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john_chambers68

Help! Paint feels too dark

4 years ago

So, the painters just got done and the main color for our apartment feels too dark, especially at night. We chose alpaca as the primary color, I like the tone but it just feels too dark on our super tall walls.
Is there anything I can do other than repainting? I heard that if we paint an accent wall a darker color, it would lighten up the rest. Would dark floors help contrast it as well? Any lighting/accessory tricks? We just don't want giant stone walls surrounding us ominously.

Comments (18)

  • PRO
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    IMo you brighten a space with lighting not paint. Maybe post a pic of the space too and please show us your stuff , IMO wall color is chosen after all the other choices have been made .That for me would always be no for wall color so I need to see what drove that choice.

  • 4 years ago


    My bad I forgot to post a pic... It looks darker in person

  • 4 years ago

    You're showing the entry? It might look darker in person, but it does not look bad in the pic.

  • 4 years ago

    I would definitely put medium or dark toned floors in there with that paint color to contrast with it. Not too dark, it will feel closed in.

  • 4 years ago

    That is one entry. Here are some daytime pics.




  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    No, I don’t think any of the things you mentioned will help.

    Is it possible you‘re experiencing a bit of paint shock? That it’s very different than what you had/were used to and feels strange and ’off’ right now?

    If no, then I’d repaint if budget allows. I imagine most of us here have made paint mistakes in our lives. It’s not worth being miserable over.

    To me, it looks nice in the pictures, but I’m not there in person. Only you can know if it’ll grow on you.

  • 4 years ago

    That room with the window is way too dark.

    It would have been helpful to get a few samples before committing. Can you live with it? If not, have it repainted.

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I would repaint it now, before the new lights are in and the furniture moved in, and the ceiling painted. Get it over with. We have all been there, done that. This time, get sample paint and some posterboards, so you can more accurately narrow down the choices.

    Choosing colors is difficult, and this is often part of the process.

  • 4 years ago

    I definitely think you should give it some time and see if you get used to it. If you don't, maybe repainting a couple rooms instead of the whole apartment would help. Alabaster & Simple White are lighter complements to Alpaca. It is not unusual for people to paint their bedrooms different colors than the rest of the house for example. If it's just too expensive to repaint, buy some more lamps. :-)

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Sorry I thought it was a BM Alapca a very different color for sure; I think beef up the lighting use LEDs 4000K in all the fixtures I think the color is not the issue the lighting is the issue.

  • 4 years ago

    Changing light bulbs won’t help when lights are off.

  • 4 years ago

    It may be paint shock. And maybe it's not that it feels too dark, it just feels too boring? Lol these are 12 foot walls and having them all the same color seems a little overwhelming.


    I guess I was thinking that they would look close to white when it was done, almost like you couldn't tell it was gray unless you saw something white next to it. But you walk in here and no, these walls are intentionally and proudly not white.

  • 4 years ago

    it just feels too boring?


    Yup!


    So what are you going to do? Do you have any DIY skills at all?

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    You also don’t have your furniture in, no art up, no moldings yet, etc. Things that will make a big difference. Most rooms under construction do look pretty boring. :)

    It’s hard to say from just these pics, not being in the rooms, not seeing how the rooms flow and everything relates.

    I definitely would not choose your flooring based on a paint color you aren’t 100% sure about.

  • 4 years ago

    (btw that dark wall with a window is the same color of paint, the lights were just off and my camera adjusted for the window light.)


    We actually did already have the floor color chosen, it's a mid - dark shade of natural wood. Maybe when we install that, we will revisit the paint and decide whether it needs changing before the furniture and finish gets added.


    The odd thing is, I turned down the temperature of light, making them warmer and I'm kinda liking it more. Embracing the warmth of the walls rather than the cold greys. Which is opposite to what I was intending when choosing a paint color.

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    That sounds like a good idea.

    4000 LEDs are way too stark for situations like this (the kitchen pro above advises those on every thread, for every room, no matter what).

    I think the color is starting to grow on you. :)

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago







    I like it. It is on the low end of lighter colors at 57 LRV, but I think with a pure, bright white on the trim (semi-gloss) and ceiling (flat) it will work. I'm not as familiar with S W as B M, so I am going to say Pure White for the trim. Maybe there is one even whiter.

    You can do dark blue, but because the under tone of Alpaca is more milk chocolate, find a blue with a purple undertone.

  • 4 years ago

    Yeah, the lighting at 3000K feels more inviting and more, intentional? Like it was designed to be warmer. We want to add some golds and warm dark blues in the decor, so maybe the warm glowy look is better for that.


    And during the day, the color isnt an issue, it feels comfortable and open. Guess I got one of those transforming paint colors.