apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I'm drawn to the two greens on the top. They really set off the red wall, tie in nicely with your kitchen and brighten up the whole space.

I'm liking the cool pale blue - thrid "strip" of samples

The red is a cooler red - not much yellow in it so the blue isn't fighting it, its a nice contrast - and slight enough that I doesn't compete

I like the top one best.

I was thinking something a bit warmer. A grey/green mix perhaps. I like "green earth" by Sherwin Williams #7748.

I like the third one down--the pale blue. It would be pretty with the red.

The other two are nice colors but at a distance they're about the same tone as the backsplash in the kitchen, and I don't think you want that if you're staring in that direction all day.

The bar is a gorgeous color, by the way. It would be nice to see more of that red elsewhere in the space--pads for the kitchen stools, a brighter tablecloth, or a bolder rug.

The red is very intense; I would choose a second color that's equally intense. Your samples aren't very intense. Maybe a strong robin's egg blue or a Tiffany blue. Perhaps a fiery orange? Alternatively, I would suggest losing the blood red. I love love love the color, but it sort of makes that corner look like a black hole.

I like the color in the middle, personally.

i would go with a nice soft grey. 'stone' by ralph lauren is amazing.

I guess the top color would be my choice of the ones you have. I like the current color, though!

I agree with girlianatower...A grayish green with a little bit of a brightness to it would be a nice contrast to the dark red, while at the same time keeping in line with the "neutral" feeling of the rest of your space. Plus, you'd get to keep your rug and not do anything drastic to the red bar. Maybe paint the black shelving the same green, too, to add some lightness to a black hole? Sherwin Williams #6724 Mesclun Green or #6716 Dancing Green. I luv green!

light gray-green.

If you want to keep the red, I think you need a color that would tone it down, because right now, my eyes are drawn to the bar corner, which looks a bit like a black hole - especially when looking at the 3rd picture (like elsp said). Maybe a gorgeous dark brown? Think vanilla ice cream (your yellow living room) with chocolate coulis and raspberry sauce (your red bar corner). Yummy.

Hey, Robin Here
Thanks for all the input... Looks like gray green is winning. I like blue too but my dear BF is anti-blue. Believe it or not, the bar is not as much of a black hole as it looks in the pic... I get quite a bit of light in this room. I am going to try some of the Sherwin Williams greens as suggested and will provide updates! Thanks!!!

Is the "Free Beer" sign your inspiration for the color scheme? The top creme sample on the wall looks good.

On a side note, I don't think the sign looks that good down there especially since it's not totally flush against the wall. Also, I'd suggest hanging something on the back wall of the bar to help break up the red. Something large, maybe a relief sculpture, that has about the same height of the black shelves would be killer.

Sometimes we get caught up in color and forget about value.
As fabulissime pointed out, a dark chocolate would be more soothing, would make the dining room walls "dissapear" and give the appearance of more space. High contrast such as this dark red and a lighter tone like any of the three samples can prove jarring over time and be uncomfortable to live with, especially if you are looking at that area for long periods of time like you say you are doing. If you have a good bit of light in this area the darker colors will be much more soothing and peaceful.
BTW, I love, love, love the red....what is it?

light grey.

I think it should either be dark chocolate like new idea says, or perhaps you should consider something like a terra cotta, which would be in the same red family as the thing that's sticking out, but would be at least a little lighter. But I think if you go green, that red will hit you in the face so hard you'll drop your tray of drinks.

I agree w/ NewIdea - the color tone should be more equal - a Dark Chocolate Brown or a Dark Grey-ish/Green would work best.

Hi everyone...

The red is Behr's Cherry Cobbler. I see what you all mean about color value but I am afraid of the dark chocolate brown... I am leaning more toward the greyish green... However if anyone has a suggestion for a nice dark brown at this point I am willing to try anything.

Robin

whoever said vanilla ice cream may have hit it

something buttery anyway

I agree with the point about saturation. I think if you are wobbling between green and gray, you should go with green, grey or a green grey. You just need to take the saturation up a few levels so that it can stand up to the red.

paint the blood red bar, or it will be a constant thorn in your side

Take a look at Richmond Gray, BM HC-96...it's a fascinating color that is grey, green, and gold all at the same time...

Here are some more green greys to further help (confuse!) you...

Benjamin Moore
Raindance
Antique Jade
Green Tint (this one is very light though)
Salisbury Green

I have a similar red, a chocolate brown, and a greenish gray in my open living/dining/entryway, and they look pretty good together. If you want a greenish gray, I suggest Master Room by Ralph Lauren (VM99). There's a post on the color (which is where I first saw the color and liked it) here: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/colortherapy/colortherapy-master-room-054143

chartreuse

Thanks for the continued input... I spend some time at the Ben Moore store and I thingk I am going to go with a green fray, either horse gray or stonington gray, or possibly even Behr river rock which is a very blue gray. I think the most important thing I learned here is about color value... I did not like the color I had on the wall but it was the right value. I may even end up going a shade darker than stonington/horse gray, which surprises me because I was afraid of a dark gray... but the color value thing makes lots of sense now. HOwever, I do get a ton of late afternoon light in that room as well as northern exposure from the kitchen and I think the yellow, gray/green and red will be fabulous. :)

"Sometimes we get caught up in color and forget about value. "

Thank you so much for saying that, new idea. I can't agree more about this point when it comes to interior colors. People tend to focus almost exclusively on hue, when value has such a huge impact on the way a space feels and the visual impression of neighboring colors.

Look at Benjamin Moore HC111 it is Nantucket Grey. It is called grey, but it is very much a greeny grey. It is a very easy colour to live with and goes with almost everything especially colours in the burgundy/raspberry/red tones. I have it in my livingroom and dining room paired with winey/raspberry/red colours. It is hard to tell just how intense your red paint is from the monitor.

I agree with Mr. Kikkoman - use the gold color in the 'Free Beer' picture and warm up the room. You have so much nice natural light in that room, it would look great.

What about repainting the red bar and wall and starting from scratch?

i agree with the neutral yet rich & buttery suggestion! but, i'm not so sure about vanilla ice cream. (by the way, i've just been hit with a sudden ice cream craving, so i apologize in advance for all the ice cream in this comment.) i'm thinking something like a butter pecan, or a burnt caramel.

Oh trust me gentle readers, I have considered primering the whole mess and starting from scratch but after the 4 coats of high gloss red it breaks my heart (but may have to be done). This room is hard because I stare at it all day, and it opens from my yellow living room into the dining room... I was trying to create a fun party atomsphere with the red but alas... I guess the rich buttery suggestion would go well with the yellow in the other room and not clash with the brownishness of the kitchen tile, backsplash and silestone (think earthtones)... In any event I tried a bunch of new BM gray samples and am getting frustrated to the point of craziness. I think, first, I am going to primer away the brown that I hate and go from there.

But if nothing else, burt carmel sounds Yummy.. whats for desert?

So if I were to scrap the red all together, what would be a good color for a dinign room flanked by a yellow living room (which I do love) and an earthy kitchen (which is there to stay)? Should I try to paint the bar as an accent color or leave it all the same? Its kind of a long narrow space... or should I say to heck with it and paint it navajo white (like my parents did with everything in the late 80's)?

After looking at the initial photo I was surprised to see in the following ones that you went with such a drastic change of style and color in your bar area.

I really would change the red or tie in the rest of your house with the bar. None of the colors that are sampled would really look good next to it. I love what you did with the bar though, don't get me wrong! :]

**ALTHOUGH--- I love the "Free Beer!" sign and maybe pulling that color next to the red wall would tie in the rest of your home!

Hi Robin,

After seeing your most recent comments I understand your dilemma a bit better. First of all, let me just say there is NO SHAME in completely changing your mind about something that seemed to be a good idea at the time (i.e., the red bar). It does seem to be causing the problems for the rest of the house.

I recently had a similar problem in my home, where I had committed to individual colors without considering how they flowed together. As a color person, it is easy for me to fall in love with colors, sometimes without regard to how they work with the light, the furniture, or adjoining rooms. What I did to solve the problem was start all over. I took a paint "fan deck" and started cutting out sheets that had colors either that I liked or that were non-negotiable (i.e., artwork, furniture, or the exterior color of my house that is visible from several windows). I then created "rules" and a palette--everything had to work with these "given" colors. Now I have a lot more clarity on what will actually work to harmonize my space rather than make it chaotic or random. I have much more peace, and I sleep better at night.

Try it! You may find you don't have to give up the red, but you may find yourself spending a weekend changing your kitchen in addition to the dining area...good luck!

Oooh the idea of repainting that bar!! Oh well its only paint. I gold-er yellow might be good but red and yellow so close reminds me of McDonalds. The reason I dont like the color I have now is because it is too gold/green... reminds me of my parents 1970's carpet or something.

I keep trying to remind myself that this IS my first attempt at painting an interior space and I went nutty with the overwhelming selection of colors available...

How about painting that one wall where the bar is in egzatly the same burgundy red like the bar? And the rest of the room some vanilla yellow. Or, if you like, the whole dining room could be dark red. I think that way the room would really pop! and get defined as a separate place from the kitchen and the living room. And the difference in colors from room to room would also add depth. And the whole dining room ties in with that sensual evening dinner/cocktail spirit :)