Dear AT,
I would love some advice.
My husband and I are trying to decide on what color to paint our new living room.
Our rug (attached below) from crate and barrel has various stripes of green/beige brown and a little pop of grey.
I'm afraid if we paint the walls green, our room will feel too green.
Would a grayish color be too cold?...
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Our couch and furniture are chocolate brown.
The apt is old with lots of molding and white trim.
Thanks! Colleen
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Comments (17)
The rug seems so dark -- I've leared over the last six months or so that contrast will set it off best. Paint the walls a very light neutral shade.
I would definitely keep away from using any of the hues in the rug since the colors in the rug are so muddy it could really close off an dampen the room. I would go for a light neutral, but if you must opt for color I would go with yellow or red (it could work)
I concur - light neutral would be best. I think the grey/brown combo would be drab.
There are some really nice light greys out there and some are very warm. Also consider what else you have in the room i.e. colour in furniture, art etc and what kind of light the room gets. I've always found that going to the paint store and bring home a bunch of those sample cards is helpful. Maybe get some sample cans of paint and try it in different corners.
I would go with a rich plum on the walls if you are feeling courageous.
i say a creamy beige color... something light but earthy with maybe an undertone of yellow. in my experience when you have a strong floor you need to keep the rest of the big colors (walls, upholstered furniture) pretty neutral and then pop it with accent colors by using accessories. you will be happier with a neutral on the walls for a longer period of time.
I would go with a very pale green or a very pale pink depending on how feminine you want to make it and what your other accent pieces would be. What sort of artwork would you be incorporating into the space? I agree with the others in that the rug is too dark to draw a color from but if you don't mind going dark, I would suggest a deep eggplant purple that is almost bordering chocolate brown. You could always lighten things up with pillows, decorative items, and artwork all in the neutral or brighter accents like yellow or chartreuse would go really well with the eggplant walls. I remember there might be some ColorTherapy posts somewhere on the eggplant color, so you might want to take a peak at those to get some ideas.
Yellow, maize or chartreuse.
Love the rug -- its sorta vaguely similar (albeit yours is in much nicer condition) to what we have in our living room. I like the greenish-grey paint the previous tenants used in our space. The white trim makes it really work...IMHO definitely doesn't feel "drab".
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erskine_cure/2462751912/in/photostream/
I think it really depends on how much natural light your space gets....I always get a million paint chips and tape them up for a while to see what works in the space. Then get a few samples of your favorites.
Good Luck!
A rich buttery color might also look nice!
Persimmon
I actually think that you could really blaze up some funky medium tone bold colors like blue and orangey/yellow - even if only on one wall, but it really depends or where your natural inclinations lie. Do you find yourself going for neutral or color when you're shopping? If you have predilections - go with it, don't fight it.
A light gray with a warm undertone
I'm sorry to disagree, but I think gray would be nice...
I agree, a slate blue would be nice. But, I'm also liking a green Benjamin Moor's Affinity Color Agave AF-420
A buttery color would be brilliant with your rug and furniture. It would be a nice contrast to what you've got.
I would do a warm grey/brown like Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter (grayer) or Shaker Beige (browner). I have had great success with both of those colors in New York apartments. Think about a bright color as an accent wall or area....