What color to paint

11 years ago

We moved in to a house built in the 70's. Most of the house is updated, but the main living area right when you walk into the house is dark and dated. I want to paint it. I know is a lot of work, and because of that I want to make sure I chose the right color. So far I like light grays, light yellows, tans and off white.
Regarding the fire place, we will have to fill in all the gaps in the rock and then paint it. I feel it has about 40 years worth of dust accumulation.
We have a small budget but I will be getting furniture to go with whatever color I go with.

Featured Answer

beulahmarin

11 years ago

With your dark floors, what do you think of antique white walls, or pale gray walls, and white trim? That should set the background for everything else.

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Comments (12)

grapefruit1_ar
11 years ago
You have dark floors. Please do not paint the walls gray. You need something to brighten the space. It will look wonderful with light tan wall (SW Kilim Beige)? Can't the fireplace stone be cleaned rather than painted? I really like it. New paint will give the room such a different look! Your changes will be dramatic?
Sheila
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you for the input. You are right about the fire place, once the room is painted maybe the fireplace will look good and we can clean it with an air compressor. The room gets very little natural light during the day the lights are always on.
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grapefruit1_ar
11 years ago
Hopefully a new paint color will give you more light! Be sure to paint the doors and trim a light color, too. Do you have pics of the rest if the room? You will want to get rid of dark furniture.
holly98
11 years ago
White might be a good choice. It will look like a lovely paneled room and the stone of the fireplace would look nice against it. Against the white, you can go color crazy. You will be priming anyway, so if you don't like it, you can go in another direction.

P.S. Ditch the clock.
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Erica Pigula Interior Design
11 years ago
I think that will look great with a crisp white or cream color. Good luck!
Sheila
Original Author
11 years ago
I love gray, one of the bathrooms is is gray with crisp white trimming and it works because it gets a lot of natural light. But I am concerned that our big living area doesn't get enough natural light. I leaning towards natural beige.
Scott McLaren
11 years ago
I would recommend getting some sample cans of paint from Benjamin Moore and painting swatches around the room. At least four different colours. And don't rush. Wait at least a week before deciding so you can see all the samples in different light. Choosing the right colour is 90% of the work.
kargus
11 years ago
Try Ben Moore in the color Halo.it is a light creamy beige gray. Hard to describe but beautiful in my powder room with no natural light.
hayleydaniels
11 years ago
Don't wait to clean the fireplace until after the room is painted or you're going to be cleaning your freshly painted walls!

Use the light yellowish color from the rock in the fireplace as your color. It's soft and would make for a very warm, inviting room.
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auntiebuzzybee
11 years ago
I would establish what lighting you will be using before you pick your colour. There's no point in choosing based on how it looks in there if you are going to turn around and change the type of lights you have. That's hard to see in this photo because the light glares in your photo. Your ceiling is vaulted there??? (Perhaps some recessed lighting in the soffits for soft indirect lighting in the evenings) You are leaving the beams dark I hope. Its a very pretty room as it is, btw. I think some beautiful reds would be nice in that rich looking comfortable room. Good luck. It is lovely. And 70s styles are all the rage now : )
grapefruit1_ar
11 years ago
Your room is already dark so please do not paint it gray. The creamy colors would look wonderful.