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Design Dilemma
donna_hagood

Painting wainscot..need help with colors, etc.

10 years ago
Hope I can get some advice from ya'll. We have stained oak wainscot, crown moulding and fireplace in our den which seems dark in there a lot. We are in the middle of having hardwood flooring installed which I know will make the room even darker after it is stained. I am thinking of having all the stained woodwork (wainscot, mantle, crown molding, trim) painted white and painting the wall a different color. The color on my wall now is restrained gold (not as gold as looks in my pictures. )
The adjoining kitchen is painted Benjamin Moore Olive Branch which I love and do not want to change. I was thinking of painting the wall in the den a gray color that will be over white wainscot.
Didn't know if anyone has any suggestions as to a gray color paint that would blend with the adjoining room (olive branch). OR would I be making a mistake with gray?....Or if you have any other suggestions please do. I will attach some pictures but as I said we are in middle of installation of hardwood flooring so please forgive the emptiness, etc. and the picture of kitchen (painted Olive Branch) as that is where we have piled stuff while in this renovation. Thanks in advance help or opinions.
Featured Answer
  • 9 years ago
    Well...good I hope. :). We are having our floors and stairs sanded stained and sealed this coming week. Will be glad when that process is over. In the meantime, I had the wainscoting and the walls painted and am loving it. Although I do not have pictures on wall yet or furniture in rooms (except the minimum till we have floors done)....I am anxious to get to that point.
    I had all the crown moulding and baseboards in most rooms repainted while I was at it....and will have other rooms painted at later date. I went with Gray Mirage on the walls and Dover White on the moulding.

    Comments (69)

    • 10 years ago
      Flo Mangan, I know what you are saying about maybe I should do another color besides gray. I held up the color boards I got today and it seems my couch (which has gold in it) just clashed....however may replace couch at later date.
      I have some opinions that says I shouldn't paint the trim/ wainscot but I think after the stairway and floors are stained it's gonna be a lot of wood color. Maybe I need to step back and rethink everything.
      Thanks
    • 10 years ago
      Flo, The lighting fixture actually has warm white bulbs in it but I can change to cool which I will try soon.

      I love my kitchen and needed a light fixture as the other one was broken and only a few of the lights worked. it is the den that I am trying to lighten up.....just weighing on what to do.
      Your advice with the color sample board was great.....so now I will head back to paint store for more swatches tomorrow.
      Sure appreciate your help!

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    • PRO
      10 years ago
      I would encourage you to get floors done, then give things a fresh look afterward. Wise move. Just because there is a "gray" movement doesn't mean it is best for your home. I like the idea of going light on walls with just a touch of your kitchen green. That works to tie everything together. Then, you can decide if you want to wash your brick on fireplace or not. Once you put material on your brick, there is no undoing that. I think with lighter walls, some new floors, some new art work and new area rugs the fireplace will look different.
    • 10 years ago
      Thank you Flo!
    • 10 years ago
      The suggestion to use big sample paint boards is excellent...I wish I had done that instead of having to repaint after I saw how it looked in sunlight. For many of us that is the only way to see how that color really looks in different light and in your home.
    • PRO
      9 years ago
      How are things going? Hope all is well.
    • 9 years ago
      Looks great!
    • PRO
      9 years ago
      Oh my gosh it is stunning! What a great change. Going to be super! Hang in there, the end is in sight. I know you are happy.
    • 9 years ago
      Thank you! The minute the walls were primed, I could tell it was gonna be a change for the better...,,for me anyway. The pictures I posted were taken before painting was finished so the French doors were painted since. I will take more pictures when we clear out the furniture this week.
      I am excited that you like it! :)
    • PRO
      9 years ago

      Can't wait.

    • 9 years ago

      Donna, this is just gorgeous. Told you it would look great with white.

      Wow. Looks like a brand new house. I know you will love it and I am envious.

      "Sis"


    • 9 years ago
      Thank you Gloria Holland! I'll put up more pictures when the project is finished.
    • 9 years ago
      Today the workers sanded our floors. The part they sanded meets up to hardwoods already in foyer, powder room, and dining room area. We were gonna try and match color but we decided to have the existing floors sanded and stained also so it will all be the same. Since we won't have to match existing I am gonna pick a different stain color and I have to tell them in the morning. I have 2 pictures above that show the colors in den. Walls are gray mirage and wainscot is Dover white. Should I go dark or light stain for floors and stairway steps? Any help will be appreciated.
    • 9 years ago

      If paint is light do dark or medium.

    • PRO
      9 years ago
      Ya know i kinda love the natural wood look! You have moved to light walls and white trim i think the light floors would be great. Stairs too. Dark woods show everything so up to you but with your low ceilings and need for light. Light it is for me. I have to go back and look at furniture etc. be back in a jiffy!
    • PRO
      9 years ago
      Yes light. Then you can do rugs anyway you want.
    • PRO
      9 years ago

      What did you decide? Photos please. No matter what, it is going to be lovely.

    • 9 years ago
      Flo Mangan, we decided to go with Dura Seal Early American. The stain guy stained several different colors on sanded floor and some looked too red...too orange, etc. but the one I chose looked the better color for my space. I am very nervous and excited. They are suppose to be staining today, however we are not there so I can't take any pictures right now but definitely will when we can get back in the house.
    • PRO
      9 years ago
      Can't wait to see it. I am sure it will be wonderful.
    • 9 years ago
      My son stepped into house to check things out. He said floors are still tacky....but he did take a snapshot of how it's looking. I can't wait to see it in person.
    • 9 years ago
      They did smear some stain onto the white risers so will have to have that touched up.
    • PRO
      9 years ago
      Very pretty. Not too dark. Hope you love when you see in person.
    • 9 years ago
      Well....We got home and floors looked great! So happy that they looked so good. The house still smelled strong from the stain and sealer so we were hanging out upstairs and going to sleep up there. I went downstairs to check on my cat that was outside and there was a very loud sound and there was water everywhere! The supply line on our powder room toilet burst. So now we have lots of fans and dehumidifiers in house. Adjuster to come out next week. So looks like will have to go through all again. I am trying to be positive as I know that things could be worse but it is upsetting.
    • 9 years ago

      Wow, I think they left air in your line? I hope floors are ok. A bummer.

    • 9 years ago
      Thank you happyleg!
    • PRO
      9 years ago

      Oh no, that is terrible!! I can't believe it. Glad you were home and could take quick action. Maybe things will be ok after they dry out?

    • 9 years ago
      Thank you Flo! Yeah I couldn't believe it either. We are hoping it can be dried out and not have to be replaced too! We should know something next week.
    • PRO
      9 years ago

      I think it will be OK. If the wood wasn't glued down? Hopefully, it will all be OK. But that is sure a hit in the head after all your sweat and toil. I will pray for good news next week.

    • 9 years ago
      Thank you!
    • PRO
      9 years ago
      Any news on floor?
    • 9 years ago
      Hey Flo, our insurance got a company to come in with dehumidifiers and fans which have been running since Thursday afternoon. Adjuster hasn't come out yet but will probably come out middle of week...so hopefully then we can get on the road to normalcy. Thank you for asking.
    • PRO
      9 years ago

      I just keep hoping this works out. Just awful what happened to you. You are careful with all your work and then "bam". Well, let's hope something good comes from this. BTW, it shouldn't be your insurance, it should be the person that left the valve open or whatever? Who did that or don't you know yet? Back on them for sure. Sorry, I'm whining...for you!

    • PRO
      9 years ago
      Any update?
    • PRO
      9 years ago
      Been almost a week. I am thinking about you! Do give us a report.
    • 9 years ago
      Awww...thank you Flo! Some floors are torn out but not exactly sure as the date we will begin putting in the new. Trying to be positive. Things could be a lot worse! I'll for sure take pictures and post when all is done. Thanks for asking.
    • PRO
      9 years ago

      Oh, thanks for the update. You surely have been on my mind. It will all work out, just shouldn't have been this hard. Keep us posted!

    • PRO
      9 years ago
      How are things progressing?
    • 9 years ago
      Hey Flo, we have had the hardwood floors installed and they will be sanded, stained and sealed the beginning of November. So ready for this to be done! Then onto other things like what curtains to use, decorating tips etc.
    • PRO
      9 years ago

      Hey Donna, so good to hear how things are going. Man, this has been a terrible ordeal hasn't it. Well, hopefully, at the end of this process, all will be well! Turn the water off! lol Looking forward to new projects with you!

    • 9 years ago

      Great news!

    • 9 years ago
      We are back in house and everything looks great except for some touch ups they have to do. So glad to be home!
      Will take pictures when we get it all put together again and I will post. Thanks to you all for your help with our project......now for curtains for our den. I will start a new thread later.
    • PRO
      9 years ago

      Hallelujah!! Been too long for sure. Looking forward to your next "dilemma"!

    • PRO
      9 years ago
      Donna, I hope you are well. I look forward to seeing pictures. Hope your holidays are filled with good news and joy!
    • 9 years ago
      Hey Flo, furniture back in and floors look wonderful!
    • 9 years ago
      Still no pictures hung... Just enjoying peace of mind. Decorating for Christmas so will post pictures after that.
    • PRO
      9 years ago
      last modified: 9 years ago

      Very nice flooring choice! a good gray is "Owl Gray" from BM goes in almost every room with light or no light and it's pretty neutral which i think is what you need.

      I would suggest painting the wainscoting and mouldings in something like French gray from farrow and ball and leaving the walls in a warm white. It will modernize it and lighten the space.

    • PRO
      9 years ago

      Julieta - guess you didn't read through the thread but we solved wall and wainscoting a long time ago. Happy Holidays!

    • PRO
      9 years ago

      oops, so sorry. The thread is really loooooong :-)

    • PRO
      9 years ago

      No problem, we all do it when these threads get looooong!

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