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carriebor

Interlude: The Fun Stuff (wall paint color)

9 years ago

Contractors are going to spackle & prime my walls later this week, they'll paint the ceiling & trim, touch up the yellow living room paint, and, if they have time, and I pick a color, they'll paint my kitchen walls.

Cabinets are to the ceiling, galley style, so there's not that much room for paint: the back wall, surrounding the door (to the right there will be upper & lower, and to the left a pantry cabinet.) In addition, the rectangular are above the sink window, and between the uppers flanking it (barely visible on the right) and the yellow/orange rectangle above the basement door on the left.

I have 3 runners up. Between the back door, and, especially the sink window (it's not a big window, but it faces west, so will get afternoon sun - and there's no tree blocking the sun) there will be a good amount of natural light. Sink window isn't in yet, so a disadvantage to choosing a color now is that I can't know for sure what the daylight will be like in that room. While I don't usually go dark, there's not that much area that will be covered with paint, the cabinets are white, and I want a color with a strong presence. I've ordered 8.5 x 11 paint chips, which should be in later this week.








Comments (98)

  • 9 years ago

    Raee - you mean you like the red, or the brown next to it?

  • 9 years ago

    I like the Roycroft Copper Red!!

  • 9 years ago

    Could we see the red with just the counter and floor in a couple of different lighting situations? Line them up so we see the entire floor sample.

    The teal and salmon floor reminds me of 1980 Southwestern decor.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I like your photo with the Copper Red next to your counter top, but on my monitor it looks much closer to the Raucous Orange in the picture above. I'd like to see your Copper Red sample next to your cork.

  • 9 years ago

    Hm. The lighter of the two that I suggested looks green from the website, but looks teal in your picture with the physical sample. Maybe take that swatch to the store and pull colors close to it that are more green? I like the sawdust color, which has a lot of green in it. I don't like the red at all. I agree that it clashes with the counter.

  • 9 years ago

    CarrieB, I meant that I liked the red with your counter and floor, and I thought that the next color on the swatch could be seen in the counter. I would like to see them all with Banana Cream.

    I like a lot of color in my rooms although not really bright. My walls are also a very pale yellow (Behr Navajo White) and I have elements of red, gold, sage, salmon and a mossy brown in various parts of the room, even a teal lamp! It is the moss brown sofa that grounds it all (as your counter will) and makes it all work, I think.

  • 9 years ago

    Did the cork sample change colors?

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I like both the roycroft red and the brown next to it, at least on my screen.


    i also liked both A and B from your original samples, but I am having hard time envisioning them (when combined with your counter and floor choices) with the yellow walls.

  • 9 years ago

    I love SW's Banana Cream. Such a nice, pale yellow. Personally, I think your space is two small to cut it up with two different colors. It will make your small space seem even smaller, imho. I would do the Banana Cream in the kitchen, too.

  • 9 years ago

    With a small space and that gorgeous focal point door to the backyard, I wouldn't want to add another color to the space. I'd really go with the same as the living room or a variation on it. In the pictures it looks like a strong color to me so I'd go fifty percent, but I hear you saying that it isn't that strong of a color and lighter would just be white. Colors are hard online so I believe you. So then I'd just match the living room or go a couple of shades darker.

  • 9 years ago

    Thanks, folks. I really don't like the red - with the counter or with the yellow paint.


    Raee - what grey? Mayflowers - what salmon & teal floor?


    Jillius - the cork changed color earlier in the week, when Lumber Liquidators informed me that the one I ordered was on backorder until November. I ordered another from Home Depot, which is lighter & has more grey in it.


    Funkycamper - the only place I'm doing the accent color is the back wall. The rest is going to be Banana Yellow. I'd agree if it were the rest of the kitchen, but doing that one wall - and once cabinets are in it will really just be not that many square feet at all... I like it.


    Just got back from Sherwin Williams. Got some more reds (interestingly, I couldn't find a chip for the Roycraft Royal Red, but got a few similar) more browns, the Banana Yellow strip, and the Sawdust strip.



  • 9 years ago

    Crl_ - here's my living room color.

  • 9 years ago

    The grey -- SW Mesmerize? I guess it is really a blue or a purple? Looks completely dark grey to me on here!

  • 9 years ago

    Ah, yeah, it's really more of a bluish purple.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Have you considered Sunflower, the darkest chip on the same paint strip as Banana Cream?

    Don't forget to consider how a saturated paint color on the walls will reflect onto your white cabs and alter how they appear.

  • 9 years ago

    The teal paint color and the salmony orange floor.

    I think the plums you first posted are too murky for a garden window. You might try a blue with violet undertones if you want to stay in the purple family. I have BM Oriental Iris 1418 in my powder room and it looks nice with my orange oak floors. Look at darker colors on that strip.

  • 9 years ago

    Mesmerize is still muddy. Go cleaner.

  • 9 years ago

    Lisa_a - That back wall used to be Goldenrod, the second to darkest color on that strip. I decided I wanted a change.


    Mayflowers - on one of Jillius's links... I presume. I just got back from SW, and, really, none of the blues or purples really worked at all.


    Mayflowers - so far, the sawdust (kind of an olive-y green) is my favorite, though some of the browns look good, too.

  • 9 years ago

    Wow I checked this thread yesterday and came back today and lots of changes! I really like the sawdust but picking paint over the internet is always challenging! good luck!

  • 9 years ago

    Is the color above the door Banana Cream? If so, I should not comment any more on paint color choices because my monitor is not true to color AT ALL. That color looks way more vibrant and saturated than Banana Cream.

  • 9 years ago

    Elatsch - right? Colors look so different in each of our monitors, and even when the light shifts...

    dcward - no, good eye. Above the door is a mix of two colors. The color visible on the right is banana cream. Here's another photo that shows my LR color:


  • 9 years ago

    Green! Choose green! :)


    You love to garden and a leaf green would go with everything...including your yellow walls! My mom has that combination and she loves it. Think about it???

  • 9 years ago

    Ahhhh, ok, I thought either my eyes or my monitor were crazy off!! Your house is just so cute...love that bay window and the big transom above the front door!!! You're home is gonna be so pleasant and filled with light!!

  • 9 years ago

    Lavendar_lass - my first choice right now is SW's Sawdust which is greenish. The green-greens just didn't really look right.

    Dcward - Thank you! I've always loved my house and now I know I'm just gonna love it so much more!

  • 9 years ago

    What about using the color you have painted on the inside of the bay on the back wall as well? That certainly looks nice with the yellow walls.

  • 9 years ago

    I was also going to ask about the color inside the bay. (Though I seem to be the only one who likes orange. In the pic I posted earlier I was talking about the backsplash, which has some orange in it, though it's mostly white, so that certainly calms it down a lot.) Otherwise, I like the Sawdust or some other green, or else yellow.

  • 9 years ago

    Illius/atmoscat - I actually love orange. The brick-ish color in the bay (it's also on either side of the fireplace) would be a possibility... I'm still really liking the idea of an alternate accent color on the back wall.(this photo was taken years ago, but seems to be the only one I have of the fireplace - art & couch have since moved. )

  • 9 years ago

    Carrie, what about that fabulous chandelier you ordered for above your little table? Can you post a picture of it? Didn't it have reds and yellows?

    The accent wall will be behind it as you come in the front, so I think the wall color needs to play nice with it too.

  • 9 years ago
  • 9 years ago

    I love that chandelier. If you go with a red or orange-ish color, that light will pull it all together.

  • 9 years ago

    Thanks, dcward. I also just looked at the Sawdust next to it, and I think it looks good. Trying to get the red/yellow right might actually be harder...

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I think a complimentary contrasting color would look nice. Not sure if a deep teal is a color you like, but I think it looks great with yellow. My hairdressers salon is painted similar to this, and it looks great. I think Lisa_a did a similar combo (which we are all dying to see her reveal!) Here's your stuff with SW deep sea dive. Not sure if the countertop works but it is not right up against it so it might be ok. Just a thought.... Paint choice is hard for me too.

  • 9 years ago

    Thanks rebunky. Funny that that # & color are not on my SW fandeck, though there are other, similar teals. I'm not sure if it works with the countertop either, and it will be up against it on the right wall.


  • 9 years ago

    I painted the DR ceiling and all walls except the DR BM Light Pewter. The DR walls are a custom color, slightly lighter than BM Desert Tan.

    As for my reveal: soon, rebunky, soon. =)

    I like the idea of using the same color as you've used in the bay window. It would tie in well with your chandy (how fun!), too.

  • 9 years ago

    idk, here is the link to the SW site for that color. It says it's #7618

    https://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW7618-deep-sea-dive/#/7618/?s=products&p=PS0

    lisa, oops maybe I mixed you up with someone else who had a dark teal wall next to a yellowish wall. Yes, no pressure on that reveal, but we all cannot hardly stand the suspense. And then Carrie, you will be next!

    I need to finish painting a house today. I'm so sick of beige walls. It looks nice but after painting that same color over and over, I'm sick of it. We work for Banks on foreclosures and that's the color they like. So I'm craving color if you cannot tell! And stalling getting to work. :-)

  • 9 years ago

    Rebunky - yeah, I found it Online, but it's not in my fandeck. That's what is strange.



  • 9 years ago

    I'm thinking I really want to wait until window and cabinets are in. And counter top, too, perhaps. Heck, I might as well wait for backsplash.

    I'm still liking sawdust most of all: neutral, but not boring, not too light or too dark... It looks good with everything, including pendant. But I don't know what the light will look like until that window goes in and I won't know how white those cabinets are going to make the room feel. I'm thinking that darker paint will look good to make an impact, especially if the room has plenty of light, and with to the ceiling white cabinets, but I don't really know that for sure.

  • 9 years ago

    I like Sawdust the best. It seems to tie everything together nicely.

    Carrie B thanked Patti
  • 9 years ago

    I do think that it is a good idea to wait -- especially until that pendant is in, because it will have a big effect also, especially at night. Since you have decided to do all but the back wall in Banana Cream, and you won't really have that much area to cover on the back wall, it will be easy to put something up and really not too hard to repaint if the first choice is just not right -- and it won't take much paint, either.

    I was looking at your artworks (nice!). Have you thought about pulling a color from one of those? Even the dark blues that I can see there should look good. I can't tell what the picture is to the left of the bird and still life, but the color of the matting looks like a possibility too

  • 9 years ago

    Thanks, Raee. I actually have not made a decision about Banana Cream, but may use it in the kitchen, or in a part of the kitchen.

  • 9 years ago

    I painted my kitchen before the cabinets went in - having painted around cabinets, I wanted it to be easy!

    I don't envy you the decision - picking paint is SO hard!

  • 9 years ago

    Young guy who works for contractor is here sanding - mostly the ceiling to prep for painting. Yeah, I'd like to have them paint before cabinets, to make it easier & neater... but choosing a color... SO hard. So many times I'm confident about what I want, but enough people (here and in real life) express enough doubt (and rightly so, I've been saved many times) that I have to start the decision process from scratch!

  • 9 years ago

    Thanks, Clueless. I like the color, as I have a similar color in my LR, but really do want something different for my back wall.

  • 9 years ago

    Ya know, Carrie, I really don't consider myself a color/design expert by any means. So I may be off-base, but I keep thinking about how you want that back wall to have an accent color and it bothers me. I think the lovely door, transom window, and view beyond them IS the accent. It seems to me that an accent color on that wall could detract from them.

    I went to the Decorating forum hoping you had posted this there. You might want to give that a try.

  • 9 years ago

    Hey funkycamper. You know, I guess I just have a different perspective. Just like the right picture frame can fade into the background, I think it can also make the image pop. My frame around my bay window is orange, and I really don't think it detracts. I do agree that one has to be careful that whatever color is painted doesn't clash with whatever is outdoors... Here are some images from my ideabooks.


    Art House · More Info

    Green Oak Writer's Studio · More Info

    Tupelo - Duneside Cottage · More Info

    And here's an image using SW's "Sawdurt."

  • 9 years ago

    True enough. Why not use the same orange on that back wall? I love orange. I really do like a lot of color but I also don't like too much visual clutter. I need a balance. Using orange on that back wall might give you better balance and tie both spaces together? I really don't know which is why I thought running it past the pros in the Decorating forum would be worth it. I've seen some incredible advice given there. I read there to learn but virtually never post there unless I'm asking a question. I'm several leagues below them. ;)

  • 9 years ago

    if u love orange, we used SW"earthen jug" in our family room....its more rich/deep/darker than what u have now...more terra cotta than orange which would be a nice contrast with the SW banana cream....

    for yellows, we used SW hinoki (which looks NOTHING like the sample) and SW beeswax...used these in our kitchen and DR. hinoki on the walls and beeswax on ceiling trim... beeswax might work with your BC, a few shades darker for some contrast...

    FWIW, hold/tape the paint samples on the back wall where the paint will be going and leave there all day and night to get the real effect of what they actually look like. the color changes thruout the day and night, sun and clouds, natural and artificial light....after a day or 2, you will get a better feel for what is right....

    i like the idea of green to pull your outdoors in and better frame the backyard in your gorgeous door and transom....

    so hard, i feel your pain... :(

  • 9 years ago

    Thanks, funkycamper. The truth is, more than anything, I don't want to use a color I've had on my walls for more than ten years in my new kitchen.

  • 9 years ago

    Ah, I mis-remembered, thought you had said that you had decided to carry the LR paint into the kitchen except for the back wall. I like that idea, it is what I would do I think.

    I think you asked on your other thread, but Sherwin Williams has a tool to place colors into an image of your room. Visit the 'Find Colors" page same as the links above, then scroll down the column on the left to find "Try on Colors" and choose the device that you want to download the tool to.