Guest Blogger: Chelsey Bowen, decorating editor, HGTV.com
After a long and relatively painful search for a new home, my husband and I have finally found our first place. For the most part, we’re happy with the rooms, but they all need to be painted.
The Home Depot was having its regular Memorial Day paint sale, so my husband, being the budget-minded man that he is, decided Monday would be the perfect time to buy paint. This, of course, sent me into a panic attack. What? No testing the paint on the walls, no trying multiple colors! I work for HGTV; I know the rules.
With a good deal of apprehension, I admitted defeat (let’s save a few bucks!), and we sat down to choose our colors. We decided on a warm color palette to grace the walls of our new home, and to be honest, I’m a little fearful of the results.
Kitchen: We’re updating the kitchen with stainless steel appliances and gray/brown quartz countertops, so we choose Sweet Georgia Brown to bring out the flecks of brown in the new countertops.
Living Room: This room will be painted a combination of Clair de Lune and Sweet Georgia Brown, since it opens up to the kitchen.
Dining Room: We decided on Mountain Ridge for the dining room to contrast with the white wainscoting.
Bedroom: I’m dreaming of a gray-blue, white and black palette to create a restful retreat, so I picked up Gray Area for the bedroom.
Home Office: Ashwood is our pick for the home office off the entryway, which is being painted Clair de Lune.
So, what do you think? Are they too dark? Did I make some good choices or have I failed at my first attempt to paint a house?
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Hi my name is Estella. I am installing white shutter in my home, but I am having trouble finding a color. I have bought many sample, but still cant find a color. Can you give me some suggestions in what to look for. I like warm colors and netural colors. I want to do two color in my living room.
We recently put a metal roof (smoke grey)on our house. Now we want to paint the exterior to match the roof and we will install shutters to the windows. I need help with color or color combination that will all go together… Please Help
Speaking of color…we recently bought a home that was built in the late 90's, when Hunter Green was the color of choice. In the kitchen, the tile reflects that color, plus a horid wallpaper, but beatiful oak cabinets. While replacing the tile is my ultimate goal, I am looking for some temporary fixes. I am considering painting the walls a bamboo color, using a sisal under the table (which is light oak and white), adding wheat colored roman shades (2 windows), and adding a white curtain to crisp things up a bit. Any suggestions/comments would be great!
I am wanting to paint my living room/kitchen (great room), but I simply do not know what to do. Here is my living room..leather sofa (brown), beige carpet light stained piano and stone fireplace. The kitchen has hardwood floors (light color mixed with some darker wood), black granite counter tops, light stained oak cabinets and off white appliances. The table and chairs are oak (light stained). My house is very country and outdoors. My husband and I love the outdoors, but I am ready for some changes. Right now the walls are painted off white and the bottom of the living room has beautiful paneling that I don't want to change. The trim in stained "Special Walnut" and I love that. I just want to add some color.
What do you think? Do I have to paint the kitchen and living room the same color sinces the walls connect with no break? HELP
Nancy
North Caorlina
Painting ideas/ COLORS Here is my living room..leather sofa (brown), beige carpet light stained piano and stone fireplace. The kitchen has hardwood floors (light color mixed with some darker wood), black granite counter tops, light stained oak cabinets and off white appliances. The table and chairs are oak (light stained). My house is very country and outdoors. My husband and I love the outdoors, but I am ready for some changes. Right now the walls are painted off white and the bottom of the living room has beautiful paneling that I don't want to change. The trim in stained "Special Walnut" and I love that. I just want to add some color.
What do you think? Do I have to paint the kitchen and living room the same color sinces the walls connect with no break? HELP
Nancy
North Caorlina
You should either not tell people that you work for HGTV or not tell them these are your colors. They all look like neutrals to me, except for the gray, which looks blue. But at least you should be ready for the 'Designed to Sell' phase of your life in the future.
Don't listen to those that say the colors are too "drab" or "dark" etc. Most people are afraid of going too intensely neutral and will choose light bland shades that are as dramatic as oatmeal.
Many people who say color is the way to go and neutrals don't count are the ones who get carried away and paint every room a different crayon color. This can make a home lake a cohesive image/style.
I love all of your color choices and think that those colors contrasted with your lighter furnishings — ie stainless steel etc. — will make a glamorouss and dramatic impact.
Hi!
I used Clair de Lune in my last house and I'm using it again in this house. I LOVE it!! It may be the one color I take from house to house forever.
The colors are very classic/Tuscan. Beautiful. It will depend on the color or wood stain of your furniture, but you are fortunate that it will pair very nicely with rustic, classic or contemporary furniture pieces. I do love the Clair de Lune color, a warm color that will compliment any dark shade. I am a little hesitant on the bedroom shade; do you want to lean a little more on the "blue" side and less towards the "gray" side? Only becuase it may read a bit cold. Again, paint is just the canvas of your room, what you put inside the room is what makes it pop off the canvas. I wish you much luck, you wont be sorry with your color selections.
Obviously you don't like or are afraid of color because all of your colors are so neutral. Hopefully, you plan on kicking it up a notch with some colorful accessories. But I do like the colors that you've selected.
I dislike the color choices. That's because I'm have warm peach toned skin. I tend to surround my self in colors that I love and flatter me. You must have cool or olive tones in your skin to decorate with these colors. Possible dark haired or ice blond. These colors would depress me so badly I'd have to move. If you've never had your "colors done" read the book
"Color Me Beautiful" by Carole Jackson. It will clear up a lot of questions about why people love the colors they do. If you love sunny yellow and chartreuse, celebrate it!
LOVE LOVE LOVE your colors… can't wait to see what the bedroom looks like with the gray/blue,black, and white combo. I also recently moved into my new home and so far my color palette is very similar to yours with the exception of the dining room…I picked a very warm and spicy orange based terra-cotta color! What I have learned from my painting experience so far (I haven't done the bedroom yet but I have a simlar blue/gray color planned) is that with all of the darker colors I needed that warmer and brighter orange to brighten up and enhance my other choices! Anyhow, you are the pro here, so congrats on the house and can't wait to see the pics! I think, with the exception of the dining room (DRAB), your colors are FAB!
I agree that the colors you have chosen are quite nuetral, but this will allow you to rotate colors on pillows, rugs and accessories. I have Clare de Lue from Benjamin Moore in my family room and it is has a warm, golden hue. Since all the colors are so nuetral, it allows you the ability to have a variety that blend from room to room. Good Luck!!
WOW! Nothing like committing your self to some fun and exciting COLOR to bring all of the gals out for comments. I think your choices are bold, rich and will be a terrific back drop to your room designs. I'm sure being the pro that you are you will no doubt delight us all with your results! I can't wait to see it.
I think you can do a lot to make your kitchen POP! perhaps a little dark for a kitchen, it is a nuetral color. the accent colors options are almost endless, soft colores, creams, aqua blues etc..bright colores such as lime green, orange and yellows would make it all pop. I would stay away from dark accent colors. As a employee of HGTV, Constance Ramo & of course my all time #1 designer, Candice Olsen could help out a fellow HGTV employee. I would love to see your kitchen all done.
Colors are all, except for the biege, WAY too dark, it would drive me crazy!
I love the colors. The dark color in the kitchen depends on how well it plays off of the cabinets. Gray in the bedroom will be fine, with black and white. It is the color of my bath room with white trim, placing a fabric light gray and white striped blind with a sheer black curtain over it. So good luck and can't wait to see the results.
I HOPE THAT MY COMMENTS ARE NOT TOO LATE FOR ANYONE TO READ, AS I JUST FOUND THIS BLOG. I HAVE TO DISAGREE WITH A FEW OF THESE COMMENTS THAT WORRY THAT DARK COLORS MAKE A HOME DEPRESSING OR THAT YOU NEED A LOT OF LIGHT FILTERING THRU THE ROOM OR LIGHT COLORS OR WHITES TO COMPENSATE FOR THE DARK COLORS.
GONE ARE THE DAYS WHEN INTERIORS HAVE TO BE LIGHT TO MAKE A ROOM LOOK LARGER OR NICE. COLORS WITH DEEPER BASES CAN CREATE A COZY INTERIOR OR A MASSIVE ONE DEPENDING ON HOW THEY ARE USED, A ROMANTIC SPACE, A TRANQUIL RETREAT. THE COLORS ARE CALMING, SOOTHING. YOU CAN ACCENTUATE THESE DARK COLORS WITH OTHER MEDIUM BASED HUES, THEY DON'T ALL HAVE TO BE LIGHT. THE ONLY CONSIDERATION WITH THESE COLORS IS THE CONTRASTING FLOORS. IF YOU ARE GOING WITH THE TREND, YOUR FLOORS MIGHT BE A WIDE PLANK IN A HANDSCRAPED OR STANDARD PLANK BUT A DARK TONE, AS WALNUT STILL LEADS THE PACK. IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT, AN EXOTIC WOOD WITH MORE OF A VARIEGATED TONE (ONE THAT VARIES FROM LIGHT TO MEDIUM AND SOME DARK ALL THROUGHOUT) MIGHT WORK BEST WITH YOUR COLORS. THE FLOORS ARE THE AREA OF EACH ROOM THAT CAN TRULY HELP IN COMPENSATING FOR THE DARK ON YOUR WALLS.
MY OBSERVATION IS THAT YOU PLAYED IT VERY SAFE WITH ALL OF YOUR NEUTRAL COLORS. ITS A SHAME THAT MORE PEOPLE DON'T EXPERIMENT WITH A BIT MORE COLOR. EVEN ONE ROOM OR ONE WALL WILL GO A LONG WAY. (i just blogged about the same thing on my own blog interiordesign2you.blogspot.com(( how funny))
NO MATTER WHAT COLOR YOUR CABINETS ARE, CREAM OR WHITE OR DARK OR NATURAL, THAT SWEET GEORGIA BROWN IS DEFINATELY TOO DARK A COLOR FOR THAT KITCHEN. I USE A TOUCH OF DARK COLORS IN VIRTUALLY EVERY HOME I WORK IN, BUT NEVER IN THE KITCHEN BECAUSE OF THE OVERWHELMING STRECH OF CABINETRY THAT CONTROLS THE SPACE. THATS THE ONE ROOM OF THE HOME WHERE YOU CAN'T FOOL THE EYE AND MAKE IT LOOK LARGER (because of the huge blob of cabinetry all in a row).
LASTLY, THE HALL COLOR LEADING TO THE OFFICE, DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT'S A WARM COLOR LEADING TO A COOL COLOR IN THE OFFICE, IS JUST FINE BECAUSE THE ROOMS ARE DIVIDED VISUALLY BY A DOORWAY. THEY ARE NOT OPEN TO EACH OTHER. YOUR COLORS ARE GREAT. SAFE, YES… TOO DARK FOR SOME, SURE… BUT YOU HAVE TO ENJOY YOUR SPACE. I HOPE YOU DO.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH PICKING COOL COLORS VERSUS WARM COLORS. BOTH CAN INVOKE ANY STYLE. THERE IS NO- COOL COLORS ONLY FOR CONTEMPORARY OR WARM ONLY FOR TRADITIONAL. ON THE CONTRARY, THERE HAVE BEEN COLOR COMBINATIONS CREATED FOR EVERY DESIGN STYLE IN EVERY COLOR PALETTE EACH YEAR.