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cathyalamanos

Need help harmonizing colors in an open concept home

11 years ago

I recently changed my sofa in the family room from a cream leather sectional to a grey fabric. I installed white stone accent wall around the fireplace. The wall with the white stone is dark grey and the other walls are light grey (with blue undertones that weren't supposed to be there!). The room looks beautiful. However, it does not match with the rest of the house. The ceramic tiles in my hallway and kitchen/dinette area are light brownish with orange undertones (outdated); my kitchen cabinets are dark brown with red undertones and the granite has taupe, Brown and a hint of yellow undertone. I want to paint the walls a light grey and change the tiles all over the main floor to a very neutral color but am having a hard time figuring what color will harmonize the grey of my family room and the yellow/Brown of the granite. Here are pictures of the family room, kicthen, dining area and the entryway and pictures of the granite (view from top, and view with sun hitting it). What colors do I go with on the wall and the floor to harmonize with my kitchen and the newly decorated family room?

Comments (6)

  • 11 years ago
    Here are the photos
  • 11 years ago
    Granite:
  • 11 years ago

    Try looking at the same color chip card where you found your gray for the living room. See how the lightest color there looks with your granite. You may find that you have injected cool gray in to the scheme, and an easy fix would be to find a warm gray to use instead, just repainting. Probably the best thing to do to get some harmony going would be to paint the cabinetry in the kitchen white to match all the other trim in the house. Paint is certainly the cheapest fix!

  • 11 years ago
    Thank you! Yes, i think it would be a good idea to warm up that light grey. I still wish to update my tiles & backsplash.
  • PRO
    11 years ago

    Did you want the safe solution or the effective one?

    Swap the light gray w/ blue undertone paint for a taupe or warmish light gray (meaning a gray with some warm beige or taupe in it).

    Then, safely paint only your kitchen island in the same or in a light gray similar to your fireplace bearing wall and you will already notice things will start to flow in the right direction.

    YOu could also try incorporating some of the stone tile in the backsplash of the kitchen and behind the stove. And I would recommend always that you use a flush stove, without the back knob panel. It just makes the kitchen look bigger and more spacious. The taupe in the granite is gooooood!

    Another option for the kitchen, and a bolder one, would be to paint the top cabinets in a light gray and all the bottom ones in almost black, for a totally updated look with addition of new hardware……..

    OR…... you could add a black transparent stain to all the cabinetry to kill the red tones in the wood. This you could do yourself, applying with a fine rectangular sponge and practicing on the insides of the cabinet doors until you feel more at ease with it….

    It's the light blue wall undertones that are throwing everything off for you! ………& me. If you choose grays with warm undertones, they will coordinate well with both your flooring and your granite.

    Paint your dining area in a white, similar to that of the white stone tilling around the fireplace and then perhaps add one wall in a coordinating gray tone ( minus the blue undertones please) or in a warm darkish graytone.

    Please do not disturb your floor tiles………………………..they're fine for now.

    Add a big bold white something center bowl to your dining room to bring in the white and perhaps change out those sheer curtains for heavy white linen or for a light gray canvas look, with black wrought iron hardware or stainless hardware.

    Don't forget to keep us posted! :)

    …………………………………………………………..all will be beautiful at last……………………..

    HOuse MOuse

    Miriam Mainieri

    Miami


  • 11 years ago
    Thanks Miriam!! I will have to start by changing the cool gray to a warmer one like you suggested... house . I think by doing that first will give me a better idea on what my next step should be... I love your idea of doing the black transparent color on the cabinets to remove the red undertone...I now just need to convince my husband to get all this work done thank you so much!