Help with wall color!!

13 years ago

I need help finding the right wall color for my living room - dining room. The landlord insisted on white, so I have been trying for three years now to add color through art and decoration, but now I am determined to paint! I have been thinking something green with yellowish undertone... What do you think?? Thanks in advance for your help!

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Sandy G. ltd.

13 years ago

I can see that you love color and have tried hard to introduce it into your space. The challenge I have is trying to find a focal point which calms a room down. I would lable you style transitional because of the clean lines of your sofa & paired with the floral pillows.

The painting should be lowered to about 6" above the back of the sofa so it groups with the sofa. Pick a color in the painting for wall color for starters. It doesn't have to match, just coordinate - maybe something in the light wheat family. Your sofa and rug are strong, saturated colors so the wall color should simply present them.

Can you turn your red area rug so that it runs all the way along the sofa? This would clean up those lines. Change out the pillows for something closer in design/palate to your painting. Edit the niches' - change to items that seem like a collection and relate again to the painting. In stead of many small things, think about using 3 larger pieces of "art glass" or natural pottery, etc. The bookcase and tabletop - same thing - declutter, because you now have your focal wall and palate as your guide.

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Comments (15)

despinach
Original Author
13 years ago
last modified: 13 years ago
Thank you so much, Sandy! So, you say light wheat...I'll keep that in mind! I know I do have to lower the painting, but it's so difficult to make holes into that wall, I can only do it just before painting. The place is actually more decluttered than it seems on the photos...that's my Easter decoration :-)! Unfortunately, I cannot turn the area rug, because the balcony door wouldn't open... And although I love the floral pillows, I recognise now by seeing that photo that it's either them or the painting...
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leelee
13 years ago
You're trying way too hard. So much stuff and it doesn't create a visually pleasing picture. As Sandy has said, lower the triptych over the sofa and remove all the other stuff on that wall. I think you can turn your rug by sliding it under the sofa and the lounger part, too. When I look at the pictures you posted it is definitely not the white walls that are the issue. Declutter, girlfriend. Since you're moving your pictures CENTER your couch on that wall--it will also help your rug fit properly when you turn it. Good luck and please post new pics with just those few changes!
leelee
13 years ago
One other tip. When you're hanging fairly light weight pictures you can use straight pins hammered at a sharp angle to hang things. Make sure they go in and just leave a small portion of the pin sticking out of the wall...that way you don't leave big nail holes. Give it a try.
PRO
Homes Beautifully Interior Design And Home Staging
13 years ago
There is nothing wrong with wanting to introduce color. A light neutral background gives you the chance to do just that! My recommendation would be to introduce some longer, white shelves, 2 or three shelves actually, placed one above the other, above your sofa and on the wall to the left. Group your accessories in threes, but reduce how many you use as you risk making the room look far too cluttered. And your room will look better organized having your pieces grouped onto shelving instead of all the pieces adorning the walls and floor as you have them placed here. Use color with throw cushions and a matching throw. I'm a big fan of neutral backgrounds and using color to accessorize. Makes it easier and cheaper to update your look in future too! Good luck!
PRO
Homes Beautifully Interior Design And Home Staging
13 years ago
A cream rug would make the room look bigger too. Hope that helps!
Darzy
13 years ago
last modified: 13 years ago
Since you may have to cover the color when you move, how about just doing the sofa wall. This is going to sound crazy, but a purple or lavendar will look beautiful and satisfy your bold color wants!
Darzy
13 years ago
Here is sort of what I mean in reverse...this is the purple sofa, green walls. But, lose the floral toss pillows and it will look great.
living room · More Info
Geneviève
13 years ago
Are you ready for this!

Salmon
Look at the chair and that would be the walls If you cannot paint the whole room then just paint the wall where the sofa is
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=salmon+walls+and+avocado+greensofa++living+rooms&go=&qs=n&form=QBIR&pq=salmon+walls+and+avocado+greensofa+living+rooms&sc=0-37&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&id=9ECAA93891C8E080B149142B071641F40EF9DDC1&selectedIndex=7
leelee
13 years ago
Just remember that the landlord is looking for any excuse to keep your damage deposit!
PRO
sstarr93
13 years ago
If your landlord would accept wallcoverings, I'd go with a pale cocoa grasscloth. Or pale cocoa paint. Most importantly, your room will only look good if you remove all of the decorative items and extra furniture such as the bookcase. I would leave only the sofa and coffee table. I'd remove the runner, and turn the area rug 90 degrees, moving it away from the sofa. Replace the sofa cushions with plain-color or geometric patterned ones.
Unfortunately, that leaves you with quite a few possessions that need to go somewhere else... I have the same problem...;-)
despinach
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you all for your suggestions!
Actually I have thought about lavender or green, but salmon had never crossed my mind! That's the good part with Houzz!!
I cannot change much about the room; for example I cannot center the couch on the wall, because the balcony door won't open (that's the reason why I cannot turn the rug either), I cannot get rid of the bookcases because the flat is only 540 sq ft and there is no other place for them, I do need the runner because the floor underneath is extremely uneven, since there used to be a wall there (anyway, I have replaced it with a green one which looks much better...)...
Some decorative items are there only during Easter, so when I remove them, I will try to visualise my room with the colour suggestions you've made and see what else I can do. Thank you once again!
PRO
Hummingbird Designs
13 years ago
If that couch is this green colour ... Here are a few colours
Darzy
13 years ago
I like that idea too Genevieve!
despinach
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you, Wendy! It seems to be exactly the green on your first photo... Such an interesting color combination!