/oc-5/maritime-white?color=OC-5
For the west-facing bedroom, I assume you will get pretty strong afternoon light. Here’s an option:
Classic Gray OC-23, a warm gray but light enough and gray enough to handle that strong sunlight in the afternoon.
https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/color-overview/find-your-color/color/1548/classic-gray?color=1548
Gray Owl OC-52 (a blue-gray — it should not turn Balboa in the afternoon light)
https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/color-overview/find-your-color/color/oc-13/soft-chamois?color=OC-13
See what you think! And good luck. Thanks for coming back, Gail!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
You must have taught me well. Ballet white was on my list 🙂
As for the west facing bedroom, do you think those colors would be ok with the light oak furniture? Thinking the blue in the grey owl might not be complementary Is there a “ white” to try in that room as well? Thanks!
Try the Maritime White with your light oak furniture. It should look spectacular.
https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/color-overview/find-your-color/color/oc-5/maritime-white?color=OC-5
I know you said no beige, but this is VERY neutral and not too beige or yellow. And it goes with that light oak. See if you like it.
Hi Barbara,
I am looking to paint my cabinets. I hate the white cabinets with the dark counter and the golden tile. I’ve looked at grays though the Sherwin Williams app, but they just seem too light for the look I want. What do you think of going with a black for the cabinetry? Also, can I do this and keep the ceiling crown molding and baseboards the same creamy color? I will email you a photo of my cabinetry. Thanks!
Hi Katie,
Thanks for your question!
Couple of suggestions:
Black seems a bit severe. But how about Urbane Bronze! It is a gorgeous dark bronze color that would look lovely with your gold wall color.
https://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW7048-urbane-bronze
Then I would switch out your hardware to a silver tone instead of the oil-rubbed bronze it looks like you have now. The silver will pop off the bronze and tie in with faucets. It can be pewter if you don’t want a shiny metal or my absolute favorite polished nickel.
Hope that helps. And thanks again!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach