Paint Color for South-facing great room with low natural light
Hi Houzz! I just bought my first home, and I need help choosing a paint color for my open concept great room.
The house has stunning high ceilings and big windows.
The wall of three windows face South, and there is one big window next to the kitchen that faces West, and that window’s light is also eaten up by the neighbor’s house.
I am still learning about artificial lighting, but I know proper lighting is important. Unfortunately, I need to paint before moving in, because my partner and I both work from home, and we’re getting upstairs floors redone before we move in.
I also plan to test some of my pics and your suggestions on poster board today with a white border.
I’m thinking of testing Alabaster, Creamy, and not sure what else...
Right now, the house is painted dark gray, and it looks nice at night with all the lights on, but it feels like a cave during the day. The gray paint is way too dark for my taste. I’m not 100% against gray, but my partner is worried anything with gray in it (even a light greige) will eat up the little natural light we have. (Is that true?)
I would like a Sherwin Williams paint color for walls that — with proper artificial lighting and the natural lighting I do have — help the home feel light and airy, inspiring and fresh.
With all the trees in my backyard (mine and neighbor’s) the Southern exposure light is quite eaten up by foliage. I’m concerned that white or white-ish paint could look green during the day.
I was excited about SW Alabaster but under the Bright White LED bulbs we currently have in the living room, it looked pretty stark. I haven’t completely written it off though.
I’m wondering if I should choose a “white” or cream with more color to it. I’m just really concerned the color will look too yellow, tan, traditional and cozy. I don’t think a cool color is the way to go (but let me know if I’m mistaken!). I’m looking for something more with a fresh, modern vibe that doesn’t make people feel like they are in a hospital.
Is there a Sherwin Williams creamy white that will work for me? Something that reads as white or off white without making it feel stark (due to being too white) or overly cozy and traditional (due to being too tan or yellow)?
We are buying all new furniture as our current furniture is teeny tiny apartment furniture. I currently have and love that rich, supple, tan leather mid-century modern couch from Article that lots of bohemian types have. I’d love to get a sectional version of that.
My style is the typical “uncluttered bohemian” look you’ve seen before: big fiddle leaf plant, lots of viney, hanging indoor plants, big mirrors, pops of color from global-inspired pieces, and lots of white and white-ish areas for your eyes to rest.
I am not keeping the shutters. They feel too visually bulky for me. The flooring is a deep brown wood-look tile.
To my dismay, a lot of the natural light is eaten up by the foliage of my and my back neighbor’s tall trees.
Comments (16)
PRO5 years agolast modified: 5 years ago
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- 5 years ago
- 5 years ago
PRO5 years agoBack in 2006 I had both the walls and the ceiling of my South facing room painted Foxtrot I wish I had the ceiling painted a plain ceiling white because the light reflection off my concrete patio would have enhanced the general light in my room.
I'll be repainting soon and I will go brighter and whiter See the two samples below.
5 years ago- 5 years ago
- 5 years ago
Thank you for all your advice and encouragement!
With the shutters and screens removed, there is so much more light! Feels like an automatic upgrade!
I’m going to stick with Alabaster walls and decide soon if I want Pure White trim and ceiling or different sheets of Alabaster.
- 5 years ago
- 5 years agolast modified: 5 years ago
PRO5 years agoI have creamy and I love it. It does have a yellowish undertone so if you don’t like yellow don’t use it. I like it because it is bright and cheerful. I have alabaster and it’s not that exciting. I have silver dust in a bedroom and it is a nice bright gray. Look on the back of the paint sample from Sherwin Williams and it will have the light reflective value. The higher the value the brighter. This phot is creamy.
- 5 years ago
- 5 years ago
- 3 years ago
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