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Getting ready to paint. Need ideas!

I want to paint both the wood fireplace surround and the shelving units on either side of the fireplace white I will be adding a back on the shelving and a moulding on the top to make them feel like bookcases. I am at a loss as to what white I should use. I also need to paint the room and looking for suggestions for that too. I am having a hard time deciding which direction to go with the paint color. My hubby has nixed teal shades but otherwise anything goes. I tend to lean more toward cooler shades. Greens especially. The couch and loveseat are dark brown microfiber.

Comments (28)

  • 13 years ago
    I am also thinking of shortening the bookshelves one shelf height lower.
  • 13 years ago
    It looks like there's some nice soft natural greens in your lovely carpet. Perhaps a wall colour can come from that. I would also consider something a bit ivory or parchment for the shelves and mantle. A pure white might seem a little stark. Again, maybe the lightest colour in your rug can be a jumping off point.
  • 13 years ago
    The wood mantel seems to go nicely with your blinds and furniture. If you want to keep the green, I think the wall color is lovely already. If you want to paint the mantel and bookcase, I would say a creamy white, then change the blinds as well to a white. One thing leads to another!
  • 13 years ago
    The rug is going and I have white doors in the rest of the house. Should I try to match the doors or can I do a creamier white for the fireplace/shelves?
  • 13 years ago
    I don't mind the current color but we just moved in last year and there are a lot of patches in the walls. I have no idea what color it is so I thought why not start over? All the stuff in the room moved with us except for the furniture which was bought last summer. I HATE IT! But that's what I get for letting my hubby come with me to pick out furniture......
  • 13 years ago
    How about something like this? Brown and white and a touch of green. Notice the walls color in this photo is ever so slightly a pink hint - which would actually work with your FP tile. If you want the mantel/bookcase to shine, maybe you could paint the FP wall a milk chocolate? You don't have to match the white to the doors. Just make sure the white complements the FP tile. I love the textures in this space...
    Living Room · More Info
  • 13 years ago
    Funny Stephanie! Fresh paint always makes a person feel better too!
  • 13 years ago
    Tv is way to high!
  • 13 years ago
    Here is a chocolate brown FP wall. It may be a bit too dark, but you can get the idea.
    Traditional Chocolate & Cream Kitchen · More Info
  • 13 years ago
    I might paint that wall a darker accent color and then actually raise and float those book shelves, I mean hang them on the wall;)
  • 13 years ago
    Yeah, I know the TV is too high. The TV came with the house that way though. We do have a bit smaller flat screen that we are considering putting up there. Someday, we will tear the whole fireplace apart and redo it. The mantle needs to be lowered to drop the TV down. That's why I want to paint it. Because we will eventually be ripping it out and doing built ins anyway.
  • 13 years ago
    Funny, Darzy.... We had a chocolate brown accent wall in the house we moved from. :) maybe that's why I am heading toward the gray greens and creams. I loved that wall for the first couple years then it felt like it was too dark.
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    last modified: 13 years ago
    The room is too symmetrical...and I love symmetry, but all the way down to the sofa cushions and items on the shelves, except on one side of the FP the grass is low and the other it's high. Can you move the end table to the other side of the sofa and get a fun mirrored end table instead? Remove a grass and add patterned pillows. Add a bean bag chair, if you have kids, or a little green stool or ottoman if you don't.
    It's probably my own issues, too many engineers in the family that "lined things up"
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    last modified: 13 years ago
    Sorry, I got side tracked, BM White Dove is pretty but you have to go get a bunch of white paint sample strips, go in your paint store with a bag and get them all, dont be shy, and compare them to your tile in your light. Once you narrow them down buy your favorite 2 or 3 in samples and paint patches next to the FP, you'll find the right white.
  • 13 years ago
    I have moved the furniture around and it doesn't really work anywhere else right now. I had the loveseat right up next to the couch crating an "L" shape for a while and I loved it there, but unfortunately, the big window is only about 2 feet up from the floor. Without the loveseat in front of the window, my 18 month old could throw his leg up on the sill and tries to crawl out the window :/ this is kind of the only way the furniture can fit in the narrow room right now.
  • 13 years ago
    That pic is a bit old. Here is the room as it sits today. One of the shelves is out because I just moved the love seat back in front of the window today. The end table is on the other side of the couch. I can't get the other bookshelf back in there behind the end table. I haven't hung the picture over the sofa yet is it is leaning against the wall.
  • 13 years ago
    Ugh. Sometimes you just need to step back and take a picture of your room to really look at it! The shelf is UG-LY! It needs to go completely. They both do.
  • 13 years ago
    How about the blue from the rug? 3 floating shelves for now on each side, hang smaller tv and if hubby is handy he can frame tv..... For paint you can pull the blue that's peeking from your rug. ... I think if budget allows you can add chunky crown moulding in that room and tie the mantle, shelves together in the same white.
  • 13 years ago
    You could use a change! How about blue, brown, gray? I thought I posted this earlier but don't see now. :(
    Residential Work · More Info
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    I remember this room. I think you need color, It seems to be lacking life. Warm colors will liven it. I would keep the yellow toned walls.. For pillows, some orange or terra cotta. or red. I think your pillows need stronger color. Blue green is an optional accent.
  • 13 years ago
    Yep, LB. I have posted this before. I think it was your suggestion to pit the couch and love seat in the L shape which I loved! But the bummer is the window and my little one and the love seat is just a titch too big. I am tending toward the blues and greens because we also just put a new tile backsplash in the kitchen that adjoins this room and its grays and blues.
  • 13 years ago
    Darzy.. I accidentally posted this twice. Your comment is on the other post. I love it! I added it to my ideabook. I think for now I am going to leave the fireplace as is. I am getting ahead of myself a bit anticipating the big changes that I want to make in the room such as white fireplace with stone surround and built ins. I do need to paint tho because like I said the walls are hideous with nicks and scratches and putties holes from the previous owner. I picked up a couple paint chips today. Ben Moore. Spanish Olive and the trusty Shaker Beige.
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    Paint colors sound nice, but may need some punch with other colors introduced with pillows, art and accessories.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Have you painted? Let's see the results!
  • 12 years ago
    No. I haven't done anything with the room. I have had some health issues so it will have to wait.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    I'm sorry to hear that. It's so hard to have little ones to look after when you're not 100%. Your fellow Houzzers wish you a speedy recovery.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Get well soon!