I just recently painted, and it is really overwhelming with all the paint colors out there. I found that Ralph Lauren has the absolute best paint colors (not the best paint though). I had the guy at home depot colro match it and mix it in Behr. I would look at all of good old Ralph's color choices and see what pops out to you. I did "Lafayette" from the urban loft collection in my bathroom..it is a green with a lot of yellow in it...looks AMAZING!!

Other tip...add a throw pillow with colors you love and chose the paint off of it :)

I can't tell for sure, but your plates look like they are blue and white. If that is the case, using the color opposite it on the color wheel (yellow) will make them really pop. I did this on a clients home last year and she fell in love with the plates she had had for many years all over again. Yellow comes in tons of shades so you can pick something sunny or mustard or even nearly fluorescent. Now that you have a burgundy wall, be sure to prime first so you don't have to paint the wall with a hundred coats of paint.

If you don't know what color to choose - go with a Medium Grey...
...in 2-3 years, you'll probably have a better idea of where you'd like to go colorwise and you can repaint then.

I would go with a pale blue. I prefer flat finishes, because they give a floatly, almost ethereal quality to a room. I just did a room in Glidden's Warm Breeze, and it looks fabulous with dark red accents.

Definitely get rid of the accent wall. In a very small room, it just breaks up the space more and makes it seem smaller. Also, a good thing to keep in mind with accent walls is that it serves to highlight something. The wall behind the table is too random. If you had to have one, that nook around the sofa might be the choice (if that is indeed a nook - looks like one from the photo). I really would skip it, though! Paint the room a pale color like blue, then use dark red in a few pillows, one great print, and a throw, and the room would have the character you're looking for.

How about a blue like Sherwin Williams "Distance" (6243). Also, I think you'd want to paint both walls in the dining nook, not just the plate wall.

I would go with a coral red, which can be a bright red with hints of orange in it. I know it's not what you were looking for, but with the interior lighting you have in that room, anything blue will look bluer or greener and almost a bit dingier. (I think it might explain the purple effect of the burgundy). Also, the orangy red as an accent color will bring together the warm undertones of the floor and make your your table, rug and sofa even more designer awesome.

Regardless of what color you pick, definitely test the color at the home depot, choosing a more blue light to see how it will look in your home too. Or a better solution to your painting woes: some bolder lighting? :)

I guess I misread your question -- didn't realize that you were just looking for another accent wall color. Paint the whole room! It's not that big! It will get rid of the blahs. That wall is just too random for an accent wall.

I like Mercer by Ralph Lauren....I have that in my office.

Jen Ramos
'Cards & Prints You'll Love...'
www.madebygirl.com
madebygirl.blogspot.com

Nice furnishing and lovely floor! I think you could do a couple of things, each with a different look:

1--a warm terracotta/burnt orange. This would really make things cozy and rich, while setting off the blue in your plates.

2--a nice, light gray. This would make everything seem more spacious. Grays come in a wide variety of shades, I would opt for a bluer gray rather than a tan gray.

Either way, paint all ways, not just an accent. Also, I think a few green plants would add a nice organic touch and give you some of the green you are looking for. Good luck--would love to see some pictures of what you decide!

I'd go with something greenish-blue, like Ralph Lauren's 'Light Sky' (RL Number: IB81) from the Island Brights collection. Grab a couple of CB2's Wave Pillows in 'Swoon' (http://www.cb2.com/family.aspx?c=595&f=5038) for the sofa to tie it in.

The room is currently very, very neutral- it looks very barren and lifeless. Those plates look very strange on that HUGE wall (not to mention they're at a strange height for viewing). That wall needs a large piece of art or a large mirror. The plates would look better stacked vertically on the wall that has the mirror on it.

Also, please don't do grey. You have so many neutrals going on already that grey will make the place look very washed out.

Look in your closet: what colors pop out? Do you buy lots of red clothes & accessories, or blue, or what? Grab your favorite sweater, your favorite scarf, and/or your favorite socks, and go down to the paint chip aisle and look for those colors. We can't tell you what color will make you happy, but I bet your closet or your kitchen cabinets will hold a clue.

I like Behr "Smokey Slate"

It's a light blue/green color bright enough to add a nice punch, but neutral enough that other colors in the space will work well

I can't offer you a concrete recommendation - your room seems very neutral and I don't have much of a sense of the colors that you like - "blue" or "green" are very general terms. In terms of paint, the best advice I can give is to suggest that you spend some time looking at colors (either of objects, or in a magazine, etc.) and then pay very close attention to your emotional response to them as you see them. Then pick one or two that you seem to have the most pleasant reaction to and try them on the wall (one at a time). Sometimes you just have to try colors and live with them for a little bit until you can find just the right one. I used to lived in a house with a narrow, dark hallway that I must have painted six different colors in six months time. The last color I chose really worked (a golden yellow) - it was magical how well it suited the space - it harmonized well with all of the different artwork I had there and with the colors of adjacent rooms. Sometimes, I think you have to just try out things like paint and then you will just know when you picked the right color.

Another note about paint - there is nothing wrong with a completely neutral room if that is what you enjoy. I have seen many lovely rooms that are rather devoid of color. There are many spare, beautiful, minimal spaces - if this is what you like, then try and eliminate anything unnecessary rather than adding things for the sake of having something there.

In terms of adding personailty to the rest of the room - I suggest that you surround yourself with things that you find beautiful, but aren't too demanding to maintain. Let the room evolve as you use it - move your lamps where you need task lighting, let a small pile of books collect in a pile, leave out a folded colorful throw rather than putting it away, put a pretty plant where you want your eye to rest when you are simply sitting and thinking or petting your cat. I see a space's 'personality' as the by-product of the life that is lived in it. So I guess I would suggest that you live well in the room and the rest will come.

wow! so many great suggestions so far! i agree with jasonf...ralph lauren has AMAZING colors, so i just pocket their swatches and have them color-matched (but for frugality reasons in my case). and i respectfully disagree with superbeetle and fade on violet. first, i think an accent wall can actually open up a small space, and add real high-impact interest without looking too busy. second, i think a really rich, dark gunmetal grey would look fantastic with the neutral palette you've already got as long as you pair it with something more 'punchy'...a blue-green-grey (a popular suggestion already), a punchy orange, or a mellow lemon-lime. also
some ralph lauren suggestions:

aged mint
light sky
sunwashed blue
mediterranean blue
indian sky
artist grey
bleeker
black silk
kayak yellow
mesa sunrise

ps - one word of caution: reds, greens and oranges are tricky to pick out, and from experience i've found that something often gets lost in translation for these colors in the color-matching process...perhaps better to stick with the actual manufacturer if you find a red, orange or green that you just love.

i recommend a light pale green, it's a natural color that will complement both wood species that you have going on. Also, studies have shown green is a heeling color. One look and it just calms me. Complement by bringing in a tall plant.

Try aligning your plates in a row. Buy a thin dark wood floating shelf that you could even put the plates on top of to create more of a substantial element on the wall. Ikea & cb2 has some of these shelves.

I like superbeetles niche idea. Highlight the odd alcove by painting it a different color sounds fun!

whatever you do, avoid dark colors, your room is too small for it & your dark wood table will look lost.

Pick up some of those little Benjamin Moore sample pots. They're $4 each but it's TOTALLY worth it to get 3 or 4. I just painted my new apartment and the only room that needed to be done over was the one we picked right from the chip.

Also, the House Beautiful website has a color section where interior designers offer up their favorite colors, along with the reasons they work. It's a good place to start, if you're looking for inspiration.

i loooooove tiffany blue walls. i think it really makes natural wood and tan tones look rich and special. the color is also really hard to clash with.

Everything in your place already seems pretty neutral, so I think you could go in any direction you want on your walls.

While all those color choices can be a bit overwhelming, that's part of the fun of decorating your space! Look at photos of different rooms and see what excites you, relaxes you, inspires you, etc. It's only paint - you can repaint later if you don't like the look of it. (I recently redid a powder room and had to paint it twice before I got the color I wanted!)

As far as other ways to add personality, over time you'll start collecting things that make it seem like your own. Don't feel pressured to immediately go ballistic decorating the place.

Behr paint has really great inspiration gallerys for blue and green. There are some really great colors, and it's nice to see it against furniture.

http://www.behr.com/Behr/home#vgnextoid=2e39ea6621ca5110VgnVCM1000008119fea9RCRD;channel=INSPIRATION;view=4

I think you should keep it on the lighter fresh side. I think it would be nice against your dark dining room table. Your place looks rather dimly lit. You need to think about more lighting sources.

I would paint both of those dining area walls one color (at the least) and the remaining room walls a lighter or darker shade of that color.

I liked:
Green light=Mystical Sea, bolder=Herbal Garden
Blue light=Russian Blue, Blue Opal, Heron

I've been seeing lots of cool all-white neutral interiors like yours lately, and I kind of like it. It's got a certain sophistication. But one thing you might consider instead of painting an accent wall is to add some really interesting stand-out art. It will instantly add punch and personality to your room. You can go a little bit further by adding throw pillows in colors or funky patterns that you can easily change out as the whim hits.

I'm trying to envision purple there and basically I bet it looks great. I suspect what you really need is to put some larger art/decoration on that wall (hung a little lower too.) I'm thinking some large b&w photos matted and framed simply? You can get enlargements made really cheaply online. And bring whatever color you decide on into the rest of the room a little. A throw pillow on th couch or recover the dining chairs with a fabric that has the color in it.

It seems most of the items are very neutral so I would lean towards something neutral as well like white.

The only color I see in the items you have is blue so you could work with blue, but then you might need to add a few more accessories that have some pop to it.

You can always do a test swatch.

burnt orange

or

light greyed blue

or

aqua

Thanks for all the recommendations guys! I agree that the plates are odd. I also agree that the lighting looks bad. I actually have good lighting, although the apartment is a little on the dark-side during the day.
I loved all the suggestions, and I liked the suggestion of painting the wall behind the couch. I really don't want to paint the entire room, at least not now. I like the idea of a light blue-grey, but my husband is against blue because he doesn't think it goes with the chocolate brown furniture we have. Will it look too washed out?
I'll try and decide today, because I can't stand looking at that purple wall anymore.
Also, I live in Brazil, so I don't have access to Ralph Lauren paint, only Sherwin Williams.
Thank you so much everyone. I really appreciate all the comments.

blue and chocolate brown belong together! granted, i'm biased because i paired blue and brown all over my house, but it's a very common and pleasing pairing...see:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/inspiration/color-combo-light-blue-and-neutrals-050905

good luck!

Have you seen the movie "Doubt"? There's the most beautiful blue wall ever in what I think was the nuns' sitting room; THAT blue.

Some great suggestions and about the blue/brown combo, I'd use a medium to darkish brown, like a chocolate or milk chocolate brown, something rich and use a bright blue, such as aqua or turquoise to pair with it. I find that if you go w/ the paler blues, it'll wash out, darker blues may well work just fine but the combo I mention are about even in the intensity dept so will pop against the other really well.

Also, consider the color of the lighting, both artificial and natural, if a lot of natural light, it will run more bluish, while incandescents will be more yellow, unless you are using color corrected, full spectrum bulbs, which will be more of a blue white than warm white and all of that will affect how the color(s) will be rendered to the naked eye. Something to think about.

I would agree that an accent wall in the area where the couch is may well work to add that punch of color but as also suggested, go with what you already have in your home and/or wardrobe for clues to what colors to consider and also keep in mind the coloring of the wood too.

Good luck!

I'm really into blues and grey right now. The blue in the image on this link really grabs me.
http://alittledabble.blogspot.com/2008/11/this-might-just-be-what-our-new.html