Hi MRH. I'll say right up front that I'm conservative with colors, and I don't think that Popcorn Kernel or Cocoa Sand are boring. I have a much smaller house, but with living spaces that flow together so I pretty much have to go with a single color.

Your rug is pretty, but it's hard to tell what colors are in it. I'm not a fan of blue walls, esp. in a large space. Don't know what month or time of day your photos were taken, but I think you need something warmer than blue for that big space.

This is a little off the subject but have you considered painting the book case and the big doors? Maybe even the baseboard. What ever color you paint the walls, these features are still going to overwhelm. Possiblly these features are showing their age?

Well, individually I like each of those colors, except Cocoa Sand. On my monitor its pink - are you meaning on using pink? I see what you mean by how all of the walls sort of run together. However you could use that to your advantage and have "softer" wall areas and then a "bolder" color choice. Even just a step or two lighter / darker than what you've chosen. Of course the "bolder" choice could indeed be a complementary color.

From the colors you've chosen I think you're wanting color - but not a lot. Is that correct? How bold are you confortable going? Accent walls, what do you think?

I agree with linelle. I like blue in bathrooms and bedrooms, but I'm not crazy about it in large space. I've never seen Popcorn Kernel in person, but if the sample is accurate, I like it. The Cocoa Sand looks too pink to me also. sorry! Look at BM Wilmington Tan and see what you think of it. If you like a more yellow tone, SW Blonde is a popular color. A more cool neutral is SW Latte.

Laurie

Thanks guys! Cocoa Sand in person isn't pink (I don't think) and Popcorn Kernel is much more pale then on my monitor, at least. I've seen them both in real life (I have an entire box of sample boards, people, it is a sickness). These colors aren't really me which is why I feel so uncertain about them so I appreciate the opinions so much. I'm not attached to any of them. I hear what you are saying about the blue. Should I go with greens? Should I paint it all one color?

msrose- I've got BM fan decks so I'll check out Wilmington Tan today. If you've got an other suggestions let me know!

texasredhead- Yes, I have considered (dreamed, fantasized) painting the trim and doors and everything else!! It is all completely dated and TOTALLY not me. The whole house is, in fact. I didn't choose any of the finishes so really, no offense could possibly be taken. My current house is only six years old and we chose everything in it so this updating is a challenge I haven't faced before and it is way more difficult (and expensive) then I thought it would be.

I depise those bookcases with my core being, but my husband loves them and keeping them is the only thing he has insited on. I can do whatever else I want, the bookcases stay. The only reason I haven't gone ahead and had all the trim and doors painted white is simply fear. It would be so difficult to change back that I'm afraid of doing it. Do you think white would work? Or should I have them all re-stained? I think I'm scared of updating in the wrong way. I don't want to fight the house, but I need to move it into the 21st century. The 80s are KILLING ME.

eaglemom100- I'm totally open to color. Any color! Suggest away! The spaces are so large (particularly once you get up the stairs) I didn't want to go with too much color in case it overwhelms you, but I don't like undersaturated colors very much so what I ended up with was the lighter side of mid-range. But it isn't working, is it?

Here's a close up of the rug:

Flash

No flash

I have a friend who had living room walls similar to the Palladium Blue. I guess it was more on the muted side and didn't scream "blue!" And let me tell you, it was THE prettiest room I'd ever seen. She decorated it with antiques, wood burning stove, lace doilies, etc.

If the paint doesn't scream blue, then I think that's a very pretty color. Just get a large sample swatch of your colors or some sample jars and see how it looks.

I also like the bookcases as they are. They add to the rustic/old world feel of the fireplace. In any other room I'd agree to paint them, but they fit in with the FP. :)

I just used Stratton Blue as an accent color and I'm glad I didn't use it all over. It's pretty, but has a very "easter egg" quality about it now that I see it in larger patches. I had a darker slate blue living room at my last house that we really liked, but lighter and brighter blues just don't seem like living room colors.

The bones of the house seem really lovely. I know what you mean about updating the wrong way. Our house is a very well built 1972 structure and definitely looked like it was decorated in the 70's! I kept the stained wood in some places and used rich, warm colors to blend it all together. I really like it. Using light, soft wall colors will exaggerate the stained trim, IMO. You might try a warm, dark shade in one room first before you decide about painting the trim. If you really only like light airy colors, it sounds like you'd be happiest with painted trim.

On another trim note, I used a gel stain over some of the wood trim to darken it. It had taken on a sort of orangey, grainy look, so I just rubbed a dark gel stain over it to update it. I really like how it turned out!

I remember this house from the last time you posted.

Using a blue will only showcase the large wood pieces that you're not fond of. I agree with equest about a darker warm color. Wilmington Tan, mentioned above, might be an option. Or you could look a a warm grey as that would read a bit more contemporary.

Don't worry about the trim until you have the colors in place. The room will evolve with every new step you take. Once you have your own furniture and art in the room, it will look totally different.

The space has such interesting architecture and will end up being very unique and special.

MRH, thanks for the closeup of your rug. Different looks with/without a flash. I would ignore the blue, i.e., not let the blue in the rug dictate what the large space will be painted.

My daughter's entire San Francisco flat is in KM Cypress, a tannish sage with beautiful white crown moldings and wainscotting. It looks great; however, her rooms are separate from one another so it's not overwhelmingly green. I'm going with a slightly lighter version (BM Camouflage) in my bedroom and kitchen. Just enough for my tastes.

I love white trim, unless the natural wood is beautiful.

I love the new grays, although I'm not ready for it throughout my living space. Perhaps my guestroom.

I'm sure there are blues I could live with, but choosing paint is hard enough without going down that path. I'm afraid I'd have to hide the sharp objects.

i think your choices are beautiful..i would however choose a darker tone of furniture to go with and balance the darker cabinetry and fireplce..and rug..pick a furniture that coordinates well with the stone of the fireplace..to tie in the firelace..another choice would be a leather in the popcorn color, that creamy color would be pretty in leather..

you have a beautiful home

I would envision this house with white trim on the window surrounds and baseboards, and then would choose a light, grayed neutral for the walls. This way you have great freedom with your art and furnishings and can make this an eclectic space where the pieces your husband loves will just be an interesting part of the whole, rather than a main future. Your wood floor and beautiful rug are a great start and I think this house could be made interesting and exciting with large, colorful pieces of art and great furniture and accessories. The colors you've posted can be iffy with the traditional furniture and don't really provide the neutral background that I'm thinking of. Michael J. Smith (the future White House decorator) has very good examples of this approach in his book "Elements of Style". He keeps his wall colors very subtle and classy and goes on from there to make dramatic and wonderful rooms. I think your house has great potential. I sense you're not in love with the colors you've chosen. My choice would be a light, grayed-cream color that will look contemporary and will never be dated and then really express yourself with the style you love. I suspect the elements you don't care for will provide an interesting counterpoint and will no longer take center stage.

Since you have a BM fandeck, also check out Yorkshire Tan and Northampton Putty (green undertones)

Laurie

if you go to myperfectcolor.com they have color combos that are supposed to work together. I really like this website for playing around with different combos.

You said, "These colors really aren't me..." Then run from them. Ingrid VC is right. Give yourself a clean canvas to decorate on. A greyed neutral would be good, depending on the light. If the dark wood doors and wood work are beautifully done, think about keeping them. If they're not, go BM Dove White. After living in the house for while and choosing just the right sofa that really goes with the rug and some great art you both love and learning how you use the space, colors will emerge that really are really you.

I like the open space and the rug. I like the green in the rug. It looks like it may be an olive color. If it is and you like green, you should do a search on this site for olive colors. Some of the greens that I like are:BM Olive Branch, Laura Ashley Olive, BM Baby Turtle, BM Nantucket Gray. In the more neutral colors, I like Tobacco Road, BM Pittsfield Buff. I personally went with SW#20 paint strip. I used Netsuke third down on strip on my ceiling and Ecru fourth down on my walls in my family room, and then on an adjacent sunroom I plan to paint it Burlap fifth down. That way they all compliment each other. I've used Tobacco Road and Pittsfield Buff, and I like both of them.

Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone! We were over at the house today to begin some of the updating (outlet and switch covers removed! shower doors removed!) and I sat for a long while on that rug with the fandeck and stared. Little depressing.

The room looks like it was decorated by a 70 year old woman in 1983 and there isn't even any furniture yet. I need to do something about it. Either paint the trim or get rid of the bookcases, sell the rug or something. It is not my sytle and I'm not going to be happy with it with any paint color. So my husband and I are going to go over again tomorrow and discuss what we'll compromise on and what we can afford. Either way decisions need to be made by next Wed, so I'll let you know what we decide and post photos of whatever it is we end up doing. I know it is a great house, it just isn't "my" house yet.

Really, thank you guys so much. It helps alot to be able to bounce ideas off people!

"I need to do something about it. Either paint the trim or get rid of the bookcases, sell the rug or something. It is not my sytle and I'm not going to be happy with it with any paint color."

In the endless debate on painting v. stain for wood trim and built-ins, to me the right answer is simple: do what YOU love!

Sounds like you would be happier(est?) with white or light painted trim and bookcases and to my eye that change would take you very far into bringing the place out of the 80s and into a classic-timeless feel. So, don't listen to the inner or outer voices that gasp about painting over all that beautiful wood...and what if you don't like it, it is impossible to go back....and how could you do that to the house your inlaws set up so perfectly for *their* (emphasis on their) taste years ago. Etc etc etc.

This is your home now and you are clearly being respectful and loving to your husband as you try to figure out how to make it yours. I'm just here to say that painting isn't a federal crime :). And it just might tip the balance for you into the house becoming a place of joy rather than a problem. From what I can see it has lots of space and tremendous potential. Go for it.

Ann

I have a contemporary house, with all (or most) of the rooms opening to one another. We painted and repainted the walls with Porter's Newport Tint. It seems to go with everything. I wouldn't worry about the colors in the rug. If you have neutral walls you will be able to use different colors in your furniture, pillows, artwork and accessories in different rooms. Your wallcolor will make the rooms flow. I'll try to post some photos later.

MRH, I looked at your pictures again and thought, what would I do. Again, it might just be the time of day these pictures were taken and/or the lack of lighting, but there's a certain heavy quality, esp. with all that dark wood. If your husband is adamant about the bookcases staying, then I'd go very light and creamy on the walls, one of those slightly grayed warm tones that don't radiate yellow. I'd paint the trim and doors white. Then maybe those bookcases will be a little less whatever it is you're feeling about them.

I've known other people that initially had a tough time moving into a parent's house and changing stuff. But you have a life to live in YOUR new house and everyone will get over it.

Myredhouse, I am a master electrician, not a decorator. We mainly do residential work in upscale neighborhoods. As a result we have seen many homes in various stages of renovating, remodeling and redecorating. We work in Dallas.

We see very little unpainted wood including kitchen cabinets. Most floors are hardwood with throws. Often bedrooms are carpeted. I would consider a painted antique finish on the bookcase, etc. Consider having it done professionaly.

On the other hand, I have completly updated and remodeled, and redecorated our home built in 1959. did much of the work myself.