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shirisha_pogaku

Color coordination dilemma

10 years ago
All, first of all, this forum is great, I like the ideas that everyone provides here, thank you so much.

I am stuck with picking right colors to my family room, and kitchen. I have a step down family room, and kitchen together with a small wall separating them (picture 2).
At present I have 2 different colors in these rooms, and as you can see in picture 4, yellow color for foyer.
I am not planning to change furniture, curtains, rugs etc. might get new sofas in near future, but will stick to almost same kind, and replacing bar stool at the kitchen to counter stools with no back support, same color as dining table.
I would like to make this space look larger.
Few questions:
1. Should I paint one color or different for kitchen and family room. I am leaning towards one color.
2. Will adding crown moldings look good, I love richness of them?
3. In family room, want to put a chair railing, below chair railing, put dark Maroon color (California Claret, picture 6), and top Sahara desert sand (picture 5). This can continue into kitchen, where there are no cabinets.
Please provide comments, suggestions.

Comments (33)

  • 10 years ago
    Picture 5 and Picture 6
  • 10 years ago

    IMO, one lighter color for both areas will enhance the space. Crown molding should be in keeping with the style of your home and baseboards. Chair railings in your family room may make it seem more cluttered, as it appears on the monitor that some editing would improve the sense of spaciousness. Of course, family comforts rule!

  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    I'm sorry, I think the colors are overpowering (and I love color). I would pick out a cream from your pretty rug and do everything in that. Eliminate some visual clutter like the wine rack, stuff on fridge and counters, plants, maybe valance. I would love lighter curtains. Would not do a chair rail but moldings would be nice. I think your leather couches are incongruous with some of Victorian look you have going. If you have the budget, changing out the kitchen ceiling lights to recessed would be good.

  • 10 years ago
    1. Will the chair rail in the family room be at the height of the upper molding that finishes off the half-wall between your family room and eat-in kitchen? I must assume that the chair will a continuation of this molding/trim. if it is not, then skip the chair rail.

    2. paint your wall and ceiling the same color. if you do install crown, do not paint it out in a different color from the wall.

    3. go for a monochromatic color motif to make the room seem larger. match new draperies to the wall color. your curtains and rug make the space seem smaller.

    4. pare down all your belongings and decorative items.

    5. buy smaller furniture when you replace the sofas. I can't tell the dimensions of the family room, but I would try to float two small sofas in the room or a sofa and two chairs.
  • 10 years ago

    I agree with the comments here. Maybe start with choosing a lighter wall color (the suggestion of a cream from your rug sounds nice), and clear out some of the items mentioned. That should be a good start, then, as time and budget permit, go to smaller sofas. I know it's not always possible, but I like the comment regarding floating furniture.

  • 10 years ago

    Thanks for your feedback. I get it, no chair railings.

    How about painting the same color as what I have for ceiling now and add white color crown moldings.

    No budget for new curtains at present, needs to stick with same, but will get new sofas. family room size is 15ft * 15ft.

    Are you suggesting to remove plants from the wall. Will remove the valance.

  • PRO
    10 years ago

    It's always awkward to have the coffee table in front of one seating area when there are two in the room. Consider moving one of the couches to the opposite wall (in front of window) thereby closing the "L". This way both couches can use the coffee table. At that point you might be able to move the TV to the wall where the couch was. The TV over the fireplace is so cliche and neither terribly attractive nor comfortable for viewing.

    Stick to one color ( something lighter for sure) for all walls (kitchen, den and foyer). Crown moulding would be nice. There's a lot going on in this room try to pare down some of the extra's (plants, stuff on the half wall, refrigerator clutter, unnecessaries from around the fireplace, that little cabinet next to the fireplace). The best way to see where the problems are is to take a picture of the room (as you have done) - that's why strangers can so easily comment about your space because a photo makes you see things more objectively.

    If you are planning on replacing your couches in the future, why would you repeat the same poor design choice again? Expand your design horizons a little and stop using the old leather couch fall back position - there's a whole world of other choices out there.

  • 10 years ago

    I would like to have recliners in this room for watching movies etc, will an L shaped sectional reclining sofa works well without blocking too much window? I like the TV on the fireplace as it is convenient to watch from kitchen while cooking, if I move to the wall, it might not be that visible?? I can try out. Then what should I put on fireplace? One of the main reason that I kept plants on the half wall is, if I leave it empty, that place gets books/pens/keys/wallets etc as everyone in the home sees it as empty place to dump something.

    Any suggestions on Behr colors for walls and ceilings?

  • 10 years ago

    I agree with everything already said and would add remove the little rug under the bar stools.

  • PRO
    10 years ago

    If you are going to do recliners maybe eliminate the coffee table and just get ottomans instead (although most recliners do have some kind of foot rest.) Understand your comment about seeing the TV from the kitchen. It is nice to be able to have it viewable. Find another place for the family to "dump" stuff or get some pretty basket/containers/decorative bowls for the half wall for their stuff - just not too many. Find a nice picture or decorative wall art is always a nice touch over the fireplace. Simple is always best (less is more). Not every wall/corner/or floor space needs to have something on it. The eye likes to rest in negative space sometimes.

    A neutral cream or light beige or one of the lighter colors from the rug would work on the walls. Save the color for furniture, rugs and accessories.

  • 10 years ago

    IKEA has some great and very inexpensive plain curtains.

  • 10 years ago
    How is this? I just moved sofa.
  • 10 years ago
    Another one without scones
  • 10 years ago

    I think you're getting there. I would get rid of the gold lamp stands or whatever they are around your fire place and that red decoration above it as well, along with all the doilys hanging around. Maybe move your TV up and slightly and wall mount it. A lighter color on the walls and some airier curtains will change this space the most.

  • 10 years ago

    adware, you have good photoshop skills, can you please change the wall color to light beige color or similar.

  • 10 years ago
    Your room is starting to come together nicely. If you mount your tv over the fireplace, see if you can get a mount that will tilt down slightly. That will save your neck from looking up at the tv all the time.
  • 10 years ago

    It is mounted on the wall at present, may be I need to lift it up a bit. And there is a sound bar sitting on the fireplace, that's mixed up with TV. Let me take a picture by removing that

  • 10 years ago

    I actually liked the sofa placed as in original post. Skip the two colored paint idea & the chair rail. Go with an off-white in both areas to 'enlarge' the space. Edit out the following: the vase on the stand next to FP, three items on the wall around the TV, the brass candlesticks at the FP, the little teeny table w/ the vase in the middle of the FP.

    Future things to consider: do not purchase dark leather heavy sofas again. Hang plain drapes which match the wall color. Purchase two recliners which do not look like recliners.

    HLC.ME Pair of Faux Silk Grommet Curtain Panels, White · More Info

    Reed Blind Natural Design, 24x72" · More Info

    Empyrean Tweed Recliner Chair · More Info

    Empyrean Tweed Recliner Chair · More Info

    Victoria-Style Ghost Bar Stools Clear Color, Set of 2 · More Info

  • 10 years ago

    What do you think?

  • PRO
    10 years ago

    I suggest both rooms be the same color. The pictures show the rooms as dark. I also am noticing the white appliances in the kitchen.

    White...BM Super White would be my choice...in flat finish.

  • 10 years ago

    If you mounted the TV on the wall across from the TV on an articulating arm, you could turn it to watch from the kitchen.

  • 10 years ago

    When a room is over-accessorized, there's so much stuff you don't see any of it. Here's a medium taupe with a bit of whimsy over the mantel:


  • 10 years ago

    S P, you asked about Behr colors. I would go pick up some of their paint chips in soft whites and creams to compare with your rug. Once you find some you think might work, get some little sample cans of each color to test out. If you like, you can pick up some large squares (about 2' x 2') of white foam-core board to paint for testing. You can use the painted squares to view in various parts of the room since light varies during the day.

    I know opinions vary all over the place, but I would keep the TV somewhere other than above the fireplace. I do understand your wanting to see it from the kitchen. Maybe think about grover's suggestion of the articulating arm, or whatever it takes to keep it from over the fp.

  • 10 years ago
    Thank you Grover for the picture, it's giving me very good idea on what to do. Thank you all for your feedback, I will work on this and post the picture once I have everything in place.
  • 10 years ago

    Yes TV not as well placed ideally there I agree. And the walls- please try and look for Dove White , (some stores call it Dover White) it's so beautiful & picks up sunlight thus it's with natural color all times of day or night- we've done it in every hour we have had! The color seems to pick up diff slight variations u would love it- it's not in the paint rather


    ore like a canvas. Very classic.

  • 10 years ago

    PS the trim in this vroom though is semi-gloss white

  • 10 years ago
    If I paint the room with dove white or Elemental tan, will this sofa go with it? I am a bit bent on keeping the curtains as it is. Will that work with these paint colors.
  • 10 years ago

    S P, that sofa will go with just about anything, but I suggest you choose your sofa first. You don't want it to disappear into the wall and the only way you'll know is by putting the new sofa in the room and then painting samples to see how the colors appear in your actual light.


    The other thing I caution about is a sectional. Before you commit, measure carefully, even tape the outline of the sectional (or any furniture you contemplate) on the floor to see how it actually fits.


    First determine what shapes and sizes of seating will make for the best arrangement, then choose the actual pieces, put them in place so you can see the colors in the room, then choose your paint color.

  • 10 years ago
    Thanks everyone for all your suggestions.
    Here are the latest pictures, just got it painted today. Still need some more changes, but looking for your feedback.
  • 10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago

    The color looks great! Did you change your rug or move it? The way it is now makes it appear way too large and the coffee table direction was better before!

  • 10 years ago

    Whats the name of the color you chose? A few other small suggestions I'd make would be.. Move the lights up over the island - your room is looking dwarfed already because of the high ceilings that make the cabinets appear low. I would get rid of the small décor above the cabinets in the kitchen.. If you're going to decorate up there I would choose larger items. Also nix the doilies in the living room as they don't really go with the rest of your décor. It already looks so much better without the dark paint and the busy-ness!!

  • 10 years ago
    Rug was under the sofa earlier, now pulled it out. But you are right, looks big, thinking of putting back. Thank you for the suggestion on the coffee table, will change.