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NY Good Questions: How Can I Brighten This Place Up?

5.27room.jpgDear AT,

Alright, so I just moved into my new studio, and am unsure what to do with the walls!

The trim/woodwork is gray... is there anyway I can take advantage of all these gray+ color schemes (gray and yellow, gray and orange...) or should I paint everything white and start fresh?

Secondly, because I've condensed into a smaller space, I'm unsure how they can all work together in the same space!...

 
 
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5.27room1.jpg

I have a camel colored couch, which I'm stuck with, and a bright green bookcase that I love, but am unsure how to fit it into the mix.

There is a lot of gray, and even though its gets quite a bit of light, I'm desperate for ways to brighten the place up! HELP!

Thanks! Meredith


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paints, stains & finishes, window coverings, Good Questions

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Comments (14)

I actually love the grey. Pick one primary color (green?) and maybe another secondary color and stick with that scheme to give the place a unified look while giving it the color splashes that you need. The grey gives it an interesting look. White is just going to look like every other apartment box out there.

posted by BtotheB on 2008-05-27 10:48:01
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Ooh. The gray is LOVELY. I'd never thought of gray trim like that, but I want it now.

You know what would be gorgeous in this space, if it suits your taste, is a crisp black-and-white look. It's always sophisticated and elegant; like blue-and-white (another possibility for your gray-trimmed space), it's foolproof.

posted by Lisa Hunter (Montreal) on 2008-05-27 10:59:52
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That is a great apartment. The grey is terrific; just crying out for whatever you want to do to personalize it. Enjoy your space!

posted by LauraE on 2008-05-27 11:02:10
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We obviously do not see the darkness. The photos show a bright space that is waiting to be decorating.

posted by luvdecor on 2008-05-27 11:19:51
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What a great space - and it has great, natural light! The gray trim is actually a terrific bonus - go with it! Gray can be very calming/comfortable/clean and modern and if paired with your camel couch, very warm as well! "Camel and gray" - I say make it yours! It's a sexy, sophisticated color combination and hints of green from a few accessory pieces (vases, frames, your bookcase, plants!, etc.), will add a fun 'pop' to the space! How fun for you! Good luck and enjoy!

posted by daleysdose on 2008-05-27 11:30:28
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I would totally keep the grey!! If you already have a green bookshelf, i'd work off the green. Perhaps do a feature wall in a bright lime green to add a bit of punch. THere's nothing wrong with having different green tones in one room. It'll still go with your beige couch. You could always find green pillows to go with it.

posted by mva1201 on 2008-05-27 11:35:10
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It looks pretty nice the way it is - Why not move your things in first, then think about what you might want to do?

posted by bepsf on 2008-05-27 11:51:37
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If you have the green and love it, I would run with it. Shades of greens as accents would look lovely with the grey and camel. I immediately thought of safari colors - like this http://www.everystockphoto.com/photo.php?imageId=37971.

posted by pbblythe on 2008-05-27 11:58:30
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You have the prefect canvas for turquoise as the accent color. I could see painting the insert panel of the kitchen cabinets this color and keeping the grey and white. Then adding some to the living space, more of the sea foam green turquoise a bit more sophisticated than bright bright turquoise. This color also looks great with yellow.
Someone posted this blog, its so much fun-
http://www.houseofturquoise.com

posted by LoriSF on 2008-05-27 12:05:27
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I don't think the problem is light, but rather, bright...and I'm with the original writer - the grey is dull and there's too much of it. That said, I'd probably go with bepsf's idea - move in first, and then once your stuff has a home, see if you can figure out what works colour-wise. It could be that you can keep the grey but minimize the amount of it by adding colourful curtains or other accent pieces. If you're looking for bright, then I'd definitely hang on to the green bookcase and see if you can use that as your focal point in terms of colour and energy.

Have fun!

posted by wc_canuck on 2008-05-27 12:08:32
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Very, very cute place . . . how exciting to be moving in and starting fresh! I love the gray and agree that you should move in first. I think your camel sofa would look great with some charcoal gray pillows. The floor, too, is in excellent shape (look at that shine!) and reads very warm, so orange/ persimmon may make a perfect accent color. You could try it out with a decorative bowl of oranges to start. proceed slowly . . . you will thank yourself!

posted by lookingupatleaves on 2008-05-27 13:00:38
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you could paint the trim black..that would make the white really pop...and it would be cheaper - b/c you'd be buying less paint. :)

The kitchen: leave the grey and add lime green or something like that to make it more cheery

posted by nickel525 on 2008-05-27 13:14:43
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I think the biggest inital "problem" you will have is how your camel sofa will look on the wood floors (close to the same color).

You will probably want a rug which could be the opportunity to brighten things up.

posted by JenPDX on 2008-05-27 13:37:51
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Thanks for all your suggestions - it's so helpful just to have other voices and ideas I'd never thought of!

And with my stuff slowly emerging from cardboard boxes, I am starting to like the gray a bit more...

posted by mcb23 on 2008-05-27 15:57:05
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